The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-08-12
Slow Progress of the Work Of the
Scientific Expedition.
PERSONAL INTEREST vs.. OFFICIAL DUTY.
Details of the Gold-Find in the Va
riouS PlacerS and Bars.
THE MINERS GENERALLY DISCOURAGED
CAMP CROOK, ON RAPID CREEK, BLACK HILLS,
July u. 1879. VIA EORT LARAMIE Annnsl 8 1879


ship ought long ago to have determined the confines
of the aurerous district have reached the northern
limit of its researches Instead Of unremittng ac
vlty however the scientific gentleman who is respon
sble for the of the investigation has shown
prediction for apparently aimess wandering about the
country, apart from the main body of the expedition
doubtless TO enjoy in rapt solitude poetic contempla
on Of the beauties Of nature The results Of these
wanderngs meagre. From superficial examinations,
none of which reached the solid bed Of the rock Mr.
Jenney originally made a very positive report
in regard to the gold deposit in Clusters
Gulch, along French Creek, declaring, with
only an imperfect knowledge Of the facts, that
the placer dggngs would scarcely afford remuneration
for labor The haste with which he made known this
opinion was remarkable. But he did not succeed in
discouragng the hundreds OF nqurng minds about him
from pushing forward honest investigation Of the
mineral resources Of tho region. When Mr.. Jenney
started out upon lonely excursion norhward leaving
the main body in camp and found Spring Creek a
''bar'' which yielded gold, he quietly began mining
operations squatted thereon for many days
seclusion But the quiet Of his retreat suddenly
disturbed by influx Of miners, and as suddenly Mr.
Walter p Jenney bethought him that he would ride
down TO Camp Harvey, report his success and return
with part Of the military escort But already the pub
lie OF the Black Hills knew the pleasant little game by
which government service and somebody's
PERSONAL INTERESTS
were so sllfully blended that the unscientfc mind
could not perhaps distinguish between them Mr. Jen-
ney evidently feels 1t sadly that he Is burdened and
trammelled by large military escort, not, he an
tcipated before the expedition set out under his ind
vidual command, which prevents him from preserving
a degree of secrecy his researches, considered
perhaps, to be- desirable by the al-powerfu Indian
Ring.
The best laid plans o. mice and
Gang aft agley
and the pleasant little schemes fondy erected upon
hopes inspired by this expedition belong TO the
CORY OF dissolving air castles
The fresh discoveries Of gold Spring and Rapid
creeks created a whir of excitement, which had the
usual duration of such episodes the histories OF min
ing regions The first statements exaggerated.
That peculiar frenzy inspired by the dazzling effect of
the yellow metal the heated Imagination epi-
demic from which few of the most sensible minds
exempt On Spring Creek only two 'bars' have been
found which indicate moderate degree of richness
Of these has been well worked by Mr. Jenney and his
mining assistants Its recent product has been very
small The other 'pay streak" yielded barely what
was entitled TO be called "pay dirt" in miners par
lance, and Is now said TO be exhausted Here may
mention amusing example Of the aptness and sgnin
cameo OF
VULGAR NOMENCLATURE.
Innumerabe names have sprung into existence within
few weeks representing localities and features OF the
landscape even the less prominent Of which the I'M
taught are fond of designating by association Of char
acteristic ideas The claim last mentioned was no
sooner found TO contain considerable wealth than
sorey coveted by of miners and threats we're
freely made by them dspossess the original squatters
They could not however shake the sense OF righteous
possession felt by the latter old man. gray haired
and bearded, spokesman among them who has aided in
working" many guch in the Golden State, and who
''Let em come says he "on this here bar I'm gon'
to live or die Yes sir an I' stand EN- OF this here
With the long, heavy barreed life which he grasped
he gave emphasis TO these words. Henceforward the
rough after fortune less yocerous Of their
proposed invasion Of the claim and Stand 'em OF Barr
will be the by which that 300 feet Of mining
ground will be known in the pages of history.
Half mile above this camp, on the right bank Of
Rapid Creek is placer of which great hopes have been
entertained little Of which has yet been realized.
party Of four "driftingn tunnel the bank,
but have yet obtained but neagre specimens of gold,
although what they have found consists Of part
cles 1t Is Of the Kind denominated by Californians
'RUsTY GOLD"
being encrustcd with black substance The average
quantity obtained from pan full Of the soil is insigna
can't but by OF sluicing this particular 'pay
streak" may prove profitable for short time II is
sure be exhausted soon, however. The finding of
such placer is but a stroke Of good luck among thou
sand digappOintmentS IL creates which lasts
for a week. and draws hundreds Of miners from their
original claims but to End perhaps in the gulch
where the brilliant discovery is made, and but few
feet away, nought but bailed hope Presently they
will learn that tho Black Hills is not country for the
poor mans delving except as agrculturist Mining
will prove successful here only by judicous use Of
capital The only instances Of an
ENCOURAGING YIELD
have been those in which weeks Of dligent toll have
been rewarded by day or two Of brilliant success and
subsequent nearly barren results The proportion OF
unrequited labor is great that IL disspates profit
On Lieutenant Colonel Dodge vouching for its truth
gave the statement IN former letter that the six
miners operating sluIce on the ''Bear Hole Claim in
Custer's Gulch had in one day got thirty penny
weights Of gold Subsequent investigation proves that
the commanding officer and caused 10 be weighed In his
presence the result Of three four days labor that
OF The evident object Of the majority Of the
squaters upon this Indian reservation IS TO hold
many claims as is possible until the conclusion Of
bargain with the Sioux may give them titles, when
der the spur Of gold excitement they may readily sell
them TO capitalists thoroughly believe that they
recognize the futity Of poor men attempting TO mine
by the crude means which they alone possess Those
who have had little experience do not dssemblo their
encouragement, and numbers OF them gradually
moving out Of the Hills The old miners who hold
claims however profess greater confidence than they
feel and are looking forward 70 profitable speculation
after the Indian negotiations arc contaminated If the
government finally opens the country 70 settlement in
vestmcnt In mineral lands here should be made with the
greatest caution
MOVING SoRrHwARD
On Sunday, the 25th. the detgchmcnt Of the expe-
ditiOn remaining at Camp Harvey, Captain william
Hawley commanding, broke camp al five O'Clock A. NJ,
aud commenced the march northward IN the track Of
the advance companies which had gone forward with
Colonel Dodge. The trail DIVORCES toward the east
from tho ono made by General Custer last SIMMER
and passes through scenery Of different and wilder
character Passing over the ridges and mesas north Of
French Creek we entered rayine, deep and narrow,
and soon reached the head Of a southern branch OF
Spring Creek which, by mistake Of the map.wise was
supposed 70 be Rapid Creek where crosse H. going
southward in June The trail descends through con
unuaily deepening ravine through brakes and woods
and weed-choked bottoms and II crosses the stream
no less than twentyseyen times. Many Of the fords
are but a Tow yards apart The main creek Is FREE
quenty reinforced by small tributaries which drain tho
springs IN The mountain sides The gorge is so narrow
that the mountains seem higher than they are Tho
trail winds amid dense growth Of red wlows wild
roseOushes ana other shrubOery high the head Of
man on horse Tho surface Of the water I'm calm shal.
lows Of the stream adorned by clusters OF pure white
blossoms, hortng like water liies but they arc much
smaller me pant which grows entirely immersed,
has Che appearance " moss The snowy gems look very
beautiful SET OF by the sparklcs Of tho
ripping current Rude and ragged looking miners
camps are scattered along Spring Creek and