New-York tribune., 1877-05-05
TILE BLACh HILLS.
LETTER FROM GOV. THAYER.

LETTER FROM GOV. THAYER
his BELIEF IN THE wFAITH or THE COUNTRY
WHAT HAS BEEN ACCoMTlslIED-GoLD AND
sIiVER-FUTURE REVELATIONS EXPECTED
ROUTE To TIE HILLS.
To the EdttOr Of The TrfbUnc.
SIR: The very general interest which is now
taken throughout the country in the recent discoveries
Of gold and silver IN the Black Hills, ana the frequent
inquiries addressed for trustworthy information
concerning them induce 10 take his method Of FUR
nlsiing such information the numerous letters call
for by laying before the public such facts n have
been able to gather, and which deem entirely worthy
Of cOuadeuce Thousands Of people are already there
aud many other thousands are now ON The ROAD or pre-
pairing to 20 there and positive information about the
country minerals, geology ts extent its cay acity
to sustain and enrich large population, the route
thhc and the isciue, OF getting there are all ques-
tions OF deepest interest at the present time
That portion of country which general attention is
now directed, the Black H is an isolated cluster
Of hills living near the 10tth degree OF longitude west
from Greenwich aud between the 13d and l5th degrees
of north latitude Tho two bauche, OF the Big Cheyenne
River nearly incoso the entire region and derive most
of thci. waters from the Drainage Of these hills The
hills seem have been uphcayed as an island in the
vast ocean that covered the surrounding country aud
have been exposed to an unusual amount OF erodns
action which, IL would Gem, has worn down and cum-
bled the rocks Of our formation, and recombned the
materials i'm new forms and with unusual characteristics
The nul uphtaya must have been peculiarly Titanic
bringing M large amounts of various me tac substances,
particularly iron, which have been disintesIaied, and
wasLed down and deposited ia beds and strata ana
again thrown up and broken and ground down. untl the
present formations anomalous 10 an cNtent altogether
peculiar to tis locality The geographical extent of this
island region very great about go miles 10y per
hGps 100 bu so far "a explored carrying everywhere
gold silver copper lead, audion III such large amounts
"a to surprise the most experienced and best
! Informed miners aud experts
The gold il found in dust and nuggets IN the gravel
beds OF an the creeks the hills the horizontal beds
and strata OF hcmatte iron Of great thickness, IN
measure forming the substance Of the hills theinselV's
and in true veins Of ore aud hcabcng rocks, cutting
the qualification, ana Oi remarkable richness and extent
think Il rc to express the belief that other portion
Of the earhs surface contains more Of the precious
metals in The same space than found IN the Black
Hills II may Ice thought premature TO express strong
an opinion But every days developments confirm ITS
uthfuucss, and prudent men and good miners having
the best Of Judging are fully convinced oil iis
truth True silver ores, sulphurs, cloIides, broihles
and arseutlerous gacnas also found In Large guam
titles and of great purity. II must be- region couse
oucntly where reduction furnaces ana erushng mills
VIII nc required, and where permanent employment Nl
be found for much capital AID labor. Many
permanent towns VIII spring up and thriving popnla-
ton Will ako the place OF the Wild and savage Indian
I'm the mean time is peculiarly the poor mans mining
coiutry The gUlchcs for hundreds o! miles winding
through the Hills he worked by the shovcland slnico
box alone without capital 20 buy the ground or erect
machinery and these are now paying tie hardy abocr
quite as wen rs the best portions ot California or Montana
have eyer paid AZ - 100000 worth of gold Gus
WIS taken out last year IN this way, notwithstanding o
the difficulties attending its discovery and all the rouhlcs
of an Indian war. But these difficulties now disap
uearlng The heretofore hostile Indians are coming I'm
and surrendcInc 10 tho Government and viii soon bo
removed 10 the Missouri River, nearly 500 miles away
from the His leaving the entire country safe ana Tree
from their lncurslons.
telegraph line the entire section extends from
CbcyoDuc TO Dcadwood aud Custer An excellent iiHc Of
daily six hOrse stages, carrying daily mai, now con
vsy- Messengers from the Union Pachc Railroad nj
Cbeycauc 20 the hcart1f the ls In fOur days; ana tcF
the 21h inst The cOacos viii run night and day and dc
liver usscngcrs at DeadwoOdn GO hours Cheyenne
and caravan of trains and teams transports all kinds OF
FREIGHT over the lines reasonable rates. There are
comfortable ranches and stopping places all along The
road: and the journey accust0ms Inc men To
the country and climate, ani gives thcm
good pr.paIation for the rough life ana haId lanoi
in the mines. The road from Cheyenne is excellent
running over hurd level, gravcy palms. inieIS''i'"
with frequent streams OF good water and covered with
abundant gras There are three military posts on Tie
roltc which impart confidence and security 10 IAor'
Going and comns. There are already several hdN'''
,,s cattcrcd along tie road every day, travelling with
safcty and comfort bctwcoBCh Cheyenne ana the Hi@ "l
daily increasing ihlf 'il' .4"h i''
m 20 600 people there already and many are sending Tor
tbeir families. They have established schools. ihu'
rly. tlc iuIi@icon Of court has been extended Owe
bcr, and churches viii soon follow. The general cl'Vd-
m U fine valleys and rive bottoms in this region is De
yccp 600 and Oo0 fcst above the ocean level inns
,,c, iaicatcs an agricultural country aud temperate
r,ol,bn climate; and while the higher elevations are
tbcsly covered with heavy timber the lower ana ''''
,i, ,,rIuce raes and hay Of excellent quaIily ana
ot iuudance The soil is rich, ana Ii"lihDie farm
,o may be carried on over large extent 'I c"'''N
y,no adjacent 10 the mines aud become advantageous
alike a. Tie farmer and the muer.
ro,c e..d nothing of that great mnci~ region N''s
,ystof the Black Hus,' aud known as tie h'E H'i"
country iu Western wyoming There very scnI,t XIII,
iitet iss.d ou many isolated facts and di,roNi' I
tis iiig Horn country is iis richest in toid au r
.I i,,t,t, nf miner and pru- tcturs are licl, wv ~
aho 90 t, ,s,,,,c,i H. is n country Of grcpi
eNteut and r. easily accessible. T. mf Pi"ry, tu M
otDrctbc. The be-, portion oi the toch' N".', ~, .
mineral nod such ~ least a ID" cohha'Ht tNi ~
Of Ig0so VINO c.af 90 know where if treasures iir
Le thought by any thHt bayc gwen 10" "
cgl0rug 90 The lilils, Layc % say til w % ~, @ "a,
exprcesld in this letter have been iptcu 'I"' "' ~
,1bst u.oueatiOnan!o eyiI .ucc. Very trd.y f,,,h.
JOINS ~. TuANLB, Governor ol ". "'i''h'
Cheyciae, w. T., Aprl Is, 1877.
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IN, 81. Lo,js RepubIicda wants "a floating
pnrsrFyU what has become Of tle one Iu"' Mo'e'