The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1875-04-14

question arises, how is this timber TO
be made available? At least four to
six months in the yea these streams
(Befie FOurche and South Fork of
Cheyennel are quite high. The logs
could be cut aud transported tto the
sides Of these streams during the dry
season, and when the are
high. in the spring of the year, they
could be taken down into the Mis-
souri, River with IA goou degree OF
safety and ease.
The Back Hills, which appear in
the distance and derive their name
! from, their dark and gloomy appear
ance. Contains AL ineXhaustible guam
tity 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 glowimgly of the supply Of
timber, and says: he timber
found consisted of many varieties,
principally of pine, oak and elm.
The pine ~ of Suitable dimensions
for being worked into lumber, and j.
met with in abundance on every
hillside"
Col. Forsythe, of Gen. Sheridan's
staff, who accompanied the eNpcdi-
tiuu, also CUrruburatrs the statement
that a great abundance of TIMBER
exist in the hills.
The fertility of the soil in the
Black Hills was noticed by Lieut..
Warren, in 1888. Sparkling of the
] Valleys ia that region, he s1yS In liz
I report of that Year, lin these noun
tain formations which border the.
tgTpHt plains on the west are To be
found beautiful flowing streams, and
small rich valleys covered over with
fine grass for hay, and susceptible o;
cultivation by means of irrigation.
Fine timber for fuel and lumber,
| limestone, and good tor for build
ing purposes are here, abundant.
God has been found in places in
valuable quantities, and, without
doubt, theImore common and useful
minerals VIII be discovered when
mo minute examinations are
made"
In the same report, further on. he
says: "The country furnishes the
means of raisiug sufficient quantities
! OF grain and vegetables for the use of
the inhabitants, and beautiful,
healthy and desirable locations for
their homes. The remarkable free
dom here from sickness is one OF
the attractive features of the region.
aud will, in this RESPECT, gu far to
recon- ppnse the settler from the
Mississippi valley for his loss in the
smaller amount of products that cap
he taken from the soil. The great
want of suitable building material,
which now : seriously retards the
growth of the west, will not be felt
here" r.f.r s..-
He also says that these settlements
i'm the Black Hills country, cannOt
be a@riculluralIoth the same eNIeltt-as
those in the Mississippi valley, but
must depend greatly ~.up0uLthe Taia-
htg of stock.
Gen. w. F, Reynolds. who male a
Typographical survey Of this region
in 1890, says, in speaking of it in
his report, page I: "The whole re-.
giDn Of the Black Hills i unqup<-
ti"mablY destined, at no distant date,
To afford homes for a thriving pupu-
IaIion The mountains will furnish
- sufficient supply Of pine lumber for
ordinary uses, aud although timber
Is very scarce in the region as Il
whole from Fort Pierre to the Pow
der River, yet the Black Hills will
fully supply this great deficiency in
the districts Immediately adjoining"
His route from the Missouri River
led him tn the Forks of the Big
Cheyenne, and then he skirted the
northeast and north side of the hills
He describes them in his Journal rs a
succession uf -mountain ranges with
beautiful valleys between, the soil OF
which is rich and fertile, and Gov
cred with a heavy growth of grass.
Groves of ash, oak, elm and other
varieties of timber are mentioned as
being me with, ringing tnp clear,
beautiful streams of water. putting
down from the hills into the Belle
Fourche. Between the forks of the
Cheyenne very decided evidences of
the existence of gold We're found
page Il; bat prospecting was dis
courhgeh by him I'm account of dan
ger from the Indians, and for fear of
making the expedition q failure.
1t Wa for these reasons that the
search for gold was at all times dis
outraged" he say page II, "Vet
~ti, il va often difficult to restrain
the disposition to prospect and
there were moments when was
feared that sOne of the party would
defy all restraint"
These descriptions and discoveries
were rnade 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, and We're made under
many disadvantages. The nTmhpr
of men each II ID waSSmalI, and the
dangers fronfthc hostile Sioux were
not the only trouble they had 10 pro
vide ag inst.
Warren went north from Fort
Laramie, vi! Red Buttes and OId
WQman's Fork to the South CheN-
pnne.. and thence to Inyan Kara,
where he was intercepted by the
Sioux, and compelled to retrace his
steps. He went back towards Fort