Sturgis advertiser. (Sturgis, Dakota [S.D.]) 1887-1???, 1890-02-06
ment as provided by the terms of said
agreement, and such title and agreement


agreement, and snch title and agreement
was recognized as valid by Sc tion Is Of The
act of congress approved March 8. 1879.
Now, this mile square is situated oppo-
site the city OF Pierre on the Missouri
river, at the mouth OF the Bad river, and III
divided into two almost equal parts by tho
Bad river. On the north side of the river
is located what is now known as the town
Of Fort Pierre. The population th ereof
until last fall had been totally confn ed to
about twenty families, whose occup alton
has been trapping, bartering with the In
dians and raising few head Of cattle and
cultivating an acre or two of corn. They
have suffered hardships untold, and have
rather existed than lived. They have suf-
fered Indian depredations and privations
which would have totally exterminated
people Of ordinary physical qualities.
During all this time they have been allowed
to occupy this land by the grace Of the
government and the Inaians.
About the time the reservation was as
sured of being opened last fall a large num-
Der Of spectators came from Fort Pierre,
and located, and everything went well for
awhile, when q number of half breed Sioux
realized that land at this point was worth
something, and they attempted to drive
the settlers off, but the latter held their
ground.
That part of the mile square on the south
side Of Bad river has been occupied for
many years by half breed family by the
name of Traversy. About a month ago a
band of boomers on this side of the Mis-
souri, conceived the idea that if that part Of
the mile square on the north side OF the
Bad river could be occupied by settlers that
part of the south side of the river was open
to the same conditions, and therefore the
half breeds could not locate on the
south side and take up the land in
severalty any more than they could on
the north SIDE. Accordingly one dark
night they organized band, and with
teams of lumber and tools crossed
the Missouri and located OF the south side
of the Bad river ON the mile square. Morn
ing found them with the slice Of land
nearly all surveyed into town lots, pub
lie building partially erected thereon, and
complete roster Of city officers elected.
The half breeds upon discovering the
boomers, Immediately organized and as
saulted them, the settlers being routed and
chased back acioss the river, several being
seriously injured in the fray. In this fight
the settlers were backed by the Fort Pierre
settlers, who also informed the military
authorities of the circumstances at Fort
Bennett. Immediately four companies Of
regulars were dispatched to the scene Of
ths conflict with orders to allow no one TO
settle on the reservation or the mile square.
Conceiving the idea that, if the Traversy
half breeds could hold that part of the mile
square on the south side of the Bad river
as a claim, according to the reservation
bill, he could do the same, Tomahawk, a
full blooded Sioux Indian, who had re-
sided at and around Fort Pierre for fifty
years, then laid claim to the land which he
had heretofore occupied. This strip ex-
tends right across the mile square from
north to south and takes in the entire east
half of the same, which includes For.
Pierre, and the other half the east half Of
the Traversy claim.
The situation is, therefore, complicated
In the extreme. The Fort Pierre settlers
will not give up without q struggle, and at
the present time the settlers ale carrying
on the traffic in town lots just as if tier
titles were as good as any that could be
had. Spectators are locating thereon, but
one thing is certain, that while there may
be chance for big speculations in the lots
at Fort Pierre it will be many years to
come before the titles will be settled, and
from the present outlook there will be no
end of controversy. While it appears that
the original squatters ought In equity to
have some rights to the land they have
lived on for SO many years, yet they have
located and lived thereon with the full
knowledge that they had no right to do so.
ALI parties interested are intensely des-
perate, and there is certain to be more or
less serious difficulty before the question
&c aaffInd