Mower County transcript., 1900-02-07
INDIANS AND RAILROADS.
,sS Well to Have the Red Mems
az Good Will.

q Western Road That Believes 1t In
r Well to Have the Red Mems
Good WILL
sgAs the traveller passes through the
tf3ig Sioux reservation in Montana on
he overland express he is impressed
with the uniform respect with which
the Indians treat everybody connected
with the railroad.
''The Indian is no fool" said Great
Northern official with whom I discussed
the subject. "He knows when he is
well treated and seldom expects any
thing unreasonable. This railroad has
fever knowingly done an Indian
wrong. We paid liberally for the right
to cross the reservation, and any diff
ferences that arise are treated with con-
sideration. We never try to impose up
ON the Indians in any way, nor do we
permit them to impose upon US. When
trains first began to run through the
reservation number of ponies were
fkilled by accident. We promptly paid
{ for them and the owners were satisfied
4 few cunning Sioux thought they saw
in the situation an opportunity to make
money and drove their ponies 20 the
track TO be killed and paid for. We dis
covered the trick and appealed to the
chief, who promptly suppressed the
iniquity. This is the nearest approach
to a misunderstanding that we have
had"
e.. a good story is tod of big chief who
wanted to trade 100 ponies for loco
motive. He did not appreciate the
utility of the track and thought he could
dash over the prairies at Will with the
iron horse. 1t took some time ard pa
,s-jence to get the idea out Of the chiefs
head, but he finally relented. 1t was,
however, great disappointment.
Another story is connected with pay
ment for the right CT way through the
reservation. 1t may not be quite accu-
rate in letter, but it is true in spirit.
The through express from ST. Paul to
Helena had not been running long
when strange incident happened out
on the prairie.
A solitary Indian. feathereG in state
: ly fashion and mounted on u horse of
rare beauty, occuI led Z conspicuous po-
sition beside the track and gave the en-
gineer friendly signal to stop. Off
went the steam and a gentle touch of
the airbrake brought the long train to
standstill.
The red man explained that he repre-
sented his tribe in a matter of right of
way. There had been a mistake and the
railroad ought to Pay some more money.
In this formal and diplomatic manner,
the Indian explained. the matter was
presented for adjustment, in full con-
( tidcEce that the great white chief who
built the railroad would be just to his
Indian friends.
For the engineer this was poser.
He had no idea that he was diplomat
but he was, all the same. He called the
a conductor, and all three discussed the
/. case. The white men knew nothing of
merits of the matter. The Indian
,ked like one who understood his
:. ..siress and was telling the truth.
4 The amount involved was only few
dollars, and the conductor looked as
wise as possible. He was man of COM
4 mon sense, sharpened by frontier life.
= ceipt, which the Indian ambassador
~"signed and the engineer witnessed. The
money was paid out Of the cash col
lections and the conference was at an
er v
alne red man mounted his horse and
applied his spurs. The engineer stepped
into the cab and pulled lever.
For an instant a party of eastern cap
italists occupying an observation car
were face to face with an Indian horse
man. The white men received a lasting
1inrpression of majestic dignity and
grace. The red man was Gazzled by a
vision of luxury of which he had never
dreamed.
The extremes of civilization and saw
agery had met and parted in friend
ship. The Indian, according TO tribal
] custom, reported the success of his mis-
sion with solemn forma,ity and sup
pressed JOY.
The train conductor. according to the
I regulations of Il modern corporation,
made a notation to the auditor on a
blank form provided for the purpose,
Explaining why he was short in his
cash and asking that his report be held
in abeyance unit! he could secure the
approval of his irregular act by a higher
official.
: The approval came, with a statement
that the Indian was right. There had
been a mistake in the right of way set
tlement. 1t was also stated that the
president of the railroad had intimate
that While rules are sacred things there
are times when common sense may
serve Il good urpcse.-Atchison Globe.
Man Drunk. Block Signals sober.
The introduction of block signals On
7rpilroads running fast express trains
has lessened the danger and also Gre
ated feeling of safety in the minds of
those who are compelled TO travel to