The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-09-24
TO HONOR PIKE.
First to Unfurl the Flag at the
Pawnee Village.
Four Days Celebration at Re-
public City Nearby.
SPLENDID PROGRAMME
Several of Kansas Brightest
Women Will Speak.
People From All Over the State
to Be Present.
SPLENDID PROGRAMME

Republic City Kan, Sept. 24-The one
hundredth anniversary of the unfurling
of the American flag on Kansas soil will
be celebrated at the old Pawnee City
Indian village near here September 49,
27, % and %. A large number of people
from all over the state are expected TO
attend the celebration. The railroads
have made a fare of one fare for the
trio.
The first thing of Importance that C.
CURED in Kansas after the visit Of
Coronado to this state was the raising
of the American flag in the Pawnee vii
lage. The flag was raised by zebulon
Montgomery Pike. to teach the Pawnee
Indians who were encamped here that
the authority Of the United States gov
eminent was supreme west OF the Mis-
sissippi river. That incident was the
beginning of the real history of the
state.
The affair occurred in the year 1886.
The United States had acquired by pur-
chase the territory Of Louisiana. The
deal had been a sort of sight unseen
affair, and the government did not know
what kind of "a trade it had made.
Zebulon Pike was commissioned to
make an investigation of the territory
and to ascertain the truth of the re-
ports that the Spanish government was
lIy4uE 10 get on lIlenQly terms WIN the
Indians and preparing to make trouble
over the title to the country. Pike, with
two lieutenantS, one surgeon one SER
geant, two corporals, is privates, an in
terpreter and about 80 friendly Indians
who were to be returned to the western
tribes from which they had been cap
tured, invaded the territory. He came
to this part Of the country to study
conditions and make b. a report to the
government.
Pike entered Kansas where Bourbon
county now is and marched diagonally
across the country to the PaWnee VIII
lage. He found the Pawnee Indians
1 friendly, but determined to bar his pre-
gress westward. The Indians told him
that the government of Spain had COM
missi0ned them to prevent the Ameri-
cans from coming into this territory
They did not want trouble, but they in
/ sisted that the Americans return to the
other side of the Mississippi river.
| Pike was Of the blunt sort and with
out any ciFeumlocution informed tnf
Indians that he owned me allegiance tc
the Spanish government and that he
was here to explore the territory pur-
chased by his government. He carried
\ his bluff further and demanded that the
/ Spanish flag waving over the tepee 81
! the, chief of the tribe be pulled down
and the American flag substituted. His
! bluff worked and the American nag was
| hoisted in place of the red and yellow
emblem of Spain. There were 400 III
dams IN the village ana Lieutenant Pike
| intimated that he would reduce this
number by about so per cent unless
there was compliance with his de-
mands. Pixies instructions when he Jeff
the village were that the flag Of SPAR
was not again to be hoisted and history
] records that the Indians obeyed the or
der.
From the Pawnee village Pike went
westward and discovered the Colorado
mountain peak which bears his name
r, "a ,f. r fe
ney and was prepared to write a jour
nal of his travels for the government
He invaded Spanish territory to the
! south before he returned and there he