Jasper Republican, Volume 1, Number 26, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 March 1875 — A Voice From the Black Hills. [ARTICLE]

A Voice From the Black Hills.

There can be no doubt that an authentic report is now heard from the invading party of adventurers which is known to have been ensconced in the heart of the famous Black Hills of Wyoming all winter. Two men belonging to the band have arrived at Sioux City, lowa, whence they started last fall and which is their place of residence. One of them is an elderly man named Witcher, who has been well known for many years in the West as a freighter, but latterly has settled down as a cattle buyer and shipper in Sio.ux City. His report is of great interest, since it seems to be the first voice from the veritable center of the country over which so much speculation has been indulged in for a great number of years. He says that after the expedition of twenty-nine persons (one woman) and six wagons left Sioux City last October it went across Northern Nebraska and struck the Niobrara River 120 miles from its conjunction with the Missouri, and thence went across the countiy intervening between the Niobrara ana Cheyenne Rivers,and entered the Black Hills, which were penetrated nearly to the base of Harney’s Peak, where the company threw up a stockade and went into winter quarters. They were over two months on the trip, and met only one small party of Indians, which offered no resistance to the invaders. In the mountains the expedition found plenty of timber and an abundance of wild game. In prospecting for gold twenty-five pits were sunk, and gold quartz found in every Instance, but the richest specimens of ore were silver, instead of gold. Mr. Witcher and his comrade, a Mr. Gordon, left the Hills Feb. 8, with the intention of reporting progress to their Eastern friends and of forming another expedition in the spring. They rode on horseback the entire distance in less than thirty davs, were not met by any Indians, and subsisted on the provisions they started with and deer killed by the way. The snow was deep and the cold intense, but the hardy fellows reached home well and in good spirits. Mr. Witcher brought specimens of silver ore and gold quartz, and says the expedition is sanguine of success in mining operations. The party left in the Hills has plenty of provisions and ammunition. Nothing was seen, of the two Government expeditions which were sent out to dislodge them from Indian soil, but which were forced to turn back by the severity of the weather. —Chicago Journal, March. 1.

One of the most important railway lines in Bavaria has for many years been worked with turf, or peat. The material is obtained from the bogs of Haspelmoos, abundant in quantity and of the best quality attainable. The method pursued in its preparation is that devised by M. Exeter, and which is alleged to possess superior advantages on the score of adaptation and cheapness. The turf, as dug or dredged, appears commingled with a considerable proportion of earthy matter; from this it is separated by grinding up, large, dilution with water, and decantation «of the water bearing the light peat particles still in suspension from the heavier earth matter which has deposited. This is left to dry in layers exposed to the air, and compressed in molds by power. —Paradoxically speaking, mist is neve* mist when it is missed.

No three men, taken at random anywhere, seem to agree on the Beecher-Til-ton case, and how can the twelve jury men ever agree ? A nnmber of Senators are of the opinion that the extra session of the Senate will last about two weeks, owing to the discussion of the Pinchback question. The amount of indemnity premised by Spain to the United States in the settlement of the Virginius affair is $80,000 instead of $18,000z as erroneously printed. It is announced that the President intends to spend the summer in Europe, consequently the Southern banditti will have full sway with none to molest or make afraid. An exchange is chatting gospel truth when it says : “These three things it is unwise to repose confidence in—a Democratic Legislature, nitro-glycerine and a mule’s sense of honor.” The President has refused to sign the bounty bill. It is estimated that the bill if made a law, would take from §50,000, 000 to $100,000,000 from the Treasury, which the President considered a little too heavy a draw. “The onee proud Anglo-Saxon race” is a pet term with Southern Democratic orators. The trouble is, some of the race are too proud ; if they did more manual labor, and indulged in less “chin music,” the country would be better off. Onr reform legislature convened in extra session on Tuesday, and will still continue to draw eight dollars per day.— It has already been in session some time, drawn its pay and mileage promptly, and done nothing else of importance. Maine has a compulsory education bill under discussion, which provides that poor children shall not only be educated, but decently clothed at public expense. It is hoped by this means to inculcate a dignity of personal bearing, with a well educated-mind. A Missouri farmer has been making a little calculation about dogs, and here is the result: 402,000 in 32 counties killed 10,602 sheep, and ate enough other grub to have made 92,000,000 pounds of pork, worth, at 6 cts a pound, §4,520,000 or twice the value of all the school houses in the State. Says the Laporte Chromcle'. We are not willing to believe that people prefer to hear evil said of men falsely, rather than that which is good, truthfully; yet how much oftcnc-r we see the former in newspapers than the latter. We sincerely hope there will be a speedy reformation of the press in this respect. Four townships of Carroll county voted in favor of an appropriation to the 1., D. & C. R. R., while one tow’nship voted nginst it by a small majority. The Delphi Journal says i-t is claimed by many that the judges refused enough legitimate votes to have changed the result, and that another elect on will be ordered to beheld in the township which voted against the appropriation. New Hampshire sends forth no un certain sound. The election held in that State resulted in a Republican victory, and thus the tidal wave has already begun to recede—merely a slight foretaste of what it will be in ’76. Later.—One Democratic and one Republican Congressman are elected. The third is still in doubt. Any gentlemen wanting to start a daily magazine of 100 pages or more, can find plenty of material in the waste-basket, of the Chicago Tribune. And any gentleman who wants to start first classwaste-basket, can find plenty of material in the columns of the Tribune. —lndianapolis Sun. While you are in the business say a second or thirdcla°s waste-basket. The coming season ought to be a good one fir business. Money has not been so plenty for years. The corn and hog crops have brought immense sums into the State, it being estimated that not much less than one hundred millions of dollars were paid out for hogs alone. — The farmers have done well. They have Lad fine crops and got big prices for them, and if they pay their debts and buy what they need, it will give an impetus to trade that will be felt in every branch of business.— lndianapolis News.