The Fort Hall reservation is situated in Snake River valley, Oneida County, Idaho, and contains, it is said, 1,233,329 (one million two hundred and thirty-three thousand three hundred and twenty-nine) acres, with thousands of acres of as good farming lands as can be found in the west.
And with all this, everything about the agency wears a gloomy and forbidding aspect; very little land is cultivated, and that little very poorly and sluggishly. No marks of industry or enterprise are anywhere visible. There is no one to lead out and set the example, and there are no inducements offered those poor Indians to stimulate to industry, and apparently no effort to improve their morals, cultivate their intellects or correct their stupid and false notions of Christianity.
On specified days in the week they gather to the agency, where Mr. Cook's servant doles out to each his small pittance of meat and flour furnished by the government. So long as they draw this meagre supply, sufficient to keep them alive in a half starved state, with no stimulating influence to industry, they will not rise above their present condition.
Their buildings are mostly low huts, huddled together without regard to taste, order or convenience. Mr. Cook informed us the population of the reservation, including all ages, was but 1,500 (one thousand five hundred), and constantly decreasing.
From the report of the Secretary of the Interior, we gather the following: "In February, 1880, a school was opened, which has been continued up to date [which we visited, consisting of four girls and six boys], save the usual vacations." The report also says: "Notwithstanding the fact that this school is costing the government some $1,700 (one thousand seven hundred) per annum for teacher and employees, in addition to food and clothing for the pupils, the fact still remains that not one Indian on the reservation can read a word. Of revealed religion their ideas are about as crude as they are of letters, save what they have learned of their brother polygamists, the Mormons, who have quite a following among them." So much from my brother's journal.
We now wish to show, by comparison, the wide contrast between the condition and prospects of a colony of Indians cared for and supported at great expense by the United States government, and our little colony, numbering two hundred and fifty men, women and children, located in Washakie, Box Elder County, Utah Territory.
These Indians receive no appropriations from government. The colony is located on lands purchased of the Brigham City Mercantile & Manufacturing Association, and is conducted on the same principles, so far as practicable in its present growth.
About four months since, in company with Brother Lorenzo and his son Alphonso, the writer visited the Washakie colony, arriving on Saturday evening, forty miles from Brigham City. Next day attended Sunday School, where white and red scholars intermixed, and was exceedingly gratified with the exercises, the order and interest strikingly manifest and the progress of the classes.
We also attended meeting in the afternoon and were not a little surprised to mark the effect on savage customs, savage looks and manners, produced by a constant exercise of kindness, patience, good instruction and good examples, prompted by the love and spirit of the Gospel. The meeting was opened by the choir, all Lamanites, and the prayer offered by a Lamanite brother. My brother addressed the congregation, and the rapt attention of the red brothers and sisters during the services indicated the importance they attach to devotional exercises.
The colony have built a good frame house, 24x40 feet, with vestry added. It is well seated, and fitted for school as well as religious purposes, and they own a good library.