The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1875-03-18

Or. Hayden, in his geological report
OF their exploration in IS50-GJ, page
81 that M least une-third of this
area ESTIMATED at GJ0U square miles
by HIM, or about 2UOU square miI,S
- covered with excellent pine timber,
or l.2SU,OOO acres. Now the next
question arise. how Is this timber 10
be Ufttt'Ie rvaHH4Jie2 At least four to
six months in the year tht~" streams
Belle FuUrchv aud South Fork Il
Ch"yrnHvj are quite high. The logs
could BE- cut and transported iw the
sides Of thrs" streams during the dry
season, and when the sfrCuuls are
high, III the spring rs the year, they
could - lEiiru drwu into the Mis-
souri, River with a gJOI degree OF
safety and CI-u.
The Back IIills, which appear in
the distance and derive their name
from. their dark and glOUIuy appear
aHCe, confirms Iu incNhaustih!e guam
Iiiy Of the finest timber, mostly piuc,
which Will doubtless Tcuuin uudis-
turhcl for many years 10 ruIa"."
General Custer who visited the
hills last sInTHCr, in his report nlso
speaks glpwingIy Of the supply Of
timber, and says: The timber
found consisted o! many varieties,
~ AAHHa lhtAlNs VI IANlsa 'lA "tlA NHlAls
The pine Is Of suitable dimensions
for being worked into lumber, and i
mel with ia abundance On every
hillside"
Col. Forsythc, OF Gcn. Shcridau's
staff, who accompanied the rXTeIi-
ton, also tOrrOhuratCs the S"tlstcflcut
that a great abundance OF timber
exist in ihe Eiils.
The fertility OF the soil in the
Black Hills was noticed by Lieut..
Warren, in 1858. Sparkling of the
valleys in that region, he says in his
report of that year: ;" Ia these noun
tain formations which border the
great plains on the west are to be
found bPuBtifHF flowing streams, and
small rich valleys covered ovcr with
fine grG~s fur hay, and susceptible q.
cultivation By means uf irrigation.
Fine timber for fuel aud lumber,
limpstuur, and good stone for build
ing purposes ARE here a%'unditnt.
Gold has been found in places in
valuable quantities, and, without
doubt, the more common and useful
minerals VIII b. discovered when
mo e minute examinations are
made"
In the same report, further on, he
says: "HhU Cuuntry furnishes the
means of raising sufficient quantities
Of grain aud vegetables for the use of
the Inhabitants, and beautiful,
healthy aud dc-iCJhl. hNatipn1 for
their homes. The renal kablr free
dom here from sicknps, Is OF
the attractive features Of the region,
aud will, in this respect, 90 far to
rccumpcnse the settler from the
Mississippi valley for his loss in the
smaller amount Of products that cnn
be taken from the soil. The great
want of suitable IGilding material,
which now so seriously retards the
growth Of the west, Will not Jc felt
here"
He also says that these settlements
in tho Black Hills country, casftJt
be agricultural To the same extent rs
those i'll the Mississippi valley, bat
must depend greatly upon the raia-
ing of stock.
Gen. W. i. RlvuuIl-. who made Il
Typographical -uv|"y Of t!:io region
in ln59-G0, says, in spcnktng Of il in
his report, rage : "ihU Wh9i" re-
giOn Of thc BIurk IIiliI il uuguCS-
tIunalIv destined, ut 40 distant date,
to a0uil hrn,- for II thriving popu-
luiiun Thc muuntnjn, VIII furnish
Il sufficient SUPPLY If pm" lumber for
ordinary Uses, anal although timber
is very s,urcc in the region ~ Il
Whole from Fort Pirrro to the Pow
der Nivur), yet Tic B'ark Hills will
fully supply this great deficiency in
the districts Immediately G'jOlnIuG."
His route from the Missouri River
led BIN n The suTkS Of the Big
Cheyenne, and then I've s!lirtpf the
northeast and north side OF The hills.
lie describes them in his journal a II
S~uCcpSSiu1g Of mountain ranges with
beautiful valley between, the soil OF
which is rich and fertile. and GOV