Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1896-07-11
FOURTH At PINE RIDGE
Former agIe-Screaming Records
Smashed to Smithereens.
The Original American, Painted and
War-Bonneted, Had a Celebra-
ton That the Pale Face
Couldn't Approach.

PIN Ridge Agency, S. D., July g.
The morning Of the glorious Fourth
dawned here amidst a grand ~diapason
of whooping Indians, %neighing ponies
and yelping dogs, and he who missed
this celebration of the day missed such
a wild and picturesque conglomeration
OF sights and sound as may never be
the lot of man to enjoy again. TIE dogs
OF the day of the Sioux in his pristine
glory are rapidly on the wane, and 1t is
the opinion of those familiar with such
expeditions that this will end these af-
fairs In this locality. Many say it will
be impossible to ever again mass the
throngs of the untutored children Of the
plain hat were to be seen here Satur-
day. There were 5000 of them, Brules,
Ogalallas and C~heyennes, and at their
head was that historical old patriarch
of the tomahawk and scalping knife.
Red Cloud. While the aged sachem was
boss of the day, he had numerous illus
trious assistants-He Dog, Big Elk. Dog
Ear. Running Bear, Lone Dog, Bear
Upslde-Down, Wolf Nose and scores OF
others. distinguished alike on the war
trail and in the chase.
The bear family seems to predomi-
nate, and an idea may be formed of its
numerical strength when 1t is stated
that there are only 273 Bears. The Dog
clan Is another powerful clan, and while
they are not quite so numerous they are
fully as pretty and fragrant. Truly 1t is
a great congregation of the remnants OF
these once mighty nations, and their
fAnanc a, .i, ~
are pitched on the limitless plateau just
east of the agency along Wolf and
White Clay creeks.
A Picturesque Shutdown.
At shutdown Friday the broad plateau
presented a scene of weird and novel
picturesqueness that once seen can
never be forgotten. Squaw dances were
In progress at a dozen different points in
the lurid light of a hundred campfires,
while the young bucks were engaged in
horse and DOT races and other sports
kindred TO their nature. The monoto.
nous tumult Of the drums, commingline
with the hoarse shouts Of the old mcn
and the f~alsetto chant of the dancing
females was to be heard long after mid
night. Nevertheless Aurora had hardly
~ ' tH' NpIS vi the latest |
buttes the morning of the Fourth be-
fore the whole plateau was in a very
paroXysm of unearthly sounds and mo-
ton. Scores and scores Of half naked
and feather-bedecked warriors dashed
hither and thither over the plain on their
little rats of horses, yelling like fends
and firing their rifles at every Jump.
Squaws busted themselves with the
morning meal, chanting their national
songs the while, while wolish ours snap
ped and snarled as If they appreciated
and partook of the frenzy. Firecrack-
ers, brass bands, rockets, red fire and
beer of the white nan form weak i'm
potent symbols by way of comparison.
The initial orgies of the morning over
md all fell TO like wolves at a carnival.
and the way beef and dog meat and
oup disappeared was a caution to
makes. The inner animal satisfied.
PREPARATION for the grand g%lorihcatioD
the day took on shape. At the gut.
raj command of gesticulating chiefs ,
Dnies were rounded up and the logs for {
le Big sham battle hauled forth. VIVA; 5
scene OF wild saVagery and grotesque ,
Ioclty MAS then nrasenss2xls Iyy --Ss :
usorfa OF a %stagnant pofa s,na., her n,