The Winslow mail., 1899-06-15
PINE RIDGE FENCE.
When Completed Will Be Seventy
Miles Long.
Is to De Erected for the Purpose of
Keeping Cattle Out Of the Reser-
vaticn and iii BE a Dur=
able Structure.

The mammonth government fence
along the entire northern border Of the
Pine Ridge Indian reservation, which
las been projected for several years. is
finally being constructed, and will lie
completed in few days. The fence
is one Of the longest in the west, hav-
ing a total length Of nearly 70 miles.
before the construction of the fence
the reservation and the ceded ,anGs
were divided only by the White river
which, when frozen in winter, formed
nc effective barrier against the invasion
OF cattle belonging TO white stockmen.
They drifted with blizzards TO the res
ervation. This resulted in friction be-
tween some Of the Indians and the cat
tiemeR. Only last year nearly / GEO
head of cattle belonging to members
Cf the Western South Dakota Stock
Growers association were found on the
reservation, where storms had driven
them. They were seized by the In iiaEs
and held to enforce the payment Of ore
dollar head for their care during the
interval pending their voluntary re-
moval by the owners. The services of
South Dakota's congress delegation in
Washington were required TO secure
the release of the cattle without the
necessity of paying the amount de-
ma1d9d by the Indians.
Since then the friction between the
cattlemen and the comparative handful
OF Sioux who were disposed to make
them all the trouble they could reached
an acute stage. and the construction Cf
the fence was finally determined upon.
At one time, since this course was de-
cided upon by the commissioner Of IN
dian affairs, it was believed seriously
that a faction of Sioux at Pine Ridge
agency, led by the celebrated chief
building of the fence, would resort to
fcrce to prevent its construction, and
the Washington authorities even weLt
so far as to intimate that United States
troops would be detailed to protect the
contractor and his force of men. How
ever this element contented itself with
lcldi2g a council, promulgating pro-
test to the Indian commissioner and Sc
lecting a representative to go to Wash
ington to lay their objections before
the federal Indian commissioner. Their
chief objections were that the money
to be used in the erection of the fence
which cost about $500 mile, was taker
fl ON the funds deposited to the credit
OF the tribe in the United States treas
ury at Washington, which money was
intended by congress for educational
purposes only, and that to put it to the
use proposed would be a violation OF
law and their treaty rights. They fur
ther said that they were on good terms
with the whites. and did not wish to
"bear the consequences of the revenge
ruI spirit of the band of selfish crea-
lures within our borders"
United States Indian Agent Clapp, of
the Pine Ridge reservation. and James
Mclaughlin, the well-known Indian
inspector, were both severely de-
Lounced for favoring the erection of the
fence. It was also pointed out that
while there were nearly million head
OF cattle on the ranges in the ceded
lands directly tributary to the Pire
Ridge reservation, in one winter on-y
500 head drifted to the Indian lands.
and that this comparatively small num-
her did not justify the construction OF
ar expensive and useless fence. especial
" when it was decided to charge the
expenditure to the Indians account.
The new fence does not closely follow
the White river, but runs as close to it
as is permitted by the dense growth
CT underbrush along that stream On
the Indian side cf the line live many
Sioux, who have in the aggregate a
larre number of cattle of their own.
These, it is expected, will be able to
procure abundant supplies of water
from the "draws" running back from
the river to the Indian side OF the fence.
The structure has five wires and is very
durable, the posts being OF iron and
cedar. placed alternately. so that il
rrairie fires destroy the cedar posts the
iron posts will still maintain the fence
in good condition. Gates are placed at
intervals. to be used in emergencies
when it is necessary to get to the river
The gates are securely locked and no
one will be permitted to have KEYS 20
them except white government en-
r!oye known as the "boss farmer and
the Indian agent himself. The fence
will be under the direct personal super
vision of the boss farmer, who will be
held responsible fer its condition. Sub
agencies, under the charge of white
employees. have been established at in
tervals of about Is miles along the Ell
tire route of the fence, and at these the
Indians living in the neighborhood re-
ceive their supplies of beef. bacon, cof-
fee. tea. sugar and flour at stated pc
1iods. It will be seen that the fence
does not run through an uninhabited
part Of the reservation, and that it Will
not be a serious task to maintain
watch upon it similar to that main
tanned by railroad section men for the
purpose of keeping tracks in good re-
pair.-N. Y. Sun.