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Show f The Invasion of 1894 turning points in San Juan County by B.J. Eardley an example of one of America's Ironies. In San Juan County the majority of citizens are Native Americans, yet only one Native American holds a major political office. This Ironic example of American politics was much publicized In 1990 when the first ever all Native American slate of canddates challenged San Juan Counta status quo. The election of 1990 was a turning point for San Juan County because although the status quo remains unchanged, It Is likely that the future drectfon of San Juan County political decisions has been decidedly altered. Caught between tribal, state and county politics, San Juan County Native Americans have proclaimed an end to their years of silence. I am reminded of another turning point In San Juan County's history. It was often Invasion "Indian to of 1894, and had events turned slightly In a different referred as the direction, there might have been a totally different Irony at play In the election of 1990. They say that It was the range cowboys that first noticed the unusually large populations of Ute families camped along Southeastern Utah's springs. It was November of 1894, the beginning of a long hard winter. By early December, 800 or so residents of the Southern Ute Reservation had arrived In San Juan County. They said they had been sent to Utah by their agent to the U.S. Government "Washington City man tell us to come here sit down all over this country. It Is ours. It Is i Indian Agent David Day of Ignacio, Colorado, had told Ute chiefs that the terms of a relocation to Utah had been approved by Congress. It was, for the Ute, the end of more than eight years of negotiation that had begun almost as soon as the Southern Ute Indian Reservation had been established In southwestern Colorado In 1880. The reservation was located on a fertile strip of land along the ColoradoNew Mexico line. The ed land was arid, and rich In minerals. Too rich In resources, to be "given away as reservation lands, or so said some Colorado citizens. The U.S. Government had Initially believed that they could establish an Indian a Frontier, boundary beyond which Native Americans could live as they wanted. The U.S. nonetheless continued to promote a rapid advance of settlers Into the West to help establish sate trade routes. Eventually, the U A abandoned the concept of an Incflan Frontier and accepted a policy of containment Lands were to be established that could be "given to Native American tribal groups. In general It appeared that reservation lands were selected because no one else wanted them. In Southern Colorado, many people felt that the U.S. government had made a mistake the lands encompassed by the Southern Ute Reservation were rich In economic potential and the Utes were In the way. One of the most attractive options to control the Utes Colorado holdings was relocation of the reservation. In search of a way to accomplish tills, Colorado's eyes fell on southeastern Utah remote, sparsely settled, "worthless to Colorado and thus the perfect spot for the Utes. As early as 1888, several Ute chiefs were brought to Washington D.C. to discuss the move. Two years later a commission was formed to study the Issue, and help convince the Ute that a move to Utah would be In their favor. Ute chiefs were not easily convinced. In the first place, they argued, the area of the Blue and Elk Mountains was already available to them. The Ute chiefs had Identified one of the unique elements of San Juan County. Unlike many other areas In the west, San Juan County has had a continuous population of Native Americans since the Spanish first documented their presence. The Mormon settlement of Bluff, the arrival of large cattle concerns, and the almost simultaneous Independent development of the Moab area had peopled the land with Europeans, but populations were still sparse. The small population coupled with the remote location and rugged landscape had continued to allow Isolated groups of Navajos, Utes, and Palutes to maintain control of their native homelands. The area was well known as a refuge and had over the years become a stronghold for many Native Americans who escaped the slaughter and eventual containment of their people. Even to the Ute who had accepted the confinement on the Southern Ute Reservation, areas of San Juan County were still considered part of their territory. When the relocation treaty was finally found acceptable to area chiefs, Southern Utes were to receive 2,912,000 acres In San Juan County, $50,000 In annuities and $20,000 worth of sheep. Each negotiating chief was to receive an additional $2,000 each. The Utes were also to have free access to the LaSal Mountains for hunting purposes, an aspect of the compromise of the Utes demand that the area of the agreement that was a hard-foug- ht It was true well-water- LaSals be Included In the new reservation. And so the Ute had come to Utah. There was only one small hitch no on In San Juan County was expecting them. In fact, no one In the Territory of Utah had any Idea that the Issue had not been laid to rest San Juan County settlers had been contacted by the Ute Commission In the late 1880's. In