Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-01-15

MIAMI, Fla, Jan. 9-Three hundred
Seminole Indians, the miserable remnant
of a once powerful nation, inhabit the
Everglades and the Big Cypress swamps
of southern Florida. For three centuries
the Seminoles and the other divisions of
the Creek Nation resisted the encroach-
ments of the white man in the great EN-
pire of the southeast. They fought
great battle with De Soto and Chief Sa-
tourioua wrote his name in history in
the richest of Spanish blood. Three hun
dred years later the great Chief Osceola
led the Senlinoles to battle against the
Americans. He was the last of the great
chiefs, and although he was as treacher-
Gus scoundrel as ever assassinated
man from ambus, the fiction writers have
given his name glamor that will not
fade away. There are two monuments to
Osceola's defeat, that which marks his
prison grave at Fort Moultrie and the
colony of rich and prosperous Seminoles IN
the state Of Oklahoma. That colony has
forgotten Florida and its ancient empire,
and is given over to state politics and
cotton.
But what of the remnant in Florida?
There are. all told, certainly not more
than 800, perhaps not more than $50. They
are free from all limitations imposed up
on other Indians as wards of the govern
ment, they receive no money from WASH
ington and there is no agent among them.
They have been utterly free, and they
have improved their freedom by adopting
all the vice of the white man and eschew-
ing all his virtues. Drink they will, and
deeply. Work, they will not. They live
by hunting by secretly killing the pro-
tected birds of plumage to sell to UNI
scrupulous and law-defying white men,
and by the agricultural industry of their
wives.
Whisky and disease are the chief enc
mics of these few remaining Seminoles,
and il is remarkable that the tribe has
not been exterminated years ago. Sixty
seven years ago General w. j. Worth
commanding the United States forces in
Florida, reported to Washington that the
Seminole War was at an end. 1t had
lasted eight years, had cost over 1000
lives Of white soldiers end $40 1000, 900 in
money. 1t was the longest and the most
serious OF all the Indian wars. In that
report General Worth declared that all
the Indians had been exJerminated ex-
cept those who had been transferred to
the territory west of Arkansas. and about
300 who had taken refuge in the Businesses
of the Everglades and the swamps. These
300. he believed, would not give any furth-
er trouble.
He was right. The few Indians who re-
fused to leave their home for the west,
who preferred the swamp and the saw
grass 10 submission. those few buried the
Ratchet. Their sons and daughters have
not taken IL up and peace has reigned
They have maintained their numbers
practically intact, although 1t is believed
that the tribe is now waning In strength.
There are three divisions of the Florida
Seminoles. The Big Cypress Indians live
in the cypress swamps on the west coast
and have their communication with the
outside world through Fort Myers. The
Cow Creek Indians live near Fort Pierce,
between Lake Okechobee and the Allan
tic ocean. The Miamis live in the Ever
glades not for from the city Of Miami
Seminoles may be seen at almost any Of
the southern Florida towns. but they fire.
quent Fort Pierce, Fort Myers and Miami
more regularly. They come down from
their hidden homes in canoes dug out of
cypress logs, bringing with them the al