The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1876-06-18
Re Kskss tie Rssf-n Trip IN Four Day

patch from Fort Laramie, arrived in
this city last evening, and, of course,
called at the LEADER Office, where he
had to undergo a rigid examination
and cross examination on the re-
sources of the Black Hills gold
mines. He very kindly gave u re-
porter a most thorough account of
his experience in the Hills, and we
will give below a verbatim report of
his answers to the many questions
put to him:
Rep. Mr.. Bennett, we have re-
ceived an associated dispatch from
Fort Laramie in regard to your dis
eoyeries in the Black Hills. Win
you please tell us whether it is au-
thentic?
Bennett. 1t is; the operator sent
exactly the information | gave him.
Rep. When did you leave Cbey-
enne for the Hills?
Bennett. | left here ON the 18th
of April.
Rep. Did you meet with any diff
culties on Your trip to and from
Deadwood?
Bennett. | did not. l made the
outward trip with a freight outfit in
fifteen days, and returned, leaving
Custer City last Wednesday morn
ing, in four days, arriving in Chey-
enne at seven o'clock p. m. Satur-
day. l found military stationed on
Hat Greek, and met Capt. Egan on
Indian Creek, preparing a perma-
nent camp there.
Rep. Did you meet any wagon
trains on the route on your return
trip?
Bennett. 1 met a large train be-
tween Custer and Deadwood; Mr..
Small's OK train and a number of
mule teams were in this outfit. (This
is the train which carried the sup
plies and outfits of Messrs. Van
Deusen, Parshall, Graves & Curtis,
Pollard and Lancaster-Ed.)
Rep. Are you the owner of the
celebrated Alpha ledge?
Bennett. l own a controlling in
terest in the mine.
Rep. Is it as rich as reported?
Bennett, | think it will turn out
to be the richest mine on the CONT
nent. 1 have eleven wagon loads of
the r on the way to Cheyenne, to
be shipped to the smelling works at
Omaha. The shaft sunk in the
ledge is now about seventy-fve feet
deep, the ore on the dump shows free
gold in almost every piece of rock.
A nugget worth thirty dollars was
found at a depth of about twenty-feet
from the surface.
Rep. How are the placer mines in
the vicinity of your ledge?
Bennett. The ground around our
mine is rich in gold dust everywhere.
As an instance of what is being done
there at a considerable distance from
water, / will mention the case of
three Italians, who are at work on a
hillside 500 yards from the creek,
and who pack the dirt on a mule,
making a hundred dollars per day.
The time is near at hand when mil
lions will be taken out of the Dry
Clutches of the Hills. Systematic
labor and capital will utilize the wa
ter in the creeks for the purpose of
working the many gulches near Gus
ter, and Spring Creek, which have
been abandoned SINCE the excitement
about the Deadwood mines.
Rep. Have you visited the placer
mines on Deadwood and Whitewood
creeks?
Bennett. l examined most all of
the claims which were opened. On
my first visit to Botsford's claim, l
got permission to pan out one pan of
dirt. 1t was my first attempt, and
| was rejoiced to find seventy cents
in that one pan. That little bit cf
gold dust is worth a great deal to
me. On anot her claim, with the as
sistance ofa miner, ! PANIED out four
dollars and seventy-fve cents out of
three pans of dirt. | carry the two
specimens with me.
Rep. How many people are there
in the Deadwood mining district?
Bennett. On Deadwood, White
wood, in Gayville, at the mouth of
Deadwood, and in Crook City, all
forming a chain of settlements
stretching several miles along these
creeks, there are over 10000 people.
l believe we shall have $4,000 there
before January first.
Rep. How is Custer City?
Bennett. Custer is holding its
own. 1t contains about six hundred
inhabitants, and it will be certain to
become one of the principal towns in
the new mining region.
Rep. Is any prospecting being
done outside of what is known as the
Deadwood district :?
Bennett. Since the Indians have
$500 - -.x. -