History of Dakota Territory, volume I, Part 114

Author: Kingsbury, George Washington, 1837-; Smith, George Martin, 1847-1920
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : S.J. Clarke Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 1198

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These wild Indians look much healthier and stronger than those who are more civilized and are cultivating the arts of civilization. All these wild Indians retain their custom of burying their dead on scaffolds, and in the upper country these scaffolds are always in sight, perched upon the highest point of land. The dead are never buried in the ground, but are wrapped in their blanket or robe and laid upon poles some ten feet high. A favor- ite horse is usually killed also and laid under the scaffold to bear his master away to the "happy hunting grounds." These scaffolds are guarded with the greatest care. They appear so frail, and located as they are in the most exposed places, one would suppose they could not remain standing long. The captain pointed out one that he had himself known as a landmark for the past sixteen years.

Big Cheyenne River, above the Cheyenne Agency, rises in the region of the Black Hills in the western portion of the territory, the two main branches almost completely encircling them. These hills take their name from the immense pine forests which cover the upper part of them, making them appear quite black in the distance. They are known to be rich in gold, silver, lead, and other minerals. A great excitement was raised last spring in regard to them, and several expeditions were planned at Yankton and other points, for the purpose of exploring them despite the opposition of the Indians. The Government stepped in, however, and proclaimed, through the military, that no such expedition would be permitted. The expedition furore then subsided. The hills are located at the very hcart of the hostile Indian country, and any invasion of them at this time would meet with their . determined and violent opposition. It is evident, however, that their full

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exploration cannot be much longer delayed, as the stories which have been toll concern- ing them have aroused the old spirit among miners and adventurers who act upon the principle that no man, especially no "bloody redskin," who cares nothing about gold and silver, and to whom it is of no value, shall act the dog in the manger, and prevent people from getting it who want it and can make use of it.

Antoine LeBeaux, the little French wood-chopper, whom we took on board a few miles above Cheyenne Agency, at his woodyard on the cast or "peaceable" side of the Missouri, has been a resident of the West for many years, and had enough of exciting adventure in the Platte Region in Nebraska, to satisfy even a frontiersman. He is as familiar with all this section of the West as a school boy is with his own township, having tramped over it when the Indians had a much wider range, and when they did not think it necessary to watch their possessions with so jealous an eye. Antoine talks English fairly, is modest and unassuming, and imparts his information without evincing any spirit of exaggeration. He has one squaw wife, I know, but I will not say he has two. He is quite fond of his family and a genuine affection for his children, who he says shall have any- thing they want that is good for them so long as they are obedient and industrious. He keeps a herd of cows, has plenty of chickens, and can get an antelope whenever he wants one. In this respect he is quite above the average wood-chopper found along the river, who live in a log hut called a "shack." unless he prepares for feeding and lodging the way-farer, when his domicile is called a "chuck-honse." llis usual diet is short-cake and molasses, with bacon and whiskey to give him the proper nerve, and his favorite amuse- ments are playing poker and firing at a mark. When a number of these fellows are met together by chance, with perhaps a cattle contractor and herder or two, this latter pro- pensity is manifested in a lively way. Pistol balls fly around the room pretty thickly, a favorite trick being to snuff a candle held on the head or in the hand of another. When it is considered that they are somewhat inebriated, it is a wonder that more are not killed in these jollifications. But this seldom occurs. The sober, quiet man, who declines to join in these festivities, is in more actual danger at such a time, as somebody usually finds it necessary to force a quarrel upon him. These men have also good traits. They are gen- erous, hospitable, and thoroughly honest in their dealings with each other. If the shack is graced with a female, it is always a squaw, of course. No other woman would go there to live ; and the woodman has another motive in marrying a squaw, for he thereby expects to secure himself from molestation from her tribe, and he can learn through her of any hostile designs upon him or his neighbors. But this matrimonial connection has its draw- backs also, for the squaw is found to have any number of "cousins" who are glad to visit their fortunate relative and who must be fed, otherwise he is put down as a "seche paleface."

