New-York tribune., 1875-08-20
THE BLACK HILLS.

THE LATEST REPORT FROM PROF. JANNEY.
GOLD IN THE vEEY ROOTS OF THE GRAss-NO ROYAL
ROAD TO WEALTH nOwEvER-sKIIIFCL MINING
NECEssARY-FLoRA, CLIMATE, AND MINERALS OF
THE COUNTRY.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 19.-The following let
ter received at the Indian Bureau this morning from
Prot. Janney:
CAMr on sPrING CREEK BLACK HILLS OF !
DAkOTA, July 81, 1879.
The Hoa. +. p. SMITH.
Black Hills to the north and northeast OF aneys Peak
my party. Mr. Newton, the geoogist, going south from
French Creek with the astronomer and phoograher to
far as the Cheyenne River. with tie assistance Of my
miners have prospectcd the hills to the north region
placer deposits spring and Rapid Creeks, from
tine bs SSd 70 ors ' S SepeG popcns and
ploraon shows that in localities IN the val
those Of older formation and elevated above the
level OF the streams contain gold in Quantities suicien
sllfully applied assisted by proper tools and mechani-
cal appliances at least moderate amount Of capital or
pericnce of twenty-five years has aught the miners of
the Pacific slope to employ Fortunately, there ls ad an
Creek win yield from 500 900 miners inches of water
according to the and Rapid Creek at least twice
that and while the valuable placer deposits as
@nsi"e m | oomparad with those Of California still there is
enough OF the precious metal to develop the country ana
Ont among the foot hills along the eastern slope OF The
Black Hills are large gravel deposits, in places 80
eemerae des % and eappnr the hss hills Of Jarassc sand
stone and red beds The decomposition OF This congl'n
and which has been washed by heavy occasional rains
down the dry guches and caught and concentrated IN
secondary deposits afford the only "creucing
yet. found in the hills, and may he worked worked
vlh SoWing % out 'ptS Of the S' hills in nearly every
stream 10 the plains; hut in Summer scarcely
ia
current to the Cheyenne They ALL except pera,s Kald
Should congomerates be found 10 contain gold i'll
paying quantities, it will require the employment 9l cap
mixture of ferrugn0us quartz and quartzite cross
the valleys of Spring and Rapid Greeks extending for
contained i'll the ledge have resulted from the decopo
sSR or T" Ts Ts pds a e-G and % crush
ing and pannng trace OF color oi the huch sought
for metal.
II is remarkable that few valuable minerals have
found in the Hills although the country is oyerrun
& Wy necnr am" in s sperancc is bponnt TO inc for
Identification; but have not yet seen any mineral con-
ores resulting its decomposition, ilispickle, graphic,
black tOurmane rose quartz, ga1cts, ana satrotide
Spring Creek worked out particularly rich spot where
channel has been cut across by the present bed OF
tanned 1vesixhs Of ounce OF gold, or about S5 90
The soldiers had previously panned out OF the same
place less than ounces OF coarse gold. ana on
measuring the amount Of gravel washed found that the
total Weld the OF - per cubic yard about
to the as an average for the whole thck
meas OF the deposit. - ,
IL is truly said of this region that there gold in the
very roots of the grass but is not the gold OF the
gravel Quartz lodges not the gold Of the miner or
the geologis but the solid worth Of the Black
Hills to be sought in the uxuriant growth OF fine
grasses that everywhere spread over the beautiful cou
ry OF the climate OF tie Black Hills, Tie severity OF
the Winters the danger of the crops being in
urea By Iros;s, and the agricultural products
by pyS' eS%mining tie fora Of the region slShs
tie eastern slope where the elevation Is from $500
to 500 above the The valleys filed with
fair growth OF burr oak elm, hOrnbca, box elder white
brch aspen, hazel The conspicuous plants are the
tiger lily, the poison ivy, and Virginia creepcr, grape
vines wild flax. hops, and oats, while raspber1es, back
and red gooseberries piums sirawberrs ana
other berries are in places quite abundant rom winch
assume that the climate IL not more severe than
that of Maine and NewIiampshre, where many of the
plants ard rpen their fruits and that while
not long hot enough for yet wheat,
oats barley flax hops, and potatoes would grow here
luxuriany. The rain fall is quite remarkable Scarcely
day passes without IA shower OF rain, though perhaps
only few minutes. Heavy rains OF long duia-
ton only occasionally occur, but thunder storms are
very prevalent aid Numerous. Trees may be seen all
over the Hills showing the marks OF lightning The ce-
walton above the makes the climate cool and healthy
while the heavy dcws and frequent showers OF ram Keep
country carpeted with luxnrant growth Of grass
ALWAYS gIeen WALTER T.. JASSEY,
T. NJ Geological Exploration, Black Hills.