Post by jinlian on Jan 30, 2009 10:04:51 GMT -5
Interesting and detailed article based on After the Buffalo Days by Charles Crane Bradley (who also authored The Handsome People: a History of Crow Indians and the Whites); it focuses on the dispute over the leasing of Crow lands to white cattlemen, but it's also useful to understand the dynamics of the relationship between Crow reservation chiefs and euro-american representatives.
www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~mtygf/county/crow_leases.htm
"On March 15, 1890, at the Crow Council, it became known as “the Year of the Sheep.” Chief Plenty Coups (Coos) and Chief Wet spoke against having sheep on the reservation land, excepting for the squawmen. Plenty Coos and Pretty Eagle wanted only six cattlemen on the reservation: Campbell (Columbia Land & Cattle Co), Hardin Campbell & Co, Portus Wears (Hurlbut Land & Cattle Co), Ash, Story and W. M. Spear (representing Paul McCormick, who later was Vice President of the Spear Cattle Company). On May 9th, after some debate, they added Porter to the group. At this time, Paul McCormick was freighting vast quantities of hay and supplies to Fort Custer on a regular basis.
Congressman Carter received this letter from the Wool Growers of Yellowstone County:
“As the matter now stands, the cattle men are granted rights over large tracts of the Reservation to the detriment of the sheep men. Whereas the income from the cattle outfits is only about one half the amount which could be realized if the sheep men had an equal show.”
Agent Wyman stated: “the problem with sheep was that they could not travel long distances and thus ate out the grass near the streams.” F. D. Pease took a stand stating that Indians and half-breeds should have sheep. Sheep brought money twice a year; whereas cattle brought money only once every four years. Wyman thought that it would be better if sheep grazed on allotments rather than open ranges. On May 3rd the Commissioner advised Wyman to issue no more sheep permits, terminate the present ones, and remove all sheep and horses on leased land, from the Reservation. Wyman dragged his feet, and in August he requested more time. He explained that the land was the driest for several years and that the trains are causing fires and burning grasses for miles and miles.
For many of the early years prior to 1890, brothers Nelson & Walter Story ran their stock on the range between Clark’s Fork and Pryor Creek. In 1890 they requested to run their stock on land east of Pryor Creek. Others had permits for grazing in that area and there were some Indian settlements so that fell through. On November 3 and 4 of 1890 the council met with General Niles to discuss selling a portion of their land to the Cheyenne. Walter Story came along and demanded the right to place his stock on the east side of Pryor Creek. At the time, Agent Wyman refused him after Chief Plenty Coos, Wet, Bell Rock and Pretty Eagle explained that story’s stock has always been on the west side of Pryor Creek and they did not want his stock on the east side. The members also expressed a lack of appreciation for story’s gift of cows that were “lumped-jawed”, and flour that was not marketable! Other tribal members also complained that Story had not paid for crop damage, nor did they hire Indians to assist in stock management.
...."
www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~mtygf/county/crow_leases.htm
"On March 15, 1890, at the Crow Council, it became known as “the Year of the Sheep.” Chief Plenty Coups (Coos) and Chief Wet spoke against having sheep on the reservation land, excepting for the squawmen. Plenty Coos and Pretty Eagle wanted only six cattlemen on the reservation: Campbell (Columbia Land & Cattle Co), Hardin Campbell & Co, Portus Wears (Hurlbut Land & Cattle Co), Ash, Story and W. M. Spear (representing Paul McCormick, who later was Vice President of the Spear Cattle Company). On May 9th, after some debate, they added Porter to the group. At this time, Paul McCormick was freighting vast quantities of hay and supplies to Fort Custer on a regular basis.
Congressman Carter received this letter from the Wool Growers of Yellowstone County:
“As the matter now stands, the cattle men are granted rights over large tracts of the Reservation to the detriment of the sheep men. Whereas the income from the cattle outfits is only about one half the amount which could be realized if the sheep men had an equal show.”
Agent Wyman stated: “the problem with sheep was that they could not travel long distances and thus ate out the grass near the streams.” F. D. Pease took a stand stating that Indians and half-breeds should have sheep. Sheep brought money twice a year; whereas cattle brought money only once every four years. Wyman thought that it would be better if sheep grazed on allotments rather than open ranges. On May 3rd the Commissioner advised Wyman to issue no more sheep permits, terminate the present ones, and remove all sheep and horses on leased land, from the Reservation. Wyman dragged his feet, and in August he requested more time. He explained that the land was the driest for several years and that the trains are causing fires and burning grasses for miles and miles.
For many of the early years prior to 1890, brothers Nelson & Walter Story ran their stock on the range between Clark’s Fork and Pryor Creek. In 1890 they requested to run their stock on land east of Pryor Creek. Others had permits for grazing in that area and there were some Indian settlements so that fell through. On November 3 and 4 of 1890 the council met with General Niles to discuss selling a portion of their land to the Cheyenne. Walter Story came along and demanded the right to place his stock on the east side of Pryor Creek. At the time, Agent Wyman refused him after Chief Plenty Coos, Wet, Bell Rock and Pretty Eagle explained that story’s stock has always been on the west side of Pryor Creek and they did not want his stock on the east side. The members also expressed a lack of appreciation for story’s gift of cows that were “lumped-jawed”, and flour that was not marketable! Other tribal members also complained that Story had not paid for crop damage, nor did they hire Indians to assist in stock management.
...."