At Grand River Agency at the mouth of Grand River, about half way between Forts Sully and Rice, about seven thousand Indians belonging to five bands of Sioux are subsisted. They are not all there all the time, especially during the summer, when many of them prefer the hostile camps, but there is a good sized delegation to be fed. and their tepees and ponies dot the hills for several miles above and below the agency. One band, the Lower Yanktonais, under Two Bears, are located on the east side of the river, and are giving their attention quite zealously to farming. Col. J. C. O'Connor is the agent and an excellent official. His Indians are inclined to be hostile, but he keeps them well under the curb and bit. The-e Indians are opposed to the extension of the Northern Pacific Railroad west of the river, and will fight it if they are not kept in subjection by a good force of soldiers and a wise and alert agent. A healthy effect was produced upon these Indians, July 4th, by an exhibi- tion of the power of cannon, the commander of the post desiring to show them that they could not get out of his reach in a minute. The distance at which he was able to throw shells and their explosion after they "got there" was a source of profound astonishment to the chiefs and braves. They were still more at loss to understand the Gatling gun, which "takes in the bullets like a coffee-mill and scatters them like a hail-storm." Here at Grand River is the finest collection of Indian curiosities on the river. All the war implements hive seen much service.

Fort Rice is found to be finely located on an elevated plateau, on the west bank of the river, and in command of Gen, T. J. Crittenden. The North Pacific crossing is about fifteen miles ahove Fort Rice by land, but twice that distance by river. We reached there at an early hour in the morning. The place is infested by mosquitoes to such an extent that they are regarded as dangerous. Mosquito bars are used extravagantly. We were wripped up in them laid on three or four deep, and yet these did not protect. The insects have long. sharp bills, that penetrate thick clothing; while sleeping, unless covered from head to foot with thick blankets, is out of the question. It is not impossible to eat, but we sit at tible with our heads swathed in mosquito netting and handle our food with gloved hands. The country about the proposed crossing is much better than I had expected to find from the information I had. There is a good supply of timber and steamboat people tell me the cottonwood is harder and much better than that further south.

The new military fort, "Fort McKean." was definitely located August 21th. It is three miles south of the month of Heart River on the west bank of the Missouri. It is on a very high point, commanding a view of forty or sixty miles in every direction.

The railroad town, called Edwinton, is on the east side of and about two miles back from the Missouri River. It is handsomely located and already has a population of about

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seven hundred. The railroad will not be completed to the Missouri until some time next year. Surveys are being prosecuted west of the river under the protection of 1,200 troops commanded by General Stanley, this being considered necessary to keep the Indians from preventing the surveys, which they declare they are determined to do, and have already made some harmless attacks. As it will not be practicable to keep this military guard and probably a much larger one, as work on the road progresses, it is being arranged to take a large delegation of the different recalcitrant tribes to Washington for the purpose of amicably adjusting the difficulty. This would have been done earlier, but the Indians are slow to move, doubtless expecting to gain advantage by delay. Their leading men realize that the road will be built, but they are desirous of making the Government pay them well for being good.

Our trip west and north must terminate here as our cargo belongs to the military sta- tioned here at Fort McKean, with some shipments of merchandise to individuals at and around Edwinton, who are preparing to become the pioneer merchants of the town that will grow up at the railroad terminus.

Fort McKean was found too exposed to the elements and too inaccessible on the high point on which it had been built, and was abandoned and a new fort constructed on the lowland and named Fort Abraham Lincoln.

During the latter part of 1872 a military post was erected at Cheyenne Agency and called Fort Bennett, and garrisoned by United States troops. The step was deemed necessary to protect the agency and control the insolent and unruly classes among the Indians. Fort Sully was fifteen miles away, on the east bank of the river, and in case of emergency could not extend assistance.

