The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-04-23

THE DISCOVERED NUGGETS.
Statement Of q Three Years
Resident.
LARAMIE, April is, 1875.

The gold fever In the West continues to in
Jrease, and numerous expeditions are fitting out
20 enter the Black Hills. The discovery OF gold In
th:s region viii hardly be news TO the readers OF
the HERALD the whole matter having been writ
ten up by your special correspondent over year
ago.
THE COUNTRY.
AS the traveller on the Union Pacific Railroad
hears Cheyenne, GIG miles west or Omaha, he sees
rising before MIN immense masses OF dark hills.
The timber on their sides gives them black ap-
pearance, and hence their name, "The Black
Hills" Entering them at Cheyenne, the Union
Pacific Railroad winds up through them. ana the
highest elevation reached between Omaha and
San Francisco is at Sherman, the top Of the Black
Hills, twenty or thirty miles west OF Cheyenne.
All tGat country lying betw Ell the Cheyenne River
and the Yellowstone IL known as the Bla OK Hills
It Is nearly SIX hundred miles long aud two hun
drec WIDE It's Lroper boundaries are:-East,
Cheyenne River; west, Rocky Mounts south,
Niobrar& River; NORTH Yellowstone Much or this
vast region has never yet been explored, and what
Is in 1t remains yet TO be found ou'.
SIS GOLD THEREOF
This Is a question now increasingly asked. l
answer, .sYe'.n but IN what quantities ~ mo
one can Jet say" Fortunately for our aiventur-
ous people, the evidence OF gold in tae Black
Hills rests upon better foundation than the
wiz SlOTles put Ill CIICuldllun W luteI-
ssted cities and towns that desire only
to gather crowds OF excited people and make
money by fitting them out aud feeding them.
Father De Snes IS tho best evidence OF the exist
ence OF gold IN the hills. That he knew the Black
Hills country thoroughly and saw the gold there
no one who knew the eminent priest viii deny.
on one occasion, when he visited st. Louis, he
was asked by a gentleman, who now lives there, II
there was gold in the hills, and after obtaining
promise OF secrecy, he gave 3 long and glowing
account or the country and said there was much
gold there" The gentleman TO whom Father De
Smet gave this information never repeated the
conversation to any one until after the Fathers
death, but he has within the past year
piten spoken OF IL, and feels 1t Is not
Incumbent upon him longer TO remain silent. II IL
also wen known that De smet on many occasions
cautioned the Indians against carrying gold out
Df their country or betraying the knowledge or its
existence TO white men. An Indian at the Wnet-
stone Agency once repeated the following Ian
Eulge as being that OF De Smets and addressed 10
his tribe. "White men 10 get gold will commit
murder rob, venture their SOULS salvation. II
they knew you had gold in your country they
would come and drive 700 out burn your villages
and take your land.u The singular devotion OF
Father De smet 10 the interests OF the
Indians caused him to utter th.s language, ana he
man where gold could oe found. Right well nave
the Indians remembered mis- teachings, ana TO this
day an Indian who would onor to lead party or
miners nto the country wolid certainly be killed
BY his tribe.
WHAT A POST TRADER Bellows.
One OF the nrmest believers In the existence OF
gold in the Black Hills Is Mr. Bullock the old post
trader at Fort Laramie. IL Is said his belief rests
on the fact that IN 1ss4 TWO Indians brought In
and sold him several hundred dolars' worth or
gold. They were soon found out, however, By
their tribe and either killed or run OF. Some yoars
later On Indian appeared at tne fort with guam
tity OF gold dust and nuggets in a sack,
and showed the gold TO some white men. SO
many wished TO buy his gold and urged him 10
tell where be got It that the savage became
alarmed, threw the sack OF gold and all into the
Laramie River and neo 10 the hills. In 1850, when
the army temporarily occupied the Powder River
country, gold was found In small quantities along
the different streams. No EFFORT was made TO
prospect the country. and, indeed, no opportunity
was offered, tor curing the lew months She troops
were on that line they were constantly engaged
In diminishing and nghtlng with the In.
aians, untl Captain Fetterman. on Decem.
Der, FL. lse6. was massacred with bis
entire command-forty-nine men OF Company
A, Eighteenth infantry; twentY-seven men
,
two citizens and two onicers-Cap' ain Frederick
Brown ana Lieutenant George Grummond. This
terrible affair happened near Fort PIN Kearny,
and soon aiterward Fort Kearny, Fort c. I. smith
and Fort Reno were dismanted and the troops
retreated TO Fort Laramie. The attack the
soldiers on this occasion was made by order OF
Red Cloud, and not one soul ESCAPED. over two
thousand Indians were present In the battle.
Fetterman and his party fought hard for their
lives. slxly.hye Indians and ten ponies lying dead
on the field. The Indians charged en- mdsss and
overpowered the little band OF solaiers, the fight
being short, sharp and decisive.
TnE LOCATION OF the GOLD.
TO return to our suhject-god In tue hills
Major Burt, an army onlcsr OF intelligence. vas
given by an indian at Fort Phn Kearnoy q spicula
Of goIu, nearly as long az lead pencil aud half as
thick as ons's little Anger on being questioned,
the Ind an SAID ne knew wnere thore was plenty
Of IL but declined 20 indicate even the direction.
IRave talked with many army o7icsrs and clti-
gems who nave visited tae Blacs Hills about gold,
snd they All admit toe existcnos OF Il, but do not
Know ia what quantities. Tor tho country has
AeyeF beeu worked.
now TO cEr AZ II.
The fact OF the existence 81 the gold being now
tretty well established, now TO Get a. IL - The
question thas agltatos our Western people vi
walt little longer, nnd not make 100 muon haste.
Tnc government. vide awake to the development
" lx Interests and deeply coueegnsd In the vel.
are Of its own cltzens, "a using ever exorton IN
is power 10 induce the indians to give up tae
eleck HIS TO the white men.
WHAT rus INDIANS SAY
me Indians navs maintained most dignined
aHd sensiolc course 50 Tar. Iney say the Great
Fathcr q Washington Is their friend and VIII
10 what is rignt. Their condolences IN the
Hmy - unJouaded, aud they ln0k up.n the
Ieidlers as tnclr allies. NOT move Ia made ~
no Indians without consulting the army onicers
and the caicls. General Bradley aud bis officers
are on tue bsss o. terms with tham. me Onicers,
20 q man, are IN favor OF aorogatnR the treaty
ind ADVISE the Sioux 20 give ~ tao country. but
At 'he same timo say "the land IL yonfs and no
enc shaii take u from yoa by loIee." In return
sac Indians say "the soldiers are our rlenGs,
and sQH4 IN