The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1881-04-15
caooK County.
An I~aterestiax st2teneat OF Its RE-
oaree wealth and P~oDaIatfsl.

An Interestias Statement OF Its RE-
searees Wealth and Population.
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In response to a request from the
LEADER, a prominent citizen of Dead
wood writes us as follows of the new
road that is TO run from Deadwood to
the coal fields in Crook county; also
stating other points that are of interest
to our readers:
DEADwooD, April 18th.
The country west of the Black Hills
is a very interesting stock region, and
is fast filling up with cattle and sheep.
Coal abounds in inexhaustible quanti-
ties and seems to increase in thickness
as you go west towards Little Powder
river. Beds Of iron ore, similar to that
at Rawlins, are of frequent occurrence.
What are called the Hay creek coal
fields are near the Bear Lodge range in
Wyoming, some six or seven miles west
Of the line. The distance from here to
the coal beds is about forty miles. The
coal Is about the same quality as at
Rock Springs, and will be of great
value to this mineral section for fuel.
Quite a large portion of the Red
water and Belle Fourche valleys that
lie within Wyoming, are settled up,
and are fast improving. Stockraising
and farming are the main industries
relied upon, and are proving quite
profitable to those engaged therein.
The larger part of the placer diggings
OF Bear gulch, Sand creek, Niger hill,
ETC., as well as the silver mines of Sun
Dance mountain, are in your territory.
So are the salt springs and petroleum
springs, near Jenney's stockade. From
all 1 can learn, 1 estimate the pop
ulation of Crook county, including all
classes, miners, ranchmen, stockmen,
hunters and p~rospectors, at about three
hundred.
1t seems to me the country would
improve far more rapidly were it or
gained, but 30 long as the present in
habitants desire to remain in an unor-
ganized condition, they ought to be
gratiied.
l have not had time to write a COM
m~unication for the LEADER, or l would
gladly do SO, and give you the foregoing
data on which you "a spread" your
self, and work up a boom for