New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-03-09


young men of the country from rushing to
the Black Hills in too great numbers thls
spring, and without due preparation and
thorough outfit for tho work and hardships
before them. The fear is that the gold
bearing surface within the Black Hills is
not large enough to repay the labor OF the
thousands and tens of Thousands who are
rushing hither this season. i
A letter Just received from citizen OF
Cheyenne, who is we'll informed as to the
numbers going, states that Is, 600 men and
miners will be in the Black Hills before
midsummer. This would not be too great
q number, if it were not tor the fact that
these "Hllls" are literally in the center OF
the largest and most warlike tribes Of In.
diana that roam over the great plains and
mountains.
Red Cloud and Spotted Tail, with their
bands, are located at the southern extreml.
other more warlike tribes flank the hills on
the east and west and north, and will pre-
vent the grazing Of cattle and the cultiva-
ton of the soil around the borders OF the
gold region. Hence, nearly all the supplies
viii have to be transported from Cheyenne,
a distance of 200 to $50 miles, right past the
camps of Red Cloud and Spotted Tail.
How easy it would be for these Indians
to cut off or destroy the supply trains at
The real winter months Of the year at
the eastern base of the Rocky mountains
are March and April The cold is not
greater, but more snow and wind. And
this will hold the Indians in check until
about the first of May. After that, coe'y
man will need his Hem y rife and plenty of
ammunition, and quick, watchful eye and
brave heart to save his scalp.
These Indians are smarting tor ven
peance, because tho United States commits
sion would not agree to pay them $6. 200
last fall for the hills. They will avenge
their supposed grievances on the miners as
soon a. the new grass comes up.
/ sec BY your paper Of to-day that even
now, in the winter, they are stealing ,he
miners horses, and one has been killed in
his attempt to run eff stock. That one
death of an Indian will not be atoned for
until dozen white men bite the dust.
General Crook 10 already moving. or
about to move, q large army in tho Indian
country, along the eastern base of the Big
Horn mountain, with scouting parties
branching east toward the Black Hills, and
north toward the Yellowstone river was
informed by General Ord, when in this city
q few days since, that the movements OF
General Crook were doubtless intended as
. restrain. upon the Indians-a warning to
them not to attack the mining camps, ex.
ping which the wild, fighting young men Of
the Sioux tribes will doubtless get before
thew live in peace with the miners and
herders OF that splendid valley bordering
the Big Horn mountain and Yellowstone
river.
All Wyoming and Montana rejoice at the
certainty of Q speedy occupation OF gold
mountains and rich grazing and agricul-
tural valleys lying between Forts Laramie
~
and Helena at the other, These territories
will now very soon have pathway "acroes
lots" from Cheyenne, via Fetterman on the
North Platte, the eastern base of the Big
Horn mountain. and up the valley OF the
Yellowstone to Bozeman mountain.
The distance from Cheyenne to Bozeman.
on this line, is very little, ii any, greater
than from BOzeman to Corinne, on the Gen.
trail Pacific railroad. nearly 600 miles west
one side of the great triangle which was
attempted to be opened both by the govern
meut and people in lS67-8, by the erection
of extensive forts through the Indian cOun-
try between the North Platte at Fort Fet-
termsn, and the Big Horn river, near its
confluence with the Yellowstone, at the
crossing point of the former, where Fort
Fetterman was erected.
Fort Phil Kearney was located near the
OI va VIZ
| head waters of Powder river.
These streams both rise in the eastern
slope of the Big Horn Mountain, and bring
down gold. The Montana miners are 10
| eating upon them.
The Indian massacre of about eighty sol.
| diers ono morning in 1868 at Fort Phil
| Kearnev, caused the surrender OF the
| United States government to the Sioux In
| disne and the abandonment Of all three o.
| these fol to.
| It was q fatal mistake toward the new
settlers of those Territories, but will nov
soon be remedied, through the presence OF
| General Crook and the great army o.
miners now taking possession of that mag
nifcsnt, new country.
| The future cities along this assured line Of
| travel, from Cheyenne to the Yellowstone
and hence to Bozeman. Montana, will be a.
| or near the sites of three above named
Abandoned forls, anl At or near tho mouth
| of Clark's Fork, gold bearing stream
which enters the Yellowstone from
| Wyoming, below the falls Of the latter.
There is one great and gratifying fact con
nected with the present rush OF miners te
the Black Hills. When too many collect
there to work proftably the limited area q
placer deposits they will find an ample and
ready outfit by gong west seventy hve z
one hundred miles to the Big Horn noun
taine, which has five times the gold bearing
surface of the Black Hills, and is part O
the main range of the Rocky mountains-
The Indians do not frequent that noun
| tain in very large numbers, even in summer
anal a reasons able force of miners would be
far safer there than in the Black Hills.
This mountain is crescent-shaped, with
it's center cut through by the great canyol
of the Big Horn river, and it's southeas,
point reaching tc within forty miles Of olt
/ Eo-A Caanor (wol1 kn0wn tN carly (sall
forpia emigrants), on the North Platte, wes
of Fort Fetterman. Its southwest arm
forms the mountain east Of YellO wstOn
Lake, giving rise to Clark's FOX and othe
rich gold bearing streams, ami finally JOIN
the great Wind River range (the main ores
of the Rocky Mountainsj, northwest OF Ere
mont's Peak.
The southeastern end Of this Big Hor
Mountain is very safely and easily reache'
man, thence up the North Platte along tn
old emigrant trail to old Fort Casper, an
thence northwest forty miles over rOl
ing, grassy country. to the headwsters
Powder river and the Big Horn Mountain
Were l young man, and anxious to pla!
myself in the largest unocupied gold nel
on this continent, ! would enlist . hundre
brave, hardy, resolute and ambitious youn
men, from farms and workshops, to join n
| In the great WORK OF opening up tuo kVi
and silver resources of the Big Hol
Mountains, and founding two or more citi
, equal to Denver in the early future, at the
base.
Somebody will begin this great VOL
very soon, now that General Crook is 9
hand with his protective force to SEQ tn
the miner, unm0lested, unlocks the gre
treasure box there, and is not driven aw,
by his own government, as has been Il
policy heretofore.
The Wind river valley, on the west eli
i. | of this mountain, is the home OF the friend
.. Shoshone Indians, where fne wheat al