The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, D.T. [N.D.]) 1873-1875, 1875-09-01
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RETURN Or .BlsMlRCK BLACK
!. HILLS PARTY. 81.
THE TRUTH ARRIVED AT.
ALI Have Specimens Of Gold.

Of the party who left Bismsrck July l3
for the New Eldorado. We have inter.
viewed nearly all Of the returned party,
and with one accord they endorse the
statements ofStwo Of their party, which
will be found below. For ourselves We
say freely we have not shadow of a
doubt in our minds Of the truthfulness
Of those statements. # We have gained
our information with much care, and
know the facts are as represented. The
interview of 9fgi 4 1 sw yaa = d.
Iii rsisiS.l.g II. N ROSS, 3t.13-GE Ga@iI
who, it is well known here, was Gen.
Custer's chiefminer Of last years Black
Hills expedition. He says: We cross
ed the Missouri July !ls, and were six
teen days reaching Dodge's camp on
Rapid Greek, which is not far from the
center Of the present developed gold
belt, and lies north of Harney's Peak.
Five miles on the west side of Bear
Butte the Indians made raid on our
camp at 10 p. M, fred upon us, STAN
peded our stock, and got. away with
three horses. We had no other diff.
Guilty with the Indians either going or
coming. We remained seventeen days
in the mining regions, during which
time we prospected largely, and found 3
/. a.f 4eG1 PAYING DIRT azQsssiA @-s3
everywhere within the limits of the
gold belt; and there are plenty, yes
plenty of CLAIMS that pan out ten dol
lars to the man per day, and twenty
dollars and over per day have been
panned out to the man. Cur party
made claims, and we also found new
discoveries that promise richly. There
have been from 800 to 1000 men in the
Hills, and the party that went in last
fall erected one of the finest stockades
that he Ross ever saw. The troops
are camped by the side of this stockade.
The names Of the party who returned
are a N. Ross, Harry Carahoof G. W.
Stone, Mike Smith, a. j. Fisher, Louis
Coitux, Henry Dufee, Johnny Ross,
Omaha Bill, (who lost a valuable horse
by accident at Dead Horse Greek, and
walked the balance of the way G. w.
Thorp, "Capt. Jack" and 2"Stranger
Jim.' Those that remained in the Hills
prospecting were b. Mccall, "Honest"
Collins and M. Nolan: the latter will
probably return to the States via anoth.
er route, as they number so few. 81
Ross had an interview with Prof.
Jenny, in which he, Jenny, stated that
he was greatly pleased with the country
and its prospects, - ~ s74 a,@j
d Returning our party struck . due
northeast course regardless Of trails,
and made the trip, from the center Of
the mining belt to Bismarck in eight
days and half. The route we travel
ed, with the exception of very few
miles of rough country, which is easily
avoided, is entirely feasible for wagon
route, and there is an abundance of
grass, timber, and sweet water along
the entire route. There was plenty Of
game in the Hills and their vicinity,
Carahoof shooting Eve deer one day
right ID camp; but returning no game
was seen after leaving Dead Horse
Creek. HOY gsaaf91is Sfig !@8gG TEHi1
GAtths time we left the Hills, August
18th, there was sufficient water ii most
Of the streams for mining purposes.
Rapid creek had about 800 inches;
Spring creek 500 Of 600 inches. So fsr
as discovered ths country Is generally
taken by claimants, all Of whom have
loft the gold belt. ss7 sSts q g &
a There hes beensbnt little prospecting
done, and developments thus far are
but in infancy. Il is the opinion .ofaail
tbst exceedingly rich diggings will be
found whenthe country is open to the
whites.s Frem ~. IS. -: ~ = q s.* \.
q. N. THoRP, s
moresfamiliarly known as Capt. Jack, .
. gentleman who came with the Bis
marck party, an old miner, having had
twenty years practical experience IN the
various mining countries of the west,
we CLEAN the following; and we must
say Mr.. Thorp's manner, in relating his
experience in the Black Hills, is Of q
modest unassumine character; but his
earnest, honest way convinces all who
him Of the truthfulness Of his stste.
fhents:
/ am an old miner; have twenty years
actual experience in various mining re-
gions IN the west. I was in the Black
Hills mining belt two months; saw plen-
y Of diggings while there that Panned