WILLIAM WELCH'S VISIT

William Welch, Doctor Paddock and Colonel Kemble, composing the executive committee on Indian affairs of the Episcopal Church, accompanied by Mrs. Rum- ney, a devoted missionary woman who desired to inform herself regarding the conditions of the Indians, made an official visit to the various Indian agencies in Dakota in the summer of 1872, which had been placed by the Government in their charge. These agencies included the Yankton, Lower Brule, Crow Creek and Cheyenne on the Missouri River, and the Rosebud or Spotted Trail west of the river. They reported, after their visit and investigation, that the material con- dition of the Indians was better than they expected to find it. The Indians generally were contented, and, for Indians, quite industrious, and thoroughly peaceable. A number of missionaries from this church were placed in the Indian field at this time. The Cheyenne agency provided for about 7,000 Siottx-many of them-in fact most of them not yet weaned from the chase and the wild ways of Indians, though apparently disposed toward peace with the whites, but omitting no opportunity to battle with other nations of their race, including the Crows, Mandans, Gros Ventres and Rees. It was furthermore charged and well supported that the Cheyenne agency, owing to the great numbers of Indians who were provided for at that point under treaties, furnished an asylum for thousands of hostile Indians, many of whom were at this time making trouble under the direction of the crafty Sitting Bull, along the proposed route of the Northern Pacific Railroad west of the Missouri River. These savages could aid Sitting Bull in his predatory warfare and then could return to this agency and draw their rations without being detected, and in this way the Government was feeding and supporting a large contingency of the force that was opposing the troops sent out to protect the engineers who were engaged in running the lines for the future railway to the Pacific. While this was known to be practiced, the utmost vigilance failed to discover the individual Indians who were guilty. The friendly Indians who, it was morally certain, knew these hostile parties, could not be induced to betray them. The absence of such parties from the agency did not necessarily mean that they had gone to assist the hostiles, it being a custom of the Indians to go out for a hunt or for other peaceable purposes and remain away for weeks. It seemed they were free to go and come, though not permitted to go beyond their own reservation, but there was no one to watch them and ascertain

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whether they violated their privileges. The military people repeatedly charged that the agency Indians furnished Sitting Bull with much of his best equipped army. Major Bingham, a very worthy and competent man as his subsequent career proved, was installed as agent here in 1872, superseding the military agent, Major Kues, who returned to the army.

The winter of 1871-72 had been severe west of the Missouri. The Indians lost hundreds of ponies, and a number of their women and children perished. Thousands of buffalo, in various herds, unable to paw through deep snow for grass, perished of starvation. Snow fell ou fifty-six days between the Ist of December. 1871, and February 28, 1872, and a number of blizzardy storms, lasting from two to three days, were experienced within the snowy period.

TERRITORIAL. POLITICAL SITUATION

The settlements made by white people at various points in the northern part of the territory, notably on the line of the Northern Pacific, introduced a new factor into the political arena of the territory, and gave to those new communities, properly enough, considerable importance in the eyes of the politicians of the older settled sections south.

The year 1872 was an important one politically. A President of the United States was to be elected, and General Ulysses S. Grant, with Hon. Henry Wilson, of Massachusetts, as his running mate, was the candidate of the republican party for a second term; opposed on the democratic side by Horace Greeley and B. Gratz Brown, of Missouri, who were the candidates in fact of the liberal repub- lican party, but had been tacitly endorsed by a convention of the democratic party, which made no nominations, though subsequently a special democratic convention was heldl and nominated a straight democratic ticket composed of Charles ()'Connor and John Quincy Adams. This liberal republican movement was well represented in the territory.

In the new northern sections which had recently been occupied, and had grown to numerous bodies of voters, the regular old line republicans were largely in the majority, but there was considerable dissatisfaction apparent regarding the apportionment of legislative representatives in 1871, also in the number of delegates apportioned to that section by the territorial committees of the leading parties, which resulted in the organization of a separate party and a separate ticket by the republicans of Cass County, where it was claimed a large number of voters resided. The claim was made that in the Red River Valley there were nearly two thousand legal voters, and as many more along the line of the Northern Pacific road to Bismarck, the latter place claiming 1,000.

These claimed voters were not all of one party. The democratic element had the like list of grievances against their southern party brethren as those alleged by the republicans. The outcome of this situation was the candidacy of Henry S. Back, of Fargo, for delegate to Congress, who was supported by the members of both parties. He appears to have been placed in the field by popular consent as one of the carliest settlers and a public spirited and able man. In the southern portion of the territory the republicans had divided, as usual, and presented two candidates, W. W. Brookings, and Gideon C. Moody, while the democrats and liberal republicans had united and nominated Moses K. Armstrong, the then incumbent of the office.

There was another, and the most powerful, factor behind this independent political movement in the north ; which was no less than the securing of a division of the territory on the line of the forty-sixth parallel.

