The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1874-09-17
The New Ell Dorado.

This was our last day in the Black
Hills. Occasionally as VIC reached the
summit of one of the border peaks we
could see stretching away like an ocean,
miles and miles beyond us to where
the brown earth and the blue sky
seemed to meet, the hot, dry plains that
for days thereafter were to be our march
ing ground, and with much regret did
we think of leaving the cool, shady val
lcys and fresh water for the hot and
dusty prairics and alkali. The eastern
and northern ranges of the hills are quite
rs beautiful and fully as rich in every
way as the other parts, and will be, per
haps, more available for settlers when
they are permitted to enter it, as the val
lcys are wider, the hills are generally
lower and less abrupt, and the general
face OF the country more adaptable to
agriculture. Frequently the valleys
widen out into broad, level parks large
enough for a vegetable farm anu as fer
tile as Rhode Island garden, which one
could see in his minds eye laid ont &C
cording to the rules and regulations of
market men Unto all the luXurics of the
season. 1t cannot be long before these
imaginary pictures are realized; the flu
ture does not stretch far forward before
it reaches the settlement and improve
ment of this oasis of the Dakota plains.
The miners continued their prospecting
as we passed northward from Harney's
Peak, and several times found the color
of gold but never succeeded in getting
the metal. They claim that it is there
that the belt stretches southcastward
and that their test was insufficient, as is
no doubt the case, being hastily and hur-
ricdly made. Frequent indications of
iron were found, and large gypsum beds,
like those that lie to the west of Inyan
Kara. The deposits are pure and easily
available, but unfortunately the demand
| for the substance is not sufficient to call
for its mining. 1t is the gold, if anv.
thing, and the beautiful hills and val
leys that will bring people to the Black
Hills.
Those who are familiar with the Indian
reports OF the country claim that we have
not seen the richest portion that west of
where VIC arc now campcd, in that dis
trict which lies between Bear Butte and
| the southwark bend of the Belle
Fourchc, which we have "s,raddlcd," to
use vulgar phrase, lie the treasures
of which the Indian is so Jealous
that the theme of all the fabu-
lOus stories is located, and that all
tho gold nuggets that Dame Rumor ever
heard OF were picked up, where we have
not been. But Gen. Custer found the
country impossible for his train, and led
his train through that portion of the hills
which, although extremely difficult, was
most easy to enter, and us his time was
limited the explorations of this FL Dora
90 must be left for another year. AL
ready the expedition has done more than
was even hoped of it by the most SAN
gulnc; more, even, than Gen. Custer him
self, who has never learned the use of
the word failure, expected, and its direct
results Will be OF great value ON many
accounts The topography of South
western Dakota, Southeastern Montana
anu the northwestern corner of Wyoming
has been secured by the engineer corps
to degree of accuracy that is unusual :;
the course of all the streams has been
determined, and all the progression of
mincralogy, zoology and botany has been
| applied to the investigation of IL part of
the country that was hitherto totally I'M
known, with result that will be valua
bic as long as the star of empire west
ward keeps its way The fact that gold
and other mineral deposits exist here has
been verified, and, still further, the fcrtil
| ity OF the soil and the hcalthful fragrance
OF the atmosphere has been found
to equal any locality on Uncle Sans
farm. And from all the indications
we have seen it does not appear that
the Indian need be jealous of this por.
ton of his titled estate, nor will it be
robbing him to deprive him of it. We
| have found no settlements in the Black
| Hills. All we have seen have been hunt
ing parties from the Missouri agencies,
who came up here for little summer
sport. There are few traces to show
that they make this their home any por-
ton OF the year, or ever did, and the
only temptations to draw them are the
herds of elk and deer, which few years
OF active hunting would cNtcrminatc.
they cannot mine the gold or iron; the
timber does them no good and they will
never make any use of the rich soil that
has been waiting centuries to be utilized.
But am mcddling with question it is
not my province to discuss. Twill state
the fact and let other people formulate
the theories. The great fact here is: One
/ OF the most valuable landscapes on the
continent, fenced in from all civilization
one of the richest storchuuscs ever
filled with the gifts of the Almighty
locked and barred by human legislation
from those for whom it was meant
| Cor. lnter-Oceun.