The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-05-26
rbe Rlnck ETIlIs Country.

The Black Hills Country.
Awriler in the New York Sun gives
the first really sober and probable nc
7 count Of the whole region that We have
seen. The Black Hills are mountain
mass rising abruptly from tho centre Of
an immense prairie to from 5000 to 5000
feet above sea level, and pierced by few
canons and gulches at wide intervals.
They derive their name from the sombre
pines which clothe themi but within, as
the Custer expedition proved, ex-
lists beautiful and fertile country. And
it was likewise found then md made Ger.
tain by the subsequent scientific cxplora.
tion Of Prof. Jenny in 1875, that the tales
Of gold there were true. 1t is said that
the Jesuit missionaries knew it many
years ago, and thai, having regard to
better things than gold-namely, the well
fare OF human souls-they persuaded the
Indians to keep the secret Of the hills TO
themselves. However that may be, the y
did keep the secret MS long as they could.
The Black Bills embrace some 5000
square miles, but not all this region is
gold.bearing, and much Of what may be
called SO is not rich enough to pay Tor
working. The gold belt extends % miles
wide for distance Of so miles along the
hills, from Bear range on the northwest
ern slope to French Creek on the south.
east. OF this, the only really profitable
district is that known as the Deadwood,
comprising the northern fourth OF the
belt, about 800 square miles, as rich as it
can be with gold and silver-the "richest
diggings in the world" according to old
miners. The streams, Whitewood and
Dendwood, rise in the hills Is miles
southwest Of Deadwood City, unite at that
point, and flow northeast; the Deadwood
ia Hlhe bonanza" On the gulch proper
two hundred claims are located, and
on half dozen dry branch gulches
clearing such poetic names as Split
tail, Bob.tail, etc. there are as many
more, each claim being valued at
from $4,000 to $4,000, and sometimes
at still higher figures. For instance, the
owners OF a claim which yielded 81 800 in
one tcn.hour run internationally refused
$4,000 Tor a fifth interest in il; and ad-
joining this is the Wheeling claim, the
crack one Of the hills, which yielded from
$500 to $500 per shift. From bank stat.
istics and the miners statements the pro.
ductton Of the whole mining region last
year is estimated at two and half mil
lions, four.Giths Of which we're from
Deadwood and its tributaries. This
year'syield is calculated at S25, 900 900, in
support Of which apparently wild csti
innate, it is asserted that in the tunnel OF
one quartz lead is now visible ore worth
100000 by mathematical demonstration
We may remark for the benefit OF those
who may feel tempted thither hy these
glittering figures, that every foot on these
gulches is taken.
In the Deadwood district, "a extended
by the Sun correspondent for his convc.
nienee, ho includes Potato gulch, which
is III Wyoming territory, 20 miles west
Of Deadwood City, and covers some %
square miles, full Of streams, chief among
which is the Redwater, so feet wide, 20
inches deep, and falling 100 feet to the
mile. Here was found the biggest mug.
get of the Hills, weighing little over
seven ounces, and worth about $3.50. 1t
was found by accident by two penniless
colored miners who were sadly wander
ing back to civilization. They took
shelter from storm under the roots Of
an overturned tree, and by mere accident
saw this lump in the clay. OF course
they "lOcated," and nOttcd $4,000 by
their seasons work. Such stories rs these
are frequent, but TO one such fortune,
there arc hundreds OF cases olruin. One
Of the most deceptive statements made
about mines is that ore is taken out which
will assay at the rate of $4,000, $4,000
or $4,000 to the ton. OF course such
ore Is sometimes found, but the fact is
that II is extraordinary ore that averages
$50 or $40 to the ton.
The gold in the Black hills is found in
auriierous ores in well.defned leads on
the southern sides Of the hills, which will
only be developed when capital brings in
machinery, and it seems now tina. it is
only this lack Of mills which makes IN.
profitable at present the large extent Of
the gold belt which this writer rates so
low. In the rich portion fthc belt, how.
ever, the gold occurs also in quite pc.
euliar deposit Of reddish sandstone,
sometimes conglOmerate, which covers
oertainhills, and does not possess a single
recognized feature OF a mineral lode.
This was discovered only after the placer
mines in the gulChes had all been taken
up, by one Of those belated miners who
took to the hills as desperate resort.
This person, Maj. j. D. woosley, is now
called the richest miner in the region,
The deposit referred to extends over a
country about Eve miles by two, varies in
thickness from 10 fee, to 200, and is as
rich at one place as in another. In this
regionthese are several stamp.mills, and
more are on their way in, which are OK.
pected Ito give employment to 10000 men.
Thebest authoritieain tie hills agree