Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1885-04-18
SAVAGE AND SAINT.
Pittsburg Dispatch.

Pittsburg Dispatch.
A little more than century ago, the
site WhereOn the city of Pittsburg now
stands, and the entire surrounding re-
giOn-east and west, south and north, to
the great lakes-Were one vast, bowling
wilderness, over which there rOamed
nothing but the untamed beasts of the
forest, and the untutOTed and unCivilized
aboriginal savages. Solitude reigned SUI
preme and unbroken. There was no
sound that could have been heard but
the dismal, dreaTy, dOleful signing and
moaning Of the wind as it swept through
the Unsubdued forest; or the wild, hide
Gus, awe-insplrlng and intimidating
War-WhoOp of the Indians as they
rushed from place to place like Usen de-
mented; or the clamOrOus hOOtlng Of the
owl, or the bowling wolves, or the ter
rife roar of other beasts of prey. In
1853, when George Washington visited
this region and paid a call Of ceremony
to Aliquippa, Queen of the DelaWares,
who had her royal palace at the mouth
of the YOughiOgheny rIves, where Nc
KeespOrt is now located, there was mot
a single white man found where Pitts
burg now stands"
1t was not until the year 1768 that the
Indian title tn all the lands south of the
MOnongahela and Ohio rivers was coded
entire region north of the Allegheny
and Ohio was Indian territory. In that
year the proprietary Of PENNSYLVANIA
purchased all the lands as far west as
the two rivers just mentioned, and short
ly afterWard q land Office was opened for
the sale of the lands. 1t was not, how
ever, until about the year 1870 that
churches were built in the country and
the territory lying between the Ohio
De e. I,
settled. AS late as 1890 the right bank
of the Ohio was inundated with hostile
Indians for hundreds Of miles, who
greatly impeded the progress and en-
dangered the life and property OF those
who were engaged in the carrying trade
between the headWaters of the Ohio
and the city of New Orleans.
But these painted savages paid no re-
sPect to age, sex or condition. Their
hands were lifted up against every white
man, while interneCtne wars among
themselves were not uncommon. When
they got an opportunity they committed
indiscriminate slaughter on men, women
and children, no matter what were their
condition or circumstances. Saints and
sinners were regarded by them alike,
and no sanctity of naEce or place could
ward off their fiendish attacks when
they thiTsted for blood or stif1e their
propensity 10 COMMIT ulaDO1lc4l carnage
and havoc. They harrassed the men
who were engaged in subduing the for
ests and cultivating the lands. In the
absence Of the men in the fields they
would mercilessly and treacherously put
TO death their wives and little ones, who,
In order to evade their ferocity and bar
barity, had to take refuge in blOck-hOuses
and forts, which, as the Indians had no
artillery, were perfectly bullet proof.
Even those who were constantly fleeing
to the spiritual refuge set forth in the
Gospel, and were laying hold by faith Of
the only hope there set before sinners,
had often to repair In great haste to forts
and biOck-hOuses to protect their scalps
and their lives from the meTciless rage
of the inhuman savages. The holiness
Of the character Of the preachers did
not fortify them against the bloodtk irst-
mess OF the red men. Often had Cler-
gymen in the Olden time in this region
TO erect barbados for their protection,
behind which they dispensed the word
Of life, while the Jaws Of savage death
we're wide opened for their destruction.
ARMED MEN IN CHURCH.
The circumstances of those times ex-
plain a custom which prevails to a great
or or less extent in the present day. So
frequently were Indian massacres COM