Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1879-01-01

s"O'sSy " erect trading posi- at Varioui
points in southern Dakots for the purpos,
Of trading with the Indians.
1t will not be CHARMED that there was a,
this time any pressing necessity for extend:
ing the legally inhabitableI domain Of On.
Gle Sam. Kansas and Nebraska had Just
entered the territorialc c, ndition and prefer.
ed free homes TO millions. The entire
country was aroused in the interest Of free.
dom or slavery, and public attention va,
wholly directed to the first named territory
where a,tate Of civil war existed and where
the germs Of that giant rebellion soon "a
follow, were being planted. No question
but there was enough elsewhere for
all the people who were then pushing west,
but this fact did not close the eyes of DAko-
ta's, pioneers to the Inducements Dakota
presented to enlightened industry and cul.
tured people. 1t could not persuade them
thai these fertile plains could subserve no
better purpose than pastures for myriads of
buffalo and hunting grounds for q savage
race. The aggressive spirit OF their Saxon
blood sparred them to an effort to swrest
from barbaroos grasp this grand domain
and hand it overt to the uses of civilized in.
'dustry.; n ~1U Ut q>a . r
The Indians to be consulted, courted,
counseled with. feasted, f4,tered and deco
rated were the Yankton tribe Of the Sioux
nation. and. The 'Poncas an iudependen,
tribe who claimed al interest in the soil.
The parties whom fate had designated
for this work were frs, Captain Todd,
prominent and influential from his recep,
connection with the army where he had
won great credit and renown in the Cam .
paigns which bad been waged against the
troublesome Sioux, and with him Theo-
philus Brughier, M intelligent Frenchman
related with the Sioux by marriage, and
Charles F. Picot.e,s captivating Yauk,on
half breed who had been reared amid civil.
izing Influences and had just returned from
school to unite his f rIunes with those Of
DIS people. Thus composed, with the col.
lateral aid aud inf fence of such auxiliaries
as the honorably discharged soldiers who
had drifted down from the posts on the up.
per river aud a, very few adventurous lead
ers Of the star Of empire who were In the
ven Of progress westward, this
mission found the arts of aboriginal
,iiplomacysnot d, ficuIt Of comprehension.
and 10 due time il emerged from ito lsbors
successfully accomplished one of the
most important of modern treaties BY which
Ihe Indians l%elinqulshsd to the general gov
eminent sixteen million acre., Of land, near
350. 900 Of which 10 now embraced within
he boundaries Of Yankton county. THIS
realty also gave 20 certain persons therein
named or described, grants Of land, ranging
il amount from l6O to $40 acres, and to
and others . liberal annuity in
money; Under i,s -provieions Frost, Todd
SGo, were authorized to select l60 acres At
ZACH of the various points where their ira
iing houses we're located: Picotte obts aimed
he valuable tract upon which lower Yank.
on hts been built, embracing $40 acres,
While Frost, Todd & Co. held the most val
'able portion Of the ground upon which the
portion of the city nov stands. AT
his time (l857J there was no pr,etern.e Of
at this point. The treaty was
uch only in nlssmaeMAsh.e.'' general govern d
nentf had not yet sanctioned it. Frost,
Todd & Go. stood in the attitude Of employ
II 70 every. white person, and only under
he protecting aegis of their traders license
vas it lawful 10 remain upon the soil. The
Indians we're yet in actual possession, and
heir conical, ttepses made. up the sum total
artificial Improvements. Matters, re-
y AIM ID in this condition until July, 1858,
'heh Geo. D. Fiske. an enploye of the ira.
ling firm, erected the first, building upon
he site destined 70 be the seat. Of. Dakota's
This prinitive STRUCTURE was bull.
4 logs, and stood on the river hank at the
Of, Walnut street Later in the
ame year the senate ratified the treaty, and
Dakota was open. to occupation
nd settlement BY the whites. The
however. did not quit the
country until the spring following. IT,
vas when the grass had grown. To- fine pas
urage that the first i.nhabitants 81. Yaukton
folded their -t.pe.., loaded their
mounted their ponies, waved a
inal adieu to their beautiful village, and
ourneyed to their present homes on the
Yankton reservation, leaving this, beautiful
clothed in its yerd.nt ,plendor. it.
magnificent landscape undistprbed By any
ign Of hunan ha;bitatiou save the little
post where Fi.ke presided, and
whioh gave shelter and hospitable welcome
all the then inhabitants of Yankton.
Concerning the earliest white settler In
chat il now Yantton cosuty,; there en-
lit.se' difficulty in reaching the upu.k.,
Thanks toa merctful providence who hsss
preserved their lives, the local antiquarian
IF to.dsy can hold converts not only with
he Adam Of thisaparticdlat paradise but
yhh q 'nhnbsr Of his contemporaries. II
AfS-F.4 sg o p t.ws