Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1877-08-11

Gen., Washington, ID. o.:
DEAR S1R.-I have the honor to acknowl.
edge the receipt Of your favor of 4th inst.
in which you say that "after q very careful
examination of the several routes running
into the Black Hills, it has been ascertained
that it takes less time TO send mail from
Yankton by Sidney than by Fort Pierre
Very good if true, SO far as it might refer to
Yankton, but I respectfully submit that it is
not true. You then proceed to submit q
tabulated statement, in which the glaring
absurdity occurs which explodes all the in.
formation upon which you conclude that the
present service into the Hills is amply suf-
ficient. You make time from Sidney to
observation-disclosures 265 miles, SO hours,
and the time from Pierre to Desdwood-
distance It's miles, 9G hours. Thus pro
claiming to the world that a careful exam
nation by the agents of the department,
that while post coaches under contract with
the government can make the extraordinary
time of 265 miles from the Union Pacific
road to Deadwood in So hours that it needs
must take sc hours to make IFS miles from
the Missouri river to Deadwoo d.
1t seems to me, and with all respect I say
it, that if the special agents who came to this
remarkable conclusion after careful exam
nation were honest and intent only on sub
serving the best interests Of the service tina
it presents an instance Of childlike innocence
and ignorance that should be promptly ex-
tinguished by civil service reform: As well
say that the time by rail between Washington
and New York is shorter than between New
York and Harrisburg.
The truth is, and we who live out here
know il, that for monthsi in the year, it takes
stages from four to seven days from Sidne,yto
Deadwood and That passengers have not only
to walk much Of the way but have to take
ropes with them to pull stages over bad
places n.the road. Judge Bennett resident in
the Black Hills whose letter on this subject
youhayes seen, told me yesterday that when he
went out in May, it took the stage four days
to make the distance from Sidney to Dead
wood and that when he came back in June
to attend the supreme conrt he made the
distance from Deadwood to Pierre in 81
hours, lying over all night at Rapid City.
Put the service in the hands of responsible
contractors, and the time from Pierre to the
rHills or Deadwood can be easily made in. 3G
to 40 hours the year round, for The roads are
much better than the. road from Sidney.
And if responsible, %competen! contractors
can gets fair compensation for the service,
the mail can be carried all the way by stage
from Yankton TO Deadwood, via Pierre, In
from 80 to 100 hours; while the time he.
tween Yankton and Deadwood via Sidney,
as we well know here, III. the most favora
BILE seasons, is from five 10 seven days
These ne know to be facts, the statements
of special agents to the contrary notwi,h.
standing, and if the department, viii! restore
the service between Pierre and the Hills.
We will prove them. But if the mind of
the contract office is made up-if a deaf car
is o be turned 10 Ill the facts that ne pre-
sent, and it is determined That under no cir
cumstances. whatever my be the facts, or
however strong may be u claims. shall
We have this mail, then, of course, VIC must
submit until We can appeal tho case 10 q
higher court than the Especial agents"
who have made the 7. careful examinations"
to whle6 you allude in Your lelser, and the
coatssct once. which seems 4 confide in
and act upon the misstatemcn:s make by
them. while It carefully ignores al the facts
tihat We present. saaia a53 l942
| have the honor TO be, sir.
Your obedlent servant,
JOHN L. P~ENSiSaroN,
Governor.
IAdies' visiting cards in "a different ssylss
| Al the Prcn & Dakotsisp Office.