The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-06-19
LA sALLE WAS THERE.

Interesting Historical Discoveries in the
Indian Territory.
WEAIHERFoRD, Tex, June 1S.-One of the
most &C inclusive and interesting proofs OF
bit of local as we'll as general history has
just been brought to light in tho Indian
Territory, north Of this city and about di-
tainly does shed some light on tho last and
fatal expedition OF Ia Sale, the great OK
plorer, who first visited this country in the
interest of civilization. On tho north side
of the Washita river. and about a mile
from that stream, at tho base of tho Yellow
Hills, Ii one OF tho most extensive ruins in
this part Of tho country. The work has,
VT With the Lapse aR Of time, decayed greatly,
put II shows IT was once fort
laid out i'll regular order. one after the
other. and extending more than half mile
in length. Tall grass has grown up on and
around the ruin, but the great piles of Stag
thrown out by the smelters are readily dis
tinguishable and show tho mining to have
been done for silver in the old Mexican
fashion. The fort is an oblong square. The
inside wall has been built of stone and is
standing in places vet, though broken down
till one can step over il. On the outside of
this is ditch or moat. This has been cut
soping from the outside, but the bank next
the fort is perpendicular and about
os ten fee feet in, in height. a On The TOP
loose stones about three feet high. Every
thing inside of the moat seems to have
been built of stone, doubtless to keep the
fire from burning them out. There is only
one entrance to this enclosure and that ia
protected by the smelters made of stone,
and though they a. i'll ruins they show they
were constructed like common furnaces,
with place in the top for the vessel in which
the mineral was placed. An old trail leads
down to the river and shows that the water
for the camp was obtained there. Arrow
heads of flint are found in abundance about
and i'll the fort, and it must have been vigor-
ously attacked at some time by hostile saw
ages. The heads are made after the pecul-
lar style of the Sioux, and are of blue flint,
only found IN the nol olthwest, where the
tribe of that name had their chief village
There can be no doubt that the people who
built and inhabited this fort were Span
lards, for cut in large stone in n bluff al
the river are lot Of Spanish words, though
most Of them are lndistinguishable on &C
count of the crumbling of the stone by the
weather. The beginning of the sentence
are the Spanish words, ''Qnien sabe.''
Where the ore came from is not known, but
II was evidently carried out of the hills to
this place on account of water. There are
many legends among the Mexicans and
Indians that La Sale met his death in this
region. but historians have decided that he
was killed further south and on the Trinity
river. There can tie no doubt, however,
thnt this point was his camp at the time his
followers mutinied. and he turned back
toward the gulf only few days at least
before his assassination. The Me1icans
through this country say that during his
sojourn in the north he mined and col
leoted much silver, and that his followers
killed him in order to secure the treasure
that afterwards at confession they gave it
up, and 1t was made into the altar set a
long time used at the convent or mission of
San Gabriel. The investigation will be
pushed and is expected to expose relics OF
historical worth.