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Show 2 - MONSOON TIMES - SEPTEMBER 15,1997 HISTORY AND SETTLEMENT OF NORTHERN SAN JUAN COUNTY, UTAH ——trom the writings of Frank Silvey (This continuing series is from the Silvey writings which capture much of the color and feeling of the early settlers in the general Moab area of southeastern Utah.) THE BIG GIVEAWAY (continued) The Indians were given the first voice in this meeting. Judge Christensen, now residing in Moab, was selected as interpreter for the Indians. We had nicknamed him 'Lingo' Christensen as he could speak four different languages fluently. He played a mighty big part in settling this invasion by the Indians without a drop of bloodshed. "Mariannia," head chief under Ignacio spoke first at gspatches follow in three hours." Signed, Col. Lawton, .S.A. T. B. Carpenter and Jack Silvey were selected to carry the dispatches to Thompson 105 miles from Monticello, the way the road ran those days. They made the ride in 11 hours. Three hours later another bundle of dispatches were in readiness. "Get forage for horses, all supplies entrained, all in readiness," was the substance of Col. Lawton's dispatch to Federal cavalry commandant. Gov. West and Col. Tatlock also sent dispatches to Salt Lake City to get state militia in readiness as serious trouble with the Indians was expected. Lieutenant West and myself volunteered to carry these dispatches to Thompson. Young West not being used to riding, I was talked into letting him ride my top horse, a clean limbed sorrel, swift. gentle and long distance horse. In exchange, I got a fine loooking black horse from Dick Taylor. "Is he gentle," I asked? "Yes, great length in a firey impassioned manner on befall" of the southern Utes. In substance he said: "Washington City man but is a little hard to mount Better check him." I did so but the winchesterI had on the saddle turned him, and he bucked something fierce, I thought, and the ground had snow and tell us to come here sit down all over this country. It is ours. Now you say get out and go back to our reservation. the ice was slick. I was afraid he would fall with me but What's the matter now?" "We stay. Our fathers, our grandfathers and our great, were off at 9 pm. We struck a steady lope and occasionally along run-trot, and on entering Dry Valley we saw many great grandfathers have hrmted here for many, many snows. We love this country, it's the Happy Hunting Ground for us Indian camp fires. We kept steadily on until we reached Hatch Wash. Here we struck some freighters and halted, had a cup of coffee and let our horses blow a bit, then to Kane Springs where we gave our horses a few sips of water, and then on again. on earth. We feel The Great Spirit wants us to stay here, Washington City man say all right, so we stay." Sub-chiefs somehow he didn'tde managed to stay with him. We spoke along the same line as did their head chief. Col. Day then spoke representing the government. He said that Washington had investigated and had formd out that many homesteaders lived in San Juan County and had their At the head of Moab Valley, young West began to lag behind. I waited for him to come up. "Is your horse tired" I enquired? "No, I guess not, but I thinkI am," he replied. all invested here. Also that many thousands of cattle ranged and wintered, as a rule, in good shape, that instead of being a desert as was thought by many, it was a rich and resource- "Come on faster. We will soon be at Moab," I urged. At the old O.W. Warner ranch this side of Moab, young West pulled the dispatches from his pocket and said, "Frank take ful country and settlers must be protected. Utes have a good country also. So they must return to it at once. A few settlers gave their views stating that they had undergone many hardships in order to make homes for their families and could not give them up as they loved this country and wanted their children and their children's children to live here in peace always. Governor West then spoke: "As Governor of this state, I feel that I must protect as far as possible the interests of all its people. I find that the majority of you settlers here are bona fide homeseekers, have built up your homes with many untold sacrifices. I feel that you have been unjustly encroached on by the Indians although they are right in a way. They MUST go. AndI will use all of my power as territorial governor of this district of the U. S. to do this. Mariannia again spoke as did also some sub-chiefs. They again said they would NOT go cack to the reservation. Col. Lawton then arose and said: "We have spent two hours in talk and we have not gotten anywhere. Now I say, you Indians MUST go back to your reservation and at once, or I will bring in soldiers and put you out. " There was no answer made by the Indians to this. Only sullen silence on their part so the meeting was dismissed. Col. Lawton was a man of action and calling Governor West, Col. Tatlock, Lieutenant West and Col. Day in con-— ference, decided to at once send for Federal soldiers. Dispatches read about as follows: "Comandant Fort Chivantor (near Denver). Get three troops of cavalry in readiness to be shipped to Thompson, Utah. Indian trouble. them through. I am all in." He was game but the ride was a hard one for a novice. After resting an hour, I was again on my way reaching Thompson in 14 hours from Monticello. Having delivered the dispatches, I took a good sleep. In the meanwhile, things were happening at Monticello. The Indians were mmped near the town and Judge Christensen stayed up all night around their campfire talking to them, pleading with them to give up and go back to their reservation. The majority of them said, "No, We will fight first. We can whip the cowboys and all the soldiers they can bring here and we don't think the Mormons will fight us as we have nearly always been good friends." Christensen replied, "Ihere are not many cowboys willing to fight if they can avoid it, but Washington's soldiers are like the sands of the great rivers...countless. It would be useless for you to fight against Washington's peoples. Go back to your reservation and Washington will be good to all of you. Stay here and it will mean death to most of you." The pow wow kept up all night. Finally at sunrise the Indians agreed reluctantly to "make so go' pretty quick" and all seemed to be in a better mood. Things began to look much brighter for everybody concerned. That night the people of Monticello gave an entertainment supper and dance in honor of its illustrious visitors and they hoped for bloodless victory over the Ute invasion into San Juan Co. Monticello school children gave a fine program of —MORE SILVEY, p. 3 |