River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1875-09-03
Prof. Jenney's Gold, But
Not for Poor Men


The following letter, dated at the camp
on Spring Greek in the Black Hills, July
3lst, was received at the Indian Bureau
on the 10Th inst:
Hon. Z. p Smith
Sir In my Geographic dispatch, dated
July 18th, briefly informed you of my
explorations in that portion of the Black
Hills to the north and northeast of Har-
ney's Peak. In order to more rapidly
explore the hills have divided my par.
ty, Mr.. Newton, the geologist, going
south from French Creek with the astron.
omer and photographer to map and ex-
plOre the southern portion of the country
as far as the Cheyenne river, and |, with
my miners, have prospected the hills to
the north, region hitherto unexplored
and unknown.
FOUND GOLD
in placer deposits on both Spring and
Rapid creeks, from their headwaters to
the point where they emerge from the
hills, and more extended prospecting
and exploration shows that in localities
in the valleys of those streams the gravel
bars, especially those of older formation
and elevated above the present level of
the streams, contain gold in
quantities sufficient to Yield a
fair remuneration for labor, economically
and skilfully applied, assisted by proper
tools and mechanical appliances, mod.
crate amount Of capital or its equivalent,
and such system Of working as the cx-
perience of twenty-five years has taught
the miners of the Pacific slope to employ
Fortunately there is an abundance of wa
ter in both of these streams, with a good
fail, and in most instances a rapid cur
rent. Spring Creek will yield from 300
to 200 miners inches Of water, accord
ing to the season, and Rapid Creek at
least twice that amount. While the val.
liable placer deposits, as far as discover.
ed. are by no means rich or very exten.
Sive, compared with those of California.
still there is enough Of the precious metal
TO develop the country, and stock raising
and agriculture will do the rest. Out
among the foot hills, along the eastern
slope of the Black Hills, are large gravel
deposits, in some places thirty feet in
thickness, often cemented by lime into a
hard conglomerate and Gaping the high
The decomposition Of this conglomarate
has in places yielded the gold which it
contains and which has been washed by
heavy occasional rains down the dry
gulches. Here il caught and concen.
trated in the sandstone Of the red
beds. The secondary deposits afford
the only crevicing yet found in the hills.
and may be worked during the spring
months when there is water flowing out
of the hills in nearly every stream, but
IN summer scarcely single stream car.
ried its water in an unbroken current to
the Cheyenne. They all, except perhaps
Rapid Creek. sink in their beds on reach.
ing the foot hills.
CHANCE FOR CAPITAL.
Should these conglomerateS be found
to contain gold IN paying quantities will
require the employment Of capital to work
them successfully. Several enormous
lodges oC mixture Of ferruginous quartz
and Quart1tc cross the valleys Of Spring
and Rapid, Greeks, extending for miles in
a northwestcrly direction. The oxide,
of iron contained in the ledge have re.
suited from the decomposition Of iron py.
rites, and specimens Of the quartz show
occasionally visible PARTICLES Of gold, and
gives on crushing and panning a trace or
color" Of the much sought for metal Il
is remarkable that So few valuable miner.
| ais have been found in the Hills. Although
the country is overrun by miners and ev.
.rything in the shape or rock in any
way peculiar in It's appearance is brough.
/ 20 me for idcntihcation,l have not vet seen
sny minsrals containing lead, copper Or