The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-04-29
THE LAND OF GOLD.
OR THE MINERS STORY

OR THE MINERS STORY.
AN INTERVIEW WITH THE MINERS TAKEN
IN BY THE TROOPS AT THE BLACK HILLS
THEY ARE SURE THERE Is PLENTY OF
GOLD AND SILVER, AND WANT TO GO
BACK FOR 1T.
The Cheyenne correspondent of the Chi
cago Times telegraphs the following inter
view with the captured Black Hills gold
hunters: The mining party, consisting OF
16 men, one woman, and a boy arrived at
Fort Laramie on the 18th. They were
brought in by Capt. Mix, of the second cav
airy, in command, who was sent from Fort
Laramie with his company for this purpose.
Capt. Mix was accompanied by Lieut.. Hay,
adiutant of the ninth infantry, and by Lieut..
Lapoint, CT the second; also by Col. Bullock,
OF Cheyenne. They were nine DAYS
in making the trip in from the hills
to Laramie. and report great deal of snow
there; a much worse storm occurring in this
month of April than during tbs entire
winter. The miners left their wagons
cached. with good many things, including
most of their mining implements, and also
LETT some OF their cattle. They had provis-
ions to last them until July. They do not
appear to feel hostile to the government for
bringing them away, taking the matter vsry
coolly, and making the best of IL. In fact,
but wish the country could be open to the
whites, and claim that, if it was, there would
be no danger from Indians, on account of
the great rush of settlers there. They could
amply protect themselves. Nearly all OF
them
SAY THEY WILL GO BACK
as soon as permitted by the government.
The report that they were not disappointed
in the country, and seem to tell a straight
forward story, free from excitement or ex-
sggeration. The weather has been so ba d
and the winter so severe, that they could
not prospect as thoroughly as was desirable.
They consider it a rich country in gold and
silver, and other precious metals, but they
have only taken out $50 or $50 in gold dust
During the winter they had one rocker, and
this, with the pans, was all they had to pros
pect with. Bed rock was usually struck at
| eight to ten feet, and they were troubled
very much with water. The stockade is
six miles from Harney's peak, where a town
is laid out, called Harvey City, claims
made, etc. The most practical miner in the
party appears to be- very intelligent Next
can named NJ. X. Corderro. He claims that
mau with a sluice can make ten dollars a
/ day in favorable weather; with hydraulic
and better implements much more than this
but this would necessitate the formiRg of q
company, and expenditure of capital. Cor
derro thinks the richest diggings are
not in the vicinity of Harney's peak, but
toward the Big Horn country-that is, the
richest gold diggiDgs. He thinks that around
Harney's peak the most silver can be found.
They made forge at the stockade and
melted some of the ore. The result was
eLoBULEs THAT coRDERRo SAYS ARE SILVER.
he is sure of it. He has some specimens o;
this ore with him. They claim, as has every
miner that has passed over the road, that
Cheyenne Is the most available point to start
from; in fact, that the only practicable route
is from Cheyenne. via Fort Laramie-a great
deal nearer than by Sioux City. and the
road is much better. The streams this
route are easily forded, and sufficiently near
together to give good camping places and
plenty of water on the entire route. From
Cheyenne to Fort Laramie, distance of 81
miles, ranches are along the entire road
From Fort Laramie to Harvey City
is only $50 miles. The party re-
port that game is plenty IN thu
hills, principally daers; also that they
saw no Indians, but they admit that, If nc
other parties were permitted to enter tn.
hills, their situation might have become pre-