Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1876-07-06
LETTER FROM THE BLACK HILLS.

EDITOR HUsBANDMAN: I wrote you a
few lines from a point on the road near Fort
Reno.s I sent it by Il man who was going
| by way of Fort Fe%tternan, and / had only
a few minutes to write, while his horse was
bucking.
The Big Horn party, headed by Captain
Langston. reached Crook City, Whitewood
creek, D. T., May S4th.
We found no prospects along the route we
came, and saw no Indians until we reached
the edge of the Black Hills, when they made
their presence known by firing about twenty
shots into our camp, slightly wounding one
mule, and knocking the dust out Of Mrs.
Wilson'S dress. With great GOODNESS and
presence of mind, she grasped a needle gun
and jumped behind a wagon and assumed
an attitude of defense. On the same day,
and probably at the same time, about three
miles from camp, George H. Miller, CORNER
ly a resident of Oregon, but late of Gallatin
City), was killed by the Indians, and another
man narrowly escaped, having about twenty
shots fired at him.
Two days. drive from this point, the Indi-
ans came upOn us again, and so suddenly
that they appeared to spring right out Of
They commenced the attack by shooting at
and attempting to run over the pickets, John
z. Barnes and Jake Schultz, who stood them
off, gave the alarm and saved the herd. No
one was hurt on our side. One Indian and
two of their horses were wounded.
I fSyn1 that thn ,,inoc an HEhitaxx-ao1 ,,J
Deadwood, "a tributary to Whitewood), are
no myth, but are paying well tor a distance
of nearly twenty miles. Some claims are
rich, yielding up into the pounds. The
ground is all taken up, and claims are held
ct from four hunred to five thousand dollars.
Nothing new has been discovered this spring,
not even a side-gulch. The mines are crowd
ed with men, many Of whom are idle, yet
independent.
Towns are being laid off, and a great deal
of building being denc. Provisions are high
and scarce. Flour is 500 to $25 per hundred
freight. fifteen cents a pound from Fort
Pierre and -Blsrf1arck. We have no mails
here, and hardly any communication with
the outside world.
The Cheyenne road to Custer is reported
closed to travel. All stock must be kept
under strong guard, and it is feared the
Indians will leave us all afoot.
l cannot advise any person to come here.
Business men might do very well, but miners
will have to buy any ground they get.
There is a mania among the people in re-
gard to laying out town sites. Crook City
is an embryo town at the mouth of White
creek; about one mile and half above
is Centennial City !; twelve miles above is !
Elizabeth City; a mile and a half further up
is DeadWood City, and a little further on is
Gay City. @4
Here, in this valley, twelve miles north of
Crook City, about adozen of us have located
ranches, and since then, men are coming in
every day, and now there must be fifty
ranches located. The day before yesterday,
q toWn site was laid off, which they claim
will make the leading town of the Hills. IS
1t will be on the direct road from Pierre and
to the mines. The parties claim
to be able to establish several Wholesale
stores, a saw mill, a branch of the Bismarck
Tribune, and several other branches of bust
ness.
The land in this valley has the appearance
being we'll adapted to agriculture. There
also seems to be good hay land upon it.
lay would now sell readily in Deadwood at /,
oloo per tor. They are working mules and !.
iorses there, and feeding them on brush.
'ats anu corn. Grain sells at twenty cents a
'ound. There is no grass above Crook City.
he mountains have a very heavy uro,vth !