The Hot Springs star. (Hot Spings [Hot Springs], Dakota [Dakota Territory, i.e. S.D.]) 1886-189?, 1890-02-07

fered Indian d~epredations and rrivationt
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 Indians.
About the time the reservation was as.
sured of being opened last fall a large mum.
Der of Spectators came from Fort Pierre,
aud located, and everything went we'll for
awhile, when q number of half breed Sioux
realized that laud 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 q half-breed family by the
name of Traversy. About a month ago q
band of boomers on this side of the Mis-
souri, conceived the idea that if that part of
Bad river could be occupied by settlers that
part of the south side OF the river was oren
to the same conditions, md therefore the
half breeds could not locate on the
south side aud taks up the land in
severalty any more than they could ON
the north size. Accordingly one dark
night they organized q band, and with
teams of lumber and tools crossed
the Missouri and located on 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, a pub.
lie building partially erected thereon, and
The half breeds upon discovering the
boomers, Immediately organized and us.
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
tins 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
as q claim, according to the reservation
bill, he could do the same, T%omahawk, a
full-blooded Sioux Indian, who Ind re-
sided at und around Fort Pierre for fifty
years, then laid claim to the land which he
had heretofore. occupied. This strip ex.
tends tight across the mile square from
north to south and takes in the entire east
half of the same, which includes Fort
Pierre, and the other half the east half OF
the Ilaversy claim.
The situation is, therefore, complicated
i'll the extreme. The Fort Pierre settlers
will not give up without a struggle, and ut
the present time the settlers ale carving
on the traffic in town lots JUS as if tier
titles We're MS good as any that could be
had. Spectators are locating thereon, but
one thing is certain, that while there may
be a chance for big speculations in the lots
Mt 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.
All parties Interested are intensely des.
perate, and there is certain to be more o,
less serious difficulty before the question
is settled.