Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1876-04-10
The Big Horn Country.

We have never believed much in
she Black Hills region as gold field
that they are too far to the east
wsrd--but have always boon OF the
opiuion that farther west, and more
on the line of the Montans placers,
good diggings would be found. The
Helena (MontsnO "Inde pcndent y
publishes the following m Utter under
the sensational headings OF "lmmense
Resources of the Big Horn Noun
tains-The Cities OF the Future
Largest Gold Fields on the Cont
nent,p which we give place to for
what il may be worth:
All Wyoming and Montana rejoice
at the certainty of speedy occupa-
ton of gold mountains and rich
grazing and agricultural valleys lying
between Forts Laramie and Fetter-
man on the east and Bozcman aud
Helena ON the west. These Terrlto-
ries will now very soon have II path
way "across lots" from Cheyenne via
Fetterman on the North Platte, the
eastern base Of the Big Horn Noun
tain, and the valley of the Yellow
stone to the Bozcmtn IN country.
The dista ce from Cheyenne to
Bpzeman ON this line is very little,
if any, greater than from Bozemt ~ to
to Corinne ON the Central Pacific
Railroad, nearly six hundred miles
west of Cheyenne. This road is cut
off along one side of the great tri.
angle which was attempted to be
opened both by the Government and
people in l367-7S by the er .ction OF
expensive forts through the In 'ian
country between the North Platte at
Fort Fetterman and the Big Horn
river, near its confluence with the
Yellowstone, at the crossing point oi
the former where Fort Fetterman was
erected. "
Fort Phil. Kearney was located
near the head or Tongue river, and
Fort Reno on the head waters OF
Powder river. These streams both
rise in the eastern slope of the Big
Horn Mountain.
The Indian massacre OF about
eighty soldiers, one morning in
1868, at Fort Phil Kearney, caused
the surrender to the Sioux and the
abandonment of all three of these
forts. 1t was u fatal mistake but
will now soon be remedied through
the presence Of General Crook and
the great army OF miners now flock
ing into that country.
The future cities along this line
of travel from Cheyenne to the yell
lowstone, will he at or near the
sites of these abandoned forts AMI
at or near the mouth OF Clark's Fork
of the Yellowstone.
There is one gratifying fact con
nected with the present rush to the
Black Hills. Too many collect there
to work pro6tably the limited area
of placer deposits; they will find
ample room 10 the Big Horn coun.
try which has five times the gold
bearing surface of the Black Hills,
The Indians do not frequent these
mountains in great numbers. even
in summer, and miners will be
safer there than in the Black Hills.
The Big Horn range is crescent
shaped with its centre cut through
by the great canyon Of the Big Horn
river. The southeastern end # the
Big Horn mountains is easily
reached. The route is from Chey.
enne to Fort Fetterman. thence up
the North Platte along the old emf
grant trail to old Fort Casper. and
thence north west forty miles over II
rolling, grassy country, to the
headwaters Of Powder river.
These are the largest unoccupied
gold fields on the continent. This is
the place for young men to go and
commence the great work OF open.
ing up the gold and silver resources
vi the Big Horn Mountains, and
ioundlng two or more cities equal to
% penVer in the early future, at theil
somebody will begin this grea,
WORK very soon, now that General
Crook Is on hand with his protective
iorce TO see that the miner, unmo.
aested' unlocks the great trcasure-boA
Inere' and is not driven away by hi,
own own government, as has been the pol
icy heretofore.
Inc Wind River Valley, on the
west side of this mountain, is the
nome and haunt of the friendly Sho,
snohe Indians, where fine wheat and
o.her cereals can be raised in abund
once These Indians would hal
WIN WIN great JOY the advent of white
settlers in this valley and in the
mouhtains, as that would reinforce
snem against their enemies, the
SIOUX on the east side, toward the
Black Hills.
,o1. "a narrow gauge railroad on the
hn.