The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1874-11-21

/ thn yyar 1ib route aiso traverse
. thr .ipuX reservation from Nputu {
/ north, pnaHug through Red cloud rgrf
/ ~, aud within iliHnn miles " Sputtp
/ laIls pgeuCy. no other route can h
had from Cheyenne, except via For
4 fetterman, which ~ fully a3 bud if no
worse than by Rod Cloud.
Tho route from BOseman by the wa,
Of the abandoned old forts Il u gOOl
Ono-a wagon route, well defined, GOV
ering II great portion OF the distance.
The route from BOseman via tn
mouth of Tongue river although GOV
ering an unexplored country, and hold
ing out great inducements to prOspec
tors, will be found difficult and per
haps impracticable for wagons between
the Yellowstone and the Little Mis-
souri,.
The route from Bismarck to the Black
Hills Is much nearer than the rOut,
from any other point; one hundred
and seventy-live miles nearer than
from Cheyenne, on the Union Pacific
aud one hundred and fifty miles nearer
than from Columbus, Nebraska. This
route is over country well watered
and furnishing good grazing. Between
Bismarck and the Black Hills there is
not foot of bad lands; besides, it
passes over neutral ground--ground
not occupied or claimed by the Indians
1t Is as safe from Indian attacks as the
country between Bismarck an / Fargo.
General Custer, in speaking of this
route says:
"rhe distance from Bismarck to
Bear Butte is about 1913 miles. Har-
neys peak is 80 miles southwest of
Bear Butte. Clusters Gulch can be
Leached by march of 240 miles, over
an excellent country, affording good
grazing, a fair amount of timber, an
abundance of water, and everything
essential to building up prosperous vii
lagos along the route. A route which
offers absolutely no engineering diff
culties should occasion demand the
construction of railroad from Bis
marck to the Hills. The trip can be
made without the least difficulty in
eight days, though ordinarily it should
take ten days.
In abiding to the route suggested
from the south, General Custer says:
1t is believed that all attempts to en-
ter the Hills from the south or east
will be futile. / made several attempts
to pass them southwark, but failed to
find passage. / had no difficulty in
entering them from the west, or in
passing out toward the northeast.
Ola suggested route, via old Fort
Pierre, General Custer says:
Referring to Reynolds, who passed
over the route from Fort Pierre to
Bear Butte, in 1859, find that he pro-
nounces against the country. On the
twenty-seventh page he says ave
have now been out ten travelling days,
and are one hundred and forty miles
from Fort Pierre. The whole country
traversed is entirely unfit for the resi-
dence of white men," This, as l I'M
derstand it, is the trail that some par
ties have talked of taking. | do not
think it is a feasible route or one likely
to be adopted. 1t cannot be compared
with the direct route | have suggested,
running southwesterly from Bismarck,
crossing at nearly right angles the fol-
lowing streams Little Heart, Cannon
Ball, Battle creek, Grand river, Owl
river and Cherry creek, striking the
Cheyenne at its forks. These streams
are all small, aud excepting one Ortwo,
afford good water and every facility for
camping.
Many routes have been mentioned,
but absolutely none present the adYan-
tages offered BY the Bismarck route.
At Bismarck complete outfits eau be
secured, and as at low rates rs at any
other point on the Missouri river
1t should be borne in mind that there
are already two trails from Bismarck
to the Black Hills, made by Clusters
expedition; that score or more of cit
liens of Bismarck accompanied the
Black Hills expedition, who are famil-
lar with the route, many of whom will
accompany an expedition from Bis
marck to the Hills as soon as the gov
eminent will consent to their occu-
pancy.
/ feel warranted i'm saying that this
will be done in thesDring, and that the
abandoned forts in the Yellowstone
country will be reoccupied.
JOHN w. SMITH.
BISMARCK, ID. T., September "A.
To George l.. Miller, Editor Omaha Herald:
DEAR SIR Having accompanied
General Clusters expedition to the
Black Hills, and been close observer
of all prospecting and explorations, I
deem it my duty on account of former
letters to your valuable paper, several
years ago, and on account of my inti-
mate acquaintance with the country
adjacent TO the Hills, on all sides, as
well as for the benefit of old friends at
Omaha, and on the line of the Union
Pacific railroad, to state, most pos
itively, that the reported gold discov-
cries in the Black Hills are true, and
that the report of General Custer is not
"fowery" or exaggerated"
On the heads of streams flowing into
the Cheyenne (south fork from the
north side, supposed to be Box Elder,
Bill Gerry and Beaver creeks, we dis
covered surface diggings that would
pay ten dollars per day to the man.
The gold was found in the grass roots,
and grew richer and coarser as holes
were sunk. In no case did we reach
the "bed rock" Only three openings
were made, aud the greatest depth
reached was six feet From ten to
thirty particles of gold were taken from
each pan, and it was coarse and round.
The indications were that it was much
richer below, but we did not have time
to examine the country, as the general
was making great marches.
The formations on the north side of
the range do not indicate the exist
tence of gold, being composed of iron
and sand stone but on crossing the
travelling southeast, we strike
immense quartz mountains and lodges
of granite and slate. THERE'S an album
dance of water the valleys are confin-
ed, but very rich and numerous. The
soil is rich black loan, with an aver
age depth of four feet. The pine is in
and of good quality. The
valleys and hillsides are matted with
awberries, cherries and raspberries.
There are no Indications of iunnda-
dations the valleys are as clean as a
swept floor; no drifts or sedges. The
grass is superior to those of Colorado,
if possible. The streams abound in
fish, but we did not see any trout.
1t would be madness for parties to
attempt 10 go to The new Eldorado this
fall or winter. The Indians would GER
tainly destroy them. l earnestly adj
wise every one to keep cool until next
spring, by which time, no doubt, all
obstacles in the way of treaties with
the unfaithful Indians will be remoy-
ed. and an unobstructed road thrown
open to all who wish to enter thecoun-