Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1879-09-25

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HsAAena Ansagst Us :
from our Travelling Correspondent
scsAtlnRss ctssk, Lseen6ss cCassy.
Dakota, September 1s, 1s7s-A Colonel
OBierne ia becoming ~ noteda character
on these wilderness plains as was General
Hammond Of Investigation ~nosoriety. I
have taken some pains 70 fnd out what are
the peculiar characteristics which render
him Of ouch Observation-Disclosures. While
at Rosebud landing, and later at Rosebud
agency, I made itaspecialty to nose around
and pick up odd items upon the subject and
now that I have halted for . few hours mid
wsy b~sswsensthe camps of ths tvo great
Sioux bands I iud that I can kill . little
time BY noting down my discoveries for the
benefit Of your readers. I learn that
OBierne isthe creation. oficisllys Of Com
minioners Hayt, and that, next 10 himself
he believes H.yt is the greatest man
living. This opinion may have been q part
Of the inducement for his appointment, or
perhaps all of it, for l canno conceive that
he il Of any special value to the Indian SER
vioso He is known on the books a Waah-
ington q special agent for the construction
Of Indian buildinss and here upon the
plains ~ pulled up Englishman of very
little practical utility. l will illustrate
He has expended Eve thousand. dollars in
'.im~provements," At Rosebud landing and
~ . result has:
One rough board warehouse 20Ox3l feet,
built Of old lumber brought over from old
Red Cloud agency, already the property Of
tie government.
Two cisterns.
One we'll containing = supply Of worthless
.alkali water.
One hole intended for an ice house, but
never finished.
One dwelling house. 3sx40, containing
eleven rooms, designed as the abode of the
watchman and clerk for Pine Ridge agency
supplies.
These are the architectural achievements
of Col. O'Bierne, who in his capacity Of
special agent for the construction Of Indian
buildings, draws his pay with the utmost
regularity. The question ir,does the govern
ment need any such ornamental appendices
to its pay roll? Economy in the admins
tration Of Indian affairs is something which
is deserving Of more than passing consider
alton, and I ask il it profitable for this great
nation to draw its pocket book once . month
or n c . quarter that It may give nominal
employment to a man Of no practical ex.
p~erience in the line for which his. services
arc designated?
Ny recollection is that within month or
two after the Indian bureau had ordered
Major Pollock to construct . warehouse,
dwelling house and barn At the landing for
the occupation of supplies for Spotted Tale
band, everything was completed and seven
hundred tons of goods stored away ready
for transportation INTO the interior. This
vas done with half the force placed under
control Of Colonel o'Bisrne, and Major
Pollock was not q Special agent for. the
construction Of Indian buildings" Though
Colonel O'Bierne has put in six months
time on his Job. the buildings are not yet
completed.
A. I am on the O'Bierne subject I might
% we'll here give an illustration Of his Pc.
culiar disposition. He holds that he has
authority to extend his personal rule over
everything and everybody in these isolated
parts. Between hinself and Nj. 6utlsy.I