The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1875-04-01

hills country. 1t sets forth what has
been done and what the government
proposes TO do IN the matter and it imme-
dlately concerns ali who contemplate
going into that country for gold
HEADQUARTERS,
MILITARY DIVISION OF THE Missouri, !
CHICAGO, March 10Th.
Gen. ". T. Sherman, Headquarters Of he
Army, ST Louis:
GENERAL: In reply to your question,
" What do you know of the Black hills,'
/ respectfully submit the following re-
marks:
/ Ny first knowledge Of the Black hills
was derived from an interview with tho
/ late Father DeSmet, the noted Catholic
missionary, whom | met many years ago
on the Columbia river, in Oregon, from
mountains Of gold in the Black hills, and
! his explanation, that this extraordinary
and delusive story TO Indians, frontiers
men, and explorers of the Black hills
country, is much more extensive than
that particular locality brought to the
notice of the public by the recent explor-
atoms Of Gen. Gustav. and gets It's name
/ from the black, scrubby character of the
I timber, which grows on the sides and
/ tops of the mountains and hills.
/ 1t comprises the whole OF the country
/ bounded on the cast by longitude l02
+ degrees, on the south by the Sweetwater
/ and Laramie rivers, on the ives, by the
/ Big Horn and Wind rivers, and on the
north by the Yellowstone river.
This is really the country of the Black
hills, but embraced in il are several
countries called Black hills, for instance,
the Black hills of the Laramie, the
Blacl; hills of the Powder river, and the
Black hills Of the Cheyenne river, the
latter being the locality in which Gen.
Gustav made his rcconnosnnce last sum
MGR, and about which there is 50 much
speculation at the present time, and
within The bounds of which it is sup
posed by large number ofpeople there
is To be found gold.
Father DeSmet's mountain gold story
was that, while living with the Sioux
Indians, he was shown by them nuggets
OF gold, which they informed him had
been obtained at different points in the
Black hills, supposed 10 be from the
beds of Big Horn, Rosebud and Powder
rivers, AND from branches of the Tongue
river, and on his representing that
such yellow metal Vas of -rcat value,
they told him they knew whero there
was mountain o. Il.
Subsequent Investigation, however.
proved that the Indian mountain 81 gold
was nothing more than a formation Of
yellow mica. such a. may be found in
number vi places IA the above described
country.
had scarcely given the story
thought after this until about three years
ago. when / happened TO be in New
York, and u was then brnugb; 10 my
recollection by a prominent gentleman,
who asked me where Father DeSmci
was 10 &c found. and insisted that some
one should be sent at once TO get from
him the secret of tho gold mountain,
which would pay The national debt, etc,
was an old and exploded story bis ardor
cooled, ard the excitement about the
mountain Of gold again subsidei.
SO 1t appeared, however, that the
Black bill country was embraced IN nv
military command, and two years ago
it became apparent to me that military
post in the Black hills OF Cheyenne
would soon become necessary for the
proper protection of the settlements iE
Nebraska from the raids Of Sioux IL
dams. who, always before they com
meneed depredations on The frontier,
secured safe places for their families and
villages in the locality mentioned be-
heving these Indians woGld never make
war on our settlements - long - re
eoald threatens their i&r.llie. zE3 Village.