News From Colorado, 1874

High country snow.

From the National Republican newspaper, May 26, 1874, Page 5

Commissioner of Indian Affairs E. P. Smith received the following letter from the Indian Agent at Los Pinos, Colorado :

Alfred Packer and party (21 miners) were visitng Ouray’s camp in winter. Ouray advised them to stay with the camp. Ten stayed. Five went on and died near Gunnison cattle camp. Packer was one of six men who left the first of February. Packer alone arrived at the Agency April 16th, apparently in good health.

Photo by E.A. Mills from the U.S. Geological Survey Photo Gallery

Interview with Ouray, Part 3

A VISIT TO THE TRIBE OF UTES.
New-York Tribune (New York, N.Y.) October 08, 1874, page 4

ORGANIZATION OF THE TRIBE

Ouray by William Henry Jackson taken at Los Pinos 1874.

[After obtaining horses, the Utes] changed their attitude of defense to one of offense and used the war hotly against their old enemies, refusing to fight the Spaniards, as nearly all of the village tribes south of these were doing. It was in these raids that they first obtained and learned to use fire arms, capturing them from the plains Indians who had been visited by traders. Gaining in strength, numbers and courage with new victories through long years and weary battles, they finally drove them east of the Rocky Mountains, actually on to the plains, and were possessors of all the territory now included in Utah and Colorado, between the Wahsatch Mountains and the main range.
          Of course, it is difficult to tell how long ago all this happened; but that the main account is a true history of the tribe I have little doubt. The rest we can form a definite idea of, for Ouray tells me that he can remember when the Utes first met the white man (that is, Americans…) in the vicinity of Del Norte on the Rio Grande. His father, Salvador, was then chief of the tribe and his mother an Apache. These white men were of course traders, but they were soon followed by others and the Utes soon became familiar and friendly with them…[I]t is their boast today that no Ute in good standing has ever killed a white man.
          The head men of the tribe are constantly watching the behavior of the boys and young men. When they see one who is intelligent and progressive, whose ideas are in conformity with the policy of the [Ute] nation, and who shows a capacity for carrying on their affairs with credit and advantage, he is looked upon as a captain without further ceremony. From the captains the head chief is elected.

Young and powerful Ouray in 1863. He holds the cane presented to him by President Abraham Lincoln.

          Such a man was young Ouray, and he at last became chief, with the consent of the tribe, altogether through his own merits, and not because his father was chief, for no hereditary honors are recognized. He first succeeded Benito as war chief in 1863, perhaps at the nomination and certainly with the sanction of the U.S. Government, which had become convinced of his ability during negotiation of the treaty at that time. The election and the terms of the treaty together so dissatisfied old Nevava, head chief, that with all his band he left the Southern Utes and reported thereafter at the White River Agency. Subsequently there was a split in his band, and some 350 went, under the leadership of Piah, to Denver, where they now receive their supplies.

 

This article was written by an unidentified member of the Hayden Survey team based on his August 27, 1874 interview with Ouray.

Photos courtesy Denver Public Library, Western History Collection.

The 1878 Ute Commission

A small group of men, appointed by the Indian Bureau to negotiate a new treaty with the Utes, arrived at the Southern Ute Agency on August 14, 1878. Edward Hatch, Chairman of this Commission, reported several problems they encountered.

          “The Indians there said they had been overreached in the agreement of 1873; that they intended to sell nothing but minerals; that the government had not complied; that a large sum of money was to be paid [to the Utes]; that they had received nothing.”
          “One difficulty in negotiating was that the Utes hold the territory in common but among themselves have division of lands among groups. They refuse to come together for a conference.”
          “Considerable hostility [exists] between Ignacio, chief of the Weeminuches of Southern Utes, and Ouray, chief of the Tabeguaches at Los Pinos. By agreement of Brunot in 1873, Ouray seems to be recognized as head chief of all Utes but, as a matter of fact, the Southern Utes utterly repudiate him and he has no influence or control over them. The fact that by the Brunot agreement he received $1,000 per year for 10 years greatly incensed these Indians who claim they would not have signed [the agreement] had they known.”

Quoted text from the Report of Commission appointed by Act of May 3, 1878 to negotiate with Utes, 45th Congress, Senate, 3rd session, No. 62, page 42. Report dated February 8, 1879.

Image courtesy Florida Center for Instructional Technology

Meeker Massacre Utes Testify

Ouray by William Henry Jackson

Testimony of the Ute Chiefs
The New York Times
November 16, 1879
Los Pinos, Cal.
[a little typographical error by the Times; should be Colorado]

“Ouray carried his point at the Indian council held on the night of November 12, and the principal chiefs of the White River Utes, except Jack, were at the agency yesterday…
          “Ouray has made all the necessary preparations for the protection of the commission and if the White River Utes should make any attempt toward an outbreak, 50 picked men, who are now encamped within rifle shot of the commission, would be on hand the instant anything of that kind was attempted. [A Peace Commission was taking testimony related to the Meeker Massacre.]
          “Indians who testify before the commission are sworn by Chief Ouray…Douglass was the first witness called. The oath, like all the testimony, was translated into Spanish by Ouray, and then into English by Interpreter Townsend…
Douglass…said nothing, heard nothing, and took no part in the killing of Meeker and his employees or in the fight with Thornburg;
he found Mrs. Meeker frightened and fleeing, and took her to his house and took care of her;
his time was so much occupied with the care of his wounded boy that he did not know anything in relation to what was going wrong;
at the time of the killing of the employees began, he was in the warehouse, and did not know who began the attack;
his feelings overcame him, and it made him cry to think of the condition into which his friends had fallen;
         ”Meeker told him that in two days soldiers would come. Douglass replied that it would be better to have officers come to the agency and have a council and try to settle the existing difficulties. As the Indians were afraid of the soldiers, Mr. Meeker promised to go with Douglass in the morning and meet the officers; but while they were talking the fight with Thornburgh was going on, though neither Douglass nor Mr. Meeker was aware of the fact at the time.”

