The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1874-09-25
The New Gold FieId-Col. Forsyth's
Impressions of the Country.
IFrom the Chicago Tribune.l

From the Chicago Tribunel
The woderful stories about the beau
tiful Black Hills country and the valua-
BILE gold diggings which it contains are
confirmed by Col. Forsyth, of Gen.
Sheridan's staff, who reached Chicago
yesterday. He, as will be remembered,
was with Gen. Clusters expedition, and
saw with his own eyes, what he says
can be relied upon. A reporter found
him last evening, and interviewed him
to this effect:
Reporter-Are the reports about the
Black Hills true
Col. Forsyth-There is no doubt that
there is q great deal of gold there.
Reporter-Whats sort of q country is
it ont that way !?
Col. lorsyth-It is a series of little
valleys, with plenty of good spring wa
ter, fine grass, and fine growth of pine
timber. It is about as fine grazing
country as have ever seen.
Reporter-Is it easily accessible
Col. Forsyth-It will be when the
Government opens it up.
Reporter-Are there many ways to
get to it?
Col Forsyth-There are several. The
best way, I think, would be to go
through the Red Cloud Agency bu
you cannot go.
Repolter-It is said gool many have
started.
Col; Forsyth.,It is mistake. It
would be impossible for any party to ge
through there now except strong mill
tary force. No party of emigrants,
armed as they generally are, could do it.
Reporter-Do the Sioux seem deter
mined to keep people at distance?
Col. Forsyth-They do. They claim
the country as their reservation.
Reporter-Do you know whether the
Government @ --os moving them
or contracting s..e bounds of their ter
ritory.
Col Forsyth do not. I have not
heard anything about it.
RepIt Would it pay to do it?
Col Forsyth-Yes the opening of
| the country is of great national impor-
| tance
Reporter-How far north of the Union
Pacific railroad is it :?
! Col. Forsy th-About 1G0 miles. That
/ is the best route, as the country is bet
! ter. But no one will be permitted TO
/ go up there. Even if a party succeeded
/ in getting through they could not get pro-
visions to keep them through the winter,
! and it would be impossible to maintain
an open line of communication.
Reporter-Would it be too cold for
them
Col Forsyth do not think SO, but
! the only provisions they could get would
/ be game.
Reporter-Is that plenty?
Col. Forsyth-Yes.
Reporter-Did you see any of the
gold that was found among the Hills
Col. Forsy yth-1es in alluvial wash
ings. We had two miners with us, and
almost every time they tried they found
paying dirt, and We had very little
! time to prospect, as we were moving all
the time. They thought SO much of it
that they took claims but they will not
be good in law.
Reporter-Did you come across any
other minerals
Col. Forsyth-On the outskirts of the
Hills we found some hematite iron ore,
and also some plumbago.
Reporter-Did you meet with gold in
more than one locality?
Col. Forsyth-In several, and water
which could be made available. The
gulch diggings discovered would pay
now SO day per man.
Reporter-Did you find any fossils ?
Col. Forsyth-No, but Prof. Grinnell
made very fine collection of birds.
We We're only on the edge of the ma M
moth bone yard, merely skirted it,
being too far north and west
Reporter-Was the result of the e
peditlon satisfactory =?
Col. Forsyth-Yes. very. It is a re.
markably fine county for agricultural
purposes, and not a mass of granite
hills, as was supposed before we started
Another gentleman who was present
during the interview stated that he had
been among the Black Hills and beyond
and had seen 200 specimens of gol6
which were taken from there. In hi.
opinion, the territory in which golt
could be found was $50 miles north ant
south, and $50 miles east and west