The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1875-03-04
THE BLACK HILLS.
The Story Of Two Venturesome Inter-
lopers in That Region.

Sioux CITY, Ia, teb. 27-The Sioux
City Journal has special dispatch from
Yankton tonight, with the following
Black Hills news: Eph Witcher,
well known and respected citizen of
Sioux City, and a member of the Collins
and Russell Sioux City Black Hills ex-
pedition, arrived at Yankton to-day,
direct from the Black Hills. Mr.. Witch
er reports having in company with John
Gordon, another member of the expedi-
tion, left his companions at the stockade
of the expedition, within two miles of
Hanney's Peak, on Box Elder Greek, on
the Sd inst. Mr.. Witcher gives the fol-
lowing information. The expedition
was composed of twenty-seven men, one
lady-Mrs. Tallant-and her son-in all
twenty-nine persons. The party had
six wagons were we'll armed and some
of them mounted, and had six months
supply of provisions and mining tools
The expedition left Sioux City on the
9th of October, struck the Niobrara
River about 120 miles above its mouth;
followed the latter stream for some dis
tance, and then struck across the coun-
try to a point southeast of the Black
Hills on the Cheyenne River; met
| party of about 200 mounted Indians;
five of the latter held parley with the
| members of the expedition.
NO TROUBLE WAS ENCOUNTERED
by them. After reaching an apparently
| feasible pass at the foot of the hills,
| they struck into the mountains, and af-
ter picking their way reached point
within two miles of Harney's Peak, in
| fifteen days srom the date of their en-
try into the hills on Box Elder Greek,
on the 18th of December, where they i'm
mediately erected stockade, 80 feet
| long, within which they put up comfort
was found in abundance. They COM
menced prospecting Immediately, but
were greatly impeded by the cold wealth
er; sunk % prospect holes, and
| STRUCK GOLD IN EVERY INSTANCE.
From the grass to the bedrock they
found numerous gold and silver bear
| ing quartz lodes. The silver specimens
which Mr.. Witcher has brought back
with him are pronounced immensely
rich. The party never have seen an
Indian while in the hills. Mr.. Witcgher
describes such portion of the Black
Hills as theJ have seen as having mag
nificent valleys, seemingly 1imitless
forests of pine, and an abundance of
e7ks. deer and othe4 game. He and his
60, ~npanions left the hills in snow
sto, m, and, desiring to keep in the tim
her O their return, made direct for the
Niol,,. ia River, which stream. they fol-
lowed f. it's mouth and from thence to
Yankton The greater portion of their
retnrn fri was made through snow
drifts over the trackless country at a
season ren,a, kable for its extreme cold
and storms They had two riding ami
mails and one pa ck-horse. At night they
DUG HOLE IN THE SNOW,
and vyran,,ino the,1 lselves in their blank
cts took rest Con ing out of the hills,
Mr. Witcher discoy,r,ed what has been
called Nitcber's Pa IS, whereby to travel
over good natural WACO: h-road tne 1oot
hills can be reacbe d, tins shortening
their exit out of th, hills Dy tnlrteen
days. Their animals existed py paving
the snow off the grass. often having 20
go through two feet off snow: W1tchef
says he can take loaded ox-teams INTO
the hills from Sioux Cityl thirty Gays.
The members of the exp. >dltlon III the
hills are in good health and ana splrl1s
The object of the return of v ltchef ana
Gordon is to obtain reinfc rcements-
Their companion in the hills nave SUI
fcient provisions to last until Jl ". he
says that no evidence of any other paraes
beng in the hills was discovered cord
on's horse having given out, he viii not
arrive until to morrow. Nothing was
heard or seen of the two disastrous an ny
expedition sent out to intercept then !.
The bravery and pluck of the two re-
turning pioneers, risking their lives on
this trip, stamp them as men of uncon-
querable energy and heroic bravery.