New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-05-21
A SIOUX INDIAN FENCE.
SEVENTY MILES OF BARBED WIRE
ALONG A RIVERS EDGT.

Chamberlain Is D. correspondence OF The Chicago
Record.
from authentic source at Pine Ridge Agency
show that there is no change In the situation there.
great seventy mile barbed-wlre fence along the
northern and western boundaries OF the reservation
Is proceeding as rapidly as Is possible, under the
direction of Contractor Assy, of Rushville. Neb
ne 15 h w Gs SOME S He sd hs
on mat reservation. many of them led by Chief
Ing for it out Of monev now TO heT credit
IN the United States Treasury The Indians were
fence. but they wanted the Government to pay the
bill Red Cloud who. when In his prime was all
people, protested b, letter against the fence being
paid for out of the Indians funds. The grounds
for their opposition to the building OF the fence
were set forth In the protest to Indian Commits
slo9 Wr Jones which Is in part as follows
cost ny az @ may Of FOR seh to nosc wGh hs
fence. and the expense OF maintaining 1t would be
only an additional tax upon our resources, which
toward lettering our condition. Many thousands Of
cattle and horses roam over the coded ands north
OF us. and, as far as have been able TO learn and
observe the men who own these vast herds
OF honor. great power and, as matter of business
ana precaution, use every means to keep their
stock from straying OF their own range. These men
Eastern markets stray beef cattle belonging to the
Indians OF this reservation, selling them and for
only about $50 head Of cattle and l6i mead of
horses were impounded last summer after the
most searching efforts were made in a roundup
especially arranged at opportune time for
gathering all non-reservation stock We think It
very reasonable to suppose that only about nine
hundred head OF cattle and horses could be found
TO us which contains six hundred thousand head
the ranchmen north Of us are careful and capable
much toward observing the United States statutes
regarding trespassing stock on Indian reserva-
1T is the desire OF my people to know definitely
whether the whole or any part Of the funds to our
the Sioux Nation derived from the sale of lands en-
braced in the act OF 1899. other and held
Will in any way be affected appropriated by
Congress Coz yr in connection with the construction Of
II appears that this protest was treated with
reau who probably lost ali patience because when
The building Of the fierce was first agltated It was
nous in Demanding that the fence be built There
is no doubt that some feeling has been occasoned
among the Indians over the matter There is also
reason to believe that Red Cloud considers the
treatment accorded his protest the greatest
aafront ever put upon him. and Is deeply greved
But RSa Cloud Srs Is than SEVENTY old
course through his veins so holly as 1t did years
ago, when he. as the great war chief OF the Sioux
Nation. played prominent part in the history OF
the West. Else he might have been tempted once
more to measure his skill and cunning against
United States soldiers. In the Sioux outbreak Of
Of the Government ard OF the whites. Although
his pride has been wounded unquestonaby he
would advise his young men to do nothing in def
ancs Of the Government and such advice would be
testified to by the fact that simply because he is
opposed to land being allotted to Indians not an
Indian on the Pine Ridge reservation has applied
for allotment
Senator Pettigrew's telegram to the Secretary Of
the Interior. stating that the Pine Ridge Indians
had formed an organization having for its purpose
the forcible removal of Major Clapp. the United
States Indian agent at that agency. in the event
that he was not removed or transferred by the
light Of the Senator's past opposition to Army
officers being detailed as Indian agents Agent
Clapp is a captain In the 18th United States IN
fantry and this fact sufficient inspire the
msssage. especially when Senator Pettisrew was
part OF considerable body of Pine Ridge Sioux
But the Senator evidently was imposed upon by
half-educated. mixed-blood Indian. who recently
order OF the agent and for cause. In looking
about for means OF revenge this Indian grasped
slstance OF Senator Pettigrew
The unusually severe storms experienced -wo
great fence white Rver"which is the d dG ne
line between the reservation and the coded lands
over which roam tens OF thousands OF cattle be-
formed no effective barrier against the cattle
which, driven by the severe northwest billiards. OF
two years ago, drifted with the storms to Indian
lands
Even then all would have been well had It not
been for some evil-dlsposed Indians who wished
could They gathered all the stray cattle together.
prior TO the annual spring roundup OF the white
,attemen. took them to the ags ncy and demanded
there about nine hundred Of the stray animals
In possession OF the Indians. the catlemen objected
and sent representatives, 10 Washington. appealing
10 Senator Kyle to secure the release OF the cattle
This finally was accomplished. but before con-
siderable feeling had been aroused. To prevent
repetition OF the difficulty the fence was decided
vasions from the ranges the north The fence
which is composed OF Ave wires. follows the Indian
placed alternately so that prairie fires cannot
damage the fence TO any serious extent.