Omaha daily bee., 1906-09-30
AMERICAN FLAG IN KANSAS
Centennial Anniversary of the First
UnfurIinE of stars aud stripes
90 he Celebrated.

The people OF Republic City, In Repub-
lie county, Kansas. have organized for the
purpose Of celebrating the Tooth anniversary
Of the visit OF Zebulon Montgomery Pike to
the village Of the Pawnee republic, Sep
day being the usual number. that their
garments do not become soiled dc ours.
When their kimonos are dirty they either
wash them intact in tiny tubs before which
tember 90 1906. when the Spanish flag was
hauled down and the symbol of American
sovereignty substituted. Republic City Is
but six miles south of the Nebraska line,
and various organizations from both Kan
sas and Nebraska will participate in the
commemorative exercises on the 18th inst.
While making his famous exploration
of western plains and mountains which
resulted in the first knowledge of Pixies
peak, General Pike found a village of
Pawnee Indians with the Spanish flag
above them. Notwithstanding the transfer
of the country by the Louisiana purchase
and that he caused them to take it down
and raise the flag of the United States
in its place
This flag incident is the first and about
the most interesting in the history of Kan
sas. In 1901 the state legislature erected
a twenty-seven-foot granite shaft on this
village site of the Pawnee republic and
placed an iron fence around eleven acres,
the land being the gift of Elizabeth A.
johnson.
The flag incident Is thus described by
General PaSe:
September 20. Held our grand council
with the Pawnees. at which were present
not less than 400 warriors the circum-
stances of which were extremely interest
ing. The notes took on my grand coun-
Gil held with the Pawnee nation were
seized by the Spanish government. together
with all my speeches to the different ma
tions. But 1t may be interesting to OH
serve here, in case they should never
be returned, that the Spaniards had left
several of their flags in this village, one
Of which unfurled at tine chiefs door
the day of the grand council and that
among various demands and charges l gave
them was, that the said flag should be
delivered to me, and one of the United
States flags be received and hoisted in it's
place This probably was carrying the
pride of nations a little too far, as there
had so lately been a large force of Span
ish cavalry at the village, which had made
great impression on the minds of the
young men as to their power, consequence,
etc, which my appearance with twenty
infantry, was by no means calculated to
remove
After the chiefs had replied to the
various parts of my discourse, but were
silent as to the flag, i again reiterated
the demand for the flag, adding, that it
was impossible for the nation to have
two fathers; that they must either be the
children of the Spaniards or acknowledge
their American father After a silence
of some time an old man arose went to
the door, took down the Spanish flag.
I brought it and laid it at my feet; he then
received the American flag and elevated
1t on the stan which had lately borne
the standard of his Catholic majesty This
gave great satisfaction to the Usage and
lIans, both of whom decidedly avow them
selves to be under American protection
Perceiving that every face in the council
was clouded with sorrow. as If some great
national calamity were about to befaTl
| them, / took up the contested colors and
told them that as they had shown them
( selves dutiful children in acknowledging
their great American father did not wish
! TO embarrass them with the Spaniards
4 Tor 1t was the wish of the Americans that
! their red brethren should remain peaceably
| around their own fires and not embroil
! themselves In any disputes between the
white people and thai for fear the Span
iards might return there in force again.
returned their flag, but with an Injunction
that II should never be hoisted again dur
ing our stay. At this there was a general
/ shout OF applause, and the charge was
particularly attended to-"