Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1873-10-31
to bring ga change DER the spirit Of

to bring ga change DER the spirit OF
their dreams" SO severe has been
the difficulty that Hon. L. Converse,
| NJ. G., has been petitioncd to APP
4 point military posts near the head
OF the Republican tor the protec-
ton Of the whites. We beiieye
that there Is great need Of this. If
it is neglected, the result will be a
stagnation in the progress and de-
fvclopment of that portion Of our
State. There has been n conflic-
ton recently between the Pawnees
and Sioux aud :. few other tribes.
These little bands Of aborigines
have their petty jealousics and their
ambition for supremacy, just the
same as civilized people, and the
more their savage natures become
subdued by the influences of
intelligent government, the more
marked is this feature Of their Cher
acter. There is now strong con.
tention between them for the hunt
ing grounds OF western Nebraska.
They are emphatically great Diet
riment to our ''border Settlers" in.
asmuch as much OF the game which
should be their meat goes to afford
sustenance to these savages. The
homesteaders, being SO taT away
from market, are forced to resort in
many, if not in general cases, to
wild game for food. Some OF our
most western agencies are so poorly
managed that the Indians feel no re-
straint at all, and are as bad, if not
worse, than those that roam the
plains. 1t is these that make troub-
lie. But those.Indians who occupy
agencies within the bounds Of any
thing like civilized society are evin-
cling of the good fruits Of our Indi-
an policy, and are so vastly differ
ent from the wild tribes as to seem
like an entirely different race Of be-
ings. 1t is quite curiosity to see
them on their little patches Of lanl
blowing corn or harvesting, aud the
scene inclines one to the belief that
the ''good time coming" for the red
man is almost here. 1t will be Il
blessed thing for our government,
and for the Indian, when he has be
come so much civilized as to be able
to take care of himself, and be de-
pendent upon no one for assistance.
When that period arrives-and it
seems almost here when we think of
the success of some of our agencies
then will a new era have dawned
for this race Of people, and then will
the real mission of our Indian policy
have been accomplished. If we
mistake not, the general superinten-
dency of agencies has been abolish
ed, and agents now report direct to
Washington. This looks as though
the government was cognizant of
the fact that the Indians us Il race
are advancing, and the general su-
perintency was no longer essential
to their management. But still
there is much danger existing in
the western portion of this state.
Territory. in order to settle rapidly,
should be free from all unnecessary
danger, for there is enough to try
mems souls in subduing these vast
prairies without the additional vex-
alton or unpleasantness OF being
scalped. Then, Nebraska's newly
discovered pine forests should be
opened with the axe Of the white
man, and his access thereto should
not be barred in any manner. 1t
would be an excellent plan to estab-
fish few military posts-or at
least one or two-to render commu-
nication with these forests safe, and
we firmly believe more rapid lnm-
Der trade would result therefrom,
than if left to the depredations Of
the Indians.
This state is looking well to the
safe keeping ofyiola,"rs Of the law
by constructing q penitentiary of
mammoth proportions. The loca-
ton of the institution is two miles
north of the city. The building
now being erected is let at con
tract price Of $359,OOO, and is built
close by the one new in use-the
latter having been completed some
time ago, and costing $4,000. Both
buildings face the city, and when
the new one is finished, they will
present a splendid appearance. We
had the pleasure of visit to the
penitentiary buildings recently. and
Of exploring them throughout. There
were forty-three inmates, all busily
employ ed in some capacity few
were cooking, some saving wood,
others were chiseling smooth SUR
faces of great stones, while few
strolled leisurely here and there
smoking their pipes, evidently
bordering DER the vain uncertain
ties of human life, and from the sad
ness depicted upon their counte
hances, doubling that poetic aphor-
ism, "All nature hath its clamorous
joys" AS Frank Walworth, the
parricide at Sing Sing, puts it, they
were dressed in s'suits done in
stripes" This was the first time
the writer was ever in penitentiary,
and the awtulncss Of the situation,
and the unhappy lot of the prison
ers, were SO painfully impressive
that we were almost sorry we didn't
STAY out. With several other Gin
nocents' we were shown through
the entire building (the one compile
ted) and were peculiarly interested
with the arrangement of the sleep
ing apartment. Numerous rows OF
small bed were suspended midway
between floor and ceiling, and there
was something about them that
seemed to excite feeling OF deep
pity when we contrasted them with
the clamor and cold charity of the
outside world. And yet we could
not help but feel that all this was
good. The entire grounds are to
be surrounded by massive wall of
| stone.
The street sprinkler of this city
recently killed himself by an over
dose of strychnine. He formerly
lived in Dubuque, and his wife and
seven children now reside there.