Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1880-01-07
BLOWING GOOSE AND SAND LAKE.

A Communication from a Gentleman
Whose Experience Render Him Compe-
tent to Write lntelliRently Upon These
Subjects.
Jan. 9th, 1SS0.-Editors Press and Dako.
taian-Many years ago l made a journey
along nearly the entire length of Dakota
river, and reported upon the stream, country,
soil and other features, Wa-ga Bo.bi.do in
cluded. 1t was then suggested tha, it was
improbable to render the stream naviga.
5le, or to construct a canal along it. All
talk about such a scheme is by parties who
either do not know what the characteristics
of the river are or what a canal or nayiga.
ton is. With one who has seen much OF
the river that question is not debatable.
There are a few small sections of the stream
and one large one, from the foot of that
lake for about fifty miles, in a direct line,
above, that might be used to float small
boats that were short enough to get around
the bends. By provision of a law of con-
gress a party of United States engineers
examined the river from jamestown to
Yankton and reported conclusively against
the feasibility of slack water navigation.
Our party had the pleasure of discover.
ing the "Dirt Lodge Region" and Maya
bobido blowing Goose and his band. at
about the same hour, under exciting circum-
stances. He then had no dirt lodges, houses
or huts of any kind; bat lived exclusively
in cloth tepees or tents. They had no cul.
tivated fields nor even patches that were
near the river that year or co uld be seen
by u party or others who happened
there the same year. Having
seen that region nearly every year since
then (1S73) and executed or examined
United States public land surveys in differ
ent parts of it, I never saw so much as a
patch of ground cultivated by the Indians
until 1875. They we're origin ally in town.
III of range 81, but in 1873 were in
township 100 of range GO, both upon the
There they did not have over ffte.n
acres, if half SO much, included within the
outside line around all the patches of corn
and turnips and similar crops. The parties
Of Mr.. Marshall, Mr.. Austin and myself
in detailed surveys a very large re-
gion that year of which that camp was
about the center, and I was over the most
Of all this. That little patch was all The
mark Of cultivation left OF appearing in
region, except about Is acres of corn 1
found on some new breaking in section Is,
township 12l, range 60, with a house partly
built, al clearly the work of man. Indeed
other conclusive evidence was found. There
vas three times as much corn oE that field
a. in the Indians field. 1t was ripe when
left. Much of the corn the Indians
we're said 10 have came from the white mans
field. The Indians told US they had driven
him and two others away. They asked US
submit to the sane terms but We out per-
,uaded them and finally became very friend
y and remained 30. The Indians were
peacefully removed, the plats of the land
we're filed In the local land Office and the
land was opened to sale and settlement as
completely and lawfully as any part of that
10 Yankton county.
These Indians are reported very good
Indians. They were the worst or among
The worst at Grow Creek. l learn this from
gentlemen who know by long observation
there. They we're aaucy, i'll disposed and
vicious, and specially sought to
be offensive in personal bearing. Two thirds
Of the Indians on hat reservation have
made themselves more worthy Of special
favor. They settled there and both their
agent, Capt Dougherty, U. 8. A, and the
Indian bureau reported them As 10 settled
and having nc disposition to leave, and that