The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1875-09-15
More about the Black Hills.

More about the Black Hills.
Mr.. W. H. Root, until recently upon
the prospecting staff of Prof. Jenney in
the Black Hills, was interviewed on the
9Th inst. by reporter of the Chicago
inter- Ocean,, We copy from the report
as follows:
. Mr.. Root. The gold, instead of being
deposited as in California, seems to be
disseminated between The silicious soils
OF the country, which are very wide, and
partake OF the character of: reefs. which,
however, do not take the character of
rock, bat are part and parcel of the strata
and the rock rather than of VEINS.
Reporter. How does this soil pan cut?
Mr.. Il. 1t varies from IS cents to 81
per cubic yard In some places the
yield would be very much more, but the
quantity Of land available for mining pur.
poses is limited. The grade in places is
so slight that the land, which otherwise
would be very valuable, is not available
for mining purposes.
K. What is the general geological for.
nation of the country?
Mr.. R. 1t might be termed an island
30 or 40 miles in area, composed of fields
pathic granite, gDeiss, chlorite, silicous
and ferrugihous states, which, in ages
past, have been4ormed at different angles.
From the Potsdam sandstone each sue
ceSsive stratum or period in its regular
order to the cretaceous is found. increas.
ing the area to sixty or eighty miles. The
whole forms complete book of geology.
with every chapter and leaf in place, and
the silent witnesses of past ages, the fos-
sils of the different periods Astounding in
their respective bells. The ferruginous
and siiicious states, quartz, etc., Of the
hills contain gold. By glacial action, ma
lures quartz mills, deer and heavy cut
tings or ravines have been formed, miles
in extent, and from 20 to 600 and 700 feet
in depth. That slow and heavy glacial
action has worn out all the softest rocks
in it's course, washing the debris away,
and leaving in the present beds
of the streams the rounded and
well-worn quartz, gravel and bould-
ers, together with the gold that the
disintregation Of the quartz and slate has
set free. These glaciers in sweeping
across thirty miles Of slate fields, or
source of supply, and encountering the
sandstone, red beds, an6 limestone for
nations, have added to these deposits
ten or twenty parts of material contain.
ing no gold, and the whole has been
swept off on the plains in such general
diffusion that much Of the gold is lost to
the miner, and only the short field of
slate and granite, with gravel remaining,
is at the disposal Of the miner. OF these
streams, French Greek, with its branches
i'll the limestone and cutting down through
the granite and gneiss, running easterly,
| its present bed, is covered with we'll.
! worn hard quartz gravel from three tc
ten feet in depth, and from so to 500 feet
ia width, including bars of gravel elevated
from ten to fifty feet.
R. What is the grade of this part oil
the country?
Mr.. R. Six miles has grade of sforty
feet per mile.
R. Is much gold found here
Mr.. R. Much of the gravel contains
from Is cents to 81. so per cubic yard in
| fine gold. The largest piece yet found
was worth about 81. This gold is of a
quality easily saved, and the gravel is
readily washed, though the lack of water
and the grade for sluicing will ever be a
| drawback to the getting of these depos
! its. Modern appliances and resolute
hands will do much to overcome these OBJ
stacles, and many of the bars on French
Greek may be made remunerative.
R. What is your opinion of the other
| parts OF the country you visited?
Mr.. R. About ten miles down French
Creek we struck Spring Greek, which
crosses French Creek at the northeast
A large portion of French Greek is held
by miners. 1t has slate bottom, and
here there are much better prospects
with more water ard better facilities fol-
working. North of that again are Cas-
tie and Rapid creeks. Castle Greek is
the south fork of Rapid Greek, the upper
end of which is being located by miners
and probably more work has been done
upon it by miners than upon any other
creek. The miners very reluctantly took
| the order Of General Crook TO vacate
their claims. Professor Jenney is
| now making further explorations fo1
mineral at Box Elder and Belle Forrche.
Upon leaving these places he will make a
circle northward and eastward, and will
then swing round to the northeast, and
finally make the Spotted Tail and Red
Cloud agencies. He will probably reach
Fort Laramie about the 10th or middle
Of next month,
R. How many miners are in the Black
Hills now
Mr.. R. There were probably 200 to
$50 at one time in the hills, but they
have now all left, in accordance with the
order of General Crooks, issued on the
18th Of last month. No miners were
seen there when came out, which was
nriOr tn the Goth.