St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-12-29
THE NEW NORTHWEST.
An Interesting Sketch Of Early Times
hY HAL q llaenfah

An Interesting Sketch of Early Times
by Hal a Daeotah."
''Hal Dacotah'' is a nom de plEae adopted
many years ago by Gen. II. H. Sibley in
writing for papers, to which he was always a
most welcome contributor. OF late years
but little Of the Generals graceful and enter
tanning writings have been seen
in print, but about Christmas time
each year, his old friend, the publisher Of the
Turf, Fied and Farm, induces him TO make
contribution. The last issue of the paper
accordingly contains the following:
THE NEW NORTHWEST.
(By Hal Dacotah.)
Fifty years ago in November last young
man three years out Of his teens came 10 this
far OF region as one Of the partners in the
American Fur company Of New York 70 take
charge Of the fur trade. He has been known
since 10 the sporting community, or a por-
ton of II, by his manifold contributions 10
POrter's Spirit Of he Times. and other journals
published in New York city, under the nom
de plume Of ''Hal i Dacotah." He was for
several years the only correspondent from
this part Of the Northwest, consequently his
Of buffalo, elk and other large game, with
details OF personal adventures among the
Sioux Indians while traversing their country
on tours OF inspection TO the trading posts,
and while bunting with the savages, were
novel and interesting 10 4 large class Of read
ers.
The country remained for years In its
primeval condition, not a single white set
tier 10 be found in the vast area now known
as Minnesota and northern Dakota. The
| former, with its forests, its seven thousand
lakes and sparkling streams frequented By
the innumerable wild fowl OF every descrip-
ton, and the latter, with its broad and fer
tile acres, were alike a terra ilooy1aitd 10 all.
excent the trader, the traDper and the Wild
| Indian. Countless herds Of buffalo and elk
roamed over the prAiries, undisturbed save
/ by the arrow OF the savage when pressed for
food, or the onslaughts OF the gaunt aud
hungry wolf Seldom was the report OF fire
arms heard, 10 set in motion the immense
masses OF animal life with which the prairies
teemed. The sun never shone upon fairer
or loyelier land. i was into this paradise OF
sportsinen. that Hal a Dacotah'' entered.
and fOr years revellcd In sport such as has
rarely fallen 10 the lot Of a member Of the
craft.
The transformation effected within little
more than the lifetime o. 4 generation Ia tie
whole OF this region has been simply marvel
Gus. More than hundred thousand homes
OF sturdy farmers dot the plains which were
50 lately tenanted ~ wild animals aud saw
age men. The great cities OF 81. Paul and
Minneapolis, with population Of more than
one hundred thousand each, aud whose cor
| porate limits are but four miles apart, occupy
sites which had not 4 single inhabitAnt pre-
/ vious 10 1886. Other cities and towns in
! Minnesota, Dakota and Montana territories,
which constitute the New Northwest, - con-
tanning from three 10 fifteen thousand souls.
are many IN numDer. The state and terri
tories mentioned have already white popu-
lati0n Of q million and half, and are in
creasing rapidly year after year.
Minnesota Is IN the front rank OF wheat
/ producing states, and Dakota promises 81 no
distant day to equal or excel her in that d.
rection. In fact. the capacity Of the ''New
! Northwest in the production OF that cereal
is more than adequate 10 meet the wants y.
the civilized world.
So much for the country which an honor
able member Of congress from Ohio in op-
posing the bill for the organization Of Min
nesota territory in 1919, characterized as a
! hypcrborean region, where nothing would
grow but pine trees, and 10 which no civil
! lied man could be induced 10 emigrate.
| The Dakota or Sioux Indians. the former
! possessors Of this magnificent domain, were
concentrated on reservations on the Mime
sofa river, after the ratification by the United
States senate OF the treaties Of 1851. and
we're the actors in the terrible outbreak Of
| 1859, when they massacred 500 white settlers
and perpetrated many other nameless out
| RACES.
They we're defeated by the Minnesota troops
in September Of that year, $500 Of their
number captured, aud forty OF the most
guilty among the warriors, sentenced BY a
military commission, were executed by
hanging. The refugees from the bat
tie fed TO the camps of their
kindred, the powerful upper bands of Siouxs,
! who harbored and made common causes
with them. In 1863 a campaign was made
against their combined forces, when they
were routed IN several engagements, driven
in confusion across the Missouri river, and
the frontiers Of Iowa and Minnesota freed
from all danger Of future raids.
The myriads OF buffalo and elk have
melted away under the discharge OF innum-
erablc Winchester rifles ana other arms OF
! precision, being slaughtered by unscrupu-
lous white hunters in hundreds of thous-
ands for the sake OF their hides, for which
| they receive paltry average of two dollars
| apiece NO olucr nation IN cnrfstenoOm out
our own would have permitted the wanton
butehery of such magnificent game ami
mais. As ii is, in less than a decade the
prosecuted remnant viii have been extermi-
mated.
Our grain fields still yield TO the sportsman
a good bag OF pinnated grouse and the nu-
merous lakes an abundance OF wild fowl In
their season, being protected by the stringent
game laws Of the state, as are the deer which
are yet numerous in our forests.
The scenes of past years are often recalled
to my mental vision like the changes OF a
| panorama, but alas my old hunting com
panions, with but few exceptions, have been
| gathered to their fathers, leaving "Hal Da-
eotah'' like an old aud battered hulk to await
a like final summons, which in the course OF
nature cannot be long delayed. The guns
that have been my trusted friends through
many dangers and adventures are kept clean
and bright but che hand that so long welded
them has lost most Of its vigor, oppressed by
the burden Of years, ana other sportsmen
must hereafter attest TO their excellence and
precision.
St. Paul, Dec. 20, 1884.
Wanan.s CuH aud DALAI