The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1876-03-09
BLOOD AND GOLD.
The Indians Hhirsting for the Toy
mer and Frontie rsmen for
the Latter.
The Sioux Question--Prospect
for an Indian War During
the Coming Summer.

OMAHA, NeD, harcH l, 1910.
From the Inter ocean,
Out here the Black Hills are, SO to
say, in eyerybody's mouth. From the
hour of leaving Chicago until the mo-
ment of setting foot this side the Big Mud
DIV the gold fields of Dakota and Wyom-
have done their share to the full i'll con-
tributing topics for every group, and L
venture to remark that they are the
most continuously and thoroughly as
cussed subject in their line on the re-
cords since the Pixies Peak excitement.
The nearer [ approach these dark-sgreen
mountains of story and promise, aud the
colder the weather becomes, the greater
the interest expressed and experienced,
and the higher the fever heat III an
ticiDation Of their future. The day
seems to have dropped out of the calen-
dar when almost incredible tales OF rich
discoveries were the marvel of the hour.
It is now taken for granted that the
new wonderland can reveal nothing too
''tall'' for belief.
TINES HAVE CHANGED
within ten months Less than q year
ago, when en- route to the hills with last
summers exploring expedition, ] had it
said to me that Professor Jenney would
be "bactp to America" within thirty days
as the reported gold gulchcs were mere
IL pleasing fictions, invented to turn the
thought OF many from their own dapres-
sed condition to fresh outlet. What
to-day is received as submissively as
Decalogue paragraphs was then treated
like chapter from Munchausen OF
Buntline. Now it is althogether different
1t has faced about The conversation is
csmplete, but the erting didn't die
without struggle, which, OF course,
makes their experience all the more val
liable when they testify as to the hope
that is in them. The skeptical were
finally silenced and subdued only in the
eye of unimpeachable evidence and ocu-
lar demonstration, and those who were
the first to change front were the pio-
neers in seeking the region where the
precious metal has been dug out. The
gold fields are 10 longer in the realm Of
debate or question. Trofessor Jenney
has risked his reputation by giving in
maps and miles their location and extent.
And what is futher, are a hundred score
miners there confirming at every pune
tuation of the pick the reports which
were published in the INTER OCEAN last
season about the ''diggings."
There is no doubt in the minds Of the
unprecedented that rich prospects have
been discovered. What concern the
placer miners and others most as the
spring comes on are, first, the shortest.
quickest and safest route to the mines !;
and, second, the attitude OF the Indians
and their plans for the centennial sum-
mer For the time I will simply say
word touching
THE SIOUX QUESTION,
leaving the others to be developed here
after.
At the close of last July General
Crook joined oUr expedition, st that
date with headG uarters ST Camp Crook,
on Rapid Greek. After he had return
ed with Colonel &. /. Dodge from a
hunt on the Box Elder and beyond, and
a few days after the issue OF the pro-
cianation that ordered sill miners aud
other unauthorized citizens to quit the
hills By Aug. 10, we were seated around
blazing campfire one evening, when
the Indian-wsr question was talked over
General Crook remarked, and his words
Will be well remembered, that shonli
the Red Cloud council break mp without
the ceding of the Black Hills 20 the
whites an Indian war would inevitably
follow; on the other hand, II the nego-
tiations Of the Commissioners were sue
cessfnl a conflict would be averted Six
weeks later General Bradley, OF Fort
Laramie, stated to me that, from what
information he then had on the subject,
he was of the opinion that the Indians
would not consent, at least then, to dis
pose Of this portion Of their reservation.
The second was proven within three
weeks after this utterance, and The FIRST
is nearing full confirmation daily. This,
then, is
THE KEYNOTE CT TIE PRESENT CAMPAIGN
which has drawn General Crook from
this city 70 the frontier, and which has
strtici, the chord which may decide once
for ali the treaty obligations of 1863, /
and the question Of transgressio,, on IN