Vashon Island news-record. [volume] (Vashon, Wash.) 1919-1954, 1930-08-28
BLACK GOLD GONE;
INDIANS BANKRUPT
End Of Rainbow Stops Play
time of Osages.

Pawhuska, Okla.--The Usage In.
dams have found the end of the rain.
bow after traversing a golden lane of
oil gushers that have poured millions
of dollars into their tribal treasury.
Once known as the richest class OF
people in the world they face bank
ruptcy now.
The playtlme Of the 0sages has
ended. Within the last three months
the tribe has been undergoing a
change-back to the ordinary way Of
living Paleface neighbors Of the In.
dians speculate on the outcome Of this
adjustment. Meanwhile, the Osages
are not worried particularly except for
the constant press Of creditors.
OIL wells that gave the Osages q life
Of ease and provided means for reck-
less spending orgies no longer hold
promise OF inexhaustible wealth. When
Bacon Rind, Bigheart, and Lookout,
tribal chieftains, saw oil magnates fly
over from Tulsa In alrplanes and drop
hundreds Of thousands of dollnrs In
single bids for leases, they told their
people wealth from their hills was
eternal.
They realize now the oil play"
has moved to the south into the land
Of the Seminoles and the white pio-
neers around Oklahoma City.
The adjustment has raised two prob
lems-one Is social and the other eco.
nomic.
Prosperity Too Much.
Oil spread Its greasy mantle Of gold
over the broad reservation and poured
more than 5000, 100000 into the tribal
purse. The Osages have been soaked
In oil, stepped in gin, and have felt
the thrill Of power contained In their
expensive automobiles.
Many have been the victims Of the
reign Of prosperity which at once re-
leased gold and grief upon them. Since
1895, when oil prospecting started in
the Usage nation, court records show
where scores have been killed for
their headlight SO others might come
into possession Of 1t. A gang Of four
men headed by w. K. Hale, known
as the "King of the Osage," is serv-
ing terms in connection with the ia
mouse Usage headlight murder plot.
Murders of Indians for their head
right became 30 common that con-
gress finally passed law providing
that any person convicted of killing
an Usage should not share the estate.
1nnumerable intermarriages with
whites and halfbreeds for the purpose
Of sharing In estate have been eff
fected. The halfbreeds and white rel.
atives IRE the ones that suffer from
the present depression. In 1921 the
government gave all Osages with less
than one-half pure Indian blood the
right to sell the surface of their al.
lotted lands. They are the ones who
raised the moan Of the redman across
the miles of beautiful tree clad hills
and wrought sadness In the land of
the once mighty people.
Until 1921 every enrolled Usage
drew all money credited to him. The
government then reduced payments.
Then certificates of competency"
were issued, until now there are only
about COO Indians who cannot draw
everything that Is due them and spend
1t as they wish.
Carousal Is Ended.
In flush years the lands yielded $20,.
100000 annually. Many families drew
100000 annually. The blanket Indians
drew $13,500 each in 1925. Now the
unrestricted Indian gets S35 weekly.
The full blood gets about $500
| monthly. A--,2-i
Now that the Osages have spent
more than 1928, 00O, 900 and the 5000
or more oil wells that used to flow
from 5000 to 5000 barrels daily have
settled down to a production often as
low as barrels daily, the Indians
do not see how they can rise above
the quagmire because of fast living
and 10 years Of general carousal.
Fifteen mixed bloods recently ap-
piled for bankruptcy and II a decision
Of the Circuit Court Of Appeals is fa-
vorable In case now pending tri-
bal attorney has estimated that 1900
more mixed than full bloods, who owe
between $3.50 and $4,000 each, will
apply for bankruptcy to save their
headlights from attachment. A head.
right Is now worth about $4,000. II
| formerly was worth 100000.