National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1882-02-27
NORTH DAKOTA.
Talk with Young Cavalry Omcer wh'
Has Gteen There.

A REPUBLICAN, representative met Lieutenant
II. NJ. Crcel, Of the Seventh United States Cavalry,
last evening, at the Ebbitt House. Lieutenant
Crccl has been detailed in charge OF the engineers
to survey Devils Lake in North Dakota Territory.
AZ different times during period OF two years
he has ridden on horseback from Fort Tot
ten TO Fort Buford, distance OF three hundred
miles, passing through the tract Of country known
as the Unsostcd Lands reserved for hunting pur-
poses in the treaty OF 1865 to the Pemblna, Turtle
Mountain, and Chippewa tribes Of Indians. This
country involves an area Of about 9JO0OOO OF
land.
"what is the character OF the land TO which you
rcfer?" asked THE REPUBLICAN,.
"Thc greater portion of 1t is very fair for agri-
cultural purposes, with but little timber"
"Whero are the different tribes of Indians to
whom this hunting ground was cedcdg'
They are located at Woody Mountain, In Can
ada, where they have been for n number of years,
and have become permanent residents"
why did the Indians leave this reservation9"
1T is due TO the fact that tho buffalo and other
game were killed or driven away years ago. and,
having no agency, they had to resort to Canada ms
the nearest post for trnding and getting supplies"
Has any effort been made to open up these
lands to scttlcrs2"
"a bill tothat effect has been introduced in Con.
grcss, and Ns the lands are being rapidly settled,
and the Indians having earnestly petitioncd the
Government to pay them what IL thought proper
lOtlncSe lnnus, / cannot SEQ why the Dill before
Congress should not become law. II will open
this vast country towhitc settlers"
rs there any disposition on the part Of the
whites TO settle this countryT'
" GeS, sir; there is a very strong disposition. A
large number of permanent settlers have already
located, some of whom have n hundred ncrcs or
more under cultivation. The indications are
there will be thousands of white families going
there this spring"
DO you think II this country was opened up TO
settlers that immigration would move In more
NpidlyG'
most earnestly believe if II were opened to
settlers that n wonderful tide of immigration
would at once set in for Northern Dakota from the
fact that nvald title to the lands could be secured
Then capitalists and good class OF citizens would
undoubtedly locate there"
What inducement would there be for capital
lists to seek investmentsg'
Why, the very best Investments would be in
lands, which would soon become valuable from
section OF the Territory"
"What are the names of the roads pointing i'm
! that dircCtioug'
"Therc Is the st. Paul, Minneapolis aud Mani.
! toba; Northern Pacific; Chicago Milwaukee aud
| st. PAUL Chicago and Northwestern and two
! others mvc been projected through this country
| The Valley City and Turtle Mountain, which has
been surveyed, runs from Valley City. the county
| seat of Barnes County, by Devils Lake and to
| Pacific. Then there is the PembinR. Bismarck.
aud Black Hills Rond. which taps Devils Lake,
passing through fine farming and grazing coun-
| Try
| How about the climate of Northern Dakotag'
while IL Is very cold at times the atlnos phcre
Is dry and bracing, and, from my experience, II is
one OF the most healthy parts of the United statcs