Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1916-03-31
certainly was not very encouraging.
Called on Gen. Grant.

House to see Gen. Grant, then prcsi-
dent. Mr.. Window made strong
argument as to the reason why the
Black Hills should be opened. and
especially as to the interference of
troops, stating the impossibility of
keeping the people under control UNI
der the existing gold iscoveries, and
to prove his statement handed the
two walls with the gold to the Presi-
dent, who took them, pouring their
contents on a paper and after exam
lining the gold, carefully returned the
same to the walls, with a remark
which gave US to understand that
the interview was ended, and that was
all he wished to hear about our mis-
sion. @
Troops Not to Interfere.
l felt our trip ended in nothing.
We returned to the hotel feeling
rather discouraged. When Mr.. Strait
came in about 10 p. M, and told US
he had seen Senator Window, who
informed him that he had later in
terview with the President, who gave
him to understand that the troops
would not interfere further with the
people going to the Black Hills, but
they must run their own risk with
the Indians for the present. On
learning of this we Immediately tele-
grapher to Mr.. Sargent, then General
Manager of the Northern Pacific. to
have the road opened to Bismarck
at once, having an understanding with
him to this effect, providing we sue
ceeded in our mission, before leaving
ST. Paul. d. ..,s.s...
Met General Custer.
On our return Col. Lounsberry got
off at some town in Ohio where he
said he was born. l met Gen. Gus
ter at the Grand Pacific, Chicago.
He was also on his way west. He
was very sanguine as to the out
look the coming summer, and said an.
expedition was to be sent to force
the Indians to their reservations.
This was, however, before he was
called to Washington on charges OIL
account of his letter to the New
York Herald. severely criticising the
Grant administration. He lost the
command Of his regiment for the
time being on account of it and of
the expedition which was first start
ed through him, and probably his
life over it. That does not however
belong here, though l think, could
show by facts within my knowledge,
the correctness of the statement.
On my arrival at st. Paul I found
the Northern Pacific had just got
through to Bismarck, land was about
to start running the train. Old Capt.
Blakely. N. P. Clark and others had
the North Western Stage
Co. to run from Bismarck to the
Hills, and was getting their. outfit
ready to ship. "a:
.% Many; Went TO Black Hills.
took the first train for home and
again met Gen. Custer and Col. VIM.
Thompson, then captain in the 9TH
Cavalry, who was also returning
west. and quite number on their
way to the Hills. 1t commenced to
snow as we left Fargo and was a
genuine old Dakota blizzard as we
got to Jamestown. Major Bell with
a company from Fort yTotten board
ed the train here on his way to Fl.
Lincoln. We left Jamestown with as
little delay as was possible, being
afraid that all the cuts would fill up.
A short distance west of Jamestown
we met with heavy drifts and they
bucked snow all that night, and the
next evening found us in that big cut
about where Dawson is now, with
couple of hundred yards to get
through. Up to this time they kept
one engine with the train, and only
used it to pull out the pusher and
snowplow, when they could not ex-
tricate themselves. The fuel was get
ting about exhausted, but by getting
through this cut there was a good
chance to get to Bismarck, so a coun-
Gil was held and he three engines
were put into service to drive the
snowplow through. The three got
stuck however, and the crew were
tired out. So next morning we were
at least half miles from the en-
gines with the cut filled up and the
engines about dead. Luckily we had
an operator on the train, and were
able to send message to Bismarck.
They sent team after me, and Capt,
Tom Custer came and took the Cen
eral. 1t was several days before the
train made its way to Bismarck, but
since then the road was always kept
open to Bismarck. This ended my
trip. There is no fiction about this,