Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1904-02-18
THE PASSING
OF THE INDIAN
An Interesting Letter Written by
Albert p. Jones.
SCENES IN THE RED MANS
CAMP.
Habits and Customs of Hundreds
of Years Ago Obtain.

| ton OF It's readers. The mistreatment
which the red man has received at the
hands OF his white brother on the North
American continent ever since the pill
grim fathers landed at Plymouth Rock
on that bleak December day, in the
year 1920, has been polite source of
discussion both by press and pulpit.
The Indian was caught between the
| upper and neither millstones of the
white mans civilization, and the
cycling buhrs have ground him to
| powder. From a unitarian point of
view this is simply an exemplifcation
Of natural law which governs the
survival of the littest-which brushes
aside and obliterates the weak when
they obstruct the onward movement of
the vigorous and strong. The wrongs
| inflicted upon the red man have been
many, but he has not produced an
Indian Bancroft to chronicle them,
and the pathos of his present passing
to his eternal hunting grounds wrings
a tear of sympathy from all who com
misserate suffering when endured by
any Of Gods creatures, for he has
made OF one blood all nations Of the
earth. Mr.. Jones letter here follows.
1t will repay perusal:
BLACK RIVER FALLS, WIS,
February 8, 1904.
To The Iowa County Democrat:
notice an occasional in my weekly
visitor, The Democrat, which indicates
an interest In the Indian. How | wish
| could take you with me on one of my
trips among the Winnebagos; | am
sure you would soon be convinced
that Wisconsin has her Indian prob
lem as we'll as the western states and
territories; that our people need awak-
ening to the pitiful condition of these
unfortunate beings and arousing to
action In their behalf. Asyou are not
here to go with me, perhaps you would
be pleased to have me write you plainly
and simply just what you would see.
We will pass quickly over eight or
ton miles OF Wisconsin desert to an
Indian camp. Here. in grove of
jack pine bordering large marsh are
half dozen wigwams. The Indian
can seldom be found camping alone.
These wigwams are constructed by
first putting the lower ends of slender
saplings, generally of white birch, in
the ground in circle; the tops are
then drawn together and down much
like the ribs of an umbrella. This
framework Is covered with canvas, old
blankets, reed mats, etc; an opening
In the center Of the top is left for exit
of the smoke, and IL loose flap OF can
vas on the side serves as an entrance.
The center Of the wigwam is reserved
for the fire. From rods across the
opening In the top two or three chains
hang down to the fire below. On these
chains are hung the kettles and pals
In which the food Is cooked. On three
sides OF the fire pole three inches in
diameter Is fastened. Between these
and the sides of Thu wigwam little
straw or dry grass from the marsh Is
thrown on the ground. Sometimes
there IL Il reed mat and then dromis-
cuous heap Of bedding and clothing.
The space nearest the opening is re-
served for the scanty supply of cook
ing utensils, provisions and the dogs,
while around the fire the Indians Of
all sexes and ages sleep, and cook, and
eat, and lounge, play cards and talk,
see the light of day and die. Eight or
ten can sometimes be found In single
wigwam not over q dozen feet in diam
eter. In these wigwams the greater
number of the Indians live throughout
the heat of summer and the singing,
biting cold Of winter.
AT the doorway OF his wgwam,
At his side In all her beauty,
Sits his daughter, Laughing Water.
Plaitlng mats Of flags and PUSHES"
SO sang Longfellow in his romance
OF Hiawatha, and so can these dusky
maidens be seen today sitting in the
doorway or within the wigwam, plait-
ing mats OF flags and rushes, just as
they did hundreds Of years ago, before
the white man came to destroy their
forests and drive them from their hunt
ing grounds. AS you watch those busy
fingers nimbly plating amid such
weird surroundings, awave of romance
may thrill within your own breast and
YOU will wonder IL Hiawatha will
not presently emerge from the forest
bearing deer upon his shoulders.
Suddenly the fingers stop their plait-
ing and you turn to see the modern
Minnehaha raise her head and expec
torate stream Of tobacco juice at the
fire aud catch Whit of breath laden
with the fumes OF alcohol. When you
look into another wigwam and there
see another dusky maiden laying
among the litter in u drunken stupor,
with an empty alcohol bottle ut her
side, your emotions will be far differ
cnt ones,
Now let us drive on. There is an
other wigwam apart from abe rest. 1t
Is smaller, poorer and meaner than
the others. Inside youwill find Hanaka
George, a son Of the noted Winnebago
chief, Oshkosh. He is past SO years
of age and almost blind. Attended by
his faithful squaw he sits bumped up
before his wigwam fire the whole day
long. He will tell you of the past, OF
the once mighty forests now no more;
and Of the many deeds of the bad
white man.
Three miles or so will bring YOU to
anothpr pamp Hpra Ia one 0f tho