The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1875-03-16

holes sank by him from half n cent to
Eve CENTS to the pan, the prospects
always increasing towards the creek,
ouI Ih- abundance OF water prevent
ing any very extensive prospecting
being done. He says that he con
siders il as good ! mining country ~
Montana n These two gentlemen
say it IS their intention to return If
the government will protect the
miners, but grave apprehensions OF
the danger from the Indians will pre-
vent them and the others wha haze
come out from going back, unless this
question Is settled.
Those left behind have ratIous to
last until about the middle OF April.
The weather was pretty cold in
January, but not more than four
inches of snow fell in the valley at
any one time, and it thawed of very
soon. The country abounds in the
finest OF timber, and abundance
of good grass, upon which their stock
fed snd fattened during the winter.
According to these gcntlemen's
observation and calculation, Harvey
Peak Is l26 miles distant from Fort
Laramie in a direct line, and 1913 miles
from Cheyenne. This would make it
- miles EAST of the Wyoming line.
They calculated Fort Laramie 81 miles
west of a line due north and south
from Harvey Peak, and Cheyenne
- miles west. On this calculation,
with a diagram Of these points marked
down in Black wells diary, they left
the stOckade with n sled and an OK
harnessed to 1t, on the 18th of Febru-
AIRY, and touk n course twenty degrees
west of south, and reached Fort Lara
mic, in what they estimated Mt l46
miles of travel, on the Attn of this
month, and only missed the Fort by
two miles, striking the Platte two
miles above. They followed Clusters
trail towards the South Fork of the
Cheyenne n few miles, thence bore
away from it ten degrees west, entered
n beautiful valley about twenty miles
long, which was more promising than
the one they left in the morning.
Every indication was good. The hills
were of red granite and after about
80 miles travel they reached the valley
of the south Fork of the Cheyenne.
This is a splendid valley. they say, and
it was about fifteen miles from the foot
of the hills to the river. Here they
crossed the river on the ice and kept
their direction towards Fort Laramie.
In places there was considerable snow;
but on the whole the country was
very fine, with timber on all the
streams, and very much superior in
every respect, they say, to the country
between Fort Laramie and Cheyenne.
After coming out of the Black Hills
they struck an old wagon road run
ming east and west. at the foot of the
hills, but where it came from or
where it led to they do not know.
Their opinion Of the country may be
summed up in "A few words: 1t is rich
in minerals, mild in climate, beautiful
in scenery, II splendid stock and farm
country, and will be occupied by
thousands upon thousands Vt people as
permanent homes this summer If the
government will give the needed pro-
lection.
They also declare that the only re-
liable route there is Ivy way of Chey-
enne; that it is the shortest, the
cheapest and by all odds the rest.
Blackwell says he is Il carpenter and
builder, and well known as such in St.
Louis. Both have the appearance of
Woodworking, truthful men, and can
have n D desire to state anything but the
truth i'll regard to the Black Hills, AS
they do not propose to return unless
the government permits and will pro-
tect miners and settlers there.
They bad no trouble with their fell
low miners and prospectors as intim-
sted by a correspondent from Fort
Laramie and there was no ill-feeling
in camp against any one except Cor
don of Sioux City, who it was thought
was entirely in the interests of Sioux
City merchants, who fitted him out.
They were kindly treated by the
officers and soldiers at Fort Laramie,
and desire to return their thanks to
them for their hospitality, through
the columns of the LEADER.
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