Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-02-23
NINETY YEARS AGO.
The Days When Indians Cooked Their
Meals on the Diamond.
AMONG THE CONESTOGA WAGONS.
Articles They Brought to John Harris
Store to Trade for Goods.
A JOKERS SALE OF HIS WHITE sQUAW
WRITTEN FOR THE p1srArcH.1


early years of this century this whole coun-
try was frequently visited by Indians, now
almost extinct. They came principally
down the Allegheny river from New York
State, and generally camDed on Herr's
Island, or on the bottom land recently occu-
pied by the late Judge McCandless and
others few miles up the river; and almost
daily during the summer season there would
be lively races on the river by the muscular
braves dressed in breech-clouts and feathers,
in their graceful canoes.
Their principal landing places were
about Cecil alley and Garrison alley,
where there was at that time an old block
house fronting on Penn avenue, where the
soldiers were kept. There was large green
plot in front of the blockhouse where the
parades were held, and where military pun
ishments were administered to recalcitrant
soldiers; and it was the delight of the
Indians heart to stand by aud watch the
unfortunate soldier stripped to the waist and
hogged, and then squirm as salt was applied
to his bleeding back. The soldier who could
take his punishment without finch or cry
of pain was stole, and the Indian witness
of his silent agony was his friend hence
forth.
WHAT THEY HAD TO SELL.
The savages brought down from their
wilderness home anything they thought the
white man would buy, and it behooved him
many times to buy when he did not want to,
as the Indian was very sly son of Shem
and would wait long time to get even for
fancied or real affront. They brought down
large quantities of jerked venison, which al
ways had ready sale, and bear and deer
skins, soft as blankets and white inside as
snow, tanned by a method still used by the
tribes of the Far West, which our white
brethren either don't use or don't under
stand. They brought large quantities OF
deer's antlers, which were also commodity
of ready sale for knife handles, ornaments
and hartshorns, and they were keen, cum
ming and tiresome dealers, holding out all
day for their price, or until more cunning
head would lay out in their sight an article
or garment OF unusually brilliant colors, for
which trade was struck at once.
When the Indians came to town they all
marched straight tor the store of Isaac Harris,
where Hugus g Hacke's store now is. He
kept a large store filled with little
else than the finest Indian goods, which
would make their very eyes water, and the
fame of which among them brought war
riors to Pittsburg from all the neighboring
States. This store was the loadstone which
drew many a silent string of Indians single
file through the vasts forests or down the
rushing streams of this great Western from
tier.
ON THE DIAMOND SQUARE.
The Diamond had then no buildings or
market houses-it was a square into which
great Conestoga wagons were driven, espe-
eially at night, and whose horses were tied
fo fho
were all around the square at night where
the teamsters cooked and spent their
evenings, often telling stories as long
as their routes and as uncertain. Into
the square, the Indians would go in day
time, while waiting for the conclusion of
their trading. They would often bring a
horse along. on which was slung their camp
kettle, and very soon the squaws would
have fire under it, getting ready meal
for their braves. The Indians were always
very liberal with their provisions, and
would share with anyone who asked them.
They had, slung across their horses backs,
bags, in one end of which would be their
provisions, etc., balanced on the other side
BY one or two little black-eyed children,
who had to stay there until taken down.
White men would always crowd around,
and would offer money to the young Indian
bows as prizes Ior their bow and arrow
| Workmanship, and, truly. bold Robin
Hood and his celebrated marksmen could
not excel those young Indians.
SHOOTING AND DANCING.
They would shoot across the square, and,
| if one missed, the old bucks would get very
cross, and scold him for not shooting
as he was told by his
elders. The squaws would then
throw off their blankets and dance their war
dance by the hour, dressed decollete in
| buckskin pants and moccasins. The squaws
often had their pappooses along. They
! made very little noise. They were tied on
board which was strapped on the mothers
back, and whenever they criei or the mother
had some work or dancing to do the young
savage was stood up against wagon wheel
or side of house and there he had to stay,
howl or no howl, until he was wanted.
The Indians sometimes got very trouble
some, and especially when drunk were they
impudent and annoying. They invaded
private houses with impunity, and openly
expressed their admiration and desire to
possess any fine looking girl or matron they
might see, or in fact anything else which
might attract their fancy, especially if it
were Of bright color. Whisky was their
greatest object of desire, and they would de-
mand it often even if. as Bill NVe says,
they wanted, and wanted right badly, too.
JOHN M'CLINToCK's EXPERIENCE.
There lived about 1909, right back of
McKennan's drugstore on Union street,
John McClintocK, whom many old resi-
dents yet remember: About 1920 he bought
large tract, including Point Breeze in the
East End, and lived there until 1844 One
night after the family had been in bed some
time, his wife was wakened and almost par
alyzed with fright at the sight of two
drunken Indians standing at the fire in
their bedroom. To make matters still more
alarming they went over to the crib in
which the baby (afterward the late DR.. J.
r. McClintock), was sleeping, and pulled
the clothes off OF him. The mother pinched
her husband and kicked HIM and at last got
him awake. He was also badly frightened,
but slipped out Of bed, dressed himself
hastily, and then found that his guests
wanted whisky. He told them to follow
him, which they did, but he walked them
in and out among the wagons in the Dia-
mond, until he lost them, and then he ran
home and locked the door. The Indians
soon arrived and pounded there nearly all
night, keeping the whole bouse in terror
There was no fine policemen or fine two
horse tallyho's to take them to the lookup
on Diamond alley 80 years ago.
A PLUCKY WOMAN.
A Mr.. Gibson had a store on Market
street, opposite McKennan's drugstore, in
those days. 1t was general store, with
little of everything needed In frontier
town. The Indians traded there considera.
bly,. One day Mrs. Gibson was in the store
alone, when three of the savages went in
and asked her for pocket knives, which she
showed them. They told her that they
vou1d take than Irithout nav Mrs Gih-