The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-07-06

A dispatch from a Kansas town says
the cornerstone has been laid of a monu-
ment to mark the spot where the Ameri-
can flag was first raised over the Terri
tory, and the monument itself will be dedi-
Gated next fall. The flag was raised by
Lieut.. Zebulon Pike. of the regular army,
on Sept. %. 1906. The dispatch says:
Pixies exploit was a daring one. In 1906
he started with twenty men to explore the
newly acquired Louisiana purchase Just
after Lieut.. Don Facundo Melgares. at the
head of a detachment of Spanish soldiers,
had pursued the Pawnees and compelled
them 10 swear allegiance to Spain and 10
run up a Spanish flag over their village,
which then constituted the most powerful
Indian government on the plains. Pike de-
manded of the Indians that the Spanish
nag be hauled down and the American
colors substituted. representing that his
party of twenty was simply the advance
guard of a large army. The chief told the
Indians that to refuse Pixies demand would
mean a hard fight, and they finally con-
scented.
Lieutenant Pike, who eventually became
a brigadier general in the regular army.
had an e~ventful career. His father. also
named Zebulon, was a native Of New Jer-
sey and lived in this State several years.
dying at Lawrenceburg in 1884. Pix coun-
ty was named after him.. The father was
an officer i'm the revolutionary army and
afterwards in the regular army. and the
son was appointed an ensign in his fathers
regiment. After the purchase of Louisiana
from the French Lieutenant Pike was ap-
pointed to conduct an expedition to trace
the Mississippi TO its source. The expedi-
ton left st. Louis Aug. ., 1905. and was
gone about nine months. In 1867 Lieuten-
ant Pike was engaged In geographical ex-
plorations In Louisiana Territory. in the
course of which he discovered Pixies Peak
in the Rocky mountains. During this ex-
petition he was captured by the Spanish
and taken to Santa Fe. in the present Ter
ritory of New Mexico. but was subsequent
ly released. President Jefferson referred
to these expeditions of Pike in two of his
annual messages. In that of Dec. /, 1906,
he said:
Very useful additions nave been made
TO our knowledge of the Mississippi by
Lieutenant Pike, who has assembled it to
ats source, and whose journal and map
giving the details of his journey will short
~ be ready for communication TO both
houses of Congress. These important sur
NCNo ildttIlGlS y COMMENCING
an accurate map of the Mississippi and its
western waters.
IN a special message dated March 20, 1905.
President Jefferson transmitted to the Sem
ate a treaty made by Lieutenant Pike with
the Sioux Indians by which they coded TO
the United States two tracts of land as a
location for a military and commercial
post. One of these tracts was nine miles
square and the other extended nine miles
in width on each side of the Mississippi
to St. Anthony's Falls. The Indians did
not put any price on the land. but Jefer-
son says in his message, Lieutenant Pike
made presents to the Indians to some
amount AS a matter of fact he gave
them some beads and some whisky. Land
was cheap in those days. and President
Jefferson was not averse TO driving a
shrewd bargain. His principal object at
that time was 10 acquire new territory and
establish the government of the United
States over new peoples without the con-
sent of the governed. Lieutenant Pike
seems to have had a tip from the Presi-
dent.
The people of Kansas are to be COM
mended for taking steps to mark the his
toric spots in the early history of the Ter
ritory. 1t would have been we'll if the peo-
pie of this State had been equally thought
full two or three generations ago before
many details regarding the early history of
the Territory were lost. A great deal of
that kind of history has been lost through
carelessneSs.