The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1875-04-24

80 ~ AAS q AAAN1S
Belle FOurche and South Fork of
Cheyenne) are quite high. The logs
could be cut and transported to the
sides of these streams during the dry
Season, and when the streams are
high, in the spring of the year, they
could he taken down, into the Mis-
souri, River with a good degree ot
safety and ease.
The Black Hills, which appear in
the distance and derive their name
from. their dark and gloomy appear
aDce. contains an ineXhaustihle 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 glOwingly of the supply of
timber, and says: /" The timber
found consisted of many varieties,
principally of pine, oak and elm.
The pine is Of suitable dimensions
for being worked into lumber, and is
met, with in abundance on every
hillside"
Col. Forsythe, of Gen. Sheridan's
staff, who accompanied the eNpedi-
ton, also COrrobOratcs 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 1858. Speaking of the
valleys iu that region, he say in his
report of that year: I'm these noun
tain formations which border The
great plains on. the west are tn be
found beautiful flowing streams, and
small rich valleys covered ver with
fine grass for hay, and susceptible ut
cultivation by means of irrigation.
Fine timber for fuel and lumber,
limestone, and good stone for build
ing purposes are here a uudaut.
Gold has be- n found I'm places i'm
valuable quantities, and. without
doubt, the mure common and useful
minerals Will be discovered when
noe minute examinations are
made.n
In the same report, further on, he
says: 1.-THE Country furnishes the
msaus of raising sufficient quantities.
Of grain aud vegetables fOrthe use of
the Inhabitants, AMI beautiful,
healthy and desirable locations for
their homes. The remaI knbIe free
dom here from sickness is one of
the attractive features of the region,
and will, in tins respect, go far to-
"rpcOnIpense the settler from the
Mississippi valley for his loss in the
smaller amount of products that can
he taken from the soil. The great
want of suitable Iuiidiug material.
which fn9w ~ ~seriuI,iy returd@ the
growth of the west, will not be felt
here.'
He also says that these settlements
IN ihe B.HcS lIj5f+ cOuuiTy, cannot
be- agricultural to the Suulc extent as
thoSe ia the Mississippi valley, bat
must depend greatly uuop the raie--
ing of stock. TFl.
Gen. w. f. RaypohIs, who made a
toy .o3rapiiiiAil survey ufthis rcgion
In ~IS59-6O, says, in speaking uf il in
his report, page Z: 1.-The whole re-
gion Of the Black Hills is uuqueS-
t!auahly destined, mt no distant date,
10 afford homes for Il thriving popu-
iatiUn. The mountains will furnish
= Sufficient supply Of pine Iuml"r for
ordinary Uses, and although timber
is very scare" IN the region a. Il
who!r from Fort Pierre to the Pow
der River, yet the B.nrk Hills Will
fully supply this great deficiency in
the districts immediately aaljOnIug."
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 tn" hjll-.
He describes them in his Journal a~ II
succession If mountain ranges with
beautiful valleys between, the soil OF
which is riah and fertile, aud cOv-
cred with a heavy grhwth of grass.
Groves of ash, oak, elm and other
varieties of timber are mentioned rs
being met with, fringing the clear,
beautiful streams of wafer putting
down from the bills into the Belle
F'Hurchp. Between the forks of the
Cheyenne very decided evidences Of
the existence of gold were found
page IA; hut prospecting WIS dis
Outraged by him on account of dan
ger from the Indians, and for fear Of
making the expedition a failure.
/" 1t was for these reasons that the
search for rOld was at all times dis
c%uuraged,o he says page. "A. yet
sti Il it va often difficult to restrain
the disposition to prospect and
there were InOInentS when i was
Reared hptsoInP of the party would
defy all restraint"
These descriptions and discoveries
made of the Black Hills SIX
teen and seventeen years ago by
reliable army officers, whose only
Object was to make truthful reports
of the country, and were made under
many disad vantageS. The number
Of men each h Id was small, and the
dangers from the hostile Sioux were
not the only trouble they had Ia pro
vide against.
Warren went north from Fort
Laramie. via Red ButtpS and OId
WOmau's Fork to the South Chey-
enne. and thence Ia Inyan Kara,
where he was intercepted hv the
Sioux, and compelled to rptrace his
steps. He went back towards Fort
Laramie forty miles, and then