Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1875-04-07
THE BLACK HILLS.
What - Former CiIizen er Memphis
KNOWS sbOuG the sew Gold Region
and he Gold Hunters.

EDITORS APPEAL-Just now every
/ bOdy's attention, ii seems, is centered on
| the Black Hills, aud thinking l might
be the means OF saving some OF the sd
ventures who propose coming here "a
mountain Of trouble" and considerable
expense besides, l have concluded TO
write to your worthy paper. OF course
every town along the Union Pacific
railroad is claiming that it is the best
Quitting point. A party left Colorado
few months ago and have been to con-
siderable trouble 10 make inquiries as to
the Icy OF the country ana the most
suitable point to start from, and 10 this
end have consulted frOntiersmen from
Cheyenne to Evanstown, who have
been in the country for ten or fifteen
years. They have come to this conclu-
sion, either Medicine Bow or Rawlins
is the oest point to start from. YOU can
reach Custsr's park ia about two hum
dred and forty miles from Cheyenne,
over good road all the way, but you
will have TO pass by the military posts,
which you must necessarily avoid.
From Rawlings you can reach the foot
Of Hsrney's peak, in Custar's park, in
one hundred and sixty miles over just
as good a road as from Cheyenne. There
Is plenty Of good water on the road, the
water stations being 10 where more
than twelve miles apart. From Medi-
cine Bow 1t is about one hundred and
ninty TO two hundred miles, and you
have TO pass but one fort. Another
matter Of some consequence is, that by
this road you can get there without
crossing the Platte river, and still
another, and the principal reason why
Rawlins is preferable as astarting point,
Is that you do not have to pass within
fifty miles OF any military post. The
road leading from Rawlins is what was
years ago known as the Bosemsn and
Montana trail. You go from here to
old Fort kearney, where you strike
what used to be known as the Powder
river route to Montana. This road is
known by many Old-timers, it having
been used in supplying Forts Casper and
Kearney prior TO 1867 and 1858. |
These forts and this route
were abandoned 10y the government
in compliance with the now existing
treaty with the Sioux Indians. By this |
route is a good wagon-rOsd directly into
Black Hills, and the same route extends
into the Tongue river country, of which
General Sheridan speaks in his letter to
General Sherman. OF this country do
not write from any personal knowledge,
as ] have been in the territory only 8 |
month, but have my information from |
those who are familiar with all this re- |
gion, and who have travelled over the |
country years ago, when the Indians |
would not lei them prospect. That there |
will be great rush TO the Black Hills is |
to be expected, and all the soldiers In |
the United States army cannot prevent |
it. Three months from now will find. l |
think, from twenty to thirty thou
sand people N that country. While |
would not counsel any infraction of |
law or order, yet we all know that in /
seeking gold men don't stop to ask if il |
the line Of the Union Pacific are filling !
with men who are on their way to the
Black Hills, and from RawliDs alone.
with six or eight hundred people, proba-
bly, one hundred OF the regular citizens
will leave within the next month. Par
ties starting from here will not have
quite the opportunities for securing a
complete outfit as in Cheyenne, but they
can get everything that is wanted for q
trip Of this kind inside OF forty-eight |
hours. AS for guides, have not seen
any as yet. Those here who know the
country are OF opinion that the Black
Hills are not over estimated, and all
are going as soon as the weather settles,
which will be in two or three weeks. A
word Of caution to gold-seekers. Don't
come without money. You should Sc
cure mining tools, three months supply
OF provisions, arms and ammunition,
and good pack animal or two. Or sew
eral may club together and buy team.
You should also have a saddle
horse. Don't come with less
than five hundred dollars if you
want to make fortune. Ny object in
writing to your paper is only to let our
Memphis people know what is going on
in the far west. am located here in
Denver, in the cigar and tobacco busi-
ness, and am satisfied with the country
here. Denver has a population of
twenty-five thousand; has gas, water
works, street railroads, and all the con-
veniences which any large town has.
II. H. GOOD,
Formerly OF Zellner & 20.
nE,cyEp nrIl 1g75