The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1875-03-11
BLACK HILLS, y. r,
CUSTER PARK, Feb. 2

BLACK HILLS, y. T,
CUSTER PARK, Feb. p
FRIEND WICKER; ! told you in
Sioux City some time ago that ! would
be In the Black Hill ) this winter, IL
possible. Well, ! have kept my
word. / am preparing n letter
for publication that 1 will have II
chance TO send ont I'm n few days by
Cheyenne. 1 Will say 10 you candid
ly, the country is all and much better
IMAM Custer represented. Gold and
silver, lTDo aBaiplumbagu abound. !
have some as good ore and blossom
quartz rs / have ever seen. We have
sent out some gold to exhibit in Sioux
City. We Travelled about 700 miles,
coming here by the Elkhorn-and Mo
brHra route; seventy-eight days on
the trip I; had the wagOn-maSter been
less afraid of Indians and soldiers we
could have come a much shorter route,
but the country we passed over, with
very few exceptions, was ~ fertile ana
ms well wooded and watercd rs n far
mer or railroad corporation could
wish, especially between White River
and Cheyenne marked on the map
- bad lands,''l was As tine a.cOuntry
Ms a man could wish, and from the
Cheyenne to tho foot hills on the
ssfearsH we came up bear Creek, l
think the land needs no eulogy from
me. The world cannot bnnt it,. OF
the mountains Custer drew but "A faint
picture. He hardly did il Justice.
My horses were poor when i arrived
here, the 23d December, now they
are fat on the excellent mountain
grass, and during that time we have
had two weeks OF very cold weather,
with snow about six iucnes deep on
an average. But u cattle are look
ing excellent, and we worked them
nil the time building u fort. The
latter Is 100 feet square. Our cabins
are built inside Of the fort, on three
sides OF the square, and u large 2stc-
opening into the plaza. Port holes
all round. 1t il about two miles be-
low where | anticipate locating our
TOWNSHIP. We are twenty-five men
and one lady and her boy, all told;
some have provisions to lasttiL May,
but the majority havGnOt. What we
want instantCr arc provisions, by
draulic hOse-nOZzleS, picks, shOrels,
sluice-fOrks, and a genera? miners
paraphaualia. To get this here, l.
want you to use your Influence and
do your utmost. You have my
pledged word that TN" country is rich'
in gold and silver. They are making
three ounces per day to the man, ten
yards from the stockudA, with an ap0l-
Cgy for a rocker. So yOu'Can- judge
what it would do with sluives. In
the spring, IL we are let alone, W"
will astonish the ljsGvedtAOus- world
about the richness OF the Black Hills.
And now, Mr.. Wicker, whether the
route will be by Brule or Fort Sully,
what IS done must be done quickly.
| would not advise any one 10 come
our route direct from Sioux City.
Still, there could be a great deal cut
off, and we had excellent WOO and
grass all tho way, but we travelled all
Of 700 miles. l think ia start a pack
train from Brule would Inc the most
advisable, and lay out II route. Your
own good Judgment EAhsss the noa-
cessity Of this.
We want provisions, tools, black
smiths, etc. We will pay for them
in gold. We must have them by the
first OF May or abandon the country,
end possibly lose sCalpS. Help us
If you can. The route To Cheyenne
or Fort Laramie from here, | think,
il much nearer than any other, but
knowing nothing of it, could not rec
ommend it to emigrats. Write me
the first that starts. Use tlstS for
publication if you wish.
Very truly yours,
7, H. RUSSELL.