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[First Page [130], (1) Lines: 0 to ——— 0.0pt Pg ——— Normal Pa PgEnds: TE [130], (1) 兵 其 6 Shoshone Indian Agency, Wyoming Chalcraft’s reentry into the Indian Service in May 1900 found him stationed on the 1.7 million–acre Wind River Indian Reservation established in 1868 through the Fort Bridger treaty and home of the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho tribes. This, his fourth appointment as a school or reservation superintendent, but the first to a location outside the familiar confines of the West Coast, offered a smooth transition. His natural curiosity for learning attracted Chalcraft to the history and geography of west-central Wyoming. He acquired considerable knowledge of Chief Washakie, the late Shoshone leader, who was buried on the reservation, and the hot springs located near the agency fascinated him as well. Although the superintendent’s position atWind River Indian School was considered entry level, that did not prove the case with Chalcraft. Benefiting from the efforts of influential friends such as Richard Pratt and Indian Commissioner W. A. Jones, Chalcraft received an appointment as supervisor of Indian schools in October 1900, only five months after his arrival in Wyoming. I left Seattle to take charge of the Wind River School at the Shoshone Reservation in Wyoming on May 13th, 1900, and arrived at Rawlins, Wyoming, late at night on the 16th. From here, it was necessary to travel by stage 160 miles to the Agency. The next morning at seven o’clock, a large thoroughbrace coach drawn by four horses came to the hotel for passengers.1 It so happened that I was the only person going on the stage. The driver started off with the horses in a fast trot, 130 [131], (2) Lines: 45 to 57 ——— 0.0pt PgVar ——— Normal Page PgEnds: TEX [131], (2) which at times became a gallop until we came to a stage station, 20 miles from Rawlins. The horses were left here and four fresh horses were attached to the coach. This was done every twenty miles on the trip. Meals were had at the stage stations. The stage carried mail and when nighttime came, the driver piled mailbags between the two seats and I got some sleep lying on them. Drivers were changed once during the trip. We arrived at Shoshone Agency at three o’clock the next afternoon, having covered the 160 miles in thirty-two hours. There were very few signs of civilization after passing the first station, until we were nearing Lander, a small town a few miles south of the Indian Agency. I met Captain H. G. Nickerson and some of his employees when we arrived at the Agency, which consisted of several buildings. We could see the Wind River School buildings about a mile northeast of the Agency, and Fort Washakie, occupied by troops, about the same distance towards the northwest. The general appearance of everything in view made it seem, almost, that I had come to a new world. The environment was so different from anything I had previously experienced, especially the Indians, who were lounging about the grounds. Some were on horseback, and others [were] moving about or squatting on the ground. A few wore citizen clothing, but most of them were dressed in old-time Indian garments. Some of this was made of cloth, and the rest of it was beaded buckskin. All wore the hair in two long braids hanging down the back. Many, mostly women, had spots and lines of red and yellow paint on their faces. Altogether, they were quite in contrast with the Indians we were accustomed to seeing on the Pacific Coast.2 After having had supper at the home of Agent Nickerson, he took me to the Wind River School and introduced me to the school employees . He telegraphed the Indian Office that I had arrived and taken charge of the Wind River School that day, May 18, 1900. The next morning, accompanied by Dr. [F. H.] Welty, the Agency Physician, I inspected the school plant. All the buildings, excepting thoseerectedforfarmwork,wereconstructedof brickandheatedwith steam, and the equipment was adequate. The Superintendent’s quarters were in one of the larger buildings and comfortably furnished. Shoshone Indian Agency, Wyoming 兵 131 [132], (3) Lines: 57 t ——— 0.0pt Pg ——— Normal Pa PgEnds: TE [132], (3) In going over the buildings with Dr. Welty, I noticed there was no provision made for bathing, by either employees or pupils, and asked him about it...

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