History of Utah, 1540-1886 - Brigham Young University

478
.UTAH AS A TERRITORY.
mons, and was succeeded by his brother Arapcen. 73
Thus the leading spirit of the Utahs was taken from
their midst, and starved though the Indians were, 74
they ceased for a time from open hostility, contenting
themselves with occasional raids on the Mormons'
cattle and horses, and accepting with thankfulness
such small presents as the Indian agents were pleased
to give them. 75
It is worthy of note that the United States
should have deemed Utah fit to be organized as a
territory, and should yet have considered the sum of
$3,000 a fair compensation to the Indian tribes for
its occupation. Though no territory was of course
acquired by the informal treaty with the Shoshones,
Utah was then the abode of more than forty thousand
Utah Hist., MS., 63; Millennial Star, 269-70; S. F. Alta, Apr. 6, 1855; Sac.
Union, Apr. 9, 1855.
73 Walker had three brothers, named Arapeen, Sanpitch, and Tabby.
Sanpitch succeeded Arapeen, and Tabby was afterward chief of the Utahs.
Wells' Narr., MS., 22. In his summary of the Walker war, Richards mentions
a brother named Ammon. Incidents in Hist. Utah, MS., 30.
74 In his report to Brigham Young, in House Ex. Doc, i. 34th Cong.
1st Sess., pt i. 518, Garland Hurt states that while in the Humboldt Valley
400 Indians came to his camp within three days, and that many had travelled
100 miles without food. Again, p. 520, he mentions that a party of Utahs
were put to work on a farm at Nephi, but they had nothing to eat, and most
of them were compelled to betake themselves to the mountains and streams,
where there were fish and game.
75 In 1849 John Wilson was appointed Indian agent at Salt Lake. In
House Ex. Doc, 17, 31st Cong. 1st Sess., pp. 182-4, is a copy of his instructions.
The total sum allowed him for presents to Indians, rent, fuel,
stationery, forage, the purchase of two horses, travelling and incidental expenses,
was $1,500. What portion of this amount the Indians were likely to
receive in the way of presents the reader will judge for himself. In Id., no.
17, pp. 104-111, is a copy of the agent's report, which contains much that
was already known about the geography of the country, but very little about
the Indian tribes. Wilson states that to gain anything like a personal knowledge
of the actual situation of these tribes would require five years' travel.
One would think that he might at least have learned something from the
Mormons. In 1851 Jacob H. Holman was appointed Indian agent, and
Henry R. Day and Stephen B. Rose sub-agents. Amer. Almanac, 1S52. Day
was removed in 1S52. In 1S54 Garland Hurt succeeded Holman, and Edward
A. Bedell was also appointed agent. In 1855-6 the agents were Garland Hurt
and G. W. Armstrong, Brigham being still superintendent of Indian affairs.
Id., 1854-7. The reports of the various agents and of the superintendent
will be found in hid. Aff. Repts, passim. In his report to the secretary of the
interior, dated Nov. 22, 1856, Geo. W. Manypenny, commissioner of Indian
affairs, says: 'The Indians in the territory of Utah have, with but few exceptions,
continued quiet and peaceable.' Nevertheless, in Feb. of this year
there were a few war parties in the field. See Brigham Young's proclamation,
in Deseret News. Feb. 27, 1S56.