The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1912-04-17

PLEAsANT PoRTER.

- - 8.
aHe Is the greatest living Indianis
So spoke the late President McKin.
ley, concerning Pleasant Porter, chief
Of the Greek nation And, perhaps,
the high praise was justified. Certain
" in his sixty-six years Chief Porter
managed to enact many role that
has never fallen to the lot Of any
other Indian. Here are q few of the
many incngrlous positions he held:
Railroad president. lieutenant In the
Confederate army, Presbyterian elder,
thirty:third degree Mason, Knight
Templar and war chief Of the Creeks.
An Indian In Central Park.
Thousands of New Workers have
seen Pleasant Porter But few Of
them knew who he was. Up TO 1906
people used often to turn for a sec.
ond look at a tall, erect man, fault
lessly dressed, who for hours at a
time was wont to stride along the
Central Park paths. He was elderly,
but he had the Sfigure and step of an
athlete. He was a "three-quarter
blood Indian, but he had the bearing
and general aspect Of prosperous
business man. There was faint cop
perry tinge to his face. and the cheek
bones were "a trife more prominent
than most white mems. But these
qualities were scarcely noticeable.
Only his love Of open afr and his, dis.
like for the confinement Of his hotel
suite marked Porter as Of savage
race. Hence his long walks in the
park, where for a time he could es-
cape from the city's din and tratic.
Pleasant Porter was born in Indian
Territory in the late 40's, His mother
was the daughter of a Creek chief.
His father was half.breed Indian.
AS a lad Porter won fame for cour-
age, Workmanship and rough riding.
He quickly rose to the rank Of chief.
In the conflicts between his own tribe
and It's Indian neighbors he led his
braves again and again TO victory,
and acquired a love for warfare.
1t was this fondness for fighting
that led him to enlist in the Confeder-
ate army during the Civil war. Many
Indians have taken part in white
mems wars." But, except as scouts,
etc, few have risen to any especial
rank. Porter, however, fought his
way up to a -fieutenancy. After the
war he carried his new military
knowledge back to his people. From
the martial maneuvers he taught
them, as well az from the tactics he
used when forced to take the field IN
overcoming tribal uprisIngs, he won
the nickname of General
Not only through military genius
bs'. also by deep wisdom he made The
adams under his control look up to
him with a reverence accorded to no
other chief. And he used this great
influence on the side Of progress.
He early won the confidence of the
government and thus managed to- Sc
cure many concessions fol. the Creeks.
Throughssheer tact he kept his people
on good terms with the territory's
other tribes. Among the Indians he
was a fellow native. In Washington
New York and other places in the
East whittier business or diplomatic
errands often brought him, he was as
the white men with whom he asso
ciated. He spoke perfect English, but
once confessed:
a do all my thinking in my own ma
tons dialect"
Porter sent his children and grand
children to college, and taught his
tribe to adopt the best customs Of the
whites. He was leader in local poll
tics, and was once mentioned as can
didate for the United States senate.
He stood high In the Presbyterian
church, being an elder therein, and
was once delegate to the Presbytes
rian General Assembly. The climax
Of his white man" career was reach.
ed when In 1906 he helped incorpo-
rate the Indian Central Railroad COM
pany and was elected first president
Of the road.
Secrets Of His Nation"
Concerning his peoples ways Porter
was always realty to talk-up to a
certain point. But all his veneer Of
civilization could not make him reveal
the real secrets Of the Indians. For
Instance when an interviewer once
begged him to explain the mysterious
way in which news flashes with light
ming speed from one tribe OF Indians
to another, in wilderness where there
is no telegraph or telephone. Porter
calmly eyaded the question by say.
ing:
at may be telepathy. How does a
fly, buzzlng through the air. learn
that an animal far away has been kill.
ed? Why are there Thousands OF fiies