At the time the preliminary steps were taken to inaugurate the political cam- paign of 1872 in Dakota, there was a promise that the Burleigh and Spink wings of the republican party would coalesce and form a united party. Neither Mr Burleigh or Mr. Spink were candidates at this time and would not becon candidates unless unforeseen favorable contingencies occurred. The way seemed

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clear for holding one republican convention only. The most prominent candidates before the people were Judge W. W. Brookings and Col. Gideon C. Moody, both Yankton men ; and others not so prominent as candidates but leading men of the territory whose claims for the nomination were advocated, were Gen. W. H. H. Beadle, surveyor general; ex-Chief Justice Ara Bartlett; Col. John L. Jolley, of Clay County; Capt. A. B. Wheelock, of Lincoln County; and Alexander Hughes, of Union County. While Messrs. Burleigh and Spink were not per- sonally in the field, it was apparent early in the season that the Burleigh faction were supporting Colonel Moody, and the Spink faction sustaining the claims of Judge Brookings. Mention has heretofore been made of the schism existing at Yankton, the capital of the territory, growing out of the rivalry between Broadway and Capital Street. This rivalry had begun in 1869, when the lower town interests united for the purpose of making Capital Street one of the business centers of Yankton. While it was customary with some to attribute the origin of the political factions which made up the leading political party, to a rivalry between Broadway and Capital Street, it is more probable that the factional spirit grew out of the ambitions of two of the most prominent leaders at that time, both residents of Yankton ; Moody residing in the Broadway territory but having no speculative real estate interest in either section, while Brookings was one of the promoters of improvements on Capital Street. Mr. Armstrong, however, the democratic candidate, was more zealous and more directly interested than any in building up Capital Street, and he was cordially supported by the democrats of the city, many of whom were largely interested in the prosperity of Broadway. It was not Yankton County alone that was divided in support of these two Yankton County men, but every organized county in the territory, and there were but few, save Union but was discovered to be in the same condition, with its Brookings and Moody faction.

The election of two years before, when Burleigh and Spink divided between them the vote of the republicans for delegate to Congress, had bequeathed to the party two organizations with two territorial central committees ; George H. Hand, as chairman of one, representing the Spink element : and Labam H. Litchfield as chairman of the other, representing the Burleigh faction. These gentlemen, for the purpose of uniting the party and to promote harmony, joined in calling the two committees together in April, 1872, at which meeting it was unanimously agreed to "bury the hatchet." At the same meeting the two committees united in issuing a call for a territorial convention in words following :

Office Territorial Central Committee. Yankton, D. T., April 10, 1872.

A territorial convention of the republican party of Dakota Territory will be held at Canton, onTuesday, May 21st, 1872, at 2 o'clock P. M., for the purpose of; selecting two delegates to the National Union Convention, to be held at Philadelphia, on the 5th day of June, 1872; and also to nominate a candidate for delegate to Congress; territorial auditor ; treasurer, superintendent of public instruction, and commissioner of immigration, and for the transaction of such other business as may properly come before it. The ratio of repre- sentation will be one delegate from each county in the territory, and in addition thereto, one for every fifty republican votes or fraction over twenty, cast for delegate to Congress at the general election in 1870, as follows :

Union County, 11; Clay County, 10; Yankton County, 12; Bon Homme County, 4; Lincoln, 6; Minnehaha, 4; Pembina, 1; Charles Mix, 3; Buffalo, 2; Hutchinson and Ilan- son, 1; Brookings and Deuel, 1; Turner County, I.

GEO. 1-1. HAND, Chairman, J. Q. FITZGERALD, G. P. BENNETT, F. J. CROSS, O. B. IVERSON, Territorial Committee Spink faction.

L. 11. LITCHFIELD, Chairman, N. E. PHILLIPS, C. L. GARDNER, H. J. AUSTIN, W. H. HOBROUGII, JOHN W. OWENS, E. LEGRO, Territorial Committee, Burleigh faction.

