Omaha daily bee., 1903-03-22
PAWNEE TRIBE DWlNDLlNC
Only About Five Hundred Remain Of the
Once Powerful Band.
SICKNESS PUZZLES THE SCIENTISTS
Interior Department withdraws
Large Area of Land in wyOminE
from settlement Under
the Land Laws,
CFrom a Stan Correspondent

&ANAN = ~
WASHINGTON, March 21-(special Tel
ogram.)-one Of the most remarkable, pa
thetic and unaccountable instances CT
gradual, nay even rapid extinction Of an
Indian tribe is that Of Pawnees, who were
removed to Oklahoma from Nebraska in
1876.
At the time OF their removal from Ne
braska the tribe numbered $500 souls.
Today there are less than 500. The Paw
nees were given exceptionally good allot-
ments in Oklahoma. The climate there IL
practically the same as that Of their former
home and in fact everything has been done
by the government to promote their well
fare and happiness. For some unaccount-
able reason they have sickened and died
until the day is not far distant when the
Pawnee tribe will be extinct.
The mortality among them has been
growing steadily greater year by year. In
1882. six years after their removal to Okla
homa, the tribe had shrunk through death
to $40 and the census Of 1900 showed but
500 living Pawnees. A recent though I'M
official census indicates that less than 500
descendants Of the original $500 removed
from Nebraska exist today. 1t is a curious
thing that the children appear most rugged,
but after passing their 25th birthday a pc
culiar and u~naccountable malady attacks
them and they apparently lose interest in
life and gradually waste away, death over
taking them in their prime. Scientists and
professional men generally Of the Indian
department have been attracted by this
peculiar condition OF things, but have not
as yet been able to ascertain what nemesis
pursues the rugged Pawnee after his 25th
birthday is reached. Every care and COM
fort is given these Indians, but the grim
raanar confinuaa IN dRriminafa the ranka
OF the tribe and within a few years 1t is
feared this once powerful tribe Of Indians
will be extinct.
withdraw Public Lands.
The register and receiver at Evanston.
Wyo, were today instructed by the acting
commissioner Of the land ONCE to suspend
until December 1, 1908, from disposition un-
der the railroad grant the following lands:
Beginning at the western boundary Of Wy
oming at a point where the same intersects
the south line Of township 10 north, run
ming thence east along said township line
to the Intersection with the eastern line
OF range III west. thence north along said
range line with Offsets 10 the northern line
Of township 81 north, thence along said
township line to the western boundary OF
Wyoming. thence along said state boundary
to place OF beginning. The oficials are d.
rected to suspend from entry, location and
disposition of any character under the pub
lie land law all public lands within the
limits. above. specifically described, but this
order shall not delay or prevent recogni-
ton Of any bona fde claim heretofore ex-
listing in this particular territory. 90
New Rural Routes.
Superintendent Machen Of the rural free
delivery today announced a long list Of
places where 1t is expected to establish
new rural free, routes to connect rural
with urban population. The towns on the
listin Nebraska and ~Iowa.which this new
service will effect July I follow: Aida, AL
exandria, Ashland, Aurora, Beaver Cross
ing, Bellwood, Belvidere, Bruning, Cedar
Bluffs, Chapman, >Clarks, Cowles, Craig,
Crete, Dannebrog, Davenport, Daykin, Dill
Ter, Edgar, Elkhorn, Elm Creek, Emerson,
Fairbury, Fairmont, Friend, Geneva, Glib
bon, Grafton, Guide Rock, Hardy, Hebron,
Inyale, Lawrence, Nelson, Norman, Oak,
Ohiowa, Orleans, Osmond, Pierce, Pilger,
Plainview, Plymouth, Powell. Red Cloud.
Reynolds, Rising Sun, Ruskin, st. Paul,
Saronville, Shelby, Shickley, Silver Creek,
Spring Ranch, Steele City, Strong, Sutton,
Swanton, Tekamah, Tobias, Ulysses, West
ern, West Point, WILDER, Wisner, Wood
line. Neb.; Anthem, Bronson, Clinton, Early,
Henton, Lacona, LawtOn, Merrill. Ramsen,
Sanborn, Sergeant Blum, Sioux City, Scion,
Walker, Ia.
The remarkable popularity and growth Of
the rural free delivery service may be
gathered from a few figures which were
given out today at the Postofnee DEPART
ment. In Iowa, Nebraska and South Da-
kota there are at present on the payroll
1.B44 rural free delivery carriers and their
salaries aggregate $s2, 200 for the month OF
March, checks for which will issue on
April /. -1 ~
Postmaster Grow Of Omaha will sign
vouchers for $50 rural carriers operating
in Nebraska at $50 per month, a total OF
ST, $50 for the month Of March. At Des
Moines Postmaster John Mckay will attach
his signature to 1870 vouchers for car
riers in mis- state, aggregating SSs,bOO, and
at Yankton Postmaster Edgar Edgerton
will sign vouchers for 121 carriers, who VIII
draw a total Of $1,000 for services during
the same month.
Routine of Departments.
The Cedar Rapids National bank Of Ce-
dar Rapids has been approved as a reserve
agent for the First National banks OF Belle
PLANE, Boone, Burlington, Emmetsburg'
Estherville, Gladbrook, Iowa Falls, La
Porte. Manchester, Montezuma, Nora
Springs, Rock Rapids, Upton, Toledo, Wy
owing, Anamosa National Of Anamosa, Cit
lzens National OF Cedar Falls, Fort Dodge
National Of Fort Dodge, Grundy County Ma
tional Of Grundy Center, Citizens National
Of Washington, Waterloo National OF Wat
erloo and Farmers National Of Vinton, Ia.
The Merchants National Of Cedar Rapids
has been approved as reserve agent for the
Grundy County National Of Grundy Center,