Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1870-08-06
1NrEcTEp BuFFALo ROBES.

INFECTED BUFFALO ROBES.
Considerable apprehension prevails
In the Western Territories, in conse-
quence Of the conduct of certain spec
ulators. who, it Is asserted, have disin-
TERED the bodies Of certain Indians,
and have offered for sale the buffalo
robes found in the graves. In the sum-
mer of 1869 one of the passengers OF
the steamer Utah, plying on the Mis-
souri, between Sioux City and Fort Ben
ton, died of smallpox, and was taken
on shore at Milk river, and buried.
After the boat had passed on up the
river, a number of Indians of the Gros
ventes tribe, disinterred the body,
stripped the clothing from the remains,
and distributed the several articles
among the party. ASS consequence
of this act, the smallpox in its most
virulent form, broke ont among the
eros Ventres, and ont Of 1900 menu
bers of the tribe, 700 died of the dis
ease. The steamer Utah, with its
plague-smitten cargo of passengers,
subsequently, arrived at Fort Benton,
aud the captain, in the midst Of great
excitement, was compelled to land his
passengers and goods on the opposite
bank. Meanwhile the smallpox was
spreading among the Gros Ventres,
and, as above mentioned, 700 Of the
tribe died and were buried in the fash
ion of their people, that is, the re-
mains were laid In the ground wrapped
up In the buffalo robes they had worn
In life. These robes were valuable,
and the spectators did not hesitate to
dig them up and send them to Fort
Benton for storage. AT this place the
smallpox broke out again with great
violence. These spectators, it Is as
serted, infected old shirts with the
virus and placed the garments Oh tile
trail of the Plegans, and II Is alleged
the disease spread with great virulence
among the Piegans, Blackfeet, Bloods
and River Crows, and desolated the
entire country within a circuit of one
hundred miles from Fort Benton, and
extending along the Upper Missouri
for a greater distance. The specula-
tors again began collecting the Indian
blankets and robes, and sent them by
boat down the Missouri, until General
Winfield S. Hancock made an order
that 10 buffalo robes should be shipped
unless they were inspected and found
to be IN a healthy condition. This or
der, for a time, put a stop to the trans
portation of diseased buffalo robes,
but the spectators then tried the over
land route and the railways. Another
order was then made as regards the
Union Pacific Railway, and BY mill
tary assistance the scheme has been
prevented. No robes can now pass
over the Pacific Railway until they
pass inspection by a Government
officer. At Uinta Station 1t is reported
there are 1900 robes which have been
detained for examination. 1t Is be-
lieved that the recent prevalence Of
small pox at Omaha is to be attributed
to these buffalo robes, but 1t Is hoped
that the regulations above mentioned
will prevent a recurrence of the dis
ease. At Omaha the question Is asked
what shall be the punishment of the
perpetrators of this crime Of scatter
Ing small pox broadcast over the
Western Territories and the United
States, Government is appealed to for
protection against such wholesale MUIR
derers.