The Lake County star., 1877-06-14
Don't Go 10 The Black Hills

Don't Go 10 The Black Hills i
RAPID CRY, d. T., June 4. 1877. /,
EDITOR LAKE COUNTY STAR:--Will
ysu have the kindness to publish
the following in your paper? AS I
had promised when l arrived here
to write to several parties in Lake
county, I thought that the best way
Of doing 20, was to write aud pub
lish . statement through yeur paper.
In the frst place, in regard to the
route to the Black Hills, there has
bssn misrepresentation. ! camo
by the Yankton and Pierre route,
and found when arrived at Yank-
ton, that there was no direct com
municstion; boats were not regular,
and charges were more than adver-
tissl. When We arrived at Fort
Pierre (Msy 5th), No stages had
commenced running, and there was
no direct route established, or as
yet,.in operation. So ! had to work
my way out ~ best / could. 1 ac-
csrdingly purchased my outfit at
Pierre, and started alone for Dead
vsod, Notwithstanding the protest
ations that were made to me that /
was liable to be murdered by the
Indians, as they were reported to be
numerous on this route, but /
thought l wsuld try it any way,
sooner than to remain at such a
miserable place as Pierre is. Tar
rived at Rapid City, which is As
miles from Deadwood, but which is
161 miles from Pierre, the same dis
tance that DeaawOod is represented
to be; but it is 2O6 miles from Pierre
to Deadwoed, by an air line, and
shout $50 by route. So you can
see the first Misrepresentation. y
In the next place, when you ar
rive at the Black Hills (or Dead
woody, you will find nothing but a
lot Of Jews, who are bound to have
what little money you may have left.
They will charge you from $sto SIS
per day fer beard, and miserable at
that. Then 60 out in the mines if
you are lucky enough to get a job.
Yoa will be offered from $3 to $3.50
per day; and it may be weeks be-
fore you get that chance.
/ get in the numbering business
here, as an overseer, at SO per day;
but it was on account Of nay having
been accustomed to taking of pine
from hills, something similar, in
Maine. / met a Michigan boy, last
week, who asked mo for job. j
tsld him / could give him one at
$40 per month and board; but lo
told me he was offered 500 per week,
in the mines, and thought he would
do better to work at mining. Last
Monday met him in Dcadwood,
and be asked me if l had . place
still open for him. Itold him Twas
fall, and thought he intended to
stick at mining. He said they had
paid him Of, on Saturday, for hi,
weeks work, at $50 or an ounce Of
gold valued at $50 per ouncs), and
that at his boarding house they
wsuld net take the gold only ai
t17.S0 per ounce or greenbacks,
&12 for tho weeks board. So ha
went to = bank, and after blowing
the sand out they gave him $3.50
for his ounce Tor $40 worth Of gold);
sad 81 they charged him for wash.
ing . few articles Of clothing; and
he concluded he could do nothing
in the mines at such figures. 81 81
So l would advise all my friends
in Lake county to pay no attention
70 the big reports Of the Black Hills:
but mako up your minds that the
greater part Of the report is fraud
ulsnt, and that nothing will be found
here but deception. There are q
few mines, both placer and quartz
in and around the vicinity Of Dead.
vsod, that will pay for working
but viii net employ more than 1,o0(
men, and there are 1t least 10000
men out or employment in this vi
cinity. All Michigan men, il thsy
can make their living thore, has
better remain there. Hoping yen
will pubIish this vsttatim, as I had
not tins to write very particularly
or properly, ' ~
I am yours, &C.