The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1877-03-05
Ell DORADO.
An Interesting Sketch Of the Discovery,
Settlement and Development OF
the Black Hills.

Ill lQt NlllCl VI LOTT o1-S NhC SA
yer Times, there appeared in the cities
Of the Mississippi valley, an unknown
man, of wild and uncouth appearance,
who unfolded to eager listeners the
narrative of his adventures and discov-
cries in the wild solitudes, then re-
served for the Sioux savages, and where
the foot of no civilized man but his
own had wei trod. Defying all dan
ger, and regardless of all hardships, he
had penetrated and prospected this
mysterious region. Eureka! He had
found it. He had found a land of gold.
The hills blossomed out with golden
quartz, and the streams were yellow
with golden sands. His story had all
the wildness and extravaganza of fable
and romance, but the story was pleas
ing, and found ready, credulous listen
ers. The newspapers, always ready
for the sensational, took it up and cir
culated it to their millions of readers.
The melancholy times favored its re-
oeption. Everywhere prosperity was
dead, trade was paralyzed, a nation of
people were depressed in spirits, and
restless in their enforced idleness. Mil
lions of hearts yearned for something
to do for some adventure that might
bring them wealth, oil at least employ.
ment. 1t is in the nature of man to
believe, with easy credulity, the golden
fables that come from far-off lands.
Distance lends enchantment to the
view" The unknown is always the
magnificent 1t was these golden IA
bles that gathered under the banners of
CorteZ and Pizarro the c%onquerors of
Mexico and Peru. 1t was these golden
fables that in 1S49 peopled the hitherto
lonely shores of the Pacific, and opened
the new gateway of commerce with
China and the Orient. 1t was these
golden fables that in 1859 lit up the
camp fires of the gold-hunters amid the
eternal SHOWS of the Rocky Mountains ;
that penetrated the remote and rugged
wilds of Nevada, and urged on the ten
thousand adventures who started out
yer the desert on the wild hunt for
pixies Peak, or bust" 1t was the
golden sands of Cherry Creek that built
up the miners camp of Auraria, where
nov stands the stately city of Denver.
1t is not strange that the pioneer and
prophet of the Black Hills found thou
sands of ready and eager followers.
All over our broad Union the sensation
spread, and everywhere earnest and
determined men resolved to go, to
tempt Providence or fortune by a gold
hunt in the Black Hills. In the early
spring of 1875 the movement began.
Groups of men gathered at various
points in tens and hundreds, and
formed expeditions to the Black Hills.
They had no definite knowledge where
these Black Hills were, or how to get
there. They had neither chart nor
compass, nor were these the greatest
difficulties or dangers Of the adven-
turer. The Black Hills were then for
hidden ground, forbidden by statute
law to the tread of the white mans
foot. The Black Hills belonged to the
Sioux Indians. The forbidden land
was guarded against intrusion by the
United States army, while beyond their
lines stood Sitting Bull and his fierce
warriors, ready to scalp all intruders.
| Proclamations were issued from head
quarters, forbidding all intrusion into
the Black Hills region, and warning
capture and threatening destruction to
all such expeditions. 1t would seem
that such obstacles would deter and
stop short any Adventures. But he
who thinks so underestimate Ameri-
IA pluck and enterprise. Despite all
these obstacles the pioneer pushed on
and forward. 1t was with them the
Black Hills or burst! Headed off at one
point, they tried another. Expeditions
were captured, and outfits were
smashed Ivy United States troops, but
the Black Killers still pushed on in de-
vious ways. In the lexicon of gold
hunters there's no such word as halt.
After awhile the government relented
and relaxed its efforts, and finally it
gave laid and comfort" to the pio-
neers by fighting off the Sioux. The
year 1875 was spent in skirmishing
with and removing the incipient diff
culties of the enterprise. 1t was not
until 1876 that the wedge was fairly
driven in, and pick and shovel driven
down to bedrock. The summer of
1876 was spent in prospecting the
streams and gulches, locating claims
and projecting future cities. The pio-
neers were poor, and their labors were
performed with cheap processes and
crude machinery. The coming of win
ter checked or stopped these operations.
And here we may take a retrospect
and "sum up" the actual results.
They are very great. The pioneers
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