Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-10-23
'|ANA INDIANS DYING
Smallpox Epidemic Among the !.
Sacs and Foxes on the Tama
Reservation.
Five Deaths Have Occurred and
Many Others Are Sick...
Quarantine Established.
The Disease Seems to Be in
Malignant Form...R Relieious
Dances Begun.
special to TImes-RepublIcan.

Special to Times Republican.
Tama, Oct. 23.-Late yesterday afters
noon information was received in this
city and at Toledo that a number OF
Indians at the Musquakie reservation
west of this city had died recently and
q number of others were seriously i'll.
On receiving the information Mayors
Huber, of this city, and Struble, of TO-
ledo authorized the city physicians, DR..
B. Thompson, OF this city, and Dr. Cars
penter. of Toledo, to make trip to the
Indian camps and ascertain the cause
OF the numerous deaths. and cases Of ILL
ness. The two doctors Immediately
drove to the camps and arriving there
found upon investigation seven well de-
fined cases of smallpox. An examina-
tion of the whole camp was not made
as the hour was too late, but from test
mony gathered by them 1t is positive
that at least five deaths have occurred
within the past ten days from this dread
disease. Among others. the wickiup OF
Peter Soldier was entered. Three were
suffering from the disease, but at first
Peter tried to conceal the fact, saying
that he had the chicken pox.'' After
close questioning and stating the reason
why the physicians were there, he ack-
nowledged that he had the smallpox and
also that his squaw and two children
of ho co R,,.,
ther stated that he knew it was small
pox as he had seen too much Of it in
The army" (He had been a union scout.)
Upon receiving the reports of the ply
sicians, Mayors Huber and Struble de-
cided to call meeting OF the city coun-
ellis Of the respective cities and tele-
phoned the mayor of Montour to that
effect. The authorities Of Montour re-
|.sponded OF once and meeting was arr
ranged to be held at Toledo last ever.a 4
ing at o'clock to arrange plans to pre-
vent the spread of the disease to these
adjoining towns The meeting was held
at the appointed hour and after fully
discussing the subject it was unanim- :
= X
ously decided that eachtown would today
establish a quarantine against the In-
dams absolutely prohibiting them from
entering the limits of said towns until
all danger of contagion was past. It
is evidently serious condition of at
fairs as your correspondent was present
and heard the full report of the afore-
mentioned physicians. Owing to the
filthy condition in which these Indians
live 1t will be a hard proposition to
stamp out the disease, and there will
also be trouble in combining the red
skins to their camps.
The greatest apprehension is felt that
the Indians will become panic stricken
and attempt to leave the reservation. It
they should decide to leave 1t will be
difficult TO keep them. It is believed IT.
will require troops to keep them on the
reservation. AS the Indians are not
amenable to state regulation is probable
a detachment Of regulars would have to 4
be sent from Fort Crook or other mili- u
taryS post.
To add to the difficulties the situation
presents the Indians have started their
religious dances for the dead, which is
likely to stir up the tribe and make them
less easily controlled.