The Progress., 1888-01-14
A HOWL FROM s0DOM /.
To the Hon Sec'y Of the Interior

- - lS Wy AAOAA NV y VI hGalt 1uUcIlOI,
Washington, D. G..
Sir - We the undersigned set
tiers residing in the vicinity Of
Brainerd, Aitkin, Gull River and
Pillager, in the counties Of Grow.
Wing, Aitkin and Cass in the
State Of Minnesota, have suffered
long continuous loss, mbarrass-
ment and danger from the pres
ence among us Of large numbers
Of Indians who belong on the res
ervations set apart for them BY the
Government, and who leave their
reservations by permission and
and through the encouragement
OF the Government Indian agents
and come into our communities
and on our lands for the ostensi-
bic purpose Of picking blueberries
and cranberries for the markets.
but who exchange a large part Of
their earnings for whisl1ey, and
who by threats, many acts Of
theft, and the occasional commiss-
ion Of serious crimes, inaugurate
each season a period Of terror, en-
barrassment and loss to the set
tiers, which, besides the immedi-
ate loss and disquietude occasion
ed, depreciates the value Of
property and greatly retards the
settlement and development Of
this part Of the country. In some
instances poor families have been
impoverished by the numerous
thefts and depredations of these
Indians who are especially OBJ
streperous and thieyish where set
tiers are compelled to work away
from home to gain means to keep
their families on their claims. The
United States law against selling
whiskey to Indians is practically
imperative here, and although the
United States marshal has doubt
less used due diligence in arrest
ing and prosecuting the violators
Of the law, the Indians have but
little difficulty in procuring all the
whiskey they have the means and
inclination to pay for. We do not
believe it to be our duty to submit
to another period Of Indian depre-
dations and terror, like the last
season has been, and we believe
that unless the reservation Indians
are kept upon their reservations
the coming season, there will be
serious trouble and bloodshed.
Many settlers have determined to
protect their homes and families
hereafter at all hazards, and the
object Of this petition is to avert
the threatened trouble. We there
for respectfully petition you to
cause an order to be issued to the
Indian agents to restrain all Indi-
ans under their charge from ma
king further i1lcursions into our
settlements.
The above appeared in the last
issue of the 'Brainerd Journal 4
and it is high time that some ac-
tion should be taken by the Brai-
nerd people 10 eradicate from their
midst the evils Of which they COM 81
plain, and also many others that
exist thereabouts. They can JUST.
ly complain that the lawlessness.
not alone oecasio5ied by the press
ence Of the drunken Indians but
by that scum Of degradation, the
renegade whites who infest and
make make up q part Of Brainerd' pop.
hlataon0;; and It is owing greatly
to the latter af11ietion that the de-
preciation in value Of It's property
exists, and the reasons why law
abiaing citizens object to locating
in OF about Brainerd !! Id order to
ceomplish what they desise the
B3fainefd people should pay stricter.
attention ii their selection of mu-
nicipal officers than they have