Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-06-10

by fires which RACED through the coun
t~Y an DAYS gone by. In tact, some tlres
/ are still burning IN the Bad Lands, one of
/ winch. when seen at night from ne North
ern Pacific train which passes near, has
the appearance of IA volcano IN active
eTuBuOn. There is another ire farther
baek,fn theABad Lands which has been
~ on dtring ever.siuCe the country was
known TO the whites, and, according 80
iud austraditi0n, from the time when the
Great Spirit upheayed the land with an
ehI tie uhkeS The truth OF the matter IS,
the Bad Lands are one vast bed OF ilsnlte
coal which HhsthrOugh the buttes ana
bids In solid veins from four to ten leet
thick. This Ignite was probably lghlttu
10y fires TINT sometimes prevailed over Tue
PLAINS, set by Indians, and the coal belhg
In continuous veins, has been burning, no
doubt. u0interruptcdly beneath the sur
taco Or years. Perhaps long ago dense
iorc IT. exHb4l 10 these Bad Lands, which
b9 adbeD. FiFsre are certainly eyiden-
ces or primeyal growth i'm the endless
petritacti0ns OF tree stumps, ana MT.
Wiuscr speaks Of fine specimens OF FOSSIL
slui0t : ohiaIB latibcene age, changed by the
heat of the burning Ignite into brilliant
scarlet, but retaining their retculatlOns
perfect.
The various round-topped mounds
made up of ink black clay, argillaceou-,
limestone, friable or pulVerized sand
stones, raw and pottery clay and VEINS OF
impure lguites, the burning of which has
fused ana mixed their materials in one
confused Stag, are TO be seen on every
hand i'm every conceivable form. Between
the mounds are rayines, gulches ana
meadows, many Of the latter carpeted
with the rich Nutritious bunch grass, so
much sought out bv the bison when they
dwelt among the butte5 and roamed over
the valleys. The soil of the Bad Lands
possesses fertilIzing properties IN excess.
As before remarked. the name Bad Lands
is misnOmer for the country IS well
watered by numerous streams-although
barren Of trout and tainted with alkalI-
grows numerous and luXuriant grasses
some thirty-three varieties have been
classified, and is a veritable paradise for
st0ck-raising and sbeep-gro wing. Cattle
men were not long In finding out the true
worth Of the Bad Lands as grazing re-
giou. Soon after the conquest Of Sitting
Bull and the opening up Of the country 70
the whites, it began to dawn on the minds
Of stOc-kmen that section once sought
by the buffalo as II iaVOrite stamping
ground must be good pasture fields for
herds Of cattle and sheep.
The Marquis de MOres, young and en-
terprlslng french nOpltlnah, was the III 81
to seize the opportunity by turning loose
thousands of cattle and sheep among the
multitude of buttes bordering the Little
Missouri, and his example and success
has caused many other wise ana learned
st0ckmen to do likewise. The cattle SHIFT
ing for themselves have done well (the
alkali answering the purpose Of salt) and
without care or feeding have come out
each season in fine, tat condition, ready
for market. Thus we see Pyramid Park,
the grandest and sublimest spot on the
American continent, not excepting the
Yellowstone National Park, turned into a
grazing field for the raising OF cattle and
herding of sheep. 1t is a great pity that
the government has never taken steps to
preserve this region Of natural wonders
from destruction.