The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1875-06-24
THE BLACK HILLS.
Extract From the Report of Cap.
Ludlow on the Hill Country.
Impracticability OF the Effort to
Remove the Indians.

ii. I. Crosby, Chief Clerk OF the War
Department in the absence OF the Secretary
Of War, and by his direction, has forwarded
to the Secretary of the Interior the follow
ing extract from the report OF Captain VIM.
Ludlow, Corps OF Engineers, on the recon-
noissance TO the Black Hills, in July, 1874:
"Whatever may ultimately be determin-
ed as to the existence Of large amounts of
precious metal in the Black Hills, the evil
dence gathered on the trip was, conclude
on the whole discouraging to that SUPPOSE
ton. The real wealth and value OF the
country are beyond doubt very great Ut
| terly dissimilar in character to the remain
ing portion OF the territory in which it lies,
It's fertility and freshness, its variety of re-
sources, and delightful climate, the protec-
ton it affords both against the torrid heats
and arctic storms of the neighboring prai-
ries, will eventually make it the home of a
thronging population. To this, however,
the final
SOLUTION OF THE INDIAN QUESTION
Is an indispensable preliminary. The re-
gion is cherished by the owners, both rs 4
hunting ground and an asylum. The more
far-sighted, anticipating the time when
hunting the buffalo, which Is now the main
subsistence of the wild tribes, will no lon
ger suffice to that end, have looked forward
10 settling in and about the Black Hills as
their future permanent home, and there
awaiting the gradual extinction which is
their hope. For these reasons no occupa-
ton OF this region by whites will be tolera-
ted. Not so long as the majority of the In
dians live beyond the control OF the United
States government can any treaty be made
with them, looking to the REIMBURSEMENT
of their rights of ownership, which will
command observance by the hostile tribes.
Even if, under the authority of the Reserva-
tion Indians, the occupation of the Black
Hills should become possible, settlements
there could only be protected by force and
power. Hostile incursions would not he
infrequent, nor
AN OCCASIONAL MASSACRE
unlikely, and these are conditions unfavor-
able to 4 rapid and permanent increase OF
population. The Indians have no country
further west TO which they can emigrate.
and only the Saskatchewan country north of
the United States boundary, and which is
still the range Of the buffalo, offers them a
possible home. 1t is probable that the
best use to be made of the Black Hills for
the next fifty years, would be as the per-
manent reservation for the Sioux, where
they could be taught occupations of pas
toral character, which, of all semi-civilized
means of subsistence, would be most natur-
al and easy for them, and result in reliev-
ing the United States government the bur-
den Of their support.
WILLIAM LUDLOW.
Captain of Engineers, U. S. A., Chief En-
gineer Department Of Dakota.
To the Assistant Adjutant General Depart
ment of Dakota.
The following letter of General Terry,
commanding the Department of Dakota,
written to the Assistant Adjutant-General
OF the Military Division of the Missouri,
where she report was forwarded, was also
sent TO the Secretary of the Interior:
LETTER FROM GEN. TERRY
HEADQUARTERS DEPT OF DAKOTA,
ST. PAUL, MINI, May 10, 1875.
ASSISTANT Adjutdnt- General, Military Dirisi0l
Of tie Missouri, Chicago, H.:
SIR: have the honor to forward here
with the report OF Captain William Lud-
low, Corps of Engineers and Chief Engin-
Ger OF the Department, on the reconnaissance
TO the Black Hills in July and August
1874, and Enclosures. The maps designed
to accompany this report have been for
warled by Captain Ludlow to the head
qurrters of the military division. desire
10 invite especial attention to that portion
Of this report in which Captain Ludlow
speaks Of the use to which the Black Hills
coantry should be devoted. heartily con-
cur in the opinions which he expresses.
am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient
servant, ALFRED II. TERRY,
Brig-Gen. L. S. Army, Commanding.