The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-03-25
A CATTLE TRIAL GRANTED.
An Agreement Made for One Across
the Cheyenne Reservation.

| SIOUX FALLS, s. D., March 24.-The
| Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Rail-
way Company anticipates a large in
| crease in cattle shipments over its lines
| from the great ranges of the State this
season. The recent extension of its
Bowdle Branch to the town of Evarts, on
the Missouri River, gives the company
the best of opportunities to secure the
bulk of the cattle shipments from the
ranges west Of the river. as the new line
now gives il two. outlets-from Eyarts
and from Chamberlain. The Cheyenne
River Indian reservation extends for a
distance of about seventy-fve miles west
of Evarts, but west of that is a wide
extent of public domain, embracing the
counties of Ewing, Harding. Martin,
Wagner Choteau. Rhinehart. Delaney,
and Scobey. which afford rich grazing
grounds and annually send to market
many thousand cattle. Many 'souaw
men" living on the reservation are also
extensively engaged in cattle raising. and
send large numbers of cattle to market
each year. The Milwaukee company ex-
poets to secure the bulk of the animals
from that region for shipment over It's
line, and some months ago. with this
object in view, secured permits from the
Indians on the Cheyenne Reservation and
from the Interior Department at WASH
ington for cattle trail across the reser-
walton to point on the Missouri River
opposite fvarts.
Although many attempts had been made
to induce the Indians on other reserva-
tions In the State to consent to granting
cattlemen a trail across their lands s0
that 1t would not be necessary to 90 50
far to drive cattle TO the nearest railroad
points for shipment to Eastern markets
this Is the first roadway of the kind the
Sioux Indians have ever granted for the
benefit of white cattlemen. Some years
ago efforts were made in the interests of
the stock industry of Omaha to get the
Indians 10 consent to the driving of cat
tie from the interior of the ceded Stony
lands across the Pine Ridge reservation
but the Indians protested against ana
defeated the movement. Had they con-
sented 1t would have diverted to Omaha
many thousands of head of cattle which
are now annually shipped to Chicago
The new cattle trail across the Chev-
enn. reservation is six miles wide and ex-
tenus along the northern boundary of the
reservation 1t will be marked by poste
similar TO those which mark the boundary
line between Siaies. The posts will be
substantial about mile apart ana
closer where the land is rough, the inten-
ton being to place the posts close enough
together so that one may be seen from
another, so there will be no excuse for
permitting cattle TO wander across the
line 10 the reservation.
The Indians at first demanded that the
trail he fenced, but the post plan was
accepted as II compromise. As "a return
for the use of this tran the Milwaukee
company agrees to pay the Indians a toll
of a certain amount for every animal
driven across The sums thus collected
will go into fund, out Of which Indian
policemen whose duty 1t will be to guard
the trail and sec that cattle driven across
do not wander TO the lands of the IN
dians. and 10 prevs9it reckless employees
OF the cattlemen from "rusting'' cattle |
belonging to the Indians, win be paid. |
The surplus of ithis fui.i above the paw |
ment OF the Indian policemen will be di- |
vided pro rata amoiig the Indians on the |
reservation.