The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1910-06-23
Story of The Berthold Indians
Interesting Facts About the Customs OF the REQ
Man Whose Land is Soon to be Thrown Open
to the Public for, Settlement

ological mysteries; the Gros-Ventres
and the Arickarees soon will be de-
nriyed of their seclusion, for the SEN
ate and the house have approved the
bill providing for the opening OF 3oo'-
900 acres in the heart of the historic
Fcrt Berthold reservation, and, IN ali
probability. the president win sign 1t.
Then white men will pour into the
opened strip, and the red men Will
ha confined to smaller allotments, ana
held accountable to the laws that ap-
ply to the invaders under government
sanction. There will be no lack OF
room for the Indians, however, for the
whole reservation comprises 1850
square miles, or 2,912O00 acres-ap-
proximately the area Of the state OF
Connecticut.
Still, it appears to those who know
the history of the Indians in the up
rer valleys of the Mississippi and Mis-
souri, that there Is larger bit Of pa
thos in this latest deprivation of the
reds this latest step of civilization"
because the Mandans, the Gros-
Ventres and the Arickarees have been
unlike the other tribes. They have
an unparalleled reputation as lovers
of peace. Seldom did they wage war
for love Of conquest, or blindly fight
with other Indian nations or with the
whites to satisfy only the whim Of q
chieftain, or chieftain's personal
grudge. They did fight, and, hard, but
only, when driven>to bay. While hv-
Ing they were good indians" and are
not subject to the familiar classif1car
ton. -
Other Indians Drove Them Back.
These tribes were once great and
prosperous: but peaceful when war
and conquest were the ruling creeds
Of their race, they we're stricken again
and again by the warlike tribes about
them. Like memorials stand the
ruins Of village after village along
the Missouri river telling the tragic
story Of defeat and retreat before the
advancing Sioux and Crees. At last,
in this retreat, the three tribes real
lied that they must unite or become
exterminated. So they made last and
successful stand against the invaders
at Fort Berthold, which for many
years has been known as the last Da.
kota. Indian village.
The government buildings are now
the most imposing part of the picture
thert: clustered about them in all dir
ections are the huts and tepees. But
the whole scene, in the vast space
in which the red men have lived and
roamed, and little in it that suggests
today; it all looks like yesterday
prairies reaching out to the far hori-
zon and nothing on them but squat
huts and conical tents and Indians
moving among them.
When They Gave Up Their Lands.
Upon this scene the settlers" will
rush when the great white feather, to
whom the Indians look with awe and
a strange confidence, 90 DEGREES. The
Indians have acquiesced, realizing that
that would be the better part. Wound
ed Face Of the M4ndans. Old Dog and
Long Bear Of the Gros-Ventres. and
Sitting Bear Of the Arickarees- they
SPOKE for their people, and, for them.
were convinced BY the eloquent arsu-
nlnts made by Oongrssman Hanna,
and r. H.1Abbott, assistant commits
sioner Of Indian aftairs.
Il was ! notable powwow. the chiefs
su1roundsd by their followers. .
throng in picturesque array. in which
the white men were plainly marked
by their different ganmenta Al de.
tains Of the proposed concession were
discussed, and the ver-peaceful In
dams soon were appeased. That waa
on September 13, Of last year. Then
the congressman returned to Washing.
ton and hurried his bill through.
Old Village to be Preserved.
The bill, however, isn't wholly com
mercial. There Il one touch Of senti.
ment. It 10 . provision that part od
the lands be set apart - national
mark, 80 that th eruins Of the ~ Fort
Berthold Indian village ana buE1a'
grounds my bo pGossevsd This va
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