The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, D.T. [N.D.]) 1873-1875, 1874-09-02

and I am satisfied that a rich mining
region will be found in the northeastern
portion of the Hills.
Reporter-What is the best route to
reach the Black Hills Mines from the
Missouri River?
Custer-Unquestionably a direct
route from Bismarck in the direction of
Bear Butte. ...... .....
Reporter-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 southwest of Bear Butte. Gus
ter's Gulch can be reached by march
of two hundred and forty miles oyer
an excellent country, affording good
grazing, fair amount of timber, an
abundance of water and everything es-
sential to building up prosperous vii
lagos along the route. A route which Of
fers absolutely no engineering difficult
ties should occasion demand the con-
struction of railroad from Bismarck
to the hills.
Reporter-How many days will it re-
quire to reach the gold region from Bis
marck with loaded trains? "-"
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 route?
Custer-None whatever. The bad
lands, or maauva5s terre are located along
the Little Missouri and the Yellowstone
rivers, and are wholly barren of vege'
tation. Sully describes them as looking
like the "bottom Of hell with the fires
out" Where the Northern Pacific
crosses the Little Missouri they are on
" five miles in extent, and thirty miles
south of the proposed crossing they
disappear entirely. From the point OF
beginning they. increase in extent until
the mouth of the river is reached. The
same is true of the Yellowstone river
bad lands. They wholly disappear on
it's head waters. The country along the
route suggested is not sage brush
region even. but is in the main fair roll
ling prairies, with occasional tracts
somewhat sandy, producing cactus; but
these tracts are 0ery limited in extent.
On our recent trip from Bismarck to the
Black Hills not foot Of land Of this
character was struck until we had devi-
Gated from our course eighty miles
eighty miles west Of the route suggested
a very inferior country is found, which
was fully described in my official re.
ports and in the letters Of the CORES
pondents accompanying the Expedition.
Reporter-You speak of deviating
from your course in marching to the
Black Hills; why did you deviate?
Custer-My instructions and the OBJ
jects of the expedition contemplated an
exploration Of as great an exteDt of the
unexplored region as possible, and I
made the deviation in o-der to take in
country wholly unexplored. marched
three or four days on direct route
from Bismarck to the Black Hills, then
took westerly course into Montana,
then southerly into Wyoming, then
southeasterly4 into the Black Hills, en-
tering them from the west.
Reporter-Are the hills accessible
from other directionse r -
70 Custer-1t is belived that all attempts
to enter the Hills from the South or East
will be futile. made several attempts
to pass through them southwark but
failed to find passage. had no diff
Guilty in entering them from the west or
in passing out toward the northeast.
Reporter sec It is claimed that old
Fort Pierre is nearer on the maps than
B Bismarck to the Black Hills region.
Custer-Referring to Reynolds, who
passed over the route from Fort Pierre