The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1891-02-12

oHNAS IVA Nv
900 Indians. That was the estimated
number of the red race then living
within what are now the bounds of the
United States. And so it appears that,
TO date, the act of dispossessing the
oborigines has cost $1,000 for every
buck, sauaw and papoose living on the
soil when the white man came.
These are round figures, but they are
very close to the exact record. Three
years ago Mr.. Tom Donaldson, who is
now in charge of the Indian census,
made a careful compilation. He showed
that from July 4, 1776, to June 30,
1886, the Indians had cost the Govern |
ment 1928, 239, 2S4.O %. 1t is safe to say
that the four years added will bring the
figures up close to one thousand mil
lions. This enormous amount is about
one-third of what the wal of the
rebellion cost. One-third OF the
n thousand millions has been spent in
pacifying and ciyilizing the Indians.
Two.thirds of the one thousand millions
have been absorbed in fighting Indians.
Senator Doolittle, of Wisconsin, once
% %ss IL tEaa t ssBa d}Rd MRe Hf II R Ras ipss6pos FL
to negotiate q peace with the Navajoes.
Several other Senators demurred to the
cost of the proposed treaty. Mr.. Doc.
little told them something about the
cost of Indian wars. At the same time
he gave some interesting facts about
the origin of these Indian wars.
What is known as the great Sioux
war started in 1852. At that time
there was perfect peace on the plains.
Some Mormons were driving their cat
tie toward Salt Lake. Near Fort Lar
annie wa a gathering of Indians. The
military post was there, and the In
dams were camped near it. One of the
Sioux killed a COW belonging to a Nor
o The emigrant complained. The
officer in command at the post sent out
. subordinate with twenty men. The
little force went to the Indian camp,
and demanded the surrender of the
Sioux who had killed the COW. The al
Tentative was that the camp would be
fired upon. The Indians replied to the
demand: "We are willing to pay for
this animal; we will pay you in buffalo
robes or buffalo SKINS"
The army officer declined. He re-
Peated his demand for the immediate
surrender. The Indians refused. The
officer gave the order to fire. The men,
twenty, obeyed. In twenty minutes
the soldiers we're killed and scalped.
That was the beginning of the Sioux
war of 1852. The war lasted three or
four years. It cost the United States
between SIS, 0OO, 900 and $40, 900, 600.
The Navajoe war was another which
Mr.. Doolittle told about. For many
years after this Government acquired
the Territory in which the Navajoes
lived there was no trouble. One day a
Navsjoe Indian was visiting the fort
where the troops were. He got into a
quarrel with a negro boy belonging to
one of the officers. The superstition
was that the negro insulted the Indian.
The latter drew his bow5and pn al ar
row into the negro, killing him. Then
he fled to his tribe. Tho officer sent a
demand for the surrender of the Indian,
The tribe refused to give him up.
Without any delay the troops were
marched outand war was begun. Three
campaigns were made against the Navaz
joes on this ~provocations- a4hhst.A1gnited
States troops were beaten in each of
them. This Navajoe war cost7the1 Gov
ernment nearly $4,000, 600.
The biggest of all recent Indian wars
was the one about which, least was pub
1ished. It began in 1862. It had its
origin in 9 comparatively Insignificant
matter. A contractor for furnishing
Indian supplies sent to theSioux agencies
what was supposed to be prime mess
pork. The consignment was found to
consist largely of heads Of hogs. The
Indians went back on such rations, and
took the wal path instead of the souse.
Gems. Sibley and Sully conducted the
campaign. They had $4,000 troops
under them.
There is q record Of engagements with
hostile Indians within the military di-
vision of the Missouri from 1868 to 1882.
In the recapitulation of this record it
is stated that more than 1000 officers
and ooldiers were killed and wounded"
in the Indian fighting of that period.
Fou- hundred battles and skirmishes
were fought with Indians in the four.
teen years.
In answer to q resolution Of inquiry
froiaihe Senate, 1886, the Secretary Of
We; sated the total cost of the troops
in fl.o Indian country from 1876 to 1886
had been 1923, S91, 264.5O. In 1868 and
1869 there was lively Indian WARM
what is now the Indian Territory and
Oklahoma. Between 1862 and 1873
here had been murdered by Indians
600 settlers in the Southwest. On the
Cd Of March. 1868. this war to punish
the Cheyennes, Arapsh0ess aaAs.C9H,
,n.rnho~ heuan ri af7da6 Oh fIH 9tf&sI6ll