The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1877-03-24
What They Know About the Black Hill,

a"NI H'NH
Messrs. c. V. Gardner and J.. II. S.
Coleman, well known residents of the
Black Hills, who have been engaged in
mining and other business there for a
year past, give the following account of
the new FL Dorado in letter to theInter-
Ocean.
"During the past year, under the
most adverse circumstances possible;
with the hostile Indian all around;
with provisions and material high and
often scarce, with n formation unlike
any other known to our oldest and most
experienced miners, over 300 gold-bear-
ing quartz lodes have been discovered.
We think we are safe in stating that
seven-tenths of these mines will pay
well when proper machinery is intro
duced, and that many of them will pay
largely has already been demonstrated
by actual test. Among the best known
as well as richest, perhaps, yet discov-
cred, are the Hidden Treasure, Father
De Smet, Homestead, Golden Gate,
Chief of the Hills, and Golden Star.
All of these mines mill from $40 to rs
high as $500 to the ton, while the ore is
practically inexhaustible, Judging from
experience.
Until recently it was thought we had
few if any silver interests that would
pay to develop. About five months
ago silver ore was discovered in what is
known as Bear Butte District. Since
that time up to the 18th of January
eighty-seven silver lodes have been re-
corded within Il radius of five miles.
The assays made from these mines run
from SO to $4,000 to the ton. OF
course none of them are developed to
any considerable extent. The greatest
depth attained on any is eighty feet,
while nine-tenths of them do not eX-
coed twenty feet. All who have any
knowledge of silver ore know that it is
rarely found of much. value so near the
surface. In that district we find on
most practical Observation-Disclosures
in fact, who have spent the better part
of their lives in the mines of California,
Nevada, Montana and Colorado. Many
of these men are very intelligent gentle
men, and all of them know what good
silver ore is as quick as the grain mer'
chants know the ''grade" of wheat
when they see it. They have the faith
of a mustard seed, and are working
with an energy and determination and
are living a life of hardship and priva'
ton that command the highest admira'
ton, and most certainly entitle them
to that degree of success they are sc
sanguine of.
In the foothills to the north and west
immense bodies of coal have been dis
covered, while the finest qualities OF
copper and iron ore have been found in
many localities.
Our timber exists in immense bodies
In the Hills proper it is principally
pine. Our valleys adjacent to the hills
are very fertile, and we are confident
llolli llNt tAlSlltliIC VI iaSt sNaAs tht'
all the cereals grown in Illinois and
Iowa, except corn, can and will bt
grown with perfect success. Vegeta
bles such as potatoes, onions, peas, rad
ishes, etc., matured wherever planted
this last season. Our grasses cannot
be excelled. We a point you to-day
to the meat-markets of Deadwood City
and show beef as fat, as juicy, and n:
tender as any found in the markets o.
Chicago. Yet the only feed our cattle
have had are the dry grasses that exist
everywhere in the foothills. The above
facts we lay before your readers, not fol
the purpose of inducing immigration
but to draw the attention of your bust
ness men and capitalists in that direc
ton.
That a large population and a rapid,
increasing wealth will certainly sprin.
up and develop the Black Hills int,
one of the richest portions of the Unitet
States is a fact which no sane man vii
attempt to gainsay who knows the man.