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


six months in the year these streams
Belle Fourche and South Fork of
Cheyennel are quite high. The logs
could be u and transported to the
sides Oi these streams during the dry
season, and when the dreams are
high, in the spring of the year, they
could hp taken down into the Mis-
-uUri River with Il goOu degree Of
safeIy and ease.
The Black Hills, which appear in
the distance and derive their name
] from. their dark and gloomy appear
I ance. contains al ineXhaustible guam
! titv of the finest timber, mostly pine,
which will doubtless remain undis-
turbed for many years to come"
General Custer, who visited the
hills last summer, in his report also
speaks g~lowfngIy of the supply Of
| timber, aud says: he timber
found consisted of many varieties,
principally of pine, oak and elm.
The pine is of suitable dimensions
for being worked into lumber, and i
met with in abundance on every
hillside"
Col. Forsythc, of Gen. Sheridan's
staff, who accompanied the cxpedi-
ton, also tOrruburatrS the statement
that Il great abundance Of timber
exist IN the hills.
The fertility of the soil in the
Black Hills was noticed by Lieut..
Warren, in. 1888. Speaking of the
J valleys in that region, he says in his
report of that year: 1" In these noun
tain formations which border the
great plains ON the west are to be
found beautiful flowing streams, and
small rich valleys covered over with
] fin, ra= far H..N. aud -tn-,s,tf I'LL. 80
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 places in
valuable quantities, and, without
doubt, the more common and useful
minerals will be discovered when
mo minute examinations are
made"
In the same report, further on, he
says: "The country furnishes the
means Of raising sufficient quantities
of grain and vegetables for the use of
the Inhabitants, and beautiful,
healthy aud desirable locations for
their homes. The rpmaI kable free
dom here from sickness is one Of
the attractive features of the region,
and Will, in this respect, go far to
TecOmppnSe the settler from the
Mississippi valley for his los in the
smaller amount of products that can
he taken from the soil. The great
want of suitable building material,
which now 50 seriously retards the
growth of the west, will not be felt
here"
He also says that these settlements
in the Black HilkSJ country, cannot
I l., 4.H. =. ~. -. . -
those in the Mississippi valley, but
must depend greatly upon the rails
ing of stock.
Gen. w. +. Reynolds, who made n
typographical survey Of this region
his report, page Z: THE whole re-
giOn of the Black Hills is uuqupS-
tinuabiy destined, at no distant date,
to afford homes for a thriving pOpu-
I latiun The mountains will furnish
IA sufficient supply of pine lumber for
ordinary uses, and although timber
is very scarce in me region as Il
whole from Fort Pierre TO the Pow
der RiVcr), yet the Black Hills will
fully supply this great deficiency in
the districts Immediately ~0ijoInIug."
His route from tn" Missouri River
led him to the Forks of the Big
Cheyenne, and then he skirtpd the
northeast and north side of the hills.
He describes them in his Journal as IL
succession of mountain ranges with
beautiful valleys between, the soil of
which is rich and fertile, and COW
cred with n heavy growth of grass.
Groves of ash, oak, elm and other
varieties of timber are mentioned as
being me with, fringing the clear,
beautiful streams of water, putting
down from the hills into the Belle
Fnurche. Between the forks of the
Cheyenne very decided evidences OF
the existence of gold were found
page IA; but prospecting was dis
Outraged by him ON account of dan
ger from the Indians, and for fear of
making the expedition a failure.
I" 1t was for these reasons that the
search for gold was at all times dis
c~Ouraged,n he says page IA, "yet
Stiil it was often difficult to restrain
the disposition t" 'pro~pert,' and
there were moments when i was
feared hat SOME of the party would
defy all restraint"
These descriptions and discoveries
were made of the Black Hills SIN
teen and seventeen years ago by
reliable army officers, whose only
object was to make truthful reports
of the country, AMI We're made under
many diSad vantageS. The number
of mel each h at wa small, and the
dangers from the hostile Sioux were
not the only trouble they had to pro
vide ag inst.
Warren went north from Fort
Laramie. Win Red Buttes and Old
Woman's Fork to the South Chey-
enne, and thence to Inyan. Kara,
where he vas Intercepted by the
Sioux, and compelled to retrace his
steps. He vent back towards Fort
Laramie forty miles, and then