Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1877-12-15
GETTING OUT OF THE HILLS.

1t SchOreggee, by the case or can.
GETTING OUT OF THE HILLS.
Via the Bismarck Stage Route and the
Northern Pacific Railroad.
The best way out of the Hills and back to
railroad connection with the civilized world
is q weigh,y problem in the minds Of travel
ers, after they have taken in all the sights O:
Dakota's mining region. Upon the merits
and dement's Of the routes leading into and
out Of Deadwood. I will make no compar-
ative mention, but will devote portion Of
this article to description of the facilities
placed at the disposal of the public by the
stage company which operates between
Deadwood and Bismarck and the railroad
line from the latter city to
st. Paul. 1 was prejudiced
against the Bismarck route-prejudlced be-
cause it made me full mean to see so much
travel going to rival town, while Yank.
ton ats in the glorious exstacy of unconcern
and chuckles behind its ribs over The fnan-
cial failure which nature has in store for
the enterprise which has made possible
comfort, speed and regularity over the will
derness that spreads its broad domain be-
tween the NJ issiouri river .and the Hills.
l am convinced that nature will not inter.
fere. She has a soft spot in her heart for
the push, persistence and pluck displayed
by the men who operate the Bismarck stage
line. Though was prejudiced I was
in frame of mind to receive
new light. 1t came in the shape of COM
Portable coaches, fast harses, frequent
charges. good natured drivers, attentive
employees and first class ranches. After all
those luxuries, was, and still am. willing
to vote ave to the proposition that the Bis
marck route is the boss route. There is no
denying the fact. but the fact does net pre-
clude Yankton from enjoying the benefit of
one equally as good.
In company with five others, I left Dead.
wood on Sunday morning early, and again
climbed over the ledge of rock which shuts
in that little world from the larger world
outside. The last stage over the road ahead
of US had been gobbled by Indians, and of
course the burden of our conversation was
upon that subject. twas worse than being
killed and scalred to hear some of those
fellows talk about what the red man was
capable of doing when his heart was bad,
and I agreed with myself that such reflec-
tions are made for hreside enjoyment, q
thousand miles inside of civilization.
The stage route, after passing beyond the
foothills, winds around the base of Bare
butte. The butte Is an immense excresencs
rising abruptly from the prairie don't
know how many hundred feet, and is round
topped and destitute of timber, with the
exception of spare growth of scraggy
pines in some of the gullies which have
wrinkled its solemn old face. 1t is q ven
cradle pile, contrasted with the Youthful
freshness of the tree clad Hills. and looked
to me as though it must have put in an ap-
pearance at about the beginning of times
reign. Thus far Bare butte has been put to
no practical use. The probability is that
it seeded from the mineral group when
it was quite young and has since been do
ing vidette duty on the edge of the lonely
plain.
After passing this prominent landmark
there was nothing but the endless plain to
view and the monotony Of its scensery is
not calculated to keep interest alive. An
occasional wolf or coyote SHE'D into sight
and out of sight, the stock
was regularly changed and the
stage rolled onward towards the
heart of the wilderness as fast as the lively
trot of its four horses could carry it. The
company employs two armed outriders to
accompany each stage and scout all the
ravines, brush patche, and ridges. These
scouts keep two or three hundred yards
ahead and on the fanks and satisfy them
selves before they move on that no skulking
Indian or road agent is lying in wait for the
coach. The express messenger and the
driver are both we'll armed and in addition
to this guard We had, over the most danger
GUS portion of the road, three extra men
armed with rifles and revolvers. This ad-
ditional precaution was taken,
I suppose, because the Indians
had just made raid on the line and cap
tured coach. At the Belle Fourche We
found the company's rancho enclosed BY .
stockade and part Of its defensive arma-
ment was small piece Of. of.srtillery. I do
not know that the occupants Of this rancho
have ever had occasion to engage the enemy,
or that any trouble has ever occurred At this
point, but complete readiness at all times is
the best protection. From the Belle
Fourche forty miles onward il the por-
tion of the route considered more liable to
Indian raids than any. other. The road
here crosses the country marked by the trails
Of migratory lsdians moving froa ths river
agencies to the hunting grounds Of extreme
western Dakota and eastern Aontans. At
Sulphur crsek, The scsns Of the laat mid ol