a letter to the Commission, FA. Hammond, president of the San Juan Stake, ' sa addressed his concerns regarding the move. He Indcated that the settlers were not anxious to vacate their land, but would do so If required by the government Hammond only for their homes and Improvements. requested that the settlers be adequately compensated The settlers, removed from current events by virtue of their Isolation, knew only that the Issue had been relegated to the floor of Congress. By 1894, they assumed that thats where It would die. no official approval was Apparently Agent Day had more faith In the bm and while ever given. Day ordered the Utes Into Utah. The newly arrived Ute population created some alarm In southeastern Utah. Added Navajos living on their to the already existing bands of Ute and Palute and to the 200-3Juan San River, the arrival of the piece of the Navajo Nations established In 1892 below the Ute meant that the settlers were effectively outnumbered. The Mormons had historically supported a "freed not fight" policy towards Native Americans In the Utah Territory. The policy resulted In part from the pioneer's religious beliefs: according to the Mormon Church doctrine, Native Americans were recognized as rightful heirs to America. Rather than expelling the Ute, Navajos, and Palutes from their lands, the Mormons hoped that they would someday convert and Join the Mormon "family. 00 settlers were Initially fearful that the United States military were Involved there to be uprisings with local populations. The practice of might become polygamy and the mix of church and state In Utah Territorial government had been a source of conflict between the Mormons and the U.S. government As a result the Mormons tried to control the Indian situation without R.S. military presence. The Bluff mission had, In fact, been part of a plan to subdue hostilities and raids on settlers In other areas of Utah. Mormon settlers had learned to tolerate the regular disappearance of livestock and the frequent demands for breads and biscuits as a certain type of tithe for peace. The Mormons' attitude, which also meant that they might refuse to Join In campaigns directed against the Indians, served them well In the early settlement years. Alliances with area Utes and Palutes helped protect Mormon water and grazing rights against the encroachment of large cattle concerns. In a sense the presence of bands of Mormons hold outsiders off their land until they were able to make treaties to acquire the rights to the lands outright By 1 894, however, there was no longer a need for fear of U.S. military Involvement--th- e Mormon Church had officially renounced polygamy and relations with the U.S. Government were presumably on the mend since Utah was on Its way to receiving statehood In 1896. Most of the grazing lands In San Juan County had come to be dominated by cattle and sheep and the Mormons were holding their own against large cattle companies. But from a cowboy's perspective, It was the grazing lands that the newly arrived Ute could destroy. It was already a precarious winter. The eminent threat of a large number of Utes, or more accurately, the large number of Ute ponies, goats, and sheep, that was of special concern to cowboys running herds In the area of the LaSals. When the Ute Commission had first started Its study, the Pittsburgh Cattle Company, which largely controlled LaSal Mountain grazing. Joined with the Indian Rights League In lobbying against the move. Carlisle the Cattle Interestingly, Company, the largest cattle concern In the area, supported the Ute relocation and went so far as to offer their home ranch, located Just 4 miles north of Monti cello, as an agency site. Carlisle had a reputation for violence and area towards Mormons and their cattle, a contempt which apparently Identified the contempt Ute as friends In a battle against a common foe, the Mormon settlers. With rumors spreading that the Utes and Navajos were planning to unite to force all the Anglos out of San Juan County, three concerned cattlemen, representing both LaSal and Blue Mountain range riders, traveled to Salt Lake City to talk to Territorial Governor In addition. Mormon West West was reticent to consider protection off cattlemen's rights In the Ute Issue. Southeastern Utah Mormons were relatively unique In their early reliance on the cattle Industry as a way of controlling Utahs land and resources, but elsewhere In the state, cattlemen were the outsiders. Its a question with me," said West "who are the trespassers, the Indians or the cattlemen. The rights of homesteaders In the area, however, were to be considered. West agreed to contact Day and settle what was now officially the "Indian Invasion. Back In San Juan County, the group of cowboys were less than Impressed with their Salt Lake City reception and feared that the governmental delays could have disastrous results. Gathering support from their friends as associate cowboys, the group planned to start a fight with the Utes, figuring that It was a sure way to bring In federal troops and put Hie matter to rest at once. Letters were distributed throughout the communities off Grand and San Juan County telling of an Impending fight and warning residents to stay off the |