New-York tribune., 1905-06-04
INDIANS WHO WANT WORK
Eight Hundred Sioua 4duertise for
It-Can Be Useful.

Pine Ridge Indian Reservation s D.. June
(SpecfaD D.-Eight hundred Sioux warriors on the
Pine Ridge Agency want TO go to work and have
advertised in the newspapers OF the towns sur
rounding the reservation that they will do any
kind of manual labor which is offered them The
Indians are good workers, despite their traditional
laziness and those white persons who have util-
lied them in a small degree IN the past nave oeeh
well satisfied with them.
The Indians are not permitted to leave their
reservation without permission of the agent, but
in the present they have not only secured the
consent of Major John Brennan. the Pine Ridge
Agent but Mr. Brennan is also making the con-
tracts for his red charges. They prefer working
with horses. for the Indian dearly loves a horse.
but will accept anything that tney san 90; .d
with the government, by which the Indians were
cerfein 70 lands has been fulfilled and the Indians
are receiving more supplies from the Great
issue TaonS o 10 al f tf there ee r anu ner dht t5o on
sa1d indians on Pine Ridge alone and Of these
large ma jority actually poverty stricken Their
work on the reservation for them to do Hence
they must leave it and work for the white settlers
along border, actually StarVe.
For two years after the edict OF mo moro
tons went into effect. the government gave
piOyment TO all Indians who wanted work by build
ing roads and reservoirs on the reservation. AS
fne roads as are to be found anywhere in the
country But this work came TO an end and the
them.
Large numbers of the Sioux find work with the
Northwestern Railroad, which skirts the southern
border of the agency on its way to the Black
HIS Almost every section gang on the Western
division is composed OF Sioux, who also serv-
ing br2kemeTI, nremen, etc. The railroad CON-
pany has had the least trouble with the red
worknien. and such thing as Joining union Is
entirely unknown among them
One Bull Oldest OF old Sitting Bull the ia
nous war chief Of the Sioux. is firing on a North
western locomotive running between Chadron. Neb..
and Deadwood, S. D The Indian has been at
this work for nearly two years. and is a good
workman.
All the hauling Of supplies from the railroad to the
agency is done by the Indians. and in this work
there are several hundred bucks and squaws.
for the Indian women as much work the
men do. Old American Horse, once OF the
most noted Sioux chiefs. fs freiShter between
Rushville and Pine Ridge. American Horse and
hts sguaw together make something more than SiC0
each month hauling freight 70 the agency.
TIE farmers and ranCaers in Nors1ern Nebraska
are preparing this year to make OF the Sioux
harvest time and expect. with the assistance 81
the Indians harvest their crops without having
to call the State Lab0r Bureau FOR help.
Many OF the Indian sirls. TOO. are taking places
as housemaids and coohs with the settlers wives.
These girls are well educated. many OF them being
graduated from the Indian schools in Eastern
States who, failing TO ind in their parents tepees
the degree of civilization TO which the schools have
educated them prefer rather 10 become servants OF
white people than 70 return To their old life.
Major Brennan expects to secure employment in
the summer for all the bucks who can 6e In
duced work. and will t7y TO have them save
enough money 10 carry them through next winter
without becoming charges on the government
again.