The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1875-04-09

Interesting Letter from GEN. Sheridass
10 Cen. Shenandoah that Glitters A..
not Gold


10 Cen. shsrman-''Ail that Giittsrs A.
not Cold
Northumberland sheridan has writ
ten the following highly interesting letter
concerning the Black Hills country. Ii
sets forth what has been done, and what
the royernuent proposes TO do IN the mat
ter, and Immediately concerns all who
contemplate going into that country for
gold:
HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION OF
THE Missouri, CHICAGO, March 25.--Gen-
erat Sherman, Headquarters of the A,7ny,
81. Louis. No. General In reply To Your
question, What do you know OF the Black
Hills respectfully submit the following
remarks; My first knowledge of the
Black Hills was derived from an Interview
with the late Father DeSmet, the noted
Catholic missionary. whom | met many
years ago on the Columbia River. in Ore
gon, from whom | heard the Indian ro-
nance OF mountains of gold in the Black
HILLS. and his explanation of that extraor-
binary and delusive STORY to Indians.
frontiersmen and explorers.
THE BLACK HILLS COUNTRY
Is much more extensive than that partic-
ular locality brought 10 the notice the
public by recent explorations of General
custer, and gets the name from the black
scrubby character of the timber which
grows ON the sides and tops of the noun
talns and hills. 1t comprises the whole OF
the country bounded on the east by lonyi-
tnde lO2 degrees. on the south by the
Sweetwater and Laramie Rivers. on the
west by the Big Horn and Wind Rivers and
on the north by the Yellowstone River.
This Is really TIE country of the Black
Hills, but embraced in ii are several locali-
ties called Black Hills; for instance, the
Black Hills of Laramie, Black Hills OF
Powder River. and Black Hills of Chew
enne River, the latter being the locality in
which General Custer made his reconnois-
sance last summer, and about which there
Is so much speculation at the present time,
and within bounds of which. il i suppos-
ed by large number Of people, is to be
found gold.
FATHER DE sMET's MOUNTAIN OF GOLD
STORY
was that while living with the Sioux In
dams, he was shown by them some mug
gets of gold which they informed him had
been obtained at different points in the
Black Hills. supposed TO be from the beds
OF the Big Horn. Rosebud and Powder
Rivers, and from branches of the Tongue
River, and on his representing that such
yellow metal was Of great value, they told
him they knew where there was a noun
tain Of IT,. Subsequent Investigation, how
ever, proved that the Indian mountain of
gold was nothing more than formation
OF yellow mica, such as may be found In a
number Of places in the above described
country. | had scarcely given the story
thought after this until about three years
ago, when happened to be in New York.
a N - fh.ar hrr xrxbt
ton by prominent gentlemen, who asked
me where Father DE Smet was to be
found, and insisted that some one should
be sent at once TO get from him the secret
OF the gold mountain, which would pay
the national debt, etc. After | had in
formed him that 1t was
AN OLD AND EXPLODED STORY,
his ardor cooled, and excitemene about
the mountain of gold again subsidized. IL
so happened, however, that the Black
Hill country was embraced in my military
and two years ago it became |
apparent TO me that a military post in the l
Black Hills OF the Cheyenne would soon /
become necessary for the proper protec-
ton OF settlements i'm Nebraska from raids 1
OF Sioux warriors. who ALWAYS. before l
they commenced derredating on the From /
tier, secured a safe place for their families
and villages in the locality mentioned. \
these Indians would never make
war on our settlement a long as we could
threaten their families and villages in this
remote locality. aboanding in game and
all that go to make Indian life comfort
able, and with this purely military object
IN view, the order was given for
THE CUSTER Reconnaissance.
The party found gold BY washing near
Peak, on the eastern slope of
he Black Hills. The Black Hills of the
Cheyenne, as described by General Custer.
are situated between the north and south
orks of that river, one of which is known
rs Belle Fourche, the other as South Fork,
md although have the utmost confidence
n the statement OF General Custer and
ieneral Forsythe OF my staff. that gold
was found hear Harney's Peak. | NAV
'afely say there has not been any fair test
get made to determine its existance In
my large quantities. There Is not a Ter
-itory in the West where gold does not
,xist, but in MANY of them the quality il
limited to the color, which is much as
mas yet been obtained near Harney's Peak.
Geological specimens brought back by
he Custer expedition are not favorable in
iications of the existence OF gold in great
quantity. But IL NAV be the case. But
Is the treaty OF 'G9, duly ratified, virtually
leeds this portion of the Black Hills TO
he Sioux Indians, there is no alternative
tut TO
KEEP OUT TREsPAssERs.
But to go back to the Father De Smet
There is not much doubt of
he correctness of this statement that gold
xists In large quantities in Black Hills,
nut much further west than the Black
ILLS of the Cheyenne. | have nuggets
rom Big Horn and Tongue Rivers, and
many specimens from near TT. STAN
'augh, In the Upper Wind River country,
where mining has failed for want of wa
er for alluvial washing. and from hostili-
les of the Indians; and | have good
easOn To believe. in fact. IL is quite Ger