The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1904-08-19
WAR-L|KE SIOUX CHIEF
BEGRUDCES new LAND
Old Wisthmista, Who Took
400 White Scalps, Watches
Devils Lake Registration.
HOW LAKE WAS NAMED
Indians Believed an Evil Spirit Sank
Canoes of Their Braves-Over So
coo Are Expected to Register
for Lands.

Devils Lake. n. D.. Aug. 12.-Despite
the prediction of Chief Wisthwista of
the Cut Head Sioux Indians three years
ago at Il big Indian council, that the
Fort Totten reservation would never
be opened to the paleface. the procla-
nation of President Roosevelt has CIV
en- the whites the opportunity to home
stead and buy land which is consid-
cred by the Indians as priceless. and
probably $4,000 will improve the oppor-
tunity of registering for the Devils
Lake land lottery
1t is with deep regret that Chief Lit
tie Fish, who made the prophecy that
the reservation would never be opened
to the whites, sees the crowds rowing
over his old home of eighty years.
With something akin to madness, he
watches the automobiles tear UP the
white sand Of his hunting ground and
the teams of settlers drive over land
which he cannot believe must pass
from him and his people forever
Has Killed 1,4OO Whites.
Little Fish is known in the language
of the Cut Head Sioux as Wisthwista
or TiOwaste. He has been a terrible
old savage in his day, for he has the
record of taking the ScalpS of over l,400
palefaces since he became chief of the
bad tribe eighty years ago.
When seen by Tribune staff CORE
spondent today ne wore around his
waist belt covered with elks teeth.
and hung with fourteen scaps, which
;he took himself on one forenoon. He
declined to say where he took them or
who were the unfortunate whites. and
no price was large enough to tempt
him to dispose of them. On his breast.
the venerable chief wears a medal Civ
en- him by King George of England.
Yesterday his avarice got the better of
his good sense, and he sold to writer
for Joseph Chappel's magazine the last
peace pipe in his possession.
This historic relic was smoked by
the chief when peace was made With
the Chippewa Indians, years ago. And
thereby hangs the story of naming
Devils Lake. With the Chippewas, the
Cut Head Sioux engaged in great canoe
naval battle, on the waters of the lake
Thousands Of Sioux and Chippewa
went to the bottom, and the lake has
been known since as the lake of evil
spirits, or Minauken, in the Sioux Ian.
guaSe.
Evil Spirit in the Lake.
Another legend connected with the nam
Ing of the lake relates that on certain
day before big battle fifty Sioux canoes
manned by braves saileo out on the lake
toward the land of the setting suns, and
never returned. History would say that
they must have met Chippewas but the
Cut Heads maintain that the evil spirit
which makes the lake his home sunk the
canoes and braves to weaken their tribe.
No Cut Head Sioux Indian ever enters
the briny waters of Devils lake for a
bath. Savages in the water are as scarce
as catfish, which formerly were plentiful,
but have died as the waters have recedcd
and become more salty each year The
Indians cannot think of bathing in the
water which washes over the bones of Il
thousand comrades. They also fear
gigantic devil fish or sea serpent. which is
said to have been seen recently, and was
described since the registration began by
a press correspondent who changed
brands. a phantom ship and half dozen
other horrible things have worked on the
imaginations OF the Indians until they
have refused to have anything to do with
the lake.
No special trains are being run and few
extra coaches are used. 1t is noticeable
that James H. Hill has a controlling in
terest in the Great Northern. His ideas
OF raiiroading are apparent. Two people
must ride in every seat and the colossal
engines must pull the limit. Land seek
ers are well satisfied, however, for the
rates have been made low. trains make
tcient to bring in all who want to reg
iSter
Government officials claim that 500 OF
the $50 quarter sections are valuable pieces
of land and may be cultivated. Other au-
thori;ies and farmers who have been over
the land do not place the number so high
Some say that they want nothing to do
with quarter sections after $50 are drawn
The land which is to be filed on is well
SCI Uttered over two or three counties Few
of the quarter sections adioin. Divided
up into 4O-acre tracts, some of the most
valuable farms will be taken in a string
of four fortles. it being impossible to get
all the quarters in regular shape.
Fine Land Attracts Visitors.
Large wheat fields, prosperous looking
farm houses and miles and miles of pas
ture lying close to the reservation, have
caused many of the land seekers to long
for a home in North Dakota. If they fail
to draw the right to enter. they will buy
land in this vicinity of agents, who are
preparing to reap harvcst
This is undoubtedly a wheat country,
but the reservation land is not as good as
the land north of the lake. Here it is
level with rich black loan. and white
clay subsol. The city of Devils Lake
and the farming region extending six
miles south We're at one time the bed of
the great Devils Lake. witch has been
reccding steadily for the past twenty
years. The old docks formerly stood
where the Great Northern railroad now
has a fine depot. Steamboats, formerly
sailed over the surface of the lake. which
covered miles of the best wheat country
on which the sun has ever shone. and un-
loaded their cargoes where now the long
trains on Jim H.ll's big railroad stand 1T
enormous elevators.
The reservation country is rough, even
billy, and as it is too high to have ever
been covered with water, it does not show
the black loan, except in the dcpressons
and around the numerous small lakes
The country around Wood lake is said to
be the most valuable land that will be
allotted to the white settlers.