The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-10-16
VOL. XLlV.-N0. 46.
OBSrRTATTONs MADE WINE WITH
THE CROOK ENPEDITTON.

the PriNutl0ue OF Utbefr VI '"'-t
NfrnIcrs-Thr Iirst stamp Mill In Dead
wond The Log Theatre in Crook CITY.
DivouAc NEAR CUSTER CITY, Sept. 2s.-
IJkc rats that atiit a sinking ship, tho news
paper Representatives have one by one aban-
doncd Crooks returning columns, and your cor
respondent remains almost alcne to witness and
record ts dispersal or reorganization In the
HIlls Either Is equally probable but which
course will he pursued cannot be de1nt ly
ccrtainad until tn, re ut OF the conference Of
Gcns. sheridan aud Crook at Fort Laramie Is
known. The return OF the latter, or the
arrival Of courier bearing dispatches
from him, Il daily expected. Meanwhile
tbe troops rem1in quietly In bivouac
mile and bali from Custer CITY,
enjoying the beautlful scenery which surrounds
them, aud what Is better, ample supply OF
ratlon5. Custer City was at one time the metro
polls of the Black Hills but the discovery OF
gold Il Doadwood almost depopulated II as well
a. the other mining settlements In this region. II
boasts, however. q population OF about two hun
dred souls. and numerous stores, saloons, &c.
There were many houses that were approaching
completion when their prospecting occupants
Quit work and deserted them for more eligible
sites and localities consequently, here as else
whore, is presented an array OF uncovered log
nuts which have become almost characteristic
OF tho country.
The march from Crook City TO this point was
one of uniuggng aud varied interest. The
scenery, while neither grand
rugged as ! expected, was OF pecu-
Iiarly picturesque and lovely description.
Everywhere grew Immense forests Of pine,
which, viewed from distance, Gives TO this
fegion the distinctive character of which its
name-Back Hills-is significant. Harney,
Terry, Custer, and Crara Peaks ere its highest
poinis and, crowned by huge masses OF granite,
which elsewhere jut out from the dense. green
FOLIAGE Of the trees, these add variety
and force to the prospect. Enormous
Gifts and bouldcrs OF slate and schist pred ONT
nate while quartz Of 1t Of the variety
known as "burnt"-is prominent geological
feature. A vast amount OF work has already
been accomplished and \ casual glance de.ects
eVtryWherc indie luons of placer mining AqGe-
duct, bitches, sluiccs. and sluicc boxes, dams,
drifts, and dralus are On ~ sides. The presence
Of golj la more or less abundance. and creatl,
varied In quality aud facilitN uf reduction IS
undouttcd the prncipi i obstacle To- its oconom-
cal and rapid extrac ion bcinG the absence Of
water Gcneialy the machinery, and means at
presont employed. are OF the crGdest descrip-
aion. Fear q the Indians has limited prospect
iDR to n compar lively smal area, where the
Uncertainty Of TILES To claims and the Insecu-
rity sttondnR success on account OF the de.
moral,sntion Of ihe innaoiian 8, nave prevented
open or continued work. 1t Is an old mining
maxim that as good claim anu graveyard are
Ilor-c stealing is Of frequent occurrence, and
since entering the Hills the command has lost a
dozen or nfteen !luable animals. Al Dead
wood. where the ciiiz .ns rendered Gen. Crook
quite ovation, severdl Of the horsos belong
durine IT. Polite acceptance. Here the tena
city O the citls ms IN tnis respect l. remnrk-
allie. of course they are anxious 10 have
tfooIs chartered for The winter IA their mids',
ard tn ddition to stealing th.ir horses. to have
the oPporiunlty OF neccins them OF the very
coDsic r.bic an cunt vi pay for which Uncle
Sam II in arrears TO Crooks little army. Their
Gnyerg,acn In tile occupation f ms country,
nlthor-h by forfeiture Of treaty. onnss atoms ~ Is
tmpo- i'lc TO satisfy Their additional demands.
Win view To the HVc1uii iisunent OF
IN 'se Ject-, the air has been rife with fumors
Df lnU.itu deplcd"tun5 GROUND tro,. CITY and
Deadv od sincc our de, or.ure. aud even Of the
mas-ntr, OF a triin. "n to"'e irum rot Pierre,
sons. q whom only three ca, ed. Willie en-
lirely pr banlr. ueed scarcely add that at this
has been circinated weekly for tHe pist SIX
montu. L. perhaps - ue regretted !lai the
Sioux uhl their people were not permitted to
"nrht ~ out" "a the utst place; but since
even,s have culmna ed Giferenily, y,there Is little
doubt at the necessity for posi- nortn 81 the
Hill' ~ soon ce. " Mt Al present, apparent.
