Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1877-03-03
Emiuration 10 The Black Hills.

Congress has ratified the treaty
made by the late Sioux commission for
the transfer to the government Of the
portion of the Black Hills country
included in the Sioux reservation Of
1868. The Black Hills are, therefore,
now portion of the public domain,
and legally open to occupation and
settlement by citizens. The govern
ment will be bound to afford them
protection, and the route to the Hills
will soon be in such continuous use as
to diminish almost to nothingness the
risk of attack from hostile Indians.
There are already large numbers of
miners in the Hills, large numbers are
on the way, and still larger numbers
are getting ready to go. 1t is stated
that even in this city companies are
being formed to go to the Black Hills
within a short time. Two stage lines
now run regularly to the Hills, the
popular excitement over the discovery
of the precious metals there is very
great, and the indications are that the
region will be as full of miners this
summer as q Nebraska cornfield with
grasshoppers. Accounts Of how min
ers are washing out 5000 worth Of
gold day have a stimulating effect
upon the emigration, and there will
be hundreds Of men in every city who
will look upon the Black Hills country
as veritable Tom Tiddler's ground
where they can pick up gold and silver
just by going there. But the i'm
mense probability is that the fortunate
ones will be very few, while the null
titude will be bitterly disappoi nted.
The cost of living will be excessive,
so that what might seem to be a good
days earnings will turn out to be q
= ytance. The stage companies, deal
ers in provisions and supplies, and the
gamblers, will be those who Will most
certainly make money. There is nc
doubt now, however, that there is a
great deal of metallic wealth in the
Black Hills country, and accounts
come OF lucky discoveries as well as
Q of great disappointments. Upon
Spring Castle and Rapid creek miners
: are idle and unhappy. Upon Battle
s creek, where there had been great e1
a pectations, numerous shafts have beer
S sunk, often as deep as twenty-thre(
Y feet in the rock, with meagre and un
: remunerative results. Just now there
: is great excitement over the Oak
n Valley gulch, whore miners are tax
7 ing out dirt containing thirty cents t.
e the pan or about two hundred dollars
4 per day. But the gulch is dry TO
a eight months of the year, and thel
II the miners have to 60 miles for water
: In the Iron-creek and Spring-creel
e districts there is very rich silver
= bearing quartz and a New York com
1 pany has already secured fourteen
e lodes and is arranging for the con
: struction Of two large stamp mills. /
famous place in the Deadwood distric
e is the "Nigger gulch," where very ric
= deposits nave been found. 1t derive
= it's name from the fact that it was dis
: covered by a colored man, who is sal
to display more geological knowledg
and have better luck than any othe
I prospector in the Hills. He does nc
g mine himself, but locates claims an
f holds them for sale. But miners luc
: is prov erbially uncertain. A CLAN
" that at first yields largely may 500
g be exhausted district that may b
d in repute one week may be almos
h deserted u fortnight later. The larg
a profits are reversed for the eompanie
% that can afford to make considerabl
! investments of capital. For the poe
If man whose capital lies in his muscl
q and determination, the prospect {
" wealth by mining is about the sam
'e az the change Of winning q big prize b
,e investing his earnings in lotter
"a tickets.-BaItimore Gczette.
g TIE New HAMDsHIRE ELECTION
'e Two weeks from next Tuesday, Mare