The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1876-02-20
SUNDAY. FEB. 20, 1875,
Judge Mcguire on Northern wyoming.

TO me EuifOf CHcyeluie Lco"tFf
The Yellowstone river. from its
highest point reached by MS to the
mouth of the Powder river, sweeps
through the country in long and
majestic stretches. with a current of
at least four miles an hour. Its
bosom Is studded with islands by
hundreds. some OF which are three or
four miles in length, and covered
with cottonwood groves; and many
of them are so handsome that they
almost make the voyager believe that
they are the well-kept grounds per-
tanning to some English country
house. l never saw so fine "A growth
Of cottonwood in my life as on the
Yellowstone, twenty-five miles above
Tongue river. These trees will run
from three 10 five feet, and some are
six feet In diameter. The supply Of
cottonwood and pine which exists
throughout the upper Yellowstone
country Is ample to meet all the re-
quirements OF any settlements oftne
valley; and large beds of coal are
also found.
That this vast undeveloped region
will prove one of the most productive,
II not the greatest small grain coun-
try on the continent. l have moi the
slightest doubt. And 1t is superior
10 Texas or California for grazing.
But bet US hear from Gen. Sheridan.
In his annual report, published in
the Chicago Times ON the 10Th Of lust
November, he tells Us he has studied
this country n long time, and he
adds:
| feel quite satisfied that all the
country sonth of the Yellowstone
river, from the Black Hills of the
Cheyenne as far west MS the Big Horn
valley, and ms far west rs Clark's
fork of the Yellowstone, is gold
bearing. This area is also. at many
places. well timbered, has many
beautiful valleys, with good soil and
abundance Of running water.
know that on the southern tribu-
tarics of the Yellowstone river and
in the Big Horn mountains there
are not only rich gold deposits, but
also immensely rich silver veins.
And i know, from practical expert
ence, what constitutes paying mines.
of both gold and silver. The basin
of the Yellowstone is an undeveloped
region of immense extent, capable, /
think, OF healthily sustaining a popu-
lation of million. And its immense
trade must be directly tributary
first by the Yellowstone river, and
afterwards, when constructed, by
railway,-to Chicago, increasing her
annual trade many millions. That
tho Yellowstone has been n "valley
of death" to many white men is a
mournful fact; at least fifty prospec-
tors have been murdered along her
wild banks and in the Big Horn
mountains in the last ten years. This
explains why her rich mines of gold
anu SllNSi itNC 81 iOiiS lultl
oped. "Sitting Bull" and his fierce
followers are to-day lighting their
last battles. The Cruws the rightful
wne of that splendid empire
of natural wealth and won
ders-are friendly to the whites,
and invite their settlement. They
are, and long have been, at war
with the Sioux. The Crows and
whites united are masters of the
situation /; and with the influx of
whites that will take place with the
opening of spring, scenes of massacre
will terminate-"the valley of death"
will become the valley of promise
for thousands of industrious poor
people, whose only hope of becoming
possessed of Independent homes is in
availing themselves of the b~encfcent
provisions of the United States land
laws. II. n. MAGUIRE.
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