Ouray’s $7.00 Silk Top Hat

 

The practice of meeting with Indians to maintain peace and establish trade began with the first colonial settlers in America. As the colonies grew into a nation, delegations of Indian leaders travelled to the nation’s capital city to meet with government representatives.
          In his book Diplomats in Buckskin, Herman J. Viola explores the history of Indian delegations visiting Washington, D.C.
          The chapter on Financing the Delegations considers travel expenses. Some businesses in Washington benefited from catering to the Indian delegations. Government auditors often questioned these businesses about charges that seemed excessive. One such inquiry concerned a bill for $32.25 from Auerbach and Brother store, located at 623 Pennsylvania Avenue. The charges were for outfitting Chief Ouray during his visit to the city in early 1880 .
          The store owners confirmed they had provided ”a hat, shirts, and other incidentals” for the chief. Viola notes that the owners’ “eloquent” defense of the expenses suggests they might have feared losing future government business.
          The Auerbach brothers reported that “None but the best of Everything would answer his purpose.” They explained Ouray’s short and stocky build required special order shirts. The brothers admitted that the $7 silk top hat “was expensive, but it was top of the line…We can prove, that no hatter in the Country, can furnish the same quality for a smaller price.”
          Viola notes, “The same was true of the collars, gloves, silk scarves, gold-plated collar buttons, gold-plated stick-pin, and cashmere stockings they sold Ouray. He wanted the best, and he got it.”

Clipart illustration courtesy the Florida Center for Instructional Technology

Chipeta and Ouray in Technology

Photo by Sam Barricklow courtesy National Weather Service

Computers named “ouray” and “chipeta” processed weather data at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) from 1995-2002. NCAR is a nongovernmental research institute focused on atmospheric and earth system science.
          The ouray and chipeta computers were part of the J90 series of vector-processor machines built by Cray Research, Inc. They were used in weather research and national security projects. In 2002 they were replaced by newer technology. Chipeta was the last Cray J90 decommissioned on September 3, 2002.
          See real time weather  forecasting tools provided by NCAR computer technology.

Crediting Photographers

During their 1880 visit to Washington, DC, the Ute delegation toured a number of sites in the area.  On February 11 and 12, 1880, the Utes travelled to the new Carlisle Indian School in Pennsylvania. During this visit, photographer John N. Choate made portaits of each delegation member. Ouray also posed with Ignacio of the Southern Utes and with Chipeta (in the photo at left). The Choate photos are easily identified by the shaggy rug which appears in each image. However, many collections credit this photo to other studios (which copied the image) while Mathew Brady’s January 29,1880 portrait of the couple is incorrectly identified as Choate’s work.

Hating the Utes

In the wake of the Meeker Massacre, hatred of all Utes spread throughout Colorado. Newspapers were sarcastic and cruel. Georgetown’s Colorado Miner, February 7, 1880, reprinted the following examples from other newspapers.

From the Ouray Solid Muldoon:  “Ouray’s squaw, Chipeta, wants a seal skin sacque [a style of jacket] and a pair of French kid walking shoes. The last time we gazed upon the abnormal Chipeta we thought it was a bath ticket she wanted.”

From the Denver Republican: “A doctor in Norwalk, Connecticut, has ascertained that scalping a man awakens the auditory nerves and gives hearing at once to deaf mutes. Ouray has petitioned for establishment of a deaf and dumb asylum on the Ute reservation.”

The Leadville Chronicle presented a verse ending with a slogan popular in 1880 Colorado:

There never was a lower brute,
A less deserving, mean galoot,
And one more fit for gallows’ fruit,
Than this despised and hated Ute.

When snow-drifts melt and
South winds blow,
When spring-time comes,
The Utes must go!

Dancing in DC 1880 Style

Social events in 1880 Washington, DC were late night affairs. During a delay in treaty meetings, Chipeta and Ouray were invited guests for the Friday, January 30th Literary and Social Entertainment at the Columbia Commandery No. 2 of the Knights of Columbus. The evening started with musical performances and literary readings. The dancing began with a promenade that allowed the ladies to show off their elegant dresses. To claim a dance with a lady, gentlemen signed the dance card dangling from her wrist. Waltzes, lanciers, quadrilles and polkas were popular. Supper was served during the intermission, which lasted from 10:30 pm to 12:30 am. Then the dancing resumed until 3:00 am.
           Chipeta and Ouray likely found the music and dancing quite strange, the food odd, and the evening very long.

Story in a Blanket

Internet searches may deliver unexpected surprises. A recent search turned up a Navaho child’s shoulder blanket made of wool Bayetta. It was not what I expected but it turned out to be just what I wanted–once I discovered the story behind this lovely musem piece.  
          According to the museum description, Chief Manuelito of the Navajo (pictured above) presented the blanket to Chief Ouray of the Utes. The occasion or reason for the gift was not explained.
          In 1879, Ourary presented the blanket to his friend and former Ute Indian Agent, Charles Adams, after Adams intervened on behalf of the Utes in the Meeker Massacre affair.
          The blanket now resides in the Woolaroc Museum near Bartlesville, Oklahoma.
          The portrait of Manuelito is from the collection of the Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site