Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1898-03-31

ued for the present. Many ques-
ton the wisdom of the govern
ment expending that amount of
money in the erection of jails, in
view of the probable early reor-
ganization of that country, but we
felt that the outlay would be fully
justified by the immediate necessi-
ty for them, ard the almost certain
continuance of the present court
system for a number of years.
*.*
The three cent per mile passen-
ger fare bill, which passed the
senate last week, was taken up by
the house Indian affairs committee
Thursday. Judge Little moved
that the bill be reported favorably.
The motion was lost and the bill
referred to a sub committee COM
posed of Sherman, Curtis and
Lewis. In former sessions of con-
gress, this is the way the bill has
died, but Judge Little secured a
promise of a report from the SUBJ
committee at an early day. Their
report will be adverse, but Judge
Little hopes to secure its rejection
by the committee, and a recon-
mendation for the passage of the
bill.
***
The bill suggested and urged by
some of the townsite delegates
"Authorizing cities and towns in
Indian Territory to secure, by con-
demnation and otherwise, lands
necessary for public improve
ment," passed the senate early
this week. The report accompany
ing the bill, contains the following:
"They. Qhe cities and towns)
ask, under the provisions of the
bill reported by your committee,
authority to CONNECT their COM
munities with adjacent streams,
from which they will be enabled to
draw abundant supplies of pure
water, and construct sewers
through which they may rid them
selves of unsanitary accumulations.
The measure is proposed in the in
terest of the health and comfort of
the people of the Indian Territory,
and it is the opinion of the CON-
mittee that it should become a
law"
1t came to the house Indian
affairs committee at its Thursdays
meeting, and at the instance of
those interested in its passage, was
called up for report. The clearly
understood policy of the commit
tee to ask no further legislation
until after the passage of the Cur
It's bill was suggested, and the
measure was laid on the table.
This only further emphasizes
the situation heretofore indicated:
The Curtis bill has right of way,
and will retain it until it is dis
posed of in the house. The COM
mittee will neither ask nor allow
any further Indian legislation un-
til that measure is passed upon.
***
1t is probably not known that
Judge Little, the ranking demo-
cratic member of the house Indian
affairs committee, has had some
early Indian experiences that are
both thrilling and amusing. The
of the delegation of
twenty-four stalwart braves of the
Kiowa, Comanche and Apache
tribes in Washington this week, to
protest against the Jerome treaty,
by which their reservation is to be |
sold to the government and opened
for settlement, has recalled men,
ories of nearly three decades. In |
1863 Judge Little, who was then a
stout lad of some Is or 10 years,
together with a friend, took a con.
tract to transport government |
from Fort Smith to Medi-
cine Lodge, in the Apache country. |
| will let him tell the rest:
"After one of our long and aTdu-
ous trips, as we were some miles |
from the Lodge, we saw body of
norsemen bearing down upon Us.
As they came nearer we saw they |
we're Comanche Indians in full |
paint and feather and riding with
he wind. | had read of Indian
and every circumstance
seemed to corroborate the books.
They dashed up, brandished their
BOWS, shot several arrows in the
ground at the horses feet as sig
lal to stop, and surrounded the
/ asked the leader what
vas wanted. | expected him to
answer blood and proceed to take
t. He articulated one of the few
English words an Indian always
las on hand for just such emer-
yencies. His reply was short,
,pigramatic, and withal highly
gratifying to us-'sugar.' / knew
ne object of their informal call,
md | grasped hatchet, beheaded
! barrel of sugar, and they fell to.
When they had eaten something
ike half barrel they remounted
nd rode away. re.headed the
'arrel and drove on to the Lodge"
While the Comanches were be. |
ore the committee Thursday
ONE one to whom Judge Little had
elated his early experience with
hem, suggested that he cast about
mong them for some old acquain.
ances.