Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-04-16
-IsxpIOriDgE Expeditions 10 the Black
sH .lRAilIs Of a6aIkOta Territory.


cd TIE StoGc City Journal of the 30th ult !,
gives the following with regard to the pro-
posed exploring expedition to the Black
Hills of Dakota during the coming sum
For many years the attention of miners
and explorers has been turned toward
these hills, and at different times efforts
have been made TO ascertain tie truth OF
the reports of various Indian tribes con-
seerhihg the rich mineral deposits of that
region. But all efforts 1eretofore9 have
tailed, for the reason that the hostile In
dians who inbabit the region have guard
ed, with jealous care, against all attempts
of the whites to examine the country, and
have invariably turned back, those, who
have approached, the Black Hills.Fs e-szIe 8
Within the past year or twO,ehowever,
the hostile bands have become divided
and weakened. so that they, eau no longer
successfully resist the march of a strong
band of determined explorers. In this
case, Mr.. Smith conceived the idea of or,
ganizing party, to number not less tina
one hundred men, which was considered
strong enough to insure success, and pro-
ceed TO the land of rnmOred wealth and
ascertain the truth of the reports which
have reached us. He commenced agita,
ting the matter last winter, and already
he has met with a surprising degree of en-
coHragement. He now says that, instead
of the one hundred men which at first he
hoped to get, he confidently expects five
hundred to accompany his expedition.
He is in constant receipt of letters from
all parts of. the country from parties who
desirefto make the trip, and there is every
reason to believe that, by the 14th of June
next-the time appointed Tor the depart
Ire of the expedition from Yankton--
there will be a force amounting to a con-
siderable army on hand for the trip. Prof.
hist cepI1T.p6 a tiOn
of $I5,0 600 from the General Government for
the prosecution of geological survey of
the country, and will be on hand with a
corps of scientific gentlemen. The Smith
sonian Institute will be represented, beside
several of the institutions of learning
throughout the Northern States, by geolo-
gists, naturalists, and men of science, who
are attracted by the famous "bad lands
now acknowledged to be the most interest
ingsfield offesearch on the continent. Mr..
S. believes that there will be nearly one
hundred of these scientific gentlemen aiorie.
The expedition will accompany the wagon
roadexpedition of Oommissi0 i0ner Lawrence,
who has been appointed to open road
from the Missouri river to- Montana, on the
north base of the Black Hills with fund
Of $4,000 to be expended in opening the
route. About 100 men of Dakota are al
ready enlisted in Mr.. Smiths company, and
still continued additions are being made.-
Auortion of the men composing the expe-
dition will remain in the Black Hills region
and. open settlement unless compelled. to
leave. They go for the purpose OF settling
the country and redeeming il from the In-
dams. We wish them abundant success,
and hope the result will well repay them
for the venture. Any inquiry conc ncerning
Che matter, addressed TO B. N. Smith, ank-
ton, Dakota, win receive immediate atten-
tiot'.T.I1lI fiI III ASST tl1t