Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-12-17
A FORTUNE FOR INDIANS.
RECEIVING INDEMNITY FOR LAND
WORTH A KINGS RANSOM.
Rsoosnition Won at Last by Chief Polka.
gon After Marvellous Struggle Last
ing 90 Years.

Recosnition Won at Last by Chief Pok,
gon After Marvellous Struggle Last
ing 90 Years.
Chief Simon Pokagon OF the Potta
watomie Indians, has just had a clair
Tor $11S,000 due his tribe allowed b.
che government after the continuou
efforts OF generation. 1t Is In pay
ment for land in southern Michigan
northern Indiana, and Illinois, ceded
to the United States in 1898; vast trscts
IN the peach and celery belts, the corn
and wheat lands and corner lots in
Chicago, territory now worm a kings
ransom, says The Chicago Times-Her-
aid.
The Pottawatomies were the first In
dams chrlstianized by Pere Marquette,
and the whole band, numbering over
1900, We're baptized and have always
remained devOut Catholics. In 1875
Mad Anthony Wayne conquered them
and brought them under control of the
United States.
The remnants of this once powerful
tribe are still domiciled on their old
hunting grounds hale days journey
from Chicago across the lake a few
miles from Benton Harbor. They
We're tribe of the Algonquins, speak
Ing one OF the rudest dialects, practic-
ing one of the most savage war rites
and dominating the whole region about
the southern end of Lake Michigan.
In 1888 tract was assigned the tribe
In Missouri, and the st. Joseph band
was driven away beyond the Missis-
sippi by United States troops. Most
OF these are now in Kansas, where
1.400 heads of families became natur-
allied citizens, with individual hold
ings of real estate. They have mis-
sion and fiourlshing school.
Sixty families resisted removal
They loved the st. Joseph, near which
the bones of Marquette had once re-
posed. They pleaded with the gov
eminent for a reservation on their old
hunting grounds. A small tract was
assigned them in the southwestern
corner Of Michigan and for pittance
they gave up the valley of the ST. Joe,
the rich soil Of the Kalamazoo and the
shore of the great sea water.
They are there to-day. about forty
Families of them, numbering 27O souls, |
having diminished one-third in two
generations. The number Is yearly |
growing Jess so RAPIDLY that another !,
generation will witness their extinc- !
ton. They are good Indians now, but
civilization does not agree with them.
When the government made the last |
treaty with the tribe in 1888 Simon
Pokagon was 10 years old. He saw
the war spirit broken. he saw the rich |
hunting grounds occupied by the white |
man, and the remnant that resisted |
removal retreat to Van Buren, and |
county, some of them buying small |
farms and others building their lodges
on government land. They claimed
the same annuity given to the migrat-
ing members OF the tribe. The mission
airy declared that they should have it |
in justice, and in the hope of securing |
1t they mortgaGed their little farms |
and built church and priests house.
Other people now own most of the |
farms, but they still have their church |
and patient priest. They have Simon
POkagon, too, their chief. Pokagon is
a good and great Indian. If he had |
lived hundred years ago he would |
have been renowned, like Pontiac and |
Shabona. He puts enough wisdom
and capacity into the ruling of his lit
tie band to lead great tribes. Ever
since reaching manhood he has fought |
for the rights Of his people. In 1866, |
they being reduced to great straits, !,
he accepted, under protest, the sum of
$4,000 in'full payment for all claims.
q man OF less courage and ability |
would have let the matter rest there.
but Simon pokagon went on fighting
another thirty years. to have his claim
at last conceded. The grant Of S11S,-
GOO will give nearly $4,000 to every |
head Of a family. This will lift them
out of debt, purchase farms long ago |
lost, and secure peace for the remnant |
of n brave race.
POkagon Is the last Of the great race |
OF chiefs-himselfo one of the greatest in |
that he recognized that the full accept |
the red man from utter extinction. He
talks with the intelligence of the train |
ed white man. and with the vigor that |
would have won him distinction in ma
tiOnal councils. He is the sort of man |
to have on the Indian commission.
1t is more than likely that few years
will see all this sum of money dis |
sipated, the number OF the settlement
still further reduced by death and the
rest sunk again in hopeless poverty |
and debt. The chief has instructed !
the white man far more than his own |
people. He has written for The Re
view of Reviews, and Forum, lie has |
delivered addresses ut schools and met
committees in Washington. and every
where he has presented the Indian
question in a clear fashion. sparing
neither white man nor red. But even
he, wise and forceful as he is. is not
able to stem the tide of extinction that
Is rapidly sweeping his poor little tribe
out of existence. In few years Polk
agon will be no more, and fifty years
hence there will be legend in Mich
igan that the warlike Pottawatomies
once dwelt near st. Joseph.
Some Facts.
To Jsc baop found ,ho4 A. -