Museum Musings are a collection of letters compiled by Tom Baker that were found in the White River Museum. They highlight the situation and conditions locally and nationally during the time that Nathan Meeker was the Indian Agent in this area.
Department of the Interior
Office of Indian Affairs
Washington, July 18, 1879
Sir: I am in receipt of four letters from you, all dated the 7th instant, relating to the manner of issuing and accounting for the supplies furnished to your Indians by the government.
In reply, I have to say first, to your request for authority to issue 50 pounds of flour additional to the amount allowed per 100 rations, in place of cornmeal of which you have none on hand, that the amount of flour may be increased to 75 pounds per 100 rations as long as no cornmeal, or any other substance in lieu of the same, is issued to your Indians.
Second. Referring to the letter in which you ask to be granted the necessary authority to issue salt, baking-powder, tobacco, and beans monthly instead of weekly, for the reason as stated by you that, if issued weekly, the quantities of supplies are so small as to appear worthless, and in consequence are often lost or wasted by the Indians, while some of the articles named are received in packaged or parcels be better suited for such monthly issues, you are hereby authorized, in view of the fact that supplies are now being issued to heads of families and individual Indians, to issues salt, baking-powder, tobacco, and beans to your Indians once in four weeks instead of weekly, as in the case of other supplies.
Third. In reply to your letter asking to be instructed how to account for paper bags on your property-return, as no provision is made therefor column on said voucher for their entry, or to change one of the headlings of the column, if issue is not made of each of the various supplies namd on the voucher.
Fourth. With reference to your request to be instructed how to report on the voucher accompanying abstract D, of articles issued to Indians, for which they are required to give their receipt, the number of head of cattle slaughtered, you are advised to drop from your property-return per abstract F, the number of cattle killed during the quarter,and to take up on abstract C. the number of pounds of beef (net) obtained from these cattle, said abstract C to be sustained by the certificates of the agency employees, and then to account for the beef issued by the pound on the proper voucher (form 3) to Abstract D, showing all property issued to Indians.
Respectfully,
E. A. Hayt. Commissioner
N.C. Meeker, Esq., United States Indian Agent, White River, Agency., Colorado