Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1878-01-28
SPOTTED TAN. E

The Moving Mania sttl Prevails-Border
Traders Getting Into Tronblc-A Model
Military Agent -lntcrestinK Details Re.
Eariins Our Red NciGhbors.
Special correspondents Of the Press and Da-
? 2 kotaian. v
SrorrEp TAIL AGENCY, Jan. %, Is.
The site wherein the tribe of Lieut.. Spot
ted Tail (familiarly called Old Spot.) live
and move and have a being, was formerly
occupied by Ponca Indians, and is yet fire.
quently designated as old Ponca agency. 1t
lies on the west side of the Missouri river,
and is distant from Yankton about forty
five miles. !
The location Of the agency proper-that
is, where the agency buildings are erected,
is not a favorable one. The land is what is
known as bottom land, is low, fiat and with
out any drainage, and consequently during
rainy weather, or when the frost is leaving
the ground, it is a bottomless pit of mud,
upon which. as . mud-hole. no improve
ment eau be suggested or made. The Indi-
ans reached the reservation during the ex-
traordinary rainy and warm weather in
December, when gumbo mud aboundcd in
its perfection, when pedestrianism was diff
cult and nasty, equestrianism nearly impos-
sible, and wagoning entirely SO. Conse-
quently it is not to be wondered at that the
Indians were %unfavorably impressed with
their new location. and that they are de-
termined to hold President Hayes to his
promise to allow them to select an agency
more their. liking in the spring, While all
the Indians appear to be in favor of reno.
vsl, they are not united as to the best place
to move to. A few favor Wounded
knee creek, q tributary Of White
river, and distant from their old
agency only about thirty miles; and the bal
ance are about equally divided between the
old Milestone agency on the Missouri river
and the White river where the Fort Ran
dali road to the Black Hills crosses that
stream. And it seems probable that the re-
suit of the demand of the latter classes will
be that the agency buildings will be erected
at Milestone, where those Of the Indians
who desire can locate, while the balance may
settle along the valley of the White river.
Spotted Tail himself is in favor of going to
Cheyenne crossing. He gives as a reason
for desiring to leave the Missouri river tina,
wood, water and pasturage are better on the
White river, and that by goirg there his
people will be removed from the reach o.
white men, who, as they are now situated, sell
them whisky, trade them out Of Their horses,
clothing and other property, and other Sise
demoralize them. 1t is asserted that a nun
Der of persons on the Nebraska side Of the
Niobrara river (which is the eastern bounda.
~ Of the reserxaticn, and on the west bank
OF which a large number of the Indians are
encamped,) are traficking with the Indians
receiving in return for such articles as they
have for sale, among other things the blank.
cts and clothing of the Indians. These per
sons are also accused Of selling the indians
whisky. The agent is not opposed to the In.
dians trading whenever they can get the mos
goods for their money, or in exchange for
such commodities az they have the right to
barter. He is ever willing to allow them tc
go to neighboring towns; but he will no
knowingly permit, any person to trade for o,
buy from the Indians the clothing issued by
the government. A few days ago he crossed
into Nebraska and seized aauantitv of good
which settler had received
from the Indians in trade-ever
taking the hat from the traders head. TIL
right of an agent 10 go beyond the limits o
his reservation and seize goods without du,
process of law may be questioned; but il
doing SO in this instance the agent wa. &C
tuated only by a desire to protect the inter
ests of the Indians under his charge and t
break up an illegal traffic.
Spotted Tail Agency has been abandone,
by the church-that is, SO far as the bushes
management Of its affairs is concerned-an,
il is now and has been since the displace
ment of the last church agent, in charge Q
Lieut.. }. N. Lee, of tie 9th infantry. Lieut.
Lee is an energetic, earnest and thoroughly
practical man, and discharge his varied
and difficult duties with such promptnes
and fairness as 10 have gained the full con
6dence and esteem of all the Indians in hi
charge. But he does not like the position
and his resignation awaits the action of tn,
department at Washington.
The number of Indians now drawing ra
tons is six thousand, of which number abou
four hundred are half breeds and squau
men. AT the old agency the number be
longing to Spotted Tails tribe was s,4OO