Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1874-09-25

Results and objects Of the Expedi-
3 i@2af a tiOn. 8 = -
rrrom the Bismarck Tribune1

tFrom the Bismarck Trbune.l
A Tribune reporter was dispatched
yesterday to interview Gen. Custer re
lating to the Black Hills Gold Discov
cries, the probable policy of the mill
ta-y authorities in relation to exploring
parties seeking to enter the Black
Hills prior to the extinguishment o1
the Indian title, the best route to reach
the Eldorado, &C., &C., with the fol
lowing result:
RepOrter-AllOw me to congratulate
you, General, on your safe return. j
presume, however, you were disap.
pointed in not having a brush with
the Sioux.
Custer-Yes was somewhat disap.
pointed for, though l had sent pacific
messages and had taken every precau.
ton to avoid hostilities, / had reason
to anticipate trouble. I was disap.
pointed, and am heartily glad of it.
Some thought courted an engage
ment-such was not the case, and
congratulate myself and the country
on the return of the Expedition with
out bloodshed. An engagement, no
matter how trifing, would have been
magnified and misrepresented, and the
good effects Of the Expedition would
have been to great extent destroyed.
| RepOrter-I SEQ you endorse fully
the reports of the explorers and news
paper, correspondents concerning the
Gold Discoveries and therefore pre-
sumo there can be no doubt as to the
richness Of the discoveries.
Custer-The reports are not exag-
gerated in the least; the prospects are
even better than represented. am
familiar with and to some extent in
terested in Colorado mines, and l saw
localities in the Black Hills similar, as
to formation, to the richest regions in
Colorado, where the geologists insisted
the precious metals must be found,
that were not explored by the miners
at all. Thcsc localities were met WITH
in my rambles among the valleys
when the explorers were not within
reach.
Rep0rter-What was the best pros
pect reported to you?
Custer-The product of one pan Of
earth was laid Oh my table which was
worth not less than two dollars. 1t
contained some fifty particles OF gold,
ranging from a color to the size Of
kernel of wheat, averaging about the
size Of pin head.
Reporter-Was gold found in locali-
ties other than in Clusters Parki
Custer-Yes at various points,
though the explorers report the richest
prospects there; but as l said before,
the scientific gentlemen are satisfied
that far richer discoveries will he made
on further exploration. The miners
also agree with this view of the case.
Where did you first strike
tho gold country3
Custer-A long way this side of
Harney's Peak We struck country
which gave unmistakeable evidence Of
containing gold i'll paying quantities,
and am satisfied that a rich mining
region will be found in the northeast
crn portion of the Hills.
Rep0rter-Whati is the best route to
reach the Black Hills mines from the
Missouri river1
Custer Unq,lestionably a direct
route from Bismarck in the direction
Of Bear Butte.
Rcporter-What is the distance from
Bismarck to the Gold region, and the
nature of the country
Custer-The distance from Bismarck
to Bear Butte is about one hundred
and ninety-eight miles. Harney's
Peak is ,35 miles southeast of Bear
Butte. Clusters gulch can be reached
by march of two hundred and forty
miles over an excellent country, afford
ing good grazing, a fair amount OF
timber, an abundance of water and
everything essential to building up
prosperous villages along the route. A
route which offers absolutely no cngi- |
neering difficulties should occasion de.
mand the construction of . railrOad
from Bismarck to the Hills.
RepOrter-HOw many days will it
require to reach the gold region from
Bismarck with loaded trainsf .
Custer-The trip can be made with
out the least difficulty in eight days,
though ordinarily it should take ten
days.
Reporter-Are there no bad lands
on this routei
Custer-NOne whatever. The bad
lands. or Aedxrais tcrre are located
along the Little Missouri and the Vel
lowsfone rivers, and are wholly barren
of vegetation. Sully describes them
As looking like the "bottom Of he'll
With the fires out" Where the North.
prn Pacific crosses the Little Missouri
they are only Ave miles in extent, and
thirty miles sOuth of the proposed
,roesinS they disappear entirely. From
the point Of beginning they increase IN
sxtent until the mouth Of tho river Is
The sanlc is true of the
Eellovetone riyer bad lands. They
rholly disappear On its head waters:
- esuntry along the route suggested |
4 not a,saee brush region even, hnt is
n fhe main fair rolling I1airlcs, with
!. tracts somewhat sandy,
ovodneine cactus; but these tracts are
-. Iin,ife(l in extent. On our recent |
a ~ 6,0m Bisms3ck to the Black Hills |
~ !. fa0k az land of this character |