The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-06-20
RICH
IN HISTORY
SCENES OF BATTLES BETWEEN
WHITES AND REDS.
BY HAPPY HOMES
Indians Former Hunting Preserves
Given Over to Agriculture.
ane: Pastoral Far:4it.

To the few people residing in this
p.,r: Of Montana who came here short
" sfler the massacre of General Gus
ter end his men by Sioux IN lians, rs
Yeas ago this month, and to those
who contehded with other tribes
against horse stealing, the country
contiguous to the site of the old Grow
agency on the Rosebud river in Car
bon county furnishes an interesting
reminder Of the h%ardships and priva-
lions endured in those days.
After the killing of Custer and his
men the Indian bureau concluded to
vacate the Grow agency, then near
where the city of Livingston now
stands, and locate a new one on the
Rosebud river. The move was not
accomplished without difficulty. While
the Sioux appeared subdued there
were other Indians bent on depreda-
lions. These came from the north
and their mission was principally
horse stealing from the Crows and the
few white settlers who had ventured
into the country to make their homes.
It is related by those who battled for
their rights and are still living in the
section whose perpetual snow capped
mountains furnish the numerous
sparkling streams which feed the Vel
lowstone from the south in Carbon
county that life in those days was not
one continual round of pleasure. Mil
itary posts were far removed from
the scenes where Indians from the
north delighted to swoop down upon
the camps of their enemies and depart
with the best horses in the bunch.
Oftentimes these visitors from hostile
camps came at the most unexpected
moment and the fact that the new
Grow agency on the Rosebud was To-
Gated along the creek where timber
and underbrush furnished cover, agen-
cy employees and Indians alike were
not in%frequently disturbed by the sud
den appearance of the enemy bent on
the taking of life and property.
Of all the men living today and still
residents of the locality which was
the scene of SO much hostile activity
among the Indians, there is none who
views the past and can the broad
fields of agriculture and pastoral do
main with more satisfaction and con-
tentment than G. H. Barstow, who
lives within sight of the scene of many
of these frontier day escapades. AL
most surrounded by the snow-capped
mountains, Mr.. Barstow with his fam
lily is spending the evening of his life
on a spot which is the perfect ideal
), of rural life. Amid these surround
ings it was the pleasure of this writer
a few days ago to spend some time
with this most hopitable host and lis
ten to "reminiscences of q time when
all that great expanse Of country lying
along and tributary tothe Yellowstone
was only beginning to be wrested from
the control of hostile people.
And this is but q quarter of q cen
! fury ago. The buffalos then roaming
these plains and valleys in countless
thousands, have disappeared as if the
: earth had opened and swallowed to
the last remnant this noble king OF
= the plains. Like the buffalo, the In
dian Of those days is no longer OF
earth. He is succeeded by the Indian
with high-heeled boots and a falI
knowledge of English and books. Thu
rations which he often rejected in
those days, rendered by the govern
ment, because he preferred buffalo
meat straight, he is thankful for now
: and skicks'' all the harder when those
: rations with each succeeding year
2 are reduced another notch. But Will
= these changes has come the happy
contentment of many thousands o.
white people who have settled upor
these lands, and in no part OF tn
country designated in the earle
school biographies as the "Grea
: American Desert" is there a spot ap
~parently more prosperous h an tina
which is referred to in this brief ar