Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1879-07-16
CROW CREEK AGENCY.
Our cerrespondsnt's Experiences. On
the Road and Among the Indians.

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s$sSG SIS ".: So
Afsxstch OF the Improvement OF the
x Y%enktosais Sioux. ,,e
Especial. Correspondence.l
Fort Thompson, July IL. 1877 leh
Wheeler; postofdce at the witching hour Of
two this morning, and have dozed along the
rugged road which leads to this Indian out
post. Our first hating place OF the route
was at Pratt creek, where Felicia Fallas,
reused from his slumbers, took the mail bag
in . mechanical sort Of . way and went
through it, contents after the manner au.
thorized by Law, and with all the JUNCTION Of
. sworn official.
A few miles this side of Pratt creek we
met 4 man at four o'clock in the morning,
on foot, carrying q bundle, wrapped in .
piece of white cloth. l observed this man
more particularly because it was a solitary
place and because in passing us he did not
raise his eyes from the ground, and kept his
soft felt hat drawn low over his face. He
looked like a fugitive fleeing from justice,
but he might have been the most honest in
dividual in the world for ought I know.
The circumstance reminded the driver OF q
murder which was committed at Grow Creek
on the 4th of July, and he related the par
ticulars, all of which you have doubtless
obtained ere this. Still the story Of the
murder had an effect, and pictures Of bloody
assassins with white bundles under their
arms and felt hats drawn over their eyes
tortured my sleepy fancy until "Bijou Hills
was called by the driver, and l descended
from the vehicle, we'll pleased with the OPP
p%ortunity to stretch my cramped limbs and
feel the solid earth beneath my feet.
1t was nine o'clock by the time piece on
the wall. and while the horses were being
changed I did justice to the breakfast served
under the auspices of Mr.. Lowe, who pre-
sides over the Bijou Hills ranch. Mr.
Lowe opened his heart to me during my
%gastronomic operations and talked about the
country in which he lives. He says thu
one prayer of the people thereabouts j,
that the Lord may soften the heart of tn,
president of the United States to the extern
that he may declare this country open t.
white settlement and take it from demon
alizing Indian control. He believes Brul,
City and its surroundings to be the hes
country in the world, and that Brule City i,
deetined to be the capital of the state Of
Dakota. I do not much blame him for
feeling thus, for the natural surroundings
are enough to enthuse any man not made Of
inanimate material. a
After leaving Bijou Hills we traversed
a magnificent region, we'll adapted
to the culture Of wheat, oats and corn,
and especially created for grazing pur
poses.
At noon we reached the rancho Of Peter
Nelson, at Red Lake. He is the only set
tier between Bijou Hills and Fort Thomp.
son. Mr.. Nelson has a good farm, and
found him busily engaged in harvesting his
barley. Here also l heard the general cry
of it is a id (these people will swear
shame to leave such a beautiful country
closed to settlement. They are all anxious
to know what Judge Bennett is doing for
them. +
The dinner ranch was reached at three in
the afternoon. 1t is operated by S. Coon,
who also oficiates as stage driver. He took
charge of our stage between his ranch and
Chene range. Alter crossing Crow creek
Indian tepes and Indian log houses were
numerous. In passing to the mouth of Elm
creek, where in the fall of 1874 I was camp
ed, I noticed so many changes that l hardly
recognized the place. A new school house
has been built at the crossing where stands
a neat Indian village, bounded or the east
by the Grow creek bluffs, composed of log
houses and a few tepes. Corn and potato
fields are fenced in which gives a civilized
appearance to the place. On my way to
CROW CREEK AGENCY,
eight miles from Elm creek, l was agreea-
bly, surprised at the many Improvements
that have been made since my last visit.
The old log stockade, with its frowning bas-
lions. has been removed, and in its place
stands a neat picket fence, in the center of
which is an attractive park, planted years
ago when DR.. Livingston was agent at this
post. Around the park and inside the fence
are the agency buildings. The fence is 66s
feet long east and west, and 400 wide north
and south. To the north of the park are
warehouses and. workshops; to the west,
Offices and ~dispensary; to the east, employees
residences, and to the south, the mess house
and stables. About so feet from the north.
east corner of the agency building stands
Christs church, a new building, Rev. Ash