Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1879-09-29
From Our Travelling Correspondent.


srasisashytAe ssseial Agent.
From Our Travelling Correspondent.
Pine Ridge Agency, Sept. 2lst, 1872
From Rosebud agency to Pine Ridge agenc,
= distance Of n hundred and twenty mile
the country though not 90 broken as fro,
Rosebud landing to Rosebud agency, is sti
very rough and sandy. I crossed sever,
creeks, mostly branches Of the White Ear,
river, and the valleys Of those streams Al
very fertile, furnishing an abundance {
hard timber. They are we'll adapted te
farming purposes. I noticed that a goo
many Indians had already located on thes
streams, and some of them have already cor
siderable land broken, upon which the
raised corn and vegetables last spring.
Ileft Rosebud agency last "wednesday
morning, and stopped over night at the stag
station, IS miles from Spotted Tail, and 81
miles from Pine Ridge agency. The accom-
modations given to the weary traveller a
this station consist of a good and comfort
able bed in a tepee. provided the passenger
brings with him = supply Of bedding. The
cooking is done outside, in open air, and il
the cook 10 out Of salt and pepper. the sea.
soning is replaced BY the sand which always
blows into the kitchen from its surround
ings on . sandy bottom. However, every
thing ls palatable to the hungry traveller.
I left the next morning at eight o'clock for
Red Cloud, in a buggy driven by q Mexican.
Ny last driver VA an Indian. We anne
10 light Of the agency At Eve o'clock p. m.
Pine Ridge agency buildings are built on
the northern slope Of . plateau, and are hid
den from the view Of the traveller, until he
reaches the summit Of the plateau. where
the agency buildings ought to have been
constructed. From the summit of that
plateau, one can see q beautiful valley, for
ten miles, and can obtain a view Of two
thousand tspees around. That place was
the natural site for the agency buildings, but
Col. O'Beirne, in his wisdom, saw fit to put
them in . hole, probably to put GU, Of sight
the buildings he had constructed. A wire
fence Of 300x400 surrounds the buildings,
which consist Of . warehouse, lOOx24, in the
shape of an L, to he southeast corner of the
fence another building of the same size,
and shape Of the warehouse to the south
west corner of the enclosure, used for the
doctors Office and bedroom, Indians council
room, and several rooms for employees. An.
other building exactly alike ~ the two 9TH
en- to the northwest corner of the fence used
also for employees, and = small building to
the east side, which was built for an Office.
Those buildings Of which I give the de.
scription, were constructed by Col. O'Beirns
and are the poorest buildings I have seen
anywhere. They are built from old material
and one can see the light through every
part Of every n of them. The warehouse
floor went down, and had to be raised with
jack screws. Beside those buildings inside
of the enclosure. Col. O'Beirne built y
SCHOOL house 32x10O about 600 feet west Of
the enclosure. Bishop Hare furnished Col.
OBeirne plans for that building, which if fol-
lowed,would have been the means of having
here an excellent building, which would
have been an ornament to the agency. But
instead Of following these plans, the U. s..
special agent constructed = large building,
which is not even fit for = barn. Down in
= hole, where it il almost impossible for
teams to get in or out, the great inspector
built . saw and planeing mill, with . frame
roof which wouldn't prevent hail 8 inches
diameter from passing through. In short,
y Secretary schurz remarked it here, "All
Col. O'Beirne's buildings will have to b
I nearly forgot to mention Red
mansion, which was commenc-
d Eve months ago, and has since been left
unfinished, without roof, and the elements
through it. The building is twisted
'ut Of shape and will have to be taken dowa
md rebuilt. It has been told nae that Sec
'etary Schurz made the remark, that all the
money appropriated for ROSEBUD landing
md Pine Ridge agencies had been expend-
d and that before going on with the work
new appropriation would have to be made.
Inside Of the Enclosure, was built q frame
for the agent, 1882 which was not
to shelter horses. DR.. McGilycuddy,
hs agent. fitted it up. addeda wing and
neat and comfortable rssidsnce Of it.
BE also built an Office to the southwest Of the
buildings, which is large and c~ommodious.
To the north Of the first enclosure is an
'ther enclosure 25ox5oo, to the northwest
which il . barn and store house 32x1OO.
stories high, builtby the employees of the
under the direction Of DR.. McGilly-
:uddy. and this building will be . credit 10
he agency. To the northeast corner oil
that second enclosure stands the carpenter
and blacksmith shops built in the shape of
IN L. In conversation with several Of the
carpenters employed BY Col. O'Beirne, Twas
informed that they were strictly forbidden
to 60 beyond his orders, which we're to
build everything ina hurry without much