Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1874-09-04
TIE BLACK HILLS!


TIE BLACK HILLS!
The question 10 often asked while
Clusters expedition was being organ.
ICED for exploring the Black Hills.
"What arc the Objects Of the Expe.
ditionfr il one Of more euigmatical
nature now than it was then. The OK
petition has been eminently success.
full in its discoveries. The country
Was found to abound in mineral wealth,
and presents an inviting prospect to
adventurous miners. When the news
Of the fabulous mineral richness Of the
Dlack Hills reached the first settle
ments Of Dakota, Wyoming and Iowa,
expeditions commenced organizing to
invade the new Ell Dorado with picks
and shoyeis to p:searth the dormant
wealth Of that is,!stcsl section, and
throw it into the channels OF trade and
commerce, but an order comes from
General Sheridan fcrbitltling such
<nsamendable enterprise, unless au-
thority ia first obtained from the Sec
rotary Of the Interior or Of Congress.
General Sheridan is friend to the
Western man and the miner, and Only
ol,eys Instructions from higher author
ity in issuing this>ordcr. Expeditions
going to the Black Hills from the
points mentioned would trespass upon
the Sioux Indian reservation, which
the Sioux, however, scarcely occupy,
except in winter months; the balance
o"thcyear they are raiding on white set
Elements, stealing, scalping and burn
ing. The Black Hills are not en-
Traced within any reservation. and
can he reached from this Territory
without the white man desecrating
the sacred soil of an Indian rcserva-
ticn by leaving the imprint Of his feet
thereon. 1t does not appear rcasona-
he that the Government would 20 to
the tronblc and expense Of Of cxl,lor
ing that country, and then close it
against the enterprise and develop
mont Of the white pioneers. The
Helena Herald, in the course of an
editorial on this subject says:
"Manifestly, it is for the interest Of
tho government, instead of interpos-
in, obstacles to the possession and
settlement Of the Black Hills country,
10 assist the cmigrant to reach it, to
protect him on his way, and after he
has reached the mineral fields. This
is 10 more than the Government has
'lOne before. 1t has escorted tllOus- :
snds Of emigraE.s to the gold fields Of
Montana, and given military protec
ton to the miners and settlers after
their arrival here. The same may he
said as to the opening up to settlement
and development Of all the Territories.
This enlightened policy has added
hundreds of millions to the wealth Of
the nation, and given homes and CON-
I'etcnce to thousands Of people in
what, but a few years ago, was the
very wilderness Of the continent. If
the consent Of the Department CT the
Interior is necessary to give to civiliza-
ton the tenantless wilds of the Black
Hills, We trust that consent will not be
If legislation is needed to {
further the ends Of opening wide and :
safe the way of empire to the hardy I
and rcsolntc pioneer, We hope and be-
|ieve it will be promptly forthcoming
ut tho next session. This is a matter
well worthy the attention of our Dele
gate when he shall have returned to s
this coming winter. t
Montana is deeply interested in the t
settlement Of the country intervening
between our eastern frontier and the =
western border of Dakota. The Open +
ing to the miner, the farmer and the :
stock grower Of that region, will he :
IN essential help toward the Fastening !
forward Of the Northern Pacific Rail- I
way, and will give oour people greater . .
assurance than We may otherwise he i
.ble to promise OF the speedy coming :
# the iron horse close to our doorway. Il
let tie people, with the consent and
'ntler the auspices of tue Government, y
rave possession Of the Black Hills Il
country" Y
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