The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-03-23
Fan orr CORRESpONDENCE.
A Days Journey Among the EcmI.CIVII.
lied Indians Of the Indian Territory.

lied Indians Of the Indian Territory.
FoRr BRowS, TEXAS, March II, 1882.
Editors IntellisCncCL
Long having had desire to be once in
u real Indian country, and finding myself
at Kansas City, Mo concluded TO take u |
journey to the Indian Territory, and see
how poor I1o lived on his own native soil. |
Leaving Kansas City ut 0 o'clock in the
morning, boarded the cars OF the Kansas
City, Fort Scott & Gulf railroad, and after
very enjoyable ride Of ten hours, through
portion OF the most fertile lands OF Kan
sls, passing by the thriving towns OF Paola,
Fort Scott, Girard, and Columbus, arrived
at the beautiful little village OF Baxter
Springs, which, for a long time was the ter.
minus Of this railroad, and which is stu
ated within three miles Of the line OF the
Indian Territory, near its northeast corner.
Many years ago Baxter bore the name Of
one Of the hardrSttowns on the frontier,
and 1t was common thingto have imam
for breakfast" every morningduringt the sea
son Of the cattle drive; for this was the
point TO which Texas cattle were driven for
shipment to tho eastern markets. The |
town derives its name from the "oldest in |
habiant and from its springs and mineral |
water. It is now enjoying boom which
bids fair to make it rival the thriving days
OF yore, but its present prosperity is due to |
the medicinal qualities OF the spring water.
lnvalids are arriving daily from all parts Of
the country and many have been cured Of
bad casesotscroiulous disease, rheumatism,
sore eyes, &c. Bidding adieu to Baxter
and the invalidS, | set out forthe territory,
and arriving on little hill Just inside the
State line, landscape appeared be- |
fore my eyes, which for a moment
filled Inc with emotions and caused me
to stop and gaze with establishment at the |
strange view before me. On the Kansas
side OF the line all was improvement and
thrift, and us iAras the eyes could see, farm |
houses and beautiful farms in high state
Of cultivation greeted me, but on the ter.
ri Orial side all seemed waste, for there |
was nothing but vast tract Of open prairie |
with scarcely n vestigc OF anything like
civilization. Here and there few head Of |
stock were grazing, which nall probability
were owned In Kansas, and off in out-ol-
the.wAY places the smoke from an Indian |
cabin could now and then be seen. Surrey,
then, the line OF demaTcation between the
two races was here very distinctly traced.
A few minutes journey down the old
Texas emigrant trail brought me to u camp
OF United States troops, who are KEEP
busy patrolIiny the line between Kansas
and the Terri'o y in order that the thrifty |
emigrant may lot cross the border and |
partake Of ting forbidden fruit" / am
now on what is known us the Quapaw res.
ervation and it consists OF about fifty |
thousand acres, embracing lne prairie and |
farming land with an abundance Of tim
Der and water. But this immense tract is
inhabited by only about forty Indians,
and these poor, ShittlCs3 creatures live in |
miserable log cabins, cultivate few acres
OF corn about their doors, raise q few no
MES and depend on the Government and
the white rulers for their living. With all
these thousands OF acres Of grazing land
going to waste the Indians do not own
enough cows to furnish themselves with
milk. The whole tribe consists OF two
hundred and fifty souls, but the ma
jOrity Of them do not stay on their
own rescrV ton, preferring, instead, to
live with ;-e Osages west. One or two
large farms on this reservation which are
rented TO the whites for a share Of
the crops, tax on cattle graized on prai-
RE land, and the little that the Indians
raise themselves, just about keen these
forty people from starving, while the land
that is lying idle, II properly cared for,
might support several thousand. Contin.
Hing on south, passed through the res.
ervatlons OF the PeOrias, Ottawas, Wyan-
dottes and the famous ModoC Indians, The
three former OF these tribes may be said 10
be somewhat further advanced than the
Quapaws. They have improved farms, keep
horses, cattle, and hogs, are anxious to send
their children to school, and have several
large school houses and good schools. Some
are the ordinary day school, where The
children go home every day, while others
are known as Mission Schools" and at
these the children arc boarded the same us
at boarding school. The teachers are
hired by the Government, but many Of the
Indian girls are employed as assistants. |
pass now to the MOdocs.
The Lava Bed War OF ~ and 70, in
which Gen. Candy and the Indian Comis.
Sioners. together with many officers and
men OF the army were killed is too familiar
IN the minds OF all to be repeated here, but
it may not be remembered by some that u
part OF the worst characters Of that tribe
were removed IRON Oregon 10 the Indian
Territory, where they arc now living.
Civilization and change OF climate have
made sad havoc among them. Out OF the
one hundred and seventy odd who came,
there are less than hundred now living,
and this number also includes the natural
increase while in the Territory. Bogus
Charlie" Scar Faced Charlie" SHANK,
Nasty Jim" and many other noted war.
riors Of the tribe have long since gone to
the Happy hunting ground"
The Modocs have reservation Of four
thousand actes, but only three or four hun.
dred are under cultivation. The land IL
divided among the different members OF
the tribe and some Of them are quite Thrift.
ty farmers and raise good crops. The
Government furnishes them with horses
and farming implements and issues them
rations, for which they all go to the agency
every Saturday morning. They all live IN
cabins or houses Of their own construction.
SELECTING one Of the best looking houses, !
proceeded TO interview the inmates, and
was met at the door by rather good look.
ing Indian, who, in broken English, vel.
coined me to his home. His name was
Frank, known in Oregon rs Steamboat
Frank" He was very proud to show me
the house he was building, which was
frame one Of several rooms; pointed out
his farm on which he raised three hun.
bred bushels OF wheat in one year, and
was particularly proud OF his little bow,
five years old, who could read with an ease
that would make many white boy OF
twice his years blush.
These Indians seem now very contented
and say when they get rich they wish to 90
hnCb IN Oregon m visit thar rSIot;onu hNk
that they are now, willing to live in the
Territory. Near the Modoc farm Is the
agency OF all these small tribes, at which
Col. D. B. Dyer, the agent, and his estima-
bic lady preside. Mrs Dyer is very fond
Of the little Indians and takes great pleas.
Gre in instTucttng them at Sunday school.