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Accordingly the territorial convention was held at Canton pursuant to the call. The preliminary contest for delegates in the various counties had been spirited, and as a sequence to the acrimonious and bitter feelings entertained by many members of the party, bequeathed by the contest of 1870 there were a num- ber of what were known as "double-headed" delegations at Canton, on the morning set for the convention. The proceedings of the various county conventions show the relentless factional feeling entertained.

Prior to the assembling of the convention at Canton either the evening previous or on the morning of the convention, the united territorial committees held a meeting for the purpose of settling upon a plan of organizing the convention, and the admission of delegates to the preliminary organization. At this committee meeting, H. J. Austin, of Clay, was made chairman, and Nye E. Phillips, of Minnehaha, secretary. There were present Il. J. Austin, L. H. Litchfield, J. Q. Fitzgerald, G. P. Bennett, F. J. Cross, O. B. Iverson, C. L. Gardner, E. LeGro, N. E. Phillips, Geo. H. Hand, represented by proxy. A motion by L. H. Litch- field that the committee issue tickets to the delegates entitled to seats, was carried by a vote of eight to two. In regular order and on motion the committee voted to issue tickets to the delegation from Clay County of which F. J. Cross was a member ; to the Union County delegation of which E. LeGro, was a member ; to the Lincoln County delegation of which A. B. Wheelock was a member ; of the delegation from Minnehaha County of which John Thompson was a member ; that John Bippus be admitted as a delegate from Brookings County : that Vale P. Thielmann be admitted from Turner County which was changed to admit Edward Laird ; that the delegation from Bon Homme County of which L. D. F. Poore was a member, be admitted ; from Charles Mix County, Wm. Mckay bc admitted ; that L. H. Litchfield be admitted as proxy from Pembina County ; and J. Viboring from Hutchinson County. It was decided to hear the contest from Yankton County. After the hearing in the Yankton case it was decided to admit the delegation of which J. M. Stone and L. H. Litchfield were members ; J. H. Bernard was admitted from Buffalo County. This closed the list, the committee then announced that the convention would be held at Stafford's store- room, and then adjourned.

After the adjournment the delegates repaired to Stafford's storeroom to hold the convention, when it was learned that a portion of the delegates to whom the committee had given seats, had decided not to attend. but would hold a separate convention at the schoolhouse. The delegates that repaired to the schoolhouse were in favor of Colonel Moody's nomination, and it was known that the con- vention as made up by the central committee would not favor the colonel but would probably nominate Brookings. The Moody convention took one from Charles Mix, the entire delegation from Union, and from Minnehaha, and five of the six delegates from Lincoln and the contesting delegation from Yankton County. Thus two conventions were held without the formality or informality of a bolt. Judge Brookings was duly nominated for delegate by the convention at Stafford's, while Colonel Moody received the nomination at the schoolhouse. Here follows the proceedings of the convention at Stafford's :

Pursuant to call of the joint territorial committees, the territorial republican convention convened at the store of S. H. Stafford, Jr., in the Town of Canton, Lincoln County, Dakota Territory, on Tuesday, May 21, 1872, at 2 o'clock P. M.

The convention was called to order by L. HI. Litchfield, chairman of the terri- torial central committee, and on motion of L. D. F. Poore, Col. B. F. Campbell, of Clay County was chosen temporary chairman. On motion of Capt. Nelson Miner, of Clay County. L. D. F. Poore, of Bon Homme County, was chosen temporary secretary. C. H. Melntyre, of Yankton, moved that one member from each county be appointed a committee on credentials, carried and the chair appointed E. H. Laird, Turner ; Nelson Miner, Clay : John G. Mead. Bon Homme ; Charles I1. MeIntyre, Yankton; Kerwin Wilson, Charles Mix: C. H. Brooks, Union : John Bippus, Brookings; P. C. Parke, Lincoln ; George Stover, Buffalo;

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I .. H. Litchfield, Pembina ; Joseph Viborney, Hutchinson ; C. H. Graham, Hanson ; John Thompson, Minnehaha.

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History of Dakota Territory, volume I, Part 114

Author: Kingsbury, George Washington, 1837-; Smith, George Martin, 1847-1920 Publication date: 1915 Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : S.J. Clarke Publishing Company Number of Pages: 1198

Author: Kingsbury, George Washington, 1837-; Smith, George Martin, 1847-1920
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : S.J. Clarke Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 1198