And yet teeve that the cl.s7es Of men VINO
gold were, as general thing, superior TO those
VINO ufN lly liiess mining usuiets. Indecd. A.
Crook couun p,saed through they stared in
hmazcnrnt a. drti,r. more ragged aud starved
bet-oi these bIcS liillers-th.n Lad ever ap-
peared n ms region before
The uisht precedinr NY depsr,ure from Crook
was a. tea' iy sarnrlse0, as had h,en the even
ine Oefofe, AZ the rvtIfsentatiun Of Irodden
Down, or Under Two fiars."
Ia,stng south from ruuk City and Dead wood
number Of smaller mining towns en-
sponnteied' nSt upon di'e.t llne' tut ~ s.me-
CentennlI IL Nont M nv Ellziheth. neadwo d.
fs,on RSsa Ss%p cy SgS0A m S0lds ty oy Mountain Gs
Sisy , ana o,,., Cdsiea C,lyss Of which De.dwood
most fuuri,hine. /, must be renem oercd N t
"a his section an assein elage Of three or four
TO secure thereto the lofty and attractive Gosig-
nation oi citb, though several II th0sc euumor-
stSce stsS Dg'sh So ,Nra wse5E nsw,p4pcr In some IN
Iaid out mo town lots by some enterprising
speeudtor in real estate, whose once as well as
entire earthly poss ssions was Ia his OK
cart ard II the nearest appTo ch 10 buil,i-
Ing dOsrned to bo ever located upon the
highly eligible site Of his selections At Box
Elder tr'ek a train reached the command from
Ned Clogd Asensy ne % ssGorsd s, .y Lieut. Howe
Rapa titN Capt. Egan, Second Cavalry. met us
with additional supplies. Here NC found "a herd
We're ulaped tom foft Larrnl9 in Hcq cse Te'oG vi
Sapt IS /, ILL hliu N-NalIy. We aso rcceyed
trlin !, daiiy expected from Goosn creek. NV
from q hiizatl9n was most heartily wclcone.
by our long lsoiated comnl4nd. lie DuIter
"Iolanthc' Of the Centenlial Exp, sitiou niade
our nlOuths--accu-tulned t. tlo dIvest rf |
"hard-tA- k'-water, aud. bv the way, would tie |
worth t- weight IN 80 dutt IN Tins zion a |
o the ioG In Ws ra iiSc pHuI.H " T. 1e e%psn,e
Crook councll win Indian aliies. mat ohices |
IS fep fepr' ''n'ed Ia handsome uniform icanul |
upoh hi. -w9d nul as your coriespunatnt lor!: |
hgo "ro'g us bue scouting shitt and pant1, |
io3n,' TetnioF,ed with eanv s. Ia no distu.-
gu,h'i IN from tue Woaucst private in tie |
fsnks' RANK. II nsed scarce oe added, this aris,
niu7 not emit T. inruti0n the success which |
has rewarded icN inliViOuas Ia tite hlus. And |
30 no e ONE Of tns most import int mines a,,i |
recent a. Gov, nes. As yet placer mining /, a.
most exc ustVely engaged In. ON account of
the bs-nce ot the necessary uachlner,
Tor Obtaining, crushing aud red Ioing
puarz. mo lrst stamp mil Is now bo
Ing sot UP at De dwood. The miners
expect 20 develop with II some We. tine qu ~
property In their pO- O--csalOn. They also Have A
miniature smeltinR appar ,tus, capable If reduc-
Ing one ton OF oie m twelve hours, with when
they are tcs, Ing numerous leads. About SIX
hundred tons Of ore arc ready ior reduction,
which they propose to ship 10 Omsha A nun
Der of " dirt digging claims have recently Deen
BOLD az fair rates. No. z, DeAdwoud. which in
sne daY cleared up two hundred ounces sold
1or three thousand dollars, aud No. s, Gold Run.
Tor INC same amount Lead city AdJuining
Reauw"od' Is looming up as mining metropO
Br. toinpbhy TINT recently left TINS vicinity
WIN lraln guarded by thirty armed men, are
supposed 20 have quit the Hllls the happy pos
eessofs OF {bhO u IN gold dust Their success is
Known . nave been remarkable, but their retl-
cehce VI on ths slbloct doubtless prod ices much
exaggol on upon almost every creek and |
in the vicinity OF each settlement gold mas besn |
discovered, IN some places very ne = the surface
while in Others II runs low that II q innot he |