The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1876-05-31

that gold could not be found there in
paying quantities, that forage for teams
was hardly procurable, provisions
scarce and high, outlawry Of the worst
descriptions common, and the danger
from Indians imminent. But he had
started for the Black Hills and meant
to 60 there and see for himself, so that
he might be able to inform his neigh
bors on his return from personal obser-
walton.
The Yanckton merchants sold him
supplies cheap and treated him we'll,
and he remembers them with grateful
feelings. Mr.. Day met with no note
worthy incident on his way out till he
reached Buffalo gap. Here he found
the dead body of q white man, which
had several gunshot wounds, was scalp
ed and had an arrow sticking in the
breast, and had lain there some eight
days. Mr.. Day wanted to bury the body,
but his companions were afraid to delay
in the gap and it was left. It proved to
be a man named Woods of Lamar,
Iowa, who had been killed while on his
way to Custer city. About ten miles
beyond this, the company was Joined
by mail carrier, who left Custer the
day before, but finding the Indians after
him hid in the woods. He returned
with MIR. Days train.
At Point of Rocks, IA miles this side
of Custer city, met l68 miners on their
way home, who reported the diggings
humbug. While they lay at Point of
Rocks, Indians attacked a man within
IL miles Of Custer and killed his horse.
When Day got to Custer he found the
people out of provisions. Flour was
not to be had and shelled corn was sell
ling at 20 cents a Id. A German in
Days company had some -four and but
ter to sell, and taking wagon load into
town, every purchaser wanted to buy
all he had, and were displeased when
he refused to cell to one alone.
One man came to the German with
a pitiable story and induced him to sell
him pound Of butter, on obtaining
which he Immediately arrested the seller
for |'peddling OF the Streets" fined him
five dollars and collected the fine, all on
the spot i! He was the City Marshal of
Custer. A sort of boss.robber; for
Custer, of course, has no charter, being
in an unorganized territory. Day re-
monstrated against the act, but the cit
zens upheld the marshal, and our friend
would have got into trouble had not
the miners sided with him. Day de-
scribed the government Of Custer city as
an outrage on civilization, only equalled
by its morals, and says that 100 Indians
could capture the place at any hour.
A big man whipped little one while
Mr.. Day was there, and the authorities
fined the little fellow $40. The big
one had no money and they did not mo-
lest him.
They were buying no gold at Custer,
as there was none to buy nor any mon
ey to buy with. Mr.. Day says that
their principal and only business is to
rob new corners and run two dance
houses. There is no stockade about
about the city and the city is too poor
to pay for building one. Mr.. Day ad-
vises Ill who have the gold fever to go
to the Black Hills. 1t will certainly
effect a cure. Day sawa number of
miners from Deadwood. Whitewood
and other localities farther north, all of
whom told the same story: no gold, no
forage, no provisions, but cold weather
and plenty Of Indians. Mr.. Day re-
turned by way of Buffalo Gap and Spot
ted Tail agency. Met plenty Of Indians
at the agency but was not molested by
them.
The Sioux City Journal publishes
reports from S. NJ. Lampson, of that
city, Mr.. Pecaut, Of Covington Iowa,
and Messrs. Mitchell, Truedell and 9TH
ers, all of whom confirm the statements
Of Mr.. Day, and ought to be sufficient
to convince reasonable men that the
Black Hills is not very good place to
60 after fortune or even for a quiet
retreat, at this particular time.
Trenton Letter.