New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1914-06-24
Monument For
Historic Spot
IMMENSE GRANITE ROCK EREG-
!. TED ON SCENE OF FAMOUS
INDIAN TREATY.
MANY OLD PIONEERS ATTENK
CEREMONIES UNWILLING
THE MONUMENT.

| =. !. E
After the lapse of more than three
score years marker has been erecte1
on the site of the treaty of Traverse des
Sioux by the members of Captain Richaru
Somers Chapter, d. A. R., of the city Of
St. Peter. 1t was unveiled with appro-
pirate exercises last Wednesday after
noon.
The treaty Of Traverse des Sioux was
without question one of the most inn
portant events in the early history of
Minnesota. Late in June, 1851, Cover
nor Alexander Ramsey and Colonel
Luke Lea, commissioner of Indian affairs
assembled the Minnesota river to Traverse
des Sioux, then the largest and most
important trading post on the north
western frontier, to meet the leading
chiefs of the Sisseton, Wahpeton and
Dacotah tribes. A delay followed ana
it was not until July Is that all of the
leaders expected had arrived.
On that date the United States com
missioners opened the grand council, an1
daily sessions were held until the com
pletion of the negotiations. At One tint
the success of the enterprise was threaten
ed by the belligerent attitude of Sleepy
Eye, an influential Sioux chieftain.
Enraged over the refusal of the COM
missioners to yield to one of his demands.
he and his blowers left the council, whieh
was prom tly dissolved by Colonel Lea
AS the whites were about to embark on
their steamer Sleepy Eye sent emissaries
to them, and the council was reconvened.
Lon July % Commissioners Lea had ;xOic
coins, trinkets and other presents for. thu
Indians temptingly displayed on big
boulder in the council room and that day
the treaty was completed and signed.
According to the terms of the treaty.
the Indians were to receive $25O,OO0 il
annual payments for the vast region,
which included all of the Sioux lands
west uf the Mississippi river and COB
tanned approximately 100000 acres
They retained a reservation, ten miles IL
width, extending along the Minnesota
river from point few miles above New
Ulm to the headwaters, and the failure 81
the governments agents to make tM
annuity payments properly has always
been regarded as one of the primary
causes of the bloody Sioux outbreak Il,
1862.
In 1907 the state legislature appre-
priated $500 for the purchase of tM
treaty site, and the commission appointea
by Gov. johnson located the site and
succeeded in securing title to the land Gle
which the council house stood, and it is
now vested in the state.
Subsequent efforts to obtain money
for monument met with no success,
and then the proposal was made that
the boulder on which the presents for
the Indians were heaped at the time Of
the signing be used as marker On it
has been placed a brass tablet which
bears the inscription: ''This marks the
site of the treaty of Traverse des Sioux,
July %, 1851. Erected by Captain
Richard Somers Chapter, Daughters OF
the American Revolution, St. Peter.
Mimi, 1913"
! At the dedicatory services three
pioneer settlers attracted particular at
tention. They were General LIE Due q
st. Pau, Mrs. Mary B. Alton of st. Peter
Continued on Page A.