Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1898-08-19
IHe INDIAN CONGRESS.
Forty Distinct Types of American
He'd Men at Omaha.

ShsNsb OsssVs Gbsssb = OStttAot =
threatened invasion Of Sioux warriors.
An expedition sent out to put down the
uprising succeeded so we'll that never since.
has there been any cause to fear q second
visitation. In tue intervening years the
red man has been penned up In the reser.
vati0ns which Uncle Sam provided for his
we'll being, and it has been impossible for
poor LO to organize boards of strategy and
swoop down upon this beautiful aud peace
full city. To-Day, however, the Indians are
IN Omaha by invitattos, and by grace Of the
Indian office ut Washington. They came
from all parts Of the. United States, and
represent no less than forty distisct types
Of the North American Indian. Wien,
tile United States congress appropriated
$4,000 for this purpose, Il was the iMten.
tion to assemble at Omaha members Of
every tribe and 10 show, possibly for the.
last time, representative types Of a race
destined to extinction by the slow but sure
advance of civilization. Over 800 Indians
have already arrived, and before The expo
sition closes in November fully L,OO0 alo-
rhymes will he found OH the camping
grOunCs on the north tract. AT intervals
they will participate in festivities, peculiar
to their tribes and in their barbarous
dances, to which legendary lore has. con-
tributeu much romantic interest. LII lieu
of IL better name, the promoters, of this
great enterprise have styled it the Indian
Congress. The opening session WIS, called
10 order August 4, by Capt. w. A. Mercer,
U. s. A.. who, by direction of the war de-
partment, is high chieftain Of all. tho
tribes now at Omaha.
The opening Of the congress was at.
ended with ceremonial, savage and civil
izetir and drew n Of the largest crowds
IF the season to the grounds. In the fore.
noon l5O children of the plains aud forests,
mounted ON ponies and gaudily painted
and costumed, paraded the principal down,
town streets, and OH their return to the
exposition grounds Captain Mercer
gathered his charges In front ut the office
building where they participated in a flag
raising.
After the indians had dincd tile parade.
was formed. y squad 0f exposition police.
marched IN front. ostensibly to clear the
way. but as the onlOUkers showed far.
greater Difference 10 tho blue paint Of tho
savages than TO the blue uniforms of tho
officers their presence was largely II mat
ter OFF form. Next came the Indian hand
OF twenty Instruments, and tllel, there
wcrc' hundreds of Indians on foot. Paint
feathers and blankets formed the basis Of
most of The costumes. big war iMmnets'
of eagle feathers, garments made of skins,
lair and beads, and great patches of arms,
orflegs,. Or backs with nothing on them
butsa, heavy layer Of red or blue paint,
gave the affair a most picturesque appear
ance. lnEthe line of march was All Indian
sledse drawn by a pony and bearing three
Or four tom toms, which the painted and
featilercd musicians beat constantly as the
procession wendell its way through the
Midways aud round the Bluff Tract and
back to the ensampment. Another sie,!ge
laden with toip-tOms followed a short dis.
lance down tiie line. The Indians who
role were clothed in all the known .0l0rs
and painted 10 perfection. The faces OF
some were IL dead while, others were
black, while others were red, blue or
green. Many a brave had u bunch Of
scalps dangling at his leit.
After the Indians had returned To tie.
enclosure the public was admitted Ia vii.
n%rssAiances and sports Ut various descrip-
items. In the'center of the grass plot sDnio
twenty bucks and sluaws seated tileri-.
selves ina circle and began to beat the
Otlier Indians quickly gathered .
andihe fun began. To celebrate tho or
cnsiOn Tom. SiOane, hi Indian attorney
W. ssS tuS"HSSsttSu u SltNCI
meslai as big rs n saucer to Stone, 0ne Of
the Foxes. Gilt making proved contagious,
and'Silver Brown uf the Omal,as, IN tho
best. language he could command, said Ito
wnnld give a pOny tO the Indian lie loved
best, and. requested $. A. Combs, a whit,
man, to name the recipient. Combs pi.kel
nut. Smoke Maker. and MIR. Maker got the
pony. MIR. Brown then explained that Il
Wis the custom for some person tO give
away u pony when the lie Iu Ski dance
was given. ant: as lie had hundreds he
Thought it his duty to do tile gtvings
During. the morning hour there was a
dress. rehearsal. u number of the tribes
putting ttnsI finishing tnuclies 0n the dances
wl,irh' tin.y will give during their stay.
The hail, Opened 10y n party. nf Assini-
hoina*, putting on "a friendly dance, which,
wllem unimt"rpretel. is xxi i.I ILL.," The
danaa' i% .h easy. swinging. affair, Tho
m0Xelnent t~tmg similar to. that Of a
cilickssth that lhnrs about with badly frozen.
feet This dance continued fur an hour ur
lnnre,. alter which a number Ot.squaws tn.
jrrta,l themselves into tt,e ring ami. gave. IL
dance. peculiar tO the women, Nf the Sioux,
trdlm. Mrs. Hits the Eagle l%ligh-in-tle.
Cioitlss was the belle Of the hall, aud won4
frequent and upr0arious, applause. Her.
Mcp WAS nv sIkuG IN tttaGiOtf young t8Wna.
whit. her costume was strtkingly fetching.
She wuse u dress Of red .tianket, cut dec0l- :.
lntte NJ both top and iMiiDth. Over t!ris .
she wore mnskrat skin, trimmed with,
netl 6aniel. Although, quite ilesIty.
Mrs. Knows NO-Fear, .lhnuMi az lightly
~ though she was ma.ls. uf feathers.
mai w%ithxtanting h fact tilat she tips the
sesales ut 26 pounds. Miss Rides ,tlv.
Wind, from tile Biaokfhsa agency, sr,el Ia
asAtshine her friends anti SEAMS Of tiv .sp,s..
tat"ss tiI"ugtt she dill Shu wora u l,eau-
tifnl t"t#. at. buckskiu,. tanned n bright
yellow and haidi nsinaxst THERE were
many ntl,er striking u0sauuu4s wlnuAa .weto,
greatly Attnit. d.
|. ltepresentativsxnft THAI following. tri,ms.
ttmk part III this asszsaaunial: lslsl River.
and Sac dn Fiambeau. Chippewa, Roses.
tud. Lower thuin,. t.hpvenne,, Sissetnn,.
FIandreau. Stamiihe RICK assa- Grow
Creek. Sioux Sass Sal Foxes t:slu. iowa..
Foxes from. Ma*~i~ippi. A%~inibotues,'
N,nahas, W~innebaA:aas, Blarkas,t, Arap..
ahoes, Jiearil,a. Apaches, Neg ~f'eaoes,
Comancl.es,. MinAt,ax, Banmoaka, rueNlos'
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