Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1877-09-20
BLACK HILLS "REMINISCENCES.
Interesting Notes ON the Earlies, Pioneer
ing.

Interesting Notes ON the Earliest Pioneer
ing.
Strahom's Hand Book of wyoming.
Black Hills "reminiscences, although dat
ing back only three years, are In fair way
to he lost sight OF, unless soon placed in
enduring shape The first building Of any
kind in the Hills was that erected by Cor.
don's party on French creek, in the fall OF
1874 1t was really stockade, eighty-six
feet square and ten feet high, with six cab
ins ranged around the inside. The party
numbered twenty six persons, and included
Mrs. Talent and her infant child,-the first
white woman and child TO enter the Black
Hills. Gordon's party mined near the stock.
sde during that winter. The first town was
first frame building in the Hills was built
at Custer, by j. w. Lytle, in February, '76.
The pioneer saw mill commenced turning
out lumber In the vicinity of Custer in
January, 1876. and was started by Daniel
Durett. Printing Offices we're among the
earliest enterprises, the first to reach the
Hills being that Of Merrick s. Mclaughlin,
of Denver. Its entry was at Custer, in
May, 1876, but it was moved to Deadwood
during the following month, where the
Black Hills Weekly Pioneer was soon flung
to the breeze.
They came to the conclusion that 1t was
not good to live alone in those northern
wilds at q very early date, for James Hines
and Miss Matte Douglas consummated the
first marriage in March, 1875, when mail
and telc lraph were unknown, and folks had
hardly thought of building anything but
log houses Ethel Arnold was the first
babe born in the Hills. and was announced
at Custer on May 25, 1876 Rev. H. w
Smith, who preached the first sermons ever
listened to by Black Hills congregations at
Deadwood and Custer, in the early spring
of 1876, was killed by indians in ambush
while he was en- route to Crook City on
Sunday morning to fill an engagement
there.
Gold was taken out of Deadwood Culch
tor the first time during the present STAN
pede by q miner named Nuckles, in Septem
Der, 1875. To Mr.. w. II. Hibbard. of Che
yenne, belongs the honor of first extending
the electric wire to Custer, Deadwood and
was completed to Custer October 10th, 1876
and to Deadw wood December 1st of the samt
year. Crook City boasts q newspaper, the
Tribune, published first on June 9th, 1876
Following the Pioneer. at Deadwood, vert
the Times and Champion. The three last
named now publish large daily and weekly
editions, where two years ago the amiable
savage was reading his title clear aud swear
ing that he would have $50, 900 900 for the
country or die In the last ditch-all of which
disappeared in smoke. J. j. Williams bull,
the first log cabin on the present site o.
Dead wood in November, 1875, and bi!
modest effort of twenty months ago is now
overshadowed by fifteen hundred goot
frame houses.
The BELLA Union" variety theatre wa
first to give public entertainment of tina
kind at Deadwood, and opened with grane
flourish of trumpets and cool toilets early il
the summer of 1876. But the inimitablt
Jack Langrishe and his accomplished VIII
soon appeared on the scene, with goot
legitimate theatrical troupe, and CAV
amusement-seekers chaste and high. clas
character Of entertainments, When bust
ness grew dull Mr.. Langrishe welded
graceful editorial pen on the Pioneer stat
or else worked his gulch claims. From th
latter he made good pay in the depth Q
winter, when he was compelled to boi
water to thaw out the frozen ground.
+ Black Killers who thought they wanted
, new territory called their first meeting o
April 7th, 1877. It was proposed to cal
. the new territory Lincoln" and numerou
meetings were held, which resulted in III
sending ofdelegate c. w. Meyer to WASH
ington to push the matter there. But III
,.N.,,, l.. . auh.sdod