Thursday, August 13, 1891
VERMILION IRON JOURNAL—Thursday, August 13, 1891
The Indians at Wake-em-up.
Mr. and Mrs. W. A. Dempsey were callers at the JOURNAL office Tuesday, having come down from Wake-em-up bay the previous day. They are still engaged in religious work and over thirty souls have been converted to the Methodist faith, twenty-six of who have been baptized. A great deal of encouragement was afforded the workers recently in the conclusion of the “Medicine Man,” who, after steadfast refusal, has this week turned his two remaining children over to the missionaries for their care and attention, with the remark that he might possibly soon embrace “the white man’s religion” although it was difficult to give up the ideas and thoughts he had held most dear for “many moons.”
“Chief Wake-em-up, who was christened Jacob at his baptism,” said Mrs. Dempsey “has some ideas that are worth of consideration of the Indian Agent. He recently stated to me that now that his people had accepted the true religion, he thought that the children should be taught the English language that they might more thoroughly understand it and become nearer enlightened as regards the ‘white man’s ways.’ There are over thirty families on his land at Wake-em-up bay and he is desirous of having a school established at that point and conducted by a person who can speak Chippewa as well as English. It could be built and maintained cheaper and more conveniently than one at the head of Pelican lake as has been considered, and as more Indians reside at that point than at Sucker Point the attendance would be larger and the work more successful.”
Later in conversation with Frank Porter, a prominent man among the Chippewas, the JOURNAL representative asked his opinion regarding this matter, and he expressed the greatest approval and believed that at no point would the English school prove a greater success. He was also confident that many of the Pelican Lake Indians would bring their children to the Wake-em-up school, where as they now object to the Sucker Point school on account of its proximity of the city and hence the increased temptation for the Indian, who acknowledges his weakness and inability to overcome the temptation to drink.
In the mind of Mrs. Dempsey there arose the same doubt that has crept into the minds of others, that is, the question as to whether Wake-em-up was a great a chief as he was reported. Accordingly, she one day asked to see his papers, which he soon brought, and on reading she found he was the acknowledged chief of all tribes between Lake Superior and Rainy Lake.
Drowned Last Sunday.
Another drowning, this time in Lake Vermilion, is this week to be recorded by the JOURNAL. a small party of Swede families were spending last Tuesday on Long island just outside of Stuntz bay, and were partaking of their lunch, when the five year old child of Mr. and Mrs. P. A. Stromberg strayed from her parents and in some manner fell into the water. A party of Soudan boys in a sail boat were the first to discover the drowning child. While passing they observed the body floating a short distance from shore and immediately succeeded in getting it into the boat. finding life extinct they quietly performed their sad duty of notifying the parents who had not yet missed the child. The funeral occurred Monday.
(NOTE: Cemetery recorded as FRIDA STRANBERG—ed.)
PERSONAL AND SOCIAL.
Base ball at the Soudan grounds Saturday afternoon. Tower vs. Soudan. Go and see them get swiped!
Nearly thirty Indians came down from the head of the lake Monday night to purchase their supplies preparatory to starting out on their rice harvest.
A carload of boilers and plumbing arrived Saturday night for the new hotel, and on Tuesday evening the electric wires for the complete lighting of the house by incandescents.
Coach “A” of the Duluth & Iron Range was side-tracked here Tuesday having on board Senator C. F. Cooper and wife, of Indiana. They visited the mines and lake Vermilion.
Work on the streets of this city was this week discontinued by the city council, after a season of numerous and extensive improvements. John Aronson, the street commissioner, has proven himself fully equal to work, and the city now boasts many well graded streets and drives. A large portion of the city’s finances is annually expended in the improvement of her thoroughfares and with most satisfactory results.
Rohere, the jeweler, will in a few days receive a stock of souvenir spoons, especially engraved for Tower. Souvenir spoons are now all the rage make not only handsome presents but valuable keepsakes.