The Red Cloud chief., 1875-03-24
FROM KEABMEY. TO the
BLACK HILLS.
WORDS FROM ran Nan WHo
PROPOSES 20 PLOT THE
EXcU1sloX.


LoUY CITY, Neb., March 18th, rs
Enron PREss Having decided
to organize . company Of miners to
spend the coming summer 10 the
Black Hill, l thought a few words in
regard to the best route, and my abili-
~ to take . company through might
be Of interest to your many readers.
For the lat eleven years / have
been on the frontier; most of the
time as government scout and have
become acquainted with the manners,
customs and language Of the Sioux
Indians. The winter Of 1873 and the
present winter l have spent 90 the
Niobrara trapping.
Early in October Of the year 1872
with two associates I started from this
place with traps and needle-guns with
the intention offollowing the Niobrara
to the foot Of the Black Hills in search
of furs. After following the Middle
Lo3p { - it's extreme head, q distance
Of two hundred miles, We passed over
to the North Loup and then to the
Delaqua and from there to the Mo.
brara q distance Of thirty miles from
there to the Black Hills. 1t is about
fifty miles but they can be plainly
seen with the naked eye.
/ might say here that after leaving
Loup City a short distance We struck
the old Mormon trail and iollwed it to
the head of the Middle Loup. II is a
plain track, oyer level land, aud load
ed teams can easily pass; and all
along the route We found plenty Of
wood and water and excellent places
for camping. After reaching the
Niobrara We found an abundance of
timber. in fact it may well be called q
timbered country. and the great
quantity of pine, walnut and oak will
furnish an abundance Of building
material for the great prairies of Ne
braska.
W. also found plenty Of good coal
on the surface, and it is the opinion Of
your correspondent that it will be easy
to open inexhaustable coal beds. My
companions after obtaining some furs
decided to return to the settlement,
and l spent the winter alone, except
when visited BY the friendly bands of
the rowing Sioux.
In the spring Of 1874 I returned to
Loup City, and last fall, in company
with Mr.. Green Brown of this city.
we again started for the Niobrara,
from which we returned q few days
ago, with a good quantity of furs. Our
ranch was close to the Sioux camp,
and I am acquainted with the chiefs
and almost the entire tribe.
Ono day while | was getting dinner
one of the braves came iaso u rs~s
and bccxuss We would not divide our
meal with him, he kicked over our
bread. l decided to have vengeance
and immediately gave him horse
whipping. He left very indignant.
but we were afterwards on good
terms.
1t will take about twenty days to go
from Kearney to the Black Hills with
cattle, the wagons being heavily load
ed, and cattle are greatly preferable to
horses, and even better than mules.
/ shall have the company organized
and r ally to start between the frs,
and tenth Of May, as it will be best to
start before that time and then the
cold weather will be over and there
will be plenty Of grass for the cattle.
There should be one team for every
four persons, with plenty Of -four, cof
fee and tobacco to last six months.
l would recommend needle-guns, and
each man should have At least one
hundred re-loading cartridges. Those
desiring to mine should have . pick,
spade and pan.
l will gladly welcome any one to jolt
my party, but would not recommend
any one to picture . trip free from
danger aud full of merriment.
l have talked considerable with thu
Indians in reeasd to the Black Hill.
They claim the country bat express .
willingness to sell it to the govern.
uent. do not anticipate any danger
With City well armed men, and do 90,
desire to start With q les Number
and should prefer two hundred. Agar
| wish to state that from Lenp Gity
to the Black Aills the route viii b,
easily travelled with loaded teams. and
is BY far superior to any other. Th,
country from Sious City to the Blacl
Hills is over . rough broken country
and q great many Disadvantages the,
viii not be experienced along the val
ley Of the Middle Loup.
Any one desiring any information il
regard to the party viii address.
JOHS FARLEY,
Lonp City, Neb
The foIlSwins coamanication has besa d
Vpe for two or three weeks. and By nsstak,
vas Get asidS asa evsrioohsdI
Mr. EpIrok:
have nOHs~ N~nnle nf. ssxs>a>s = 81.