Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1879-09-25
The Avant Courier,
SEPTEMBER %. 1879.
THE BOUNDARY SURVEY AND
CROW RESERVE.

The boundary line between Montana and
wyoming. whic.. is now being established
by Government survey. contrary to the ex.
lcctaticns OF many. runs about one mile
north Of the Mammoth Springs. If our
information Is correct. the Bear and Grey
ice gulcics and the Clark's Fork mint $
and sn,eItcr are all located in Montana,
and. of course, on the Crow reservation.
That rich mines exist in the above named
places hardly admits Of doubt. and the
time is not distant when those who have
had claims located there for years, and
who have expended considerable time and
money in partially developing them. will
seek to vigorously prosecute their various
mining operations with view of making
their claims ultimately productive. This.
sooner or later, will almost unavoidally
srlng on dispute and. perhaps. conflict
between the miners and the Crow Indians.
1t has been said, time and again, and with
a great deal of truth. that that portion of
the reserve is utterly worthless to the
Grows: that paying diggings, for instance
E'nigrant and Bear gnlchcs, were discoy-
cred and occupied rs mining camps preyi- !
Gus TO the treaty with the Crows. and that
ms an act Of justice to Montana as we'll ms /
OF general interest 10 all concerned, il |
should be segregated from the reservation.
and thrown open for occupancy and devel-
opmcnt. Time and the progress of events
Dur serve to confirm the correctness of this
opinion. but the longer it is delayed the
more difficult it will he to accomplish.
Here is strip of country that was
ceded by treaty stipulations to the Crows.
without consulting the rigIIts-scquired or
natural-Of the citizens Of the Territory.
\ piece OF ground upon which the Indians
do not even deign to follow the wild game, .
much less to cultivate il or seek to dig up ,
It's hidden treasures. Yet they will no
sooner become aware that it is valuable to
the white man on account of its rich min
ing deposits, than they will insist on their !,
treaty rights and will only consent to part !,
with it after long and tedious negotiations !,
and at an almost fabulous price.
When the news reached us a few weeks ),
ago that Carl ScliurZ. Secretary of the In y
terror, was on his way here for the pur- :.
pose OF visiting the Crow reserve and the q
fcllOwst0ne National Park. We were led ="
10 hope that the matter would present it. !.
self to him in its true light. and that some :"
action favorable to the people of Eastern W "
Montana would be the result. But. as one "
II our old-time MOntanians remarked the
,sher day: Tie Honorable Secretary 10
With the German name. by failing to come "a
'uf and negotiate with the Crows for 81
he Eastern Montana mining ground. has ~. ~
missed the only opportunity of distin- :"
gushing himself during his official career r.
Fhc citizens Of Montana have ever mani ~
ested the most kindly feelings toward the -
row Indians and have been both patient 81
nd considcrate in tleir actions and efforts -, ~
D get this question Of right and title to III
nc mining ground on the upper Yellow c g.,
tone amicablc adjusted. They have fire. nc ~,
uently peti'ioned the Montana Legisla- -, -"
Ire and our Delegate to Congress, and ~ :,
hey in turn have memoralizcd and called -,
re attention Of the General Government ~
the necessity of taking some action in s'''
&c matter but SO far. we regret to say. ~
Ithont any visible or satisfactory results.
rue. heretofore the number of miners
prospectors may have appeared rather =
significant. but Of late years especially ,,,,
ere has been Il perceptihle increase and rn
should not be much surprised to see fo,
e to two thousand men scattered thro' Tin,
e sulches and over the mountains at any E.,,
ne. Where gold and silver are known h,o
exist in paying quantities. the ever-ven- and
reso.ne miner will so at all hazards. oct
ght or wrong. it is a fact which cannot Cor
,.,, ""u "'e H"o"er .'e Govern fact
;.,s.... nc 'oS"' o's''t'e III inc way bell
industry and commendablc enterprise, the
; better it will b., for all cOncernod ~