The Aberdeen Democrat. (Aberdeen, South Dakota) 1???-1909, 1905-11-10
tered by the Railroads

at an average rate of thirty miles a
day, sleep on the ground, be out from
sun-up until dark and be buffeted by
its wind, rain and snow. It was my
good fortune to be made a member of
a small party which left Aberdeen on
October 5th, bound for Belle Fourche,
by way OF Evarts and the reservation
and thence to Pierre. The party was
made up of Clyde A. Mann, a Chicago
journalist; L. 81. Storgaard, of the
Dakota Farmer; Professor ]. E. Todd,
of the United States Geological Sur
vey; Clifford Kicker, driver, and my
self. We used a team and saddle
ponies and carried a complete camp
outfit. I have mentioned these de-
tails as they may serve to explain
some parts of this and following
articles.
THE STANDING ROCK RESERVATION
1 presume that the average Aber-
deenite is interested in the Standing
Rock reservation. At presents it
stands as a barrier shutting us out of
a magnificent country.
The travellers eyes, before he crosses
the Missouri, are greeted, with a
warning not to take any alcoholic
beverage with him when he steps on
the pontoon bridge. The reservation
line bars white men, civilization and
whiskey. And, incidentally, there
are a number of keen eyed Indian
policemen there who would take
pleasure in hauling an offender up be-
fore the agent. It's. their business
and they like it.
l was pleasantly surprised
when we crossed the Missouri at
Evarts. The lay Of the country is
simply immense and the grass is fine.
We pulled out to the first dam on the
six-mile cattle trail, which extends
due west across the reservation, and
camped for the night. The Milwau-
kee railroad has built these dams at
various places to provide water for
cattle which may be driven across for
shipment and they are certainly a
successful expedient. The water we
used from them was clear and cold
and, apparently, pure. We left the
upland the next day, however, and
drove to the Grand river and followed
that streams torturous course from
its mouth to the Butte county line.
The Sioux Indians have taken their
land along the Grand in s~everalty and
are, slowly, becoming farmers and.
stock raisers. 1 was deeply interested
in what they are doing and what was
being done for them but will take up
their story in another article.
The general expectation west of the
river is that the Standing Rock Reser-
walton will be opened up for settlement
next year. The allotting Of lands to
the Indians will have been completed
by early spring and there is no reason
why the remainder should not be
made subject to homestead entry
within a comparatively short time.
The Indians will be in possession Of
practically all the land along the
Grand land / am told that this is true
Of the Moreau also) but 1 am not sure
that they are getting the best Of it.
The Grand valley soil is very sandy,
and except for patches of gumbo here
and there, seems to produce fine
crops. The upland soil is heavier and
at least, gumboish until you get into
the butte country, Il don't mean
Butte county, necessarily where
one finds a considerable amount
OF sand mixed into the clay and the
result is a fine soil.
Creeks and long gulches, almost
without end, numerically, join with
the Grand and Moreau in their pro-
gress to the Missouri and afford many
opportunities for dams and plentiful
water supply. Beyond doubt much of
the Grand river country is irrigible
and will, In the near future. be
irrigated.
Ignite COAL
The Indian school at Little Eagle.
about SO miles west of the Missouri,
will this year use at least 800 tons OF
Ignite which was, in October, being
mined north of Bull Head, on Rock
creek, and hauled to the school by
team. The veins of coal there are
exposed in places which indicate its
presence under the surface of about
two sections. OF course, it may ex-
tend under the surface through ten
or more sections but it has not yet
been developed further thanas stated.
1 understand that it lies through
Indian land but am not positive.
This is the first bed OF coal we en-
countered. The vein Is of average
thickness and the quality is said to be
extra good.
krOm Little Eagle on there are beds
OF coal In various localities. Those on
the Firesteel creek, are perhaps, the
81 1--A% agEE . EER 4WL 49, 100