Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1879-01-09
Letter From Hon. N. Richardson
Sioux City, Iowa, Dec. 20, 1873.
EI;&o~ tho Trane0rinf.

Letter From non. n. klclardSOn.
Sioux City, Iowa, Dec. 20, 1873.
Editor of the Transcript:
I suppose I shall be called upon to
give an account of myself for not get>
ting home in less than eight or ten
days from my little run up to White
Earth. AS I am now laying over
Sunday at the place first named above,
with nothing to do, I will devote a
little of my leisure to explaining. l
left home on the 23d inst, and got to
White Earth the next day, and was
sorry to find that Major Ruffee had
gone to St. Paul, and was more sorry
to learn that they had just paid the
last act of respect to George Fairbanks,
the oldest and most successful Indian
trader of thes4present day among the
Ohippewas. Of Minnesota. He was
highly respected aud universally spok>
en- of as a wise and good man. I had
the pleasure, however, Of a friendly
greeting with many old friends and
acquaintances there, among whom was
the father of the deceased trader, and
Capt. Beaulieu, who is government
clerk at the agency and chief of the
police force of the reservation, which
consists of eight persons and is very
efficient in preserving good order on
the reservation and keeping whiskey
from being brought in al I'D sold to the
Indians. I also met his father, Clem
his unc]es, Paul and Henry; Truman
Warren, the Interpreter James War
rem, an old settler from Morrison coun-
ty; John George Morrison and bis old
partner in trade, Albert Fairbanks
and George A. Morrison. who is an
Indian trader at that place and carries
on business at several Other points in
the Indian country. I must not for
get to mention mine host, I'd Oliver,
whose business it has been 10 feed the
hungry who may sojourn in that In
dian land and Sam McCgtey, who
took me over from the railpad to the
agency, twenty miles and ba ack, in good
time, shortening the distance much by
telling me all about his taH stock by
the way. In fact, if anybody in Beck
er county has any stock tina! can hold
a candle to his for either speed or bot
tom, they will do to travel.
Now about tho location of the agen.
cy. 1t is considerably elongated and
spread out, beng about four miles in
length, and embracing every nook and
hollow for about a half mile IN width.
In entering the town from the south
a large Catholic church first greets
your view on quite high eminence
nearly quarter of miie to the west
Of the main road. From there build
ings are quite frequent. You come to
headquarters IN about one mile, where
the government buildings are mostly
situated. The hotel, Morrison store,
and the large government school and
boarding house for about one hundred
children, are near by. aud by a small
lake. About one and half miles
further on to the north are the Epis>
copal church and the government hos,
pital on high ground about quarter oi
a mile to the west of the road. ]
went up in the evening to see the
crowd and the Christmas tree. The
church, though large, was packed full
and all were attentively listening te
their Indian preacher, johnson, who
was talking plain Chippewa to them
I judge that everyone got a fine
Christmas present, and went home
rejoicing. I took occasion to enquire
about how Major Ruffee's policy O.
non~interference with church matters
was working, and was informed tina
it was working splendidly, that th'
old feuds were completely dried up
and that the most friendly relations
and intercourse now exist between thos'
of different religious creeds; and, il
| fact, from all I could learn I judg'
that Mr.. Ruffee has become very
popular agent. At Rich Wood, OF
my return, met my old friend Dun
can McDougall. He and his oldes
! son, who is now married, have each ,
good farm just on the south edge o
the reservation. 7 also saw Franz
Roy, brother of our Peter, at thi
place. His home is at Sand Hill riv
er, about eighteen miles north of tb,
agency. From all accounts 1t is a fin
country up there. Henry Charon ex
poets to settle up there in the spring
The Indians and people on the reser
vation have had very d;scouraginl
time on account Of grasshoppers. Las
summer they raised their first crop 70
about FIVE years, and for some reason
their wheat was not very good, non
No. 1, mostly Nos. 2 and 3. So
found them all broke but as there ,
nothing to drink, they have little us
for money, on which account, if moth
ing else, you know I would not sta
very long. SO I got myself back on tn
Northern Pacific as soon as possible
and was Informed that by going t
Glyndon on Christmas night I cou]
go down on the St. Paul & Pacific ,