The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1876-03-16
THE RUSH TO THE BLACK HILLS.

INTERESTING FACTS AS to- THE EXCITE
MENT-DoUBTs AS TO THE PRESENCE
OF GOLD IN PAYING QUANTITIES.
From the Denver (Col.) Neacs
A party of 400 strong will leave Chicago
on March 15 for the Black Hills. The
expedition has been formed by James
Conklin, who accompanied Professor Jen-
ney last season. The secretary of the COM
pany has received 1900 letters of inquiry
since the announcement of its organization
The party travel through to Cheyenne by
special train, and arrangements have been
completed with the railroads to transport
the men from Chicago to the Hills for S26
apiece.
A letter from Milwaukee says that
prosperous storekeeper intends leaving his
business and leading party, who will start
on April ,, going via Cheyenne. The
main company consists of men in the fol-
lowing professions Two physicians, one
veterinary surgeon, one druggist, two as
sayers, twenty carpenters, three black
smiths, several grocers, a number of farm
ers, one clothier, dry goods dealer, coal
dealer, together with intelligent, indus
trious laborers, and half dozen old miners
who have been in Nevada, Arizona, Color
ado and California, and who feel they are
Forty-niners again. The entire party will
probably embrace not fewer than from 800
30 400 men. One gentleman will take a
sawmill. Another proposes to trasport a
shingle mill to the land of golden sand
Messrs. Stubs and Thompson have re-
turned to Laramie from the hills, and re-
port lively times at Custer City. just be-
fore they left wedding took place at Gus
ter City-the first to occur in that region.
The parties were William Hardesty and
Miss Ida Simms, both late of Cheyenne
Messrs. Stubbs and Thompson also report
that the first steam whistle ever sounded
in that section was heard on February G.
1t was saw-mill whistle.
a / Jones Of Golden, now in Custer
City, writes letter from which we extract
as follows: Il have been prospecting every
day and have found some gold, but as yet
nothing that will pay. The snow has been
very deep and everything is frozen up.
There seems to be gold all over the country,
but not in paying quantities. About forty
miles from here are some good diggings,
we hear. At this place the bed rock is
from eighteen to twenty-five feet, and no
gold till you reach bed rock, and then it is
not very plenty. l have found some about
four feet from the surface, but not in pay
ing quantities. After try the Deadwood
and Drywood diggings, if | find them no
better than these, l will be ready to leave
this country"
y party of twenty, mostly coal miners,
will start from Medicine Bow, on the Union
Pacific, next Monday for the gold fields.
They VIII take route or trail rather, through
Sabiilo Canyon, which is reported to be free
Of snow.
jules Ecofey, a Wyoming pioneer, thinks
Custer City viii be the commercial and
lIiIIyo the mining town of the Hills, their
relations to each other being about the same
as Denver and Central City.
Judge Kuydendall writes an interesting
letter from Custer City to the Cheyenne
Leader. He says, among other things,
that only few claims are now being work
ed at that place. Quartz indications are
good all over the country Rich discoveries
are reported on Deadwood and Whitewood
creeks, seventy miles north of Custer City
In some localities the bed rock is near the
surface in others it is very deep. Washed
gravel, black sand and rubies, white and
variegated abound. One hundred and
fifty houses will be completed in Custer
City by March l. Some of the buildings
are substantial structures. Hill City al
ready numbers fifty cabins and 100 inhabi-
tants. The judge says he is satisfied with
the country and intends to stay there.