Three California Writers:
Through The Inyo County District
by Alfred C. Gillis
Edited by: Cindy Beck
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THROUGH THE INYO COUNTY DISTRICT
On February 10, 1923, it was with great pleasure I started on a
visit to Inyo County for the purpose of visiting the Indian
Auxiliaries of the county. Arriving at Big Pine I was met my
Mr. John Somerville, one of the leading Indians of the county.
We held our meeting at the new auxiliary hall just completed by the
Big Pine Auxiliary. A fine audience of young and old listed to
my address upon the work of the Indian Board of Co-operation among
the Indians throughout the State. All present were well
pleased with the reports made as it was my desire to give them a
thorough knowledge of the work being done by all the other
auxiliaries.
Leaving Big Pine the following morning, accompanied by Mr.
Somerville, we stared for Round Valley where another equally
interesting crowd awaited us. My short talk on the work and
plans of the board was interpreted by Harry Cornwall. After
spending a few short hours with these wide awake people I departed
with reluctance to go to my next appointment.
But my visit was equally interesting. On my arrival at Bishop
I was met by Mr. Harrison Diaz, one of the delegates that
represented the Paiute people at Washington last winter. After
a good hearty handshake and a friendly chat about our long and
tedious stay at the Capital we proceeded to the community church.
Here we sang tribal songs and told of how the board was trying to
get better school facilities for the children of the California
Indians, hospital care for the aged and indigent, and most important
of all, justice in all particulars for the Indians of California.
The people were well pleased with the work of the board and said
they were behind us to the last man.
Leaving Bishop we proceeded to Independence, where we held a short
but interesting meeting with the people of the Indian community
there, where they also expressed themselves as well pleased with the
work being done for them and for the Indians of the other parts of
the State. They said to us: “Go ahead, we are with you
heart and soul.”
Our next meeting was at Lone Pine, small but interesting many of the
people having come for miles around to hear of the work. I
told of the untiring efforts of the board to obtain the justice that
was our goal. I told of how we had become able to get hundreds
of Indian children into public schools and many old and indigent
Indians into county hospitals.
After this splendid meeting we proceeded to Big Pine where at 7:30
o’clock I spoke to a public audience of whites and Indians in the
First Methodist Church, where the pastor was quite cordial and
sympathetic. I told of the work of the board, its objects and
aims, the class of its membership, and asked for the co-operation of
all present.
I had made the acquaintance of Mr. Ober, one of the good friends of
the Indians at Big Pine, and it was through this efforts this
meeting was arranged. I must also mention with pleasure that
noble woman, Miss Bertha Hall, who assisted me in every way to make
the meeting a success. The white people of Big Pine are
large-hearted and interested in the work of helping the Indian.
Publicity is one of our watchwords and one of the key-notes of our
success. The Indians and their friends have long felt the need
of awakening the public conscience to the just and reasonable
demands of the Indians of our country at large and California in
particular.
We believe that America stands for justice and in our appeal to the
American public we know that our words will not return to us void.
Our next stop was Benton. Here also we had a good lively
meeting. I found the Indian boys and girls getting along
nicely; they were all attending the public school. The Indians
were very much interested in the reports made.
I had anticipated a trip to the Mono Lake Auxiliary, thence to
Bridgeport and Topaz, but on account of the deep snowfall the roads
were impassable, and to my sorrow the trip had to be abandoned.
Thus ended another interesting trip. It gave me great pleasure
to see how the Indians of this territory are advancing by their own
efforts. They have purchased a district motor car for the
auxiliary work and built themselves a fine new meeting hall that
would be a credit to any community of whites to say nothing about
Indians.
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