Arizona republican., 1901-02-16

Any amount of amusement has re- gently been caused at the Indian de-
 partment by the rec ipt A $lO,OOO of a large number of SQUAW, applications from per
 sons dcsrous of we'd ding Indian hIiresscs. From almost every country in Europe has come a shower of letters from persons anx- iOus to marry American sQuaws. As has been charged in ;he case of impe- cunious but titled Foreigners who seek wives on th.s side of the Atlantic. the Vhicf object If tha inqulrcrs is lucre. The rush has been caused by the ap- p1rently grave announcement in q Paris paper that the United States government d, sirous of uivilizng the five Indian tribes, had decided to place over j,000 Indian girls on the mItr- mcnial market. with each of whom would be given a dowry of $lO.O00 and sone hundreds of acres of land.
 month or two ago President Me kiniey's mail showed lecilrI increase, and Secretary cortelyou was surprised to r.iI numerous letters asking for information as io the alleged marriage offer
 He knew nothing of the mat ter. but as official communications. the letters were referred to ,hc commission CT of Inidan affairs for report. Here the hrst few letters were placed in the cataiogul cf uniqur communications, but, in time, as there was no cessation In the flow If l tiers. an inquiry was started. Thn origin f .he nuisance was traced to the Paris newspapers. Leading journals in other countries, dceming nothing too strange tp be true In America, corcd tho article in full without taking ,he jroubl, to verify It, Tn" article statel that 500 carc- monies had been performed wi.hln a fortnight after the offer but there were over 5000 desirable girlz left
 Typical of the missiyes sent by the seekers after the prize India beauties. Is ono from La EIayrc France, which reads:
 HIS EXc-llency, the president or the
 United States;
 "l learn from a French newspaper of the offer made by tho Unq.ed States government. I am disposed to accept the same. Inform me of particulars by telegraph, at my eNpon5e. Have been brought up in the country. and famil- far with horse raising. and practiccd them for many years with success. Awaiting an immediate iyply, am your oS ticnt rvant."
 Photographs galore ave bccn added 10 the files of the int, ,,rior department by Hon. William \. Joitos, commission CT of Indian af'airs. one applicant. who evidently placed muca reliance upon hs looks. sent four or fiye p'ctur with the request that they be distIibut- ed among the lnG.dns, and asked that the best looking girl. who had the best property prospects, be reserved for him. One German also wanted wife. He stated that he worked in a factory, but was tired of the old country. He is something of musician, he said. and might bc able U join one of the In- dan bands.
 One of the most curious letters was one penned by man in Switzerland. ! and from the p,nmarship and general makeup of the letter, it was evidently that of a business man. In his imag- ination the United States was over- stocked u.ih Indian females and while !, he would take one for a wife, he was frank n1ugh Co state that the money was not to be sneered at. He de- clared that 1t was his intention 70 en- ter upon a business venture and said | his prospective bride mus hold on to 1. her property here, s1 that in case ha | failed he might come here and become 1, an American subiect--but only in case his wife was pretty She was to meet him in Switzerland and the money was to come in advance.
 Among other requirements his letter | contained the following:
 "I want a Seminole. 10 or F years old | 165 or L75 m jcrs in height, of fine figure, not stout nor thin. And for my !