Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1916-07-07
CAPTAIN! Il Of Bismarck
Company Discovers Site
or Old Indian Village

movement, whether caused by the APP
pearance of the Warlike Dakotas from
the Minnesota country and Nebraska,
or simply desire to change to an
other district, might we'll be treated
Fof in another paper. 1t is enough
for us o~know that this migration did
take place, and that the Mandans-
turning their faces from their old
homes at Pierre, set out along the
great stream towards the north,
wher, where, as their traditions re-
late, "the scouts had discovered a
good place to live in" Et IA
As there are no Mandan village
sites between Ft. Pierre and the vii
lage discovered by Capt. Welch, it is
reasonable to believe that the Ft. Pi-
ere people may have gone in body
directly to. this site and proceeded to
build their future homes and develop
their corn fields.
d.. Site Makes Ideal City. =. ~
The selection for the location of the
village was we'll made, an it is ideal
for a modern city of 100000 people.
The Missouri river flows nearly north
and south at this point and for sew
eral miles above and below; sprirss-
fed creek flows in from the west and
north, coming from a line of hills
which extend for many miles, and
ends quite abruptly at the Missouri
river banks These hills are the high
est points along the river on the west
side for at least 200 miles and form
a great natural storm barrier for the
extensive valley to he south. To tth
south of the little stream is fiat
forded to so feet above Missouri flood
waters, which extend for several
miles to the south and west in a great
semicircle, rising rapidly, in the west
part to gently rolling prairie hills.
The wide, low bench Of the Missouri
valley is heavily timbered. Today the
broad Missouri sweeps along nearly
one-half mile to the east, but in re-
mote times it cut the western bank.
The Blackfeet creek is an ever-fowing
stream, fringed with timer and runs
in gully 40 feet deep. Directly up
on it's southern bank, at the point
where it empties into the Missouri
river lowlands, lies THIS prehistoric
village of the Mandani. G
Village Well Known. -
This ancient village has been
known to the Dakotas, at least to the
Teton division, for at Yeast 80 years,
and it is quite probable that scouting
parties of the "Sihasapa' Blackfeet
division of the Dakota Tetons, Under
the leadership Of Maco Watakpe,
grandfather of the present chief,
John Grass, had pushed up into this
district fully 100 years ago and stood
in awe and establishment as they gaz-
ed upon these extensive runs.
Lewis and Clark Visit Tribes.
After the Atchison expedition in
1923 against the Rees, who lived at
the mouth of the Grand triver, the
Rees practically disappeared from
that vicinity and went directly to the
bad lands on the Little Missouri, rails
ing corn and gradually drifting down
the stream, cutting across to the
Knife river and finally making an ALI
ance for protective and defensive pur-
poses with. the remnants of the Man
dams and .Hidates Their villages
fwere visited by Lewis and Clark and
the expedition spent the winter Of
1904 and 1905 in a. large village OF
these people at the mouth OF the
Knife river. In the Atchison expedi-
ton $50 Tetons were used, who were
under the charge OF Major Pitcher
in the employ of the american Fur
| company. After the burning of this
village on the Grand river, the TIE
tons overfowed the country as fa1
north as the Cannon all. For many
years it was the custom OF the Slhas
apa to camp near this abandoned vii
lage, where $50 years before small
pox had killed the people SO fast that
they laid where they fell and the
lodges and contents remained un
touched until they hat fallen com
pletely into decay. At last venture
some ones of the TetOns entered the
village in search of loot, and thereat
ter it was their usual custom to &C
there at least once a year for vessels
of burn clay, bone implements, beads
and ornaments of melted glass. The
Sihasapa division claimed the country
by reason of conquest. and from thai
time until the present it has beer
/ the home of the Blackfeet division O
the Dakota Chief Jonn Grass a
4 present lives on the village side.
Capt. WEIGH Secures Specimens.
Captain WEIGH securec nand-snapee
beads of sapphire. which when strunt
were about six feet in length. HI
/ -. 1.-.. 49,. - .oorod sa{nno NJ