Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1902-09-20

Philadelphia, Sept. 11.-Herself to
God; her fortune to man.
That is the life history of Mother
Mary Katherine, who vas Miss Drexel,
the Philadelphia heiress.
Miss Katherine DreXel, daughter of
the distinguished banking family Of
Philadelphia, amazed society some
years 8 by becoming first Il black
robed sister n then Mother Mary
Katherine, head and founder Of the
order Of the Blessed Sacrament.
This remuneration Of self has been
followed not only by the giving OF her
millions, but by years Of patient, hard
work and self-sacrifice for the good Of
mankind.
Every one has heard of the famous
Indian school at Carlisle, Pa, where
the untamed children Of forest n
plain have been taught the arts Of CIV
ilization and peace and their rude su-
perstitions changed for a knowledge of
godliness. This great philanthropic
success Of the east is about to be re-
peated in the west. And the n who
makes its repetition possible Is Mother
Mary Katherine, whom the world knew
as Mary Katherine DreXel. Many a
time In the far past noble women were
canonized into saints for deeds of far
less piety and value.
Has Bought Cascade Springs.
For five years Mother Katherine has
worked hard to obtain possession of the
famous Cascade Springs in the Black
Hills of South Dakota.
She has longed TO own this particular
secluded, picturesque spot in order that
she might establish there q school for
Indians and negroes-a school planned
on such a broad, humanitarian basis
that 1t would be a genuine western
Carlisle.
At last she has succeeded. The or
der Of the Blessed Sacrament" OF which
Mother Katherine is the director and
founder, has just secured possession Of
the Cascade Springs, which for years
the Indians have fought like demons to
keep for their very own.
The Indians have always believed in
me healing power of this wonderful
spring, with its tremendous flow of hot
water, and before they were confined
to their reservation 1t was a common
sight to see q number Of tepees erected
a short distance from the spring. The
willy Indian brave was there and then
setting an example which exclusive So
Ciety has since been glad to copy, for
the Indian, when out of sorts and
troubled with aches and pains, would
come with his squaW to the healing wa
ters and live there, often for weeks, un-
til cured of his ills, 1t was his prim-
tive belief that the Great Father
dwell in the waters.
Has $65,ooo Natatorium.
Ten years ago In 1892 an effort was
made to transform Cascade Springs in
to "a summer resort. A company took
possession and began the erection of
buildings. A magnificent bathhouse
costing sos, coo was put up, n four-story
hotel appeared as II by magic,
and many smaller buildings were erect
Before the buildings could be
thrown open to the public the financial
crash Of 1898 came, n every industry
throughout the west was crippled. Work
at Cascade ceased. Litigation came on,
and the company sank hopelessly in the
financial difficulties.
In 1898 Mother Katherine began ne
gotiations for the purchase Of the mag
nificent cut stone bathhouse and hotel
at Cascade Springs. But for one rea-
son and another 1t is not until now that
Katherine, or more correctly
speaking, the Order of the Blessed Sac
rament, could gain possession Of the
property.
This order which Mother Katherine
represents has just purchased the en-
place for SIT, 900. 1t is her plan
md wish to have here the largest and
equipped Indian schools in the
New buildings will be erected and
he old ones restored. Owing to the
ows of the order it is necessary to re-
,eive at the school colored children as
we'll as Indians.
Her Life a Romantic One.
Mother Mary Katherine's interest in
he Indians dates back many years.
When h was Miss Drexel. of Phila-
lelphia, courted and sought by So
most exclusive set. she had the
opportunity OF seeing with her own
the sufferings n privations of
he Indians.
With her sister, Miss Elizabeth, and
n the care of Bishop O'Connor of ON |
she made more than pne tour of
he Indian missions of the west. 1t
vas then that she made a close study
II the Indians and their needs. She
ode on horseback for hundreds Of
niles through The wild Indian territory.
nd came back TO her magnificent home
n Philadelphia sick at heart at what
Ter own eyes had seen. 1t was on her
eturn after the last of these trips that