Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1879-09-22


IxE aeuIs6an MIA
Sheridan, RssAsrvills, . Rap,a.
geditostal oesrespesdsaeel
sspia O.. P~s.nins.oa Co, D. 1. Sept.
= lese-WAen I closed ny Last letter our
party VA resting as The quiet transformations
villass Of Sheridan which looks ont into
the beautiful valley of Spring Greek and
over many fine gardens and fields Of lux.
uriant grain. 1t ~ there that the pioneer
o@cials Of this county irt erected their
tents and swung their official banners to the
aouStIin beG1siss h 1877. L vas there also
that thssUaissd S.asss ooart for The Black
Hills was 6rst held, Justice Bennett presid-
Ing. The temple Of justice still stands
On an eminence overlooking the, primitive
town.. Itisa we'll built los,sssucturs and
quite spacious ; bat now In the days of
6heridan's weakness il ~commodious cham.
bers have been surrendered to the itinerant
prospsctor and the throas of the hoodwink-
ID goddess 10 falling 70 decay. Sheridan
was born to greatness but the chill winds Of
advsssaty dwarfsd it, early development and
retarded its growth. 1t 10 not however,
deserted, and just At this time the signs for
L prospsroas future are quissaauspicious.
Rich plaosrs abound here, and even the
hill tops. from the gras roots down, are
gold bearing. 1t was just below Sheridan +,
. hall mile. that Prof. Jenny, in 1875, with
. party Of soldiers. washed out bis FIRST gold,
and il memory of this event the miners
havs named this the Jenny mining district.
There srs 70 placer claims located On Spring
Creek in this district and - many more in
the tributary gulchss. A we'll informed
miner stated to nae that about 800 miners
were as work here, nearly al in the placsrs.
All were making . good living and many
we're making "big money" Tho placer
gold 10 very ooarss and in Palmer's gulch
have besn found some of the most valuable
nuggets discovered in the Hills. The gold
IL also Of the best quality it, market value
being $50 an ouncs or 81 . penny weight.
Sheridan has recently buckled on . spirit
of snterprise and j. now engaged in build
ing : ditch andlauns from Horss Creek, .
distances Of tive miles, toa few hundred
acres Of rich ground Just below the town,
whore sufficient geld lies buried to pay .
good portion Of the national debt. Quartz
mining here is not a profitable industry At
present, and yet the district contains = mum.
Dor Of promising lodes. The Blue mine is
one of the first discoveries in the Hills. 1t
10 an immense vein of mineral Carrying
silver, copper and iron. 1t has 30 foot
tunnel and . IS foot cross cut, showing .
large body Of ore. The Silver Star on
Horse Greek is another promising lode
the Monte Christie in Mallory aulch; the
Jenny, on Hor.s Creek /; the Blue Wing
and Gray Eagle extensions of the Blue
the Excelsior = mammoth vein 800 feet
vide, with a tunnel 100 feet. These are
. few of the best veins which have been
prospscted. There 10 considerable timber
10 this vicinity, sufficient for oil purposes
for q good mining towo. About S miles
north west, near flarncy's peak, Is situated
the Cross mine, owned and occupied almost
BY our esteemed citizen Fred
j. Cross. have been unable TO get there.
although TO see. Fred and bis pet mine wac
the chief object Of my present trip. Want
Of time and knowledge ofibe de, ious wind.
ings Of turnpike sad trail, l plead a. aso
Why Fred and l have not met. His mine 10
we'll known 40 one Of the best In The south.
e!n Hills. He bus On as foot hole 10 it and
= 80 foot cut scross II, and yet be has not
struck bottom nor either wall. The char
scter Of the rock Is . dark qqertzite carrying
e%old-enough % warrant Fred.
in staying by 1t, and boring farther into it.
When . miner sticks 70 his mine 20 Fred
does to his. and continues boring into it. it
auRurs we'll. 10 oil ny trip. which has
been most agreeable. l have but enc regret
and that 10 tina: I fsiledsto NEST with hon
cot Fred. and visit his great bonspzs.
At Sheridan We Lost our genial compan-
lon and courteous guide, Nj. ]. L. Wallace,
. young gentleman formerly Of Pittsburg. A
tenderfoot doing the Blsck Hills without .
guide 10 like . ship v ithout . rudder. Mr..
Wallace had given % the benefit Of his
OF this country. which we found
to b very thorough. and he'd placed us on
familiar footing with the miners and land
lords wherever We halted, 90 that the sourc
% Of Information were easily reached. We
hope to meet Wallace assin and reciprocats
10 some manner his valuable services. IL
the meantime, nay he strike spay strsak,'
and become . bonanza king.
Bidding adieu to Sheridan We passed out
between the lofty ~trestlss supporting the
Horse creek fume and took the most proc
A;nnkl~ .n.,A~ a. D-~I>.-aNn.S IT, go =.