Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-12-16
The Black Hills.

tetween the two forks Of the Cheyenne
River, and occupy an area included be-
tween the I03a asid 105ih meridians OF
longitude, and the Add and 45th parallels
Of latitude. They extend about 100 miles
In a northerly direction, with breadth OF
from forty TO sixty miles. The 1e4th me-
ridian. which Is the boundary between
Wyoming and Dakota, passes through the
central portion Of the hills. leaving the
greater area in the Territory of Dakota
That portion Of the Black Hills which
NAV be designated as Harney's Peak Gold
Field Is almost wholly in Dakota, and
extends about fifty miles north and south,
with an average breadth of nearly twenty
miles, covering an area Of not less than
800 square miles. The valuable gold de-
posts. however, are found ia the valleys
Of the streams which drain that area, the
gold being derived from the disintegra-
ton Of the quartz lodges, which are very
numerous IN the rocks Of that region.
The most extensive and valuable depos-
It's of auriferous gravel discovered during
the past season were in the valleys oil
Spring and Rapid Greeks and their uib-
uiaries, where in almost every case the
gravel bars are very advantageonsiy stu
ated for working, and many natural cir
cuIngtances contribute materially TO TIE
profitable extracting Of the gold which
they contain Timberof suitable size and
quantity for the construction OF fumes
and suices Is abundant. The water sup
ply IL in most localities ample and the
fall OF the streams sufficiently great to'en-
able the water TO be readily carried above
the level of even the more elevated bars
and deposits of gravel.
While as yet there have been discovered
In the Black Hills no deposits OF gravel
sufficiently rich in gold to be probably
worked in the primitive manner with pan
or rocker, yet there are many bars IN the
Harney's Peak field, especially upon
Spring Creek, the forks OF Castle and
Rapid Creeks and the valleys OF those
mountain streams which, when skiliiuily
worked by gangs Of miners with sluices,
will yield good return for the labor EN-.
ployed and the moderate capital required
to be invested. But little could be done
in single season in prospecting the
numerous segregated quartz veins OF this
region, some OF which undoubtedly con-
tain gold. / have procured abundant
samples for testing their value by assay.
The Bear Lodge gold field, situated In
the extreme northwestern portion Of the
hills, Is wholly In Wyoming, and entirely
separated from the Harvey Peak region.
1t does not exceed fifty square miles in
area. The gold deposits are small com
pared with those on Rapid Creek, and are
remarkable for the absence Of quartz in
the gravel, the gold being derived from
the disintegration Of feldspar, porphyry
carrying irregular masses OF iron, and
manganese ores.
n, z lot fl.n
raj resources or climate of the Black Hills
by the observation Of single season, es-
pecially as | could gain butlittle informa-
ton respecting the severity OF the winter
or the prevalence fearly and late frosts.
| The Black Hills rise like an island from
an ocean OF grass covering treeless plains,
watered by occasional and scanty sup
plies of rain. The winds in passing over
these plains gather some moisture which
they part with as rain on being chilled by
contact with the colder and more elevated
region of the central portions OF the hills.
The result Of this is the prevalence of fire.
quent, though not heavy, rain falls, giving
| TO the hills most peculiar climate.
There Is scarcely day from May to Au-
| gust without one or two showers, yet ow-
! ing to the dryness Of the atmosphere the
| climate Is found 10 be very healthy.
The area Of land suitable for cultiva-
ton IL, from the mountainous character
of the region limited, as compared to the
vast area embraced in the hills, but the
soil along the stream, and in most OF the
valleys, Is deep and fertile, and will be
sufficient for the requirements OF the
| population which the hills will support AS
| stock raising community. | should
| Judge from the observations which have
had the opportunity 10 make, that at least
one.twentieth OF the 5000 square miles
embraced in the Black Hills may e fairly
| described as arabic lands, and that among
these lands lying near the streams and
continuous through the billy country are
| large tracts OF land forming the slopes OF
the hillsides, which, while not arabic, will
afford fine grazing, thus largely enhanc-
| ing the vslue of lands 10 which they are
contiguous.
| Among the rocky areas Of the Harvey
| Peak range and in the northern portion OF
| the hills there are regions where the
grasses are comparatively wanting, but
| generally throughout the whole area OF
| the hills a luxuriant growth Of the finest
| grasses Is 10 be found, even covering the
| ground under the shade of the pine trees.
| On the elevated divides between the
! streams the abundance and fine quality OF
| the grasses and the shelter afforded to
stock by the densely- timbered slopes and
deep valleys will make IL region well
adapted to stock raising purposes.
| The timber Of the hills is a variety OF
pine known as yellow or heavy pine. The
grain Of the wood Is straight, rather
coarse, splitting readily, and, where the
trees have escaped the action of fires and
violent gales, good straight logs, free from
knots and from forty to sixty feet in
length, and from twelve to twenty four
inches In diameter, can be obtained In
abundance. Spruce of good quality Is
| found among the canons in the interior,
and white birch, oak and elm Of medium
size among the hills on the eastern slope.
The water throughout the hills Is excel.
lent In quality, mostly derived from
springs among The limestone, or the gran
iiic, or the schistose rock. Only in local.
tiles among the foo. hills Is II contaminated
I by alkali.
There was no evidence found that the
Indians ever lived in the hills, or ever
visited them, except In the spring TO cut
lodge poles or occasionally 10 stop and
hunt deer among the foothills while pass
ing from the agencies to the Upper Mis-.
souri,. The only reason advanced for their