Denver, Colo.
July 5, 1879
To Hon. N.A. HAYT,
Commissioner of Indian Affairs,
Washington, D.C.;
Reports reach me daily that a band of White River Utes are off their reservation, destroying forest and game, near North and Middle Parks..They have already burned millions of dollars of timber, and are intimidating settlers and miners. Have written Indian Agent Meeker twice, but fear letters have not reached him. I respectfully request you to have a telegraph order sent troops at the nearest post to remove Indians to their reservation. If the General Government does not act promptly, the State must. Immense forests are burning throughout Western Colorado, supposed to have been fired by indians. I am satisfied that there is an organized effort on the Path of the Indians to destroy the timber of Colorado. The loss will be irreplaceable. These savages should be removed to the Indian Territory, where they can no longer destroy the finest forests in this State.
FRED. W. PITKIN,
Governor.
To E. J.BROOKS,
Acting Commissioner Indian Affairs,
Letter from Indian Agent Meeker, dated July 2, just received, asks me to appeal to the military, and says the commander at Fort Steele pays no attention to his repeated requests to keep Indians where they belong. He says Chief Douglas has sent scouts to recall his band, but the other Indians belong to nobody. I have no information whether they have started home. The Utes have burned more timber the last few weeks than the white settlers have cut in twenty years.
FREDERICK W. PITKIN,
Governor.
Telegram, dated Denver, Colo., July 8, 1879