River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1879-04-03
OUT In THE HILLS.
THE BUSINESS IND MINING PROS
Poets GENERALLY.

streams that cross the bismarck stage road. |
Coaches are all delayed, and mails are de-
livered only occasionally, and then two or
three days. accumulation at a time. No one
can be justly censored for the delay, which
is occasioned altogether by the elements
still, there is vast amount of grumbling
and some "kicking'' by merchants and
others who cannot see why our eastern and
western mails brought in via Sidney, are in
variably on time, and st. Paul and northern
Dakota mails are so far behind. March is
rapidly passing, however, and with it the
annual period for bad roads, and consequent
poor time" and everybody rejoices thereat.
Mining operations, other than quartz, and
prospecting IS receiving serious set back
by present extremely cold, snowy and very
disagreeable weather. Last week was bril-
liant, warm and inviting, and allured many
gulch miners into the belief that the back
bone of winter was broken, and the "gentle"
season was upon us, accordingly sluice boxes
were placed IN position, bitches opened, and
IN many instances sluiclng begun, but it was
little more than fairly under way when
wlntery relapse occurred, forcing everything
to standstill. As yet no indications have
been given that the severe March ''blizzard'
that in tie past two years has
so greatly retarded work of all kinds, in
Guiding the stoppage of mills, is to be ex-
perienced again. In fact the entire season
has been so different from those heretofore
undergone, that the opinion generally OBJ
tains that we will pass from winter into
spring almost before we know il.
PROSPECTS FOR THE SUMMER.
Gulch, or placer mining, will be carried on
the coming summer upon a scale even more
extensive than last year-thanks to much
successful prospecting since the close of
work last fall; and that it will prove much
more profitable is also an easily demonstrated
fact. Many claims on-workable heretofore
on account of an absence of water, or at
least productive of only the little quantities of
dust obtainable through the tedious ''rocker"
process-the dirt being wheeled or carted
distance often of a mile, will, so soon as the
weather shall permit, be opened up by the
hydraulic system, the most economical, ex-
peditlous and thorough of any in vogue.
bitches and fumes have been built as if by
magic all over the hills, several being eight
and ten miles in length, until now the coun-
| try is the best watered of any mining region
| in the entire West These much needed i'm
provements are most numerous in the vicin-
| ity of Newton's Fork, Rockville and Camp
| Crook, Pennington county, where extensive
gravel deposits we're discovered last year,
but, owing to he almost total absence of
water, remained unproductive. Re-
duced price of labor is anoth-
er valuable consideration. Heretofore
wages have ruled at six dollars per day under
ground and four and a half and five for
upper" men. A reduction of one dollar
upon each class has been decided upon by
all prominent mine owners. This, however,
will work no material hardship to the men,
who will find that the contemplated wages
1 e. Il
compensation received a year ago. Flour,
for instance then quoted at from so to SIS
per cwt. is now selling at 81 and SIS, and
will be greatly reduced in price with the adj
vent of summer. Board costing ten dollars
per week year ago can now be secured for
| five and six, and everything else
in proportion. The area of placer
mining is greatly enlarged over
that of last year, and is extending daily, as
prospectors continue work. The latest re-
ports reach us from French creek, west of
the old town of Custer, where amazingly
rich diggings were recently discovered.
French creek has always been famous for its
fine quality of gold, but that unearthed a
few days ago is superior to anything previ-
ously found, readily bringing 1880 per
ounce at any of our banks, whereas Dead
wood dust passes for less than SIS. The
richness of the new diggings may be inferred
from the fact that six pans of dirt prospect
ed as follows: $2.70, $2.35, $1.85, S1.25,
81, 80 cents. Very fattering re-
ports are also received from New
toms Fork, where, during the recent
pleasant weather, several claims paid as high
as $12 per day to the man, and miners there
are confident that they have the best ground
ever located in the hills, and boast that hay
ing an unlimited water supply, they will as
tonisL the world by the result of the season 8
work.
| RICH DISCOVERY.
A friend has Just arrived from Rockford,
twenty-five miles south, considerably excited
over the discovery of silver ledge that as
says $4,000 per ton. He describes it as a
true fssure vein, easily traceable upon the
surface by means of groupings and float, for
several miles, The rock shows considerable
native silver, and streak, probablya foot in
width, of bromide of silver. He is perfect
ing a record of location, and will return with
a months supplies in the morning.
ST. PAUL AND MINNEAPOLIS BUSINESS WITH
THE HILLS.
| Business of all kinds is becoming brisk
| and gives to the camp much of the lively APP
! pearance presented in the spring of 1871
In this connection let me assure your read
ers, particularly in st. Paul and Minneapolis,
! that they have no idea of the close alliance
existing between the business interests of
their cities and Deadwood. / doubt that
many will believe the statement, but it's
true, nevertheless, that st. Paul grocery
house sold to hills dealers last year over
| $3.50, 900 worth of goods St. Paul shoe
house sold over $4,000 worth of their goods;
an agent for a Minneapolis merchant
tailoring establishment (retaiD who has been
hap lodi
one hundred orders for suits, and you can
depend that miners buy no cheap stuff
either. In addition the twin cities are
| largely represented by nearly all of their
leading houses in all branches of trade; in
| fact know of no agent who has visited us
and not done well. This condition, good as
| it is, will constantly improve. Our popula-
ton is not only becoming thoroughly identi-
| ied-domesticated- the country, but
is rapidly increasing. Last nights Sidney
coach brought in ten passengers, and
as many more will arrive tonight. The
driver informs me that he passed large
colony en- route in, with the intention of To-
eating in Spearfish valley. They are bring
ing agricultural implements, horses, cattle,
sheep, families-in fact all that they possess.
1 learn, also, from a reliable source, that g
colony is forming in Michigan with the in.
tention of locating in some one of the many
beautiful valleys that encompass the hills.
BLAoKMALNd.
This section of the country has expert
enced something or other, almos
continually, since it was first
thrown open for settlement, to give
it set back. At first, it was difficult to
make people believe that gold and silver
really existed in the Hills; and there are
men and journals, too, in the East, wilfully
perverse up to the present time. They
don't want to believe the truth, neither viii
they. Then came the military arm of the
government to eject the bold pioneers and
retard developments, and when, at last, the
plucky miners returned, they found the
roads leading in and the Hills encompassed
by thousands of savage Indians. Subse-
quently occurred the depopulating stampedes
to Wolf mountain, to the Big Horn, and
more recently still, to the Bear Paw
Bad as were these influences, they
were not as serious as the evil
that now threatens us, for If it
obtains foothold, it will be almost impossi-
bic to eradicate If. l refer to a system of
blackmail that has been inaugurated, and,
am sorry to add, with some degree of sue
cess, for victims have either been too poor TO
defend their rights, or, deeming it cheaper 10
"compromise" than to carry Oh an extensive
litigation, have met the demands of the hu-
man leeches. Their plan of operations is
varied, and increases in magnitude as success
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