Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1876-06-08
Black Hills Letter.
To the Editor Of the Republican:
TON.

To the Editor Of the Republican:
Weleft Michigan, with slight touch
of the gold fever, on April 18th, for the
Black Hills. Our route was by way of
Grand Haven to Chicago. At the lat
ter place we purchased tickets for
Cheyenne, at $3.50 each. We left
Chicago on the Chicago Il NOrthwes-
tern Railroad, and after a ride of 1872
miles, arrived at Omaha, the western
terminus of this line. While here it
commenced showing, and although we
were in the city nearly seven hours, we
could not get out of the hotel to see the
city on account of the storm. Snow
fell to the depth of four inches, and /
think would be safe in saying that
the same depth of water fell also. In
the evening we took the Union Pacific
Railroad for Cheyenne; arrived at
Grand Island, a small place of about
900 inhabitants, and l54 miles west of
Omaha. l consider this a splendid
country, the roads are dry and nice,
and the country has the appearance of
being just the place to live. Herdsmen
can be seen ON all sides, lying on the
grass or sitting upon their horses,
watching their droves, which are prin-
cipally cattle. Our train was made up
of sixteen coaches and several fruit
cars, and it was about all one engine
i anrIIH NIL n erf.nd a do
tanned at one place on account of the
rails being creased, and no sooner had
the train stopped than it was boarded
by about twenty-five or thirty boys, sell
ing pies, cakes, bread, boiled eggs and
prairie chickens, all gotten up in good
style, and for which they demanded the
small sum of 81 80; milk for twenty
cents per quart extra. No attention
was paid to the rather noisy demands
of the conductor until all had their fill,
when about 400 men got out and helped
the train on its way. At Stevenson we
stopped for dinner, and by way of exer-
else we helped all old plainsman to
move his corn-crib, containing over 500
bushels of corn, out of the way of the
destructive prairie fires. In this vicin-
ity about the only buildings we see are
the well-known sod houses, of which
we saw large numbers. We had con-
siderable sport in shooting at all the
antelopes, elks, deer, and prairie wolves
we could lay our eyes on, many of the
poor animals receiving dozen shots,
from the enthusiastic Nimrods OH the
train.
Cheyenne, at which place we are now
stopping, is a fourishing town of about
ZOO inhabitants, and to find western
town with more business and better
buildings would be quite difficult.
A person knows but little more about
gold here than in the Eastern states.
In hearing the innumerable stories that
are afioat, person is sure to find one
that will suit him; one that will tend
to make him dream golden dreams, and
build magnificent castles in the air.
The mining, so far, has been placer
or gulch, although quartz mining has
been tested and found to turn out
about s., 900 to the ton. Miners report
diggings in the Black Hills that would
pay abundantly, but owing to the Ind
ians troubling them, they can do but
little in regard to testing them. When
Gen. Crook went through there he lost
thirteen men and was driven back be-
sides. Since then the Indians have
been more troublesome than ever be-
fore. 1t is generally thought here that
had Gen. Crook never visited the Black
Hills in such hostile and threatening
manner, that the miners would be un-
mOlested in their search after the gilt
tering treasure. But now the Indians
are stirred up, and woe be unto him
that dares venture out too far. Trav- |
cling is considered safe as far westward |
as Fort Laramie, where Gen. Crooks |
troops are stationed, but beyond that |
the government furnishes no protec-
ton. Gen. Crook seems to be doing !
all in his power to suppress the Indian |
outrage, but the means at his command /
are limited, and the exposed territory |
is SO large that some parts of it can not |
avoid being exposed to the depredations
of the Indians, and such parts are being |
constantly threatened with Indian in
surrections.
The white mans thirst for gold will /
conquer the Indian yet, and in few
years the Black ILLS will be as safe to /
travel through as any other portion of /
the country. Hundreds are coming in,
and great many are going out of 1
them. Gen. Crook expects to start on
an expedition about the 18th of this
month to the Big Stone, where it is sup
posed that the richest mines that have |
ever been discovered are situated. A |
large company from st. Louis, and hun
dreds from here are waiting to accom-
pany him through, and it is their inten- |
tion to drive the Indians back at all |
hazards. Parties, who think of coming |
to the Black Hills for mining or labor
ing, would do well to go with that ex-
petition. That trip will satisfy and
answer the oft-repeated question, docs
gold exist there in paying quantities, or
not?'' Wages are pretty good if per-
son is only fortunate enough to strike
a job, which is exceedingly difficult to
do, as the number of persons out of |
employment is legion.
Gold was discovered in the Black |
Hills in 1886, by three famous old
scouts named Grant, Goodle and Bird
ger, who frequently saw large nuggets
which the Indians brought in from
there. NJ. NJ. Il.
Cheyenne, w. L. May, 1876.