The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1877-04-17
.rrrEm FROM nLAox m,LLs.

The following is an extract from
private letter from g. G. Winsor. son OF
Alderman Winsor, OF Hillsdale. writ
ten 10 citizen OF Stanton, Mich.
Though not intended for publication.
il will no doubt he pernsed with inter
est by our readers, as Mr.. Winsor has
numerous acqusintanecs in this vicini-
iy, and his statements can be relied
upon.
DEADwooD, Dakota Ter.
Mar, 1877.
After leaving Stanton j stayed some
time in Omaha and enjoyed my sojourn
there very much. became somewhat
acquainted with tho people and city. IL
is city Of almost miraculous growth.
being the terminus of the longest line
Of railroad in the world. While there
I visited the Smelling Works and
gained some knowledge that will be
considerable benefit 10 me here in the
Hills. The Smelling Works consist OF
furnaces for separating metals. such as
gold, silver, copper and lead from the
rocks in which they are found. Ii is a
chemical and quite scientific process,
something of n secret with the mana
gers and very profitable To the owners.
had pleasant trip fr om Omaha TO
Red Cloud Agency. arrived at Sid
ney, city on the U. y. II. r., and
found there was no stage 10 Red Cloud.
40 hired freighter to take my bag
gage and / walked. We made the one
hundred and twenty miles in ak days.
| enjoyed the walk very we'll although
IL became rather monotonous the last
day or SO. We slept on the prairie Mt
night. gun and pistol handy. with one
ear and eye open as the Indians were
said TO he bad over that road. Saw
none but friendly ones. We fried our
bacon and boiled our coffee by the
road side when We could find wood,
and where we could not we ate our
bread and drank water. We had an
alarm one night but il proved 10 be on
ly wolf prowling about among the
horses.
On arriving at Red Cloud found
some Hillsdale friends and through
them obtained situation, running q
Government Saw Mill at very good
wages. While there saw a good deal
of Indian life and customs. think
the "noble red man" is fraud. lie
il certainly the most degraded of hu-
.s~s bsi-o- .. si'S Us.isya cssssNs.
will relate an instance showing their
gallantry. AZ the Agency is well
about 100 feet deep. with buckets
and rope passing over apullcy for
drawing water. One day fonr or five
mule Indians (hers called by the rather
unreflned title Of Buck Indians) being
thirsty went TO the well aud requested.
or rather ordered two squaws standing
near To draw some water. The squaws,
without u word, obeyed. The buckets
being very heavy aud the well deep
I they had 10 labor quite hard 10 accom-
plish the object, which being done the
noble Indians stepped mp and slaked
their thirst with apparent satisfaction.
letting the squaws wait, although 1
suppose they were equally thirsty
| The squaws do all the work, such as
going a mile or two 10 the Hills for ire
wood, chopping il and bringing IL
home on their backs. The Govern
ment issues beef to them in the shape
Of live Texas steers and their lordships
condescend 10 ride out on their ponies
and shoot them IA substitute for the
more laborious occupation OF hunting
the wild buffalo. while the squaws fol-
low and do all the work OF the butch
er, carrying home the spoils except the
hide which the Indian takes 10 the
store and trades for tobacco, etc. They
are very filthy in their habits, never
washing, IA water would destroy the
hideous looking paint on their faces. =
! h. Of IA a uf
bodied men were away,on the war path,
but great many have come back this
winter. they have made q Treaty oi
Peace aud are now being fed by the
Government aud getting recruited foi
more fighting in the spring. Their,
are about one thousand soldiers at Red
Cloud for the supposed purpose ol
keeping the Indians on the Reserva
ton.
left Red Cloud about the last o.
January, taking stage for this place. -
We had neither sleighing nor wheeling
there being long intervals of bare
ground, while at times we had 10 shov'
el through snow drifts before we could
proceed Along the road We often sav
wolves or coyotes, and at one place
, about two hundred antelopes. As W,
neared the Hills 1 could easily under
, stand why they were called the Blaci
. Hills. The hill sides are covered will
, pine timber with foliage OF 80 dark
green that il looks black in the dis
, tance. The first indications we per
ceiyed that we were in the land OF gol'
Z was the conspicuous appearance o
J small scales in every store, ranch, o
any place where there was occasion 10
, making change, similar 10 those use
' by druggists for putting up prescrir
: tions. They are used for weighin
! gold dust, which is the common cui
D rency in the Hills. Every one has
z small buckskin bag for carrying hi
: gold dust aud when making a purcbas
pours ont enough in the scales TO max
the required amount. Gold dust
worth between seventeen aud eightee
dollars per ounce. but il is used
trade at twenty dollars because IL WI
really worth twenty some time ago an
a partly because il Is hsndier, there b
ing twenty penny-weights in an ounc'
found Deadwood situated in a ma
y row valley between high rocky bill
= covered with pine timber. The bull
iues are mostly made OF logs, althoue
K there are some board buildings, or
10 most of the stores have board front
There are several sew mills in the hil
and lumber sells at from forty 10 ar
le dollars per thousand feet. Desdwo'
d is so called from the large smoont
le. standing dead timber KILLED by fir
along the gulch or valley. soon b
came satisfied that there 10 lots OF 60
" in the Hills. but IL will take q go'
- ~ deal Of pluck, perseverance,, bard wo
y aud large amount Of good luck
find II. have been prospecting sor
and have used pick and shovel me
- than ever before in my life. Ihave
- - cured three places. claims. and o
n quartz lead. I don't know wbett
o. they are Of much value as they cam
Dy be worked in winter. The mines VI
- in value from one thousand dollars
W more. 10 nothing.
A few men have made fortunes b'
already and many more will do
90 came this summer, while the major
Il A. -