Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1874-09-17
The Route to the Black Hills.

Cen Clusters expedition has returned.
The Glowing accounts of the beauty and
tbe agricultural and mineral resources OF
the Black Hills country have attracted
universal attention to that hitherto UNI
known section of the Union. Gen. Gus
ter's dispatches, Gen. Forsythe's diary,
and the reports of correspondents all
orree as to the facts above stated. Our
Bismarck correspondent stated in yester-
davis issue that Gen. Sheridan had not
troops enough in his department to keep
adventurous miners out OF this new
Eldorado
In his expedition Gen. Custer took his
line southwest from Fort Lincoln till he
struck the Little Missouri, and thence,
crossing over to the North Fork of the
CHEYENNE. entered the Black Hills from
the northwest; and, passing through
them. sent several parties to the South
Fork of the Cheyenne. These two streams
seem to embrace the entire Black Hills
district. From the South Fork he turned
northeast to Harney's Peak, in the vicin-
ity of which gold was found in paying
quantities, even with the superficial pros
pecting the miners were able to give the
country Hence he pursued his way
north to Bear Butte, and, exploring an
important section of the Little Missouri,
he returned eastward through Hart River
Valley to Fort Lincoln.
With our present means of transit the
Black Hills can be more easily reached
than any of our other mining districts.
Bismarck and Yankton, Oak, North
Platte, Neb, and Cheyenne, Wyo., are
all accessible by rail and the distance
from each to Harney's Peak is not very
different. The Sioux City Journal gives
the distances as follows:
WV Miles.
Bismarck to Harney's Peak ...................25l
North Platte to Harney's Peak ...............2 ~
CHEYENNE to Harneys Peak ............... All
Yankton to Harney's Peak (our estimate) -. 3oo
But Brule City, on the Missouri some
where near the mouth of the White
Earth River can be reached by steamer
from Yankton for two dollars and Brule
City to Harney's Peak is 1872 miles.
The Journal gives the expense and dis
lance from this city to the points at the
end of or on the railways as follows:
Miles. Fare.
Chicago to Bismarck. .......... 1000 S4o 70
Chicago to Cheyenne. ..........1,O 4s S
Chicago to Yankton. ............. 500 ~ %
OF course the best and cheapest route
to reach the mines will depend on the
location of the adventurer at the time of
starting. From all this section and east
ward the most direct and the cheapest
route, and in all respects the best, is by
Yankton.
The Bad Lands must be crossed from
Bismarck; and from the Union Pacific
Railway northward the country is by
no means inviting From Brule City
the route is up the valley of the
White Earth, where an abundance
of pasturage, wood and water can
be found Full outfits can be pur-
chased at Sioux City and Yankton on
reasonable terms. Were it not for the
injunctions the Sioux, and the Govern
ment as well, put upon emigrants the
mines could now be reached from this
city in from seven to ten days at most.
But, while in due time we expect to
see great rush to the Black Hills, we
warn our readers that to 60 now would
be not only hazardous, but most fool
hardy, experiment.
The Sioux regard this as sacred terri
tory They will concentrate their saw
age bands and defend it to the death
with several thousand warriors. Who
ever values his life more than gold will
stay away till the Indian title to these
lands is extinguished. Anyone, no mat
ter how large his party, goes there now
at his peril.-Chicago Tribune.