Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1876-02-18
the BLACK HILLS.
RETURN OF THE BIS
MAKCK PARTY.
bismarck lin, q Blaze Of Elk
element

A party of yesponeible men l, # Bis
marck recently for tile purpose IF prsct'
cally testing the reports concerning the
end extent IF the Black Hills
mines. The party has returned, aid
bring encouraging reports. The Tri-
Weekly Tribune devc'es all Of its avs'la
tle space, to the reports of the ind'vidu
as composing the expedition. We take
from it the following:
[Corr. spondence Bismarck Tribune.
Bismarck, q. T.. Jan. %. 1875.
The readers of the Tribune are familiar
with the circumstances under which Ben.
G. Ash, Deputy .. 5. Marshal for North.
er" Dakota, J. Dodge, County Commits
s:oner of Bu'Irigh County, D. r., 4. r
Marsh, Of r. r. Marsh s. Co., proprie.
tors Of the Capitol Ho Ell. Bismarck. u.
T., w. T. Simpson, dealer in books,
static cry, fruita, &C.. Ed. Hackett, son
IF x.Mayor, Hacka-t. Jimmy If Cork
and myself made the trip from Bismarck
We |, fl Bismarck on the afternoon, Of
Dec. 20; 1875, camping that night j.
sight of Fort Lincoln. We struck thu
Ross party, which was some three weeks
ahead of US. aid followed it into the
Hills, taking dinner at their night camp
and putting up at night in their CAM
of the nigh: following, thus getting ovel
the ground Just twice as fast as they
Thy were twenty days en-rute ana w
we've ten, reaching the foot of thu
Black Hills on the night IT Dec. 31st
The route follows Clusters trail to Ceda
Creek. about ninety miles, AID then, in
stead of taking westerly course 80 h
did, We tOOk souih-westerly course
striking his return trail at Bear Butte
WI ich We followed into the Hills.
Nothing Of note occurred on the route
The stock stood the "trip well and reached
the Hills in good condition. Though il
dead winter, camps sff"rding wood wa
ter and grazing were found at every de-
sir ble point.
The following diary may he found in
lcresting by some Of your readers. sw ak
ing a. it dies OF our operations during
'be twelve days we were in the Hills
looking around and prospecting.
Jan. 2. We reach. d the camp of Dict
Some. on R.p;d Greek, where Capt.
Jack is locate d. We saw him take oul
six cents to pan from the very groun
GU which McC.ll rested when he wrote
that the stories about gold in the Black
Hills We're Id lies-that there WI.
no gold there, aud no indications OF
god.
Jan. 3rd. Went up Rapid Greek to
The camp of H. N. Ross, who maze the
first discovery OF gold in Custer Ouch.
when acting - chief Of miners with c us
ter's expedition in 1874. Ross was sur
vtyiDg q ditch and intended to grounj
slu:ce his claim. He SAID II 1t panneu
out rs well rs it prospccted the bar would
yic,d fifty thousand dollars, aud he Was
that it would. Renamed Their.
over night.
Jan. 4th. We returned to the camp
If Dick Stone aid Capt. Jack. They
were drifting in q dry gulch, carrying
their dirt fifty yards 70 water. aud work
ing but "a lew hours. yet they were taking
ut from S. to So day each.
Jan. 5. We remained in camp with
Capt. Jack aid Stone.
Jar. 6. Located clam ms on Rapid
Creek. going up Spring Creek in the at.
ernoon, where we met JIM Sutherland al
Golden City. He told Us that Spencer
Z Go. w.lc working claim half mil.
Up the Creek from Golden City, from
which more gold had been taken than
rom any other point, We went up to
heir camp snd saw them clean up one
lays run, which weighed $47 Is. w.
amped close to them that night and then
Jan. 7 Went up Spring Greek to Hill
lily and bought town lots for ourselves
nd Bismarck parties. This tywn is
the coming town Of the Hills.
> it is the junction Of the several roads
'a.'i"g to the different part If the Hills.
Is Thirteen miles north Of Cnslar's
lily.
Jan. 9Th. We went to c aster City and
point six miles below, where We
smped oyer night, and on
Jan. 9th. Located claims here and re-
'rned 10 Custer CITY, where We remain.
over night.
Jan. 10Th. We returned TO Hill CITY
ID on
Jan. IL Located Gains on Spring L
eek, two miles from Hill CITY. II. II.
arsh and J q. dodge, Of our party Is
W Spencer AID Company clean up $l37
dust. the result of four men in six In
urs work. and on T
Jan. 70. Sp ncer & Co. took from th 10
ne drift $l22. m king &c ounces Of Ia
Id, or over $50. tax, n from . piece OF Il
ound II feet vide. 8 feet deep and 8 0 i
t long, which Jim Sutherland and o
ler experience d MINERS said could be {,
''ke'l ~ six days by four men. 1h+ y,
rock b r. u h~r.i. bl.cky slate. and I'm
y were working into it from one L. fc
. icet. The gold cAn vi. be we'd 10 on. y,
Ice box II feet in lengt The th
ram affords now 800 inches of water To-
u fall Of IS feet to the mile. Tie In
d Is coarse. EAngi, 6 from . color I" On
e. Is Of t2&. We bought three ounce. IN
this god - take with Us 10 Bismarck MI
ca
o consequences Ut the iarg.. em,era,lon ~,
The Black Hills, and the incresse .f|c.,
nness 10 that dir clion. the Moth. RI -
:ihc Railr~d viii he opened imm.. IF
'ely, and Trains run through TO Bis-tsh
fck In this c.,nnecai.,m al,a R;.,,,.,