Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-09-09
Summary of Results of His
Study of the Indians
at Tama
MAY PRINT THEIR LANGUAGE
University Man Has Accomplished
Much In the Study of the Red Man
In lowa-Enoush of Their Language
Secured to Enable Him to Publish
the First Indian Dictionary.
Special to Republican.

Ward is back in the city from q sum-
mer spent among the Mu- Squa-K ie
Indians, near Tama, Ia. where he has
been studying them under the auspices
Of the State Historical Society. He
has brought back with him photos of
some of the chief men, views of their
homes and home life, samples of their
rug aud bead work, some of their man
uscripts and much other valuable ma
terial. 1t is the purpose of the So
ciety to publish some of the Musqua-
kie documents, and this will be the
first time any of the Musquakie tongue
has been put in print.
Working on Dictionary.
One OF the most interesting of the
efforts of DR.. Ward is work on the
dictionary of tire language and already
has between three and four hundred
words with their English equivalents.
He has the names and history of
every Indian among the Musqrakies at
Tama, together with the Indian pro-
nunciation. AS we speak of them, the
Musquakies have no alphabet words or
sentences, yet they have a language
that conveys every possible shade of
meaning. ALI thought is conveyed by
them through the means of syllables,
the total number of which DR.. Ward
places roughly at 500. These in vari-
GUS combinations have different mean
ings. The Indians borrow no words;
they form their own terms for every
thing out of these syllabes Every
syllable begins with. a consonant and
ends with a vowel. Among their con-
sonant sounds they have no sounds
like +, j, |, r, z. On the other hand
they have following sounds which we
do not possess in the English Ian
guage, bw, pw, by, Ply, tw, DIV, ty, dy,
sy, jw, ky, gy, NV, INV, n and my.
Before Historical Society.
DR.. Ward spoke to the board Of cur
ators Of the Historical society Wednes-
day evening and they were will pleased
with his success and will give him
additional assistance financially to
continue the work. In 1889 the Mus
quakies lived in this vicinity and they
have local interest on that account.
The general research thus far is inter-
esting.
General Results.
DR.. Ward briefly summarized the
general results thus far as follows:
l. A carefully scaled may Of Mus
quake.
Q. A detailed chronological analysis
of Musquakie land purchases from 1857
to 1899, giving acreage. sum paid,
dates, locations, character of deeds.
grantors, grantees. etc. They have
made 26 purchases, now own 2,8S9.6s
acres, have paid Of this $S5, .6S-an
average ofof $2S55A per acre. Surely
the white man should never speak Of
this as a reservation!
g. The leading facts as to their pre-
sent economic condition.
L. A complete list of all the people
now Nving-giving both Musquakie and
Government spelling also English
names, sex, family age and special re-
marks The list is also alphabetically
indexed.
5. Another list of those who return
ed from Kansas between the years 1854
and lS66-including dates of death for
those not living.
g. A manuscript in Musquakie re-
lating numerous incidents in the his
tory of the tribe, written by members
of the tribe. This will make a book of
perhaps fifty pages and will be pub
iished by the Historical Society. It is
being carefully prepared in view Of the
fact that it is their first work and will
therefore be a pattern or form for later
work.
z. An analysis Of their alphabet in
previous and present stages, including
about 500 fundamental root syllables
from which words and sentences are
formed in endless variety and COM
pleteness.
g. About fifteen large photographs |
(14x1D of leading characters. These
are expensive, being the largest ever
taken. Many show full costumes.
9. About seventy-five other photo
Of people, wic-i-ups. etc.
10. A colored picture of the chief
Pa She To-Ne-Q Qua, 48x22.
II. A model wick-i-up 16x2Sx22.
49, Various articles of Musquakie
invention.
49, Many pages Of notes on Mus |
quake history, from the old men, from
original treaties and other documents
in possession of the tribe. and from
agents reports, government documents
and other sources.
a. punches of original documents
loaned by the chief, by first Agent
Clark, by Lawyer Lamb, and others
for historical sources.