The Wichita daily eagle., 1901-06-16
THEY CLING
TO THEIR
GRASS HOUSES
Wichita indians Live Just as
They Did Years Ago,
Mr.. MEAD VISITS THEM
And Renews Acquaintance
With Original WiCbitanS,
Mr.. MEAD VISITS THEM

from the Wichita country soon to be
opened to settlement. Years ago Mr..
Mead knew the Wichitas when they were
located on the present site Of the Peerless
Princess. 1t had been years since he had
seen any Of the tribe, so he visited
them Yesterday TO a reporter for the
Eagle, Mr.. Mead said:
4 long have had a desire to visit the
Wichita Indians. who lived along the
Little Arkansas from 1863 to s. When
they returned to their former homes on
the Washita and its tributary streams,
north Of the mountains which bear their
name. Especially I wished TO see that
country again, while it was yet in a state
Of nature; as it was when 1 first rode
Over it, ia 1867 s.
Their country, with the Kiowa and
Comanche reservation to the south and
west, are the most beautiful and roman
tic Of all the remaining unoccUpned ter
rit5ry Of the United States. Natures
most beautiful park. this country has
been the favorite home Of Indian tribes
from time immemorial. and until recent
years was the home Of unnumbered herds
of buffalo, deer, antelope and other game.
SO on receiving an invitation from our
T ~ lsr
Judge A R. Museller, to visit the allot-
Ing camp. wife and I packed our grip and
took the early morning Rock Island train
south to Minco, which we reached in
time for dinner, when taking a carriage
In waiting we had a delightful drive of II
miles west in the reservation 10 the L. S.
allOtting camp. where Judge and Mrs.
1Iusseler, with their young son, gave US
q hearty welcome and a good supper. We
found the camp very pleasantly situated
in the edge Of a grove of timber on a
beautiful stream, close by an Indian
family home The camp was well equip
ped with eight or ten government tents.
horses and wagons, dozen men engaged
IN surveying out the quarter sections as
they were selected by the Indians. and a
most excellent cook. with an ample store
of provisions, to which the hard working
men and all of the party did ample JUS
tiee. An agreeable surprise was to find
the interpreter to be Robert Dunlap. a
famous indian trader and frontiersman in
this country before its settle nent, whose
store and home was on the Walnut IN
Butler county. and known as "Pahobbs."
Young Bob" is a pleasant, wei educated
young man, speaks five languages, by
blood related to the Caddo tribe An
other gentleman of the surveying party
was Capt. J. o. easier. of the famous
stonewan brigade Grand Commander
Of the Confederate Veterans of Oklaho-
ma. Judge ATusseller had been engaged
IN the work two months. and proved to
be very successful in locating the In
dians where it best suited them. Many
family groups are located along the val
ley of a stream together, and each person
old or young is entitled to 100 acres. Dur
ing our visit a child was born one even
ing, and the next day the Judge named
It and placed the name on the record
and allotted il choice $50 acres Of land.
The work was quite laborious. fol-
lowing the course of the streams from
near their source, and 7 admired the pa
uence and tact Of Judge Musseller in ar
ranging amicably where two or more In
uiens wanted the same claim, and in
showing each Indian the corners of his
land as well as in arguing the case with
indians who were hostile to taking their
land in severalty. The country is gener-
ally rolling hills. partly timbered. with
numerous streams and open valleys.
Many OF the hills are sandy, but all COW
The timber is black jack. post oak. and.
sn the canons at the heads of streams.
walnut, cedar. and a variety of timber Of
large size. The best land has been taken
10y alloments-about 1000 of the LOCO
quarter sections comprised in the reser-
walton. Sugar creek. along which most
Of the Wichita branch Of the tribe live.
Ps beautiful stream. some so miles in
length. resembling the valley OF the Little
Arkansas as Il was in early days Every
claim along the valley OF this stream is
taken. and about 200 Wichitas had to
thoose their alotments elsewhere.
Here met a number of Indians whom
knew in the early days along the Little
Arkansas-in fact. who lived on the pres
ent townsite of Wichita, and I found that
Bmong the older Indians their methods
of living are exactly the same as they
were here and as they probably were
oo0o years ago. Some Of them have
frame houses which they rent to white
men who farm their land. but the Indians
prefer TO live in their very comfortable /
grass houses. and in their dress and Gus
toms they have not changed. As there /
Is no longer any game, hunting-their for (
mer occupation has ceased ard their
only business seemed 10 bc visiting The 1
women work. however. rs They alvavs
did, and We saw some fine gardens.
Anadarko IS the general hcaduuarta-s
Of all that Indian country north of Fort
Sil Here is the agency. various govern +
ment ofhciabs with their families. large
Trading establishments: one Of them IN /
CharSe Of my former associate in the /
11r trade. Mr. L. c. Pee Churches are /
reported iiourishing. Catholics. Presbvte-
a1ans. Methodists and Baptists. ana a
model Industrial Indian school in charge 4
81 Ar. W NJ ThRcke-y. superintendert
with ten able associates and enlploves.
There are l5o Indian pupils who are nsk- +
ang conmecdsble progress. Miss Dick +
ems goes 70 The house az the Indians and .
feaehes TIE women 70 sew. wash. frop.
cook. ETC. according To our methods 4
Mss Burton. cousin OF J. ". Burton
has for years been an efcient teacher In +
the school The buildings grounds and
niseipline are credit To our government +
which maintains IT, we attended "a z,,fs1 .
Seception at the school On Sst,sr,isy. .v,~-
lng. 70 which the government on-f,ls +
with their wives were invited. IN v-hi,f +
TIE Indian scholars took uart Tbara
were cultured people ana music ana
dancing. which the young Indians seemed
q ENJOY. Most OF the Young men ana
women ~ The Indians have been efpcst-
e.. can speak and read ana write oa~
language well They VIII rroEusliv ssort
oi-r ways and in tine be uerred into s1
integral part az our civilization ana cease
70 be Indians except IN name E5ucatfan
amalgamation and citizenship wiI in ts-7e
settle the Indian problem This erana
beauuful. fertile country VIII soon bs
oDened 70 settlement 1t VIII open new