The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1875-04-03

lnaSmuvh as 4 large portion OF the
American people are now interested
in obtaining correct and reliable iu-
formation about the Black Hills of
Wyoming and Dakota, we deem it
prudent In compile such facts in rela-
ton to them as are known Ia be
truthful and gathered from trust
worthy sources.
THE BLACK III
lie between the 43rd and 45th degrees
of latitude, and the I03rd and lU5th
parallels of longitude, and occupy an
area of about one hundred miles in
length, northerly and suutherly, and
about sixty miles in breadth. Their
form Is elliptical, and according to
Lieut.. Warren'S report of them, 1.-The
major axis trends about DO west Of
north" The base of these hills is
about $500 to 5000 feet above the sea
level, and the highest peaks do not
exceed 1000 feet. The eastern bound
AIRY line Of Wyoming, lO4th parallel
OF Longitude, run about midway
through the hills. The whole range
OF the hills lies in the forks of the
Big Cheyenne River, wniCh j. the
most important stream in that re-
Rion. The north fork is called Belle
Fourche. il thirty yards wide, and
passes around the unrthern end of
the range in u SCInicirCle, receiving
the waters from the greater part of
the hills, which fipw intu it from Il
great number of small streams. 1t
takes its rise far % the westward of
this range, nea To the sources af the
Little Powder River, in what is
known as the divide" between the
waters of the Yellowstone aud those
of the Missouri. The South Fork of
the Cheyenne River is about n
hundred feet wide, takes its rise in
the same divide" flows around the
southern buse of the hills, and also
receives numerous tributaries which
have their source in them. These
two streams unite about forty miles
east of the Black Hills, forming the
Big Cheyenne sometimes spelled
Shyenne) River, which pOurs itself
into the Missouri some sixty miles
above Fort Pierre. From either
Fort Sully or Fort Pierre, in a due
west direction to the Wyoming line,
which runs through the centre of the
hills nearly, is Il distance of go
miles, on al air line. Formerly there
was q road from Fort Pierre to'FOrt
Laramie, over which military aud
traders stores were freighted, and
the distance fixed at three hundred
and twenty-five miles. The ruad
necessarily passed I've the bad lands
considerable of the distance. Any
route followed from the Upper Mis-
souri, will encounter them. In the
summer the heat is intense in the
country between the Upper Missouri
and the Black Hills, the grass is not
good for stock, and the water il
strongly alkaline. For these facts
we are indebted To persons who have
frequently passed over the route dur
ing the past twenty-five years, to
officers of the army, and to the off
cial reports of Lieut.. G. K. Warren
and Brevct Brig. Gen. w. F. Ray
nolds, Of the Typographical Engin-
GERS of the United States Army
The former of whom twice explored
the cn4ntry in, 1866 and again in
1878, and't the latter in 1890.
FORESTS OF TIMBER.
The Black Hills take their name
nom the dark green appearance that
n rsagI ierent forests Cf zine, that
cover their sides aud tOPs, give to
them. 81 think it safe to say" says
Dr. Hayden, in his geological report
oil their exploration in $4,000, page
y, that at least one-third of this
ares ESTIMATED at 6oo0 square miles