The Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1869-1872, 1870-01-22
cru.iaes .. u. Indian. Of Northern Nevada.


late number Of the owyhee Tidal Wave
contains very sensible article from the pen
Of Gen. 7. J. Butler, its editor, in reference to
the pressure which il being brought upon Gen.
Thomas 10 compass the removal OF Camp Three
Forks to some point on the railroad. He says,
with truth, that no country has been the sub
ject Of 50 many Indian depredations, in pro-
portion to the humber of its inhabitants, and
has lost SO MANY OF it's citizens by Indian
atrocities in the same number of years, as
Northern Nevada, Southern Idaho and East
ern Oregon, from 1861 to 1868. These wan
dering bands of vagabond Indians were finally
subdued by General Crook, and for nearly two
years we have had peace; but If the troops are
to be removed from the immediate field of
former hostilities, to some extent still occupied
by the remnants of these Shoshone and rene.
gade Piute bands, who shall say how long this
peace will continue? Since the conclusion of
the Indian war, miners and prospectors have
taken occasion to explore the immense coun-
try formerly held by these Indians, and they
are now scattered all over it in small, unpro-
tected companies. The country between Cope
and the Malheur river, Quin river and John
Days, is dotted over with SIR, Elements
which, II the troops are withdrawn, will be left
defenseless. exposed to the slumbering ami
mosities of an unrelenting foe. weagree with
the Wave, that permanent safety can only be
secured by the maintenance of troops at their
present posts through this lately hostile coun-
try.
The Wave recalls some considerations re-
a.,
placable foe perpetrated upon the white set
tiers within the past three or four years:
''We have witnessed with our own ewes the
effects of stationing the soldiery ut distance
from the scene of an unprecedented outbreak,
hoping thereby to deter the savages from the
commission of outrages, or in case of attack 10
reach the spot IN time to prevent, or at any
rate, to chastise the offenders, and in nearly
every instance we have seen deeds of blood
go unpublished. We have seen our friends
shot down by our side while peaceably travel
ing along the highway, and being overpowered
have been obliged to abandon them for n time.
and returning have found their mutilated re-
mains disjointed, with their hearts taken ont
and too horribly mangled for description. We
had friend in one instance, in 1865, to fall
into the hands of the Piutes, and when party
OF soldiery went to his rescue they found his
hfeless form stretched on the ground, face up-
wards, large stone on each hand and foot to
prevent his moving while alive, and the re-
mains Of small sagebrush fire on his breast,
of which slow torture he had died, and in his
dying aSonies had put out his tongue and bit
ten it entirely off. We were twelve miles dis
tant on Quin river, but saw the men who found
and buried the body OH the day following.
These are only few instances coming under
our own observation, to which might be added
dozen others in this Immediate vicinity. in
Guiding several whom we have assisted To
bury IN our city cemetery, all of whom lost
their lives and were horribly butchered after
death, because the military were stationed too
far away TO be of any immediate protection at
the critical moment when they were needed.
Does any rational person believe for n mo-
ment that these monsters i'll human shape,
after having, ms it were. once tasted human
blood and reveled i'll human bu;chcry and
murder, are not impatient to return To their
old habits and indulge apriin in human slauyl,.
ter and torture ? Surely such II person must
know but little of The character of the foes
with which we have had To contend Turing the
settlement and development. 81 Idaho. and
Owyhce in particular. Remove the barrier
at Three Forks, that now stands between us
and the home of the savage monsters, and this
country is again exposed to ali the horrors of
another Indian war"
N