Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1890-12-05


troubles in the northwest In an inter
view he said:
"My opinion is that there is no immi-
nent danger Of any serious trouble
The troops are concentrated and seem
to have the situation perfectly in
hand "
GAS a matter Of fact has the situation
ever been as grave as has been reported
in the newspapers
Nothing like it, he replied emphat-
ically "A great part Of the scare has
been totally uncalled for. Why, a
number of newspapers got to printing a
number of sensational and grossly ex-
aggerated stories about the indians, and
many settlers in Dakota and Nebraska
became panic-stiicken They sold their
property for almost anything they
could get, abandoned their homes and
rushed to the nearest railway station,
when the fact is that they were in no
more danger from the Indians than we
are here in Chicago.
"Do you consider the movement of
the Indians toward the Bad Lands as
ominous?"
The colonel smiled. "Tll tell you
about the alarming retreat to the Bad
Lands" he said. "In the Bad Lands
there are many fertile spots on which
the Indians live. When the order went
out calling the tribes into the agency
these Indians had to abandon their
homes. In their absence some bands of
marauders have been committing petty
depredations, such as stealing chickens
and household utensils. This came to
the knowledge of the Indians at the
agency, and numbers of them are slip
ping away, whenever they can get an
opportunity, for the purpose of going
back to protect their chattels. -
Nothing in it more alarming than a
quiet flank movement to protect some
hen roosts, them
"That is about it, the colonel re-
Piled
II reached the Pine Ridge ON the 27th.
/ found that the dance had ceased three
days before I got there. And may add
that it was not resumed when | left,
The Indians were quiet and peacefully
disposed. Some few Of the Ogallala
Sioux, particularly tue young bucks of
that tribe, were anxious for trouble, but
these We're pretty much controlled by
the older Indians. The principal cause
of the Indian trouble is lack of proper
provisions in the way OF rations, princi-
pally meat rations. The latter has been
reduced ,000 600 pounds for the Pine
Ridge reservation alone, and the author
tiles there have practice of issuing a
steer at the weight at which it was re-
ceived. For instance, the agency might
get steer in the fall that would not
weigh more than COO pounds, but it
would be issued as / 1000 pounds all the
same. OF course. the Indians would
-. 4 H. ft4sa4 =
source of dissatisfaction.
"The Indians generally, [ think, are
inclined to accept any proposition made
to tfiem by the military authorities of a
peaceful nature, but when ] left there
was big snow storm and blizzard com
ing. which | think win cool the ardor of
the young bucks
Il do not anticipate winter cam
paign in the Indian country, in that
sense Of the word. but the troops will be
kept there as against any trouble that
might happen this winter, or any at
tempt togo on the warpath IN the spring.
The Indians are not properly fed, and
there will be the probability of trouble
until they are. In the spring they may
make break that is, the young
bucks-but they can be controlled.
| Troops will be there to attend to them
if they make trouble.
Il believe an effort is being made to
increase the meat rations among the
Indians Several bands came in while
l was there. When / left, Young Man
Afraid-o Of -His-Horses was coming in
with his band, carrying a yellow flag
which is a token of peace. .
Gen. Miles Going to the Northwest.
Gen. Miles said Wednesday, night
that 1t was his intention to proceed tC
the northwest, and that he should en-
deavor to start in two or three days.