The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1885-02-26
srAnLEYss soJoUaN.

4 -
The Thirteenth Annual Visit of LYON
County Cftizen 20 the Indian TERRITORY
--Isen1s OF 1hSeFess COneeruiHE the
Aodccs. the OsAges and the KaWs-The
Quality Of the Lands, ete.
/ AMERIcUs, Kan, Feb. 1e, 1854.
To ths Editor OF The News:
visited the Modocs early in the
twelfth month, and spent several days
with them, helping them line their
new houses, as they had the material on
hand. l was glad to find them much
improved from what they were nine
years ago whsn I spent nearly q month
with them, helping them about fixing
their first houses-Wfnch were log-for
them to live in. Now I find most Of
them with new plank or frame houses,
and those that are finished are quite
comfortable aud are scattered over their
reserve, each one on their own land.
Several of their children are going to
schools in the states, and they also have
8 school on their reserve, where the
other childIen attend. They have their
regular Sabbath school and meeting on
Sabbath day, and q meeting in the mid
die of the week.
SURVIVOR OF THE MoDoCs.
One of their number is q recorded
minister of the gospel, Steamboat
Frank" by name. With the approval
of Grand river moathly meetings of
Friends, he visited several Indian
tribes OF his native country, Oregon and
California, in. the love of the
gospel, where he was gladly re-
ceIved. They were much pleased
to hear the gospel preached in their own
language and by one of their own people
They gathered around him like bees 90
that he could hardly get his WOnted
sleep and they were anxious that he
should stay with thsm. He held meetings
he also visited the Lava Beds, where he
had fought the Unite States, but now he
visited the place as a messenger of peace.
| He said that their tracks were all COW
cred up now. He spent about three
months there and then returned in time
to report to the Kansas yearly meeting
| of Friends and his account was listened
to with much interest. He Is now de-
| slrous OF going 10 school so as to acquire
better knowledge of the English Ian
guage be to better able to explain the
Scriptures In his own tongue. and ex-
pect a way will be made for him to have
the opportunity he desires. On my Wis.
ting him at his home found hin busy
building a BARI. had hoped 10 have
him to accompany me on visit to other
tribes, but he thought that he was too
busy about his barn to leave it then, but
much regretted that it was SO that he
could not accompany me. | did not feel
like insisting upon his coming with me
as 1t was commendable in him TO wish
to improve his place 30 as to have his
stock properly cared for.
OLD STUDENTS AT SHAWNEE MISSION.
After spending nearly four days with
the Modocs TO good satisfaction and CON-
fort, visited John Parks, Benjamin
Towsey and Billy Barley, all of whom
were students at the Shawtiee Mission
while had charge of it rs superintend-
ent from 1912 to 1916. 1t was truly
pleasant to visit them at their own
houses and find them surrounded with
the comforts of life about Ike most set
tiers in a new country, and one of them
a good christian man and good exam
pie.
also Visited
THE WYANDoTT MISSION
and found good school and meeting
house, which attended to my comfort,
and also visited other old frieads, and
as Spring river was past fOIding
SO that 1t Was difficult to Cross,
went to Tulsa which Is near the south
east corner of Usage reservation. From
there 1 visited along the way to
OsAGE AGENCY
where / spent two Weeks, making my
home at the Mission school where they
had nearly 140 children, III children be-
ing at Carlisle, Pa, and other schools in
the states, SO that nearly all of their
children are in school. The whole mum.
Der of Osages is 1923. They have pass
ed law that they must send their chill
dren 10 school at least three months in
the year or they cannot draw payment
for the child. There was a good set of
workers connected with the Mission aud
things were moving along smoothly. l
arrived at the
KAW AGENCY
the first day OF this year and spent nearly
a month visiting them, in company with
John F. Murdoch, their missionary, and
holding meetings with them. These
| visits were social and also relig
ious or devotional, frequently having q
season of prayer with them at the close
of the visit. They havs had dry, hot
season, so that their crops were nearly q
failure. They are quite poor and 1t APP
pears to me that we ought to help them
some. We In Kansas have been helped
several times, and We ought to remem-
Der others when their crops fail and as
sist them; but in such a way as to en-
courage them TO irdusIry. I am look
| ing towards going back to assist them
in putting in their crops and urging
them up To do all they can in getting in
good crops and in the proper season.
The Kaw trIbs is now reduced t. about
$40 persons. They have about forty
children in the Mission school and
twelve at schools In the states. l still
feel much interested in this poor tribe.
1 was heartily received by most of them
IS an old friend. They are not improv-
ing as much as we would like to see, but
some of them hsYe now pretty good
houses and some stock around them.
Now IN regard to the quality of
THE LAND IN THE INDIAN TERRITORY.
may say from what have seen of il
IN my travels through different parts OF
it that I consider it much poorer than
Kansas. do not think there is more
than one-tenth part of it good farming
land, and do not think that that part
of it which is called
THE OKLAHOMA COUNTRY
is nearly up to what 1t is represented e
be by most of the writer's who describe
it, though have seen few accounts Of
it that 1 think represent It as poorei
than it really is. Now in regard u
when 1t will be opened for settlement
: after talking and reading much abou
il, think it will be year or more be
fore any part of it will be opened. ant
I. it may be number of years.
I may also say that think that
sI THE LEASING OF THE LANDS
: TO the cattle men will be q dIsadvantag'
: to the Indians, as it introduces into thu
Indian Territory class of men that ar