The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1875-04-01

six months in the ygIT these stream
Belle l'OUTchv and SOUTH Fork at
Cheyenne are quitC high The logs
could b. cur ami transported to the
sides OF these streams during the dry
season, and When the streams ar"
high, in the spring of the year, they
could hr taken down into the Mi~-
-uuri River with II good degree OF
-uiriy and ea-".
me B.acK Uill-, which appear in
The d~4~lalcc and derive their nam"
fruu. tIrir dark and gloomy appear
ancp, contains raj iuCNntu-tIhic guam
titv of the finest Thinner, mostly pine,
which Wit doubtless remain uudis-
.rnrhr,If FOR many ycar-t rs come
General Custer, WhO visited the
hills last summer, in his report also
speaks gIoWingiy Of the supply Of
timber, and. says: Ihc timber
found consisted Of many varieties,
principally of pine, oak and elm.
The ping is Of suitable dimensions
FOR being worked into lumber, and IS
met with in abundance on every
hiIl~ide.'
Col. Fursythe. of Gen. Sheridan's
staff, who accompanied the rXpedi-
ton, also COTTubUTatps the statement
that q great abundance of timber
exist in the hills.
The fertility of the soil in the
Black Hills was noticed by Lieut..
Warren, in 1875. Speaking of the
valleys in that region, he says in his
report Of that year: I'm these noun
tain formations which border the
great plains on the west are t. be
found beautiful flowing streams, and
small rich valleys covered over with
fine grass for hay, and susceptible OF
cultivation by means of irrigation.
Fine timber for fuel and lumber,
limestone, and good stone for build
ing purposes are here abundant.
Gold has been found in plIces in
valuable quantities, and, without
doubt, the o common and useful
minerals VIII be discovered when
mo e minute examinations are
made"
In the same report, further on. he
says: 1.-THE country furnishes the
mems Of raising sufficient quantities
OF grain and vegetables for the Use of
the inhabitants, and beautiful.
healthy aud desirable lnrutiuus for
their homes. The remaI knOle free
dom here from sick ness is one of
the attractive features OF the region,
and viii, in this respect, 90 far to
reCumTHu~e the settler from the
Mississippi valley for his los in the
sIn"ti"r amount Oi products that can
hU taken from the soil. The great
want of suitable luiidIng material,
which NOW 50 seriously returdS the
growth OF the west, will not be felt
hpre.n
lie also says that these settlements
in the Black IIiiIs country, cannot
be agricultural 70 the same extent as
THOSE IN the Mississippi valley, but
must depend greatly upon the rais-
ing of stock.
Gen. W. F.tRayAofls. who tnaho a
typographical survey of this region
in ~lSj9-GO, says, In speaking Of il in
his report, PAGE :: "ThC whole re-
giun IF the Black Illus i, uuduu~-
tiuuIhly destined, III tnn distant date,
to afford hrmr- Tor Il thriving rDuu-
iaiiun The Iu]UuutaIn. viii furnish
= sufficient supply If pm" lumber for
OEriiitry Uses, Hud although timber
Is very scarce in the region rs Il
whole from Fort Pierre to i've Pow
der Hlver), Yet thc BrUrk HElS VIII
fully {Ippiy-ihis great -dciiciauCy in
inc districts immeIiatrly atIiD.nlug."
Ills route C0m the Missouri River
teal niu to the Forks If the BIZ
Cheyenne, and then he sl;irtrd the
northeast and north side of the hills.
lie describes them in his journal rs Il
succession Of mountain ranges with
beautiful valleys Between, the soil of
which is rich and fertile, aud Gov
cred with a heavy grdwth of grass.
Groves OF ash, OAK. elm and other
varieties of timber are mentioned as
being met with, ringing the clear,
beautiful streams of water. putting
dOWU from tue hillS into the Belle
FOurChp. Between the forks of the
Cheyenne very decided evidences of
the e~XiStcacef of gold WIRE found
page IA; hut prOspectirig was dis
cOuraged by him on account of dan
ger from the Indians, and for fear Of
making the expedition a failure.
=" lt'Wa~ for these ua-On that the
search for gold was at all times dis
outraged" he SAYS page II. vet
still ii wus often difficult to restrain
the disposition to prospect and
there were moments When i was
feared that some of the party would
defy all restraint"
These descriptions and. discoveries
were made OF the Black Hills SIX
''ti anu SeN'IIttI years ago by
reliable army officers, whose only
object WAS to make truthful reports
of the country, AMI were made under
many disadvantages. The number
Of men each h vi was small, and the
dangers from the hostile Sioux were
not the only trouble they had to pro
vide ag tinSt.
Warren went north from Fort
Laramie, via Red ButteS and Old
Womau'S Fork to the South Chpy-
ennP, and thence to Inyun Kara,
where he was intercepted by the
Sioux, and compelled to retrace his
steps. He vent back towards Fort
I.nrnLnin CnEtw n.iIn. nml tLun