The Bad Lands cow boy. [volume] (Little Missouri, Dakota [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-1886, 1884-04-10

that everywhere, there was an abundance
Of wood and water. At $50. we arrived
at John Gallop's, where we were hospit-AA
ably entertained for the night.
At 8 O'clock Of fsApril 4 We started o1,
but Defebach's arabian ssteed, better
known as q broncho, concluded to roll
In SO doing he turned the saddle, became
scared and started for the C@nr D, ,Alene
mines. Rassie, having no faith in that
section Of the country, concluded he
would round tile brute up and strike for
the Bohemian settlement on the Northern
Pacific r. r. All this took up much val,
uable time Of those who were anxious to
locate the road from spearfsii to Medora.
t5:30 we arrived at Eagle springs, bet
ter known as Foot & Beckett's ranch.
z This place was located upward Of two
years ago, and the firm have since kept q:
hunter supply store. Buffalo used to- be
here By the thousands. but now they are
|alI gone. Ne saw Tie carcasses of hun
dfeds streWn over the prairies, III some:
instances neither hide nor meat being
taken. Being sportsman myself, i
keenly felt the inevitable fact, as / looked
into the dim future, that tho time was
fast coming when the buffalo, antelope,
deer and beaver would pass into the long
catalogue Of animals that had become ex-
tinet. Yet while taking philosophical
view Of this seemingly wanton destrue-
tion, we could still see before the sunset
of onr lives great herds Of cattle roaming
over this vast domain, more profitable to
the white man than game Of any kind.
Taking into consideration that this coun-
try, wonderful for Its agricultural and
grazing resources, is in close proximity
to the Sioux reservation, the sooner game
is destroyed the less danger there is to
the pioneer, who Will soon find for his
wife and little ones q good home and
open up new country, which will earn
himself an independency and lay the
foundations for railroads, towns, schools,
churches and colleges. ,3,z
y FifI Il ,gt 49,
At Eagle springs we found Mr.. Palmer
and wife in charge Of Foot & Beckett's
store and eating house. The first person
ws met being MIR. Jas. Elliott, bookkeeper
Of the WV outfit. Mr.. Palmer and wife
soon had good supper for US which was
heartily enjoyed by the entire party. MI.
Enniott accompanied us for a distance on
our way to the railroad.
AT 6 o'cisck Of April 5we started over
a beautiful rolling prairie, and after ten
miles pulled up at Air. Maddox, ranch, To-
Gated on one Of the head streams Of the
Cannonball river. Here we saw a vein
Of coal forty feet thick, exposed to view.
After making some Investigations We
found that the whole country was under
laid with coal. After spending some time
here, Doc, the scout, misled us to the ex-
tent Of about eight miles, owing to the
fact that the road had been shortened by
the locators from Medora some ten or
twelve miles. .stsS.S -5
III Lne AFTERNOON, When WlLnIn elgnG
miles of Medora, rain and snow began
falling. We soon arrived at Eaton's
ranch, however, and were cordially en-
tertained by Mr.. Eaton, who told us that
his sons were at Little Missouri, attend
ing The stock meeting. In the morning,
bidding good-by to Mr.. Eaton, who is one
Of Gods noblemen, we soon arrived at our
destination -Medora, the future great.
During our whole journey we did not
change horses and the time actually con-
sumed in travelling was little less than
three days and a half. Nearly the whole
way the road was dry and dusty, and the
distance from Medora to Spearfsh is not
an inch over 100 miles" ~ ~