The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-12-21
AN ALTAR OF PIPESTONE.
euarries of South Dakota and Indi-
an Legends Concerning Them.


Sioux Falls, S. D., Dec. 13.-Situated at
the extreme limit of the eastern boundary
OF South Dakota are the famous red pipe
stone quarrries, for whose existence scien-
lists seem to be at loss for an explana
ton. This is the only quarry of the kind
known to exist on the American CONT
nent or for that matter. in the world
The stone is that from which the Indians
make their pipes and ornaments. and for
"hlch the Indians make annual pilgrim
ages now, as they have done in ages past
In the neighborhood of this quarry a
tribe of Indians located years ago and be-
came jealous converts to the Episcopal
laiLh. A rev days ago Bishop Hare visit
ed their community and, among other
things, was called upon to consecrate an
altar, perhaps the most unique that was
ever erected in a chapel The material
USED was almost wholly red pipestonc,
taken from the quarres by the Indians
ana finished and polished by them. The
substance used for polishing was honey
ana the work was slow and laborious COW
erlng a period of several months The
altar is very beautiful. various symbols
OF the church being engraved upon the
stone panels
The Indian pipestone quarries have been
the source of many Indian legends and
romantic stories. among which is the fol-
lowing from the book recently published
by Col. Harry lnman, later quartermaster.
United States army:
INDIANS make smoking a part of their
religion. The red sandstone quarries Of
Minnesota are the source from which for
untold centuries the Indians from all Sec
tons of the country obtained the material
Tor their pipes. Because of the Veneration
IN Whlch these quarries were held no
battles could possibly occur in those sa-
cred precincts, and all hid their weapons
on approaching the holy ground Before
digging fer the stone the Indian made
humble suppliCation of the guardian spir-
its for permission
The author quotes the following legend
of the Knis-te-neu's tribe (Crees) in re-
lation to the quarry:
In the time of a great freshet that oc-
CURED years ago and destroyed all the
nations OF the EARTH every tribe of In
dams assembled on the top of the Cotsau
des Prairies to get out of the way of the
rushing and seething waters When they
mad arrived there from all parts of the
world the water continued to rise I'M
til it covered them completely forming
one solid mass of drowned Indians, and
their flesh was converted by the Great
Spirit into red pipestone; therefore, it was
always considered neutral ground, belong
ing to all tribes alike, and all We're to
make their pipes out of it and smoke to-
gether. While they were drowning TO-
gether, a young woman, Kawptan vr-
gin, caught hold of the foot of a very
large bird that was flying over at the time
and was carried to the top of a hill that
was not far away and above water. There
she had twins, the father being the war
eagle that had carried her off, and her
children have since peopled the earth The
pipestone, which is the flesh of their an
cestors, is smoked by them as the symbol
of peace, and the eagle feathers decorate
the heads of their warriors"