The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1878-06-13
THE HAMMOCK WAR.
An Interesting Letter From
Ranger" on the Subject.
Utah and Idaho Want a Permanent Peace
which u Is Believed General Crook
Can Secure.
SALT LAKE CITY,
June 10. 1873.

June 10, 1873.
To the Editor Of The Leader:
The hostilities now undertaken by
the Bannock Indians exposes all OF
Northern Utah and Eastern Idaho to
the dangers of war. The Central Pacific
railroad and the stage line from Kelton
to Boise City, as also the stage line
from the terminus of the Utah North
ern railroad to Montana, are all liable
to interruption. Indeed, the latter line,
which passes through the agency at
Ross Fork, has already lost a consider
able number Of horses, and its stations
for $50 miles, lie contiguous to the
country in which the Bannocks are
operating.
Gen. Howard is pushing troops in
from the west, but the portions of the
country most exposed lie in the De-
partment of the Platte, and Towards
movements will probably result in
pushing the Indians into this depart
ment. We should not regret it il this
turns out to be the case, for Gen.
Crooks success in dealing with hostile
Indians in Oregon, Arizona and Wyo-
ming leads our people to hope that he
may be assigned to the same work
here, and warrant them in the belief
that IL the management of the cam
paign were entrusted to him it would
end, as all his campaigns have ended
heretofore, in the establishment of
peace on the frontiers, and security to
the threatened settlements. 1t is only
a little over two years since the whole
Of Northern Wyoming and parts of
Nebraska and Dakota were overrun by
the Sioux, and there was no safety for
life or property north Of Fort Laramie.
Now the great valleys Of White Earth,
Niobrara, South Cheyenne, Powder
river, Belle Fourche and tributaries OF
these streams are opened up to settlers,
and thousands of cattle are grazing
where recently there were only hostile
Indians. An area a large as the State
of Iowa was thrown open to settlement
and civilization by Gen. Crooks mill
tary skill and good management, and
1t is the same kind of skill and good
judgment that the people Of Northern
Utah an Eastern Idaho would like to
see exercised towards the Bannocks in
the present case. They want a perma.
nent peace, a peace that will secure
equal justice to the Indian and the
white settler. This they believe nc
other man can secure so quickly and
thoroughly as Gen. Crook. The min
ing, grazing and agricultural interests
Of the region now threatened, are
equal to those of any other section on
the Pacific coast, and their interests
must all suffer until a permanent set
Element of these Indian troubles is
secured.
The small portion of the regular
army operating against the Bannocks
is large enough, If skilfully used, to
subjugate them, but it is another thing
to 80 manage them after they are con-
quered, as to secure all the advantages
of their subiogation. The very Sioux
whom Gen. Crook disarmed and dis
mounted at old Red Cloud Agency,
and afterwards removed to the Missouri
river, are anxious to get back under
his control, for they believe in his hon
esty of purpose as well as that he car
fight. We want to see if equal success.
will not come with equally good re
suits, in this Bannock business, and
hope to see Gen. Crook take n hand il
it as DON as possible.
RANGER.