Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, D.T. [N.D.]) 1875-1878, 1876-01-12

located at the agencies south and south.
east Of the Blask Hills are very liable
to give trouble to immigrants. Many
ontrages have occurred in that locality
Of late, while not a single outrage has
occurred in my district during the past
season, except two cases Of stock steal
ing.
RepoTter-Wha:i is The probable poll
cy Of the military toward persons seek
ing to enter the Hills this fall?
Custsr-The government has entered
into solemn treaty with the Indians
whereby they agree to keep off all tres
pnssers. This Is q law Of the land, and
should be respected, ard Gen. Sheridan
has already issued instructions to the
military to prevent expeditions entering
upon the reservation, and parties con.
'en'pla'ihg going have been warned to
keep off. a2 & 5.
kvporter-But, General, you are
aware that you have long line to guard,
and small parties may ship across the
lire and enter the reservation while the
military is powerless to prevent it.
J Cu>ter-Ihat is true to some extent,
ment Of the country the military will
do its duty. When the Indian title is
cAtingu,shed the military Will aid the
-e,tlcrs in every way possible. I shall
recommend the extinguishment of the
Indian title a. tn" earliest moment prac-
tic ,ble for military reasons.
R-p"rter-What are those reasons.
General? =
Cu,.er-The Black Hills region is not
occupied by the Indians, and is seldom
Y sited by them. II is used as sort of
back room to which they may escape
after committing depredations, remain
in safety until quiet is again restored.
1t IS available III keeping up commu0ica-
ton between the agency Indians and the
hostile tribes located IN the buffalo re-
g,on north. west Of the Hills, and if the
Black Halls region is wrested from them
this communication will oe broken up,
and fruitful source of trouble will be
moved. The extingtishment Of the In
dian title to the Black Hills, and the
establishment of a military post in the
vicinity OF Harney's Peak, and another
un the Little Missouri, will settle the
Indian question so far as, the Northwest
IS concerned. " ...
Reporter-A region as valuable as the
Blsck Hills are Cor agricultural purposes
1t would seem ought to be open for set
,lemcnt. Their agricultural worth alone
ought to be enough to cause the extin-
guishment of the Indian title were there
10 other reason.
Custer-Too much can not be said in
favor of the agricultural worth Of the
valleys in the Black Hills. No country
in the world is superior for stock grow.
ing; the grazing Is unsurpassed, the
val:ys are sheltered from driving
storms, the snow fail lis evidently light,
the rainfall abundant Think Of those
brooks in which the water is pure us
crystal, and only twelve degrees above
freezing the warmest days iii summer,
in connection with butter and cheese
making The valleys are not wide, and
yet they are extensive, and the rich
pasture extends not only throughout the
valleys, bat well up the pine clad ridges.
Let the outer rim Of wash dish repre-
sent the outer r.tn Of the Hills; then
smaller hills. and valleys. and you have
very correct idea Of the interior Of the
Hills. Nature, it would seem, exhausted !,
,.er resources in attempting to beautify
and fl for the husbandna,, these, de-
l,gtltful valleys Man could ask no
more at her hands M a..
Capt. John w. Smith was also ap-
preached in our interview. The Cap
tain has been treightng and trading on
the plains for many years and is known
to almost every one in. Kansas, Nebras-
lsa, Yves tern Iowa and ;SouthcrlsDako ota.
In all Of the Black Hills schemes torigi-,
mating below, John w. Smith is referred
to, andhas familiarity with the country
admitted. He is "a worthy and intelh-
gent gentleman, a man in good circum-
stances. the trader os the recent expedi-
ton, one whose statements are entitled
to credit and will carry with them great
weight where he is known. Capt. Smith
endorses every word of Gen. Custer, as
reported above, relating to the best
route to reach the Black Hills. He is
satisfied that the one suggested is near
~ two hundred miles nearer than any
other-nearer by one.half than the route.
from Sioux City-whiie it has all the
advantages claimed for it by Custer. A
route from Old Fort Pierre is suggested,
but Smith says the distance from Yank.
ton to Fort Pierre is as great as the
distance from Bismarck to the gold fields
aud from Fort Pierre to the mines is IS
much more. He has travelled ever tho
route many times to within few miles