Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1882-12-21
JUDGE MOODY INTERVIEWED.

JUDGE MOODY INTERVIEWED.
After His Return to Eeadwood He is Taken
In Hand by Newspaper Reporter |
Black Hills Democrat.
Rep plrter-Judge, what do you think |!
are the chances for our becoming state
this winter?
Judge Moody-The chance may be
summed up briefly; that it is fighting
chance. MIR. Burrows, chairman in the |
house of the committee on territories,
informed me that they felt confident |
that they could pass the bill this winter;
that is, for the admission of that portion
south of the 46th parallel. If an attempt
be made to admit the territory as q
whole. it would not get five republican
votes IN either house, as the members
deem that it would be an act OF injustice,
not only to the northern portion of the
territory, but to other states of the
union. As soon as Hale and Reed are
satisfied that the Yankton bonds are not
to be repudiated they will commence
the movement for admission OF the ter
ritory. and there is no doubt they will
be satisfied, for the people in
Yankton county are moving in the
matter earnestly to effect an honor
able and just arrangement. The bill is
calendared in both houses and is in good
shape to be called up by a vote of the
majority. If the democrats should
break the quorum there might be diff.
Guilty for the republicans to obtain
quorum, but it is to be hoped that the
democrats will not attempt anything of
the kind. Abraham s.. Hewitt, of New
York, has stated both privately and pub
licly that he should vote to admit Da-
kota. He has travelled through the east
ern part of the territory, has seen its
cities, its towns, its farms. churches and
schools, and says that although he is
aware that the new state would be strong
y republican, he believed that Justice
and right demanded that Dakota should
be admitted Us state, and he would
vote for it.
R.-Our people, as you know, are very
anxious in regard to the coming railroad.
What is the present outlook?
Judge-There is nothing definite yet
as to the road being pushed towards the
Black Hills from the Missouri river. But
in the eastern part of the territory rail-
roads are being pushed in every direc-
tion, and unless something occurs we
will see more railroad building IN the
territory next season than in any year
since the territory was opened. If the
treaty with the Indians now pending is
ratified, the railroads will come; they
must come from the Missouri river. The
Sioux City and Pacific road is now four
miles west of Fort Niobrara and will
push on west in the spring. This will
compel the other roads to push on to
save the trade of this section of the ter
ritory. talked with one of the leading
officers of that road and he told me there
was no doubt but they would build q
road to the Hills within another year, or
so near that they would be able to COM
mand the trade of this country. They
would either skirt the east ern portion Of
the Hills or build branch road directly
into the Hills. His company expected
good results from their road already, by
securing mail from the Hills by the
way of Rapid and Rosebud agency, the
distance being only $50 miles from the
end of their road to Rapid City.
R-What do you think Of the proba-
bility of opening the reservation, and
what would be the result?
Judge-there is no doubt about OPEN
ing the reservation, in my opinion. All
the large bands have now signed the
treaty, and only two or three small
bands of about couple Of hundred
each remain to sign it, and they always
do as the larger bands do. talked with
| number of senators and members o1
the house; also with the secretary of the
interior, who stated that the feeling is
that if the treaty is ratified by congress
the democrats, as well as the republi.
cans, would vote an appropriation to
open up the reservation to settlement;
and would also vote large appropria'
ton for surveying the public lands.
can say here that have read the plar
for the treaty commission and know
what it is, and think l know what the
agreement is. l am not at liberty tc
speak of the details, but can say in
general way that if it is ratified by con
gress, it will be entirely satisfactory te
the people of the territory, for it vii
open up to settlement over 10000 squar,
miles Of the finest portion of the reser
walton; that it will give ampl,
room for railroad building ane
for the settlement of the country con
tiguous, and in the western part of tn
territory. The country embraced is on,
Of the finest in the world, and sufficient
ly large for several counties. Anothe
thing about it is that the agreement OF
behalf of the Indians will be found to b,
Just, equitable and pratical, and one tina
will benefit the Indians more than an,
other agreement ever entered into, ant
one less expensive to the government.
The benefits to accrue to this terrltor,
by the opening of the reservation canno
be estimated. Everywhere in the cas-
there is talk about these lands, and tn
eyes of the people seem to be fixed OF
this part of the country. They are onI,
waiting until the treaty is ratified b,
congress and the rush to this section
far in advance OF the railroads that will
be sure to follow, Such splendid for
tunes have already been made in tow
sands will not wait until the railroad
reaches them, but will invest in townsite
and ranches ahead of it. The Hills viii
also receive its liberal share of this i'm
migration.
prosperity in the territory?
in which direction you may go. Wher,
only few years ago was only govern
ment land, now are cities and towns
| WucIo lots iiTe WOEtu tllelr uuuQTeuS ant
and thousands OF dollars. Farms hav
been taken up, and new towns are spring
ing into existance. The penitentiary a
Sioux Falls is about ready for occupancy
and it is credit to the territory being
fine looking structure and very secur,
one. 1t Is pleasantly situated com
mnnding view of the river. Among til,
many improvements noticed are wire
woven mattresses for the prisoners beds
instead of the old fashioned rods. Th
deaf, dumb and blind asylum is also 10
ootoj fbarS Nhn h,,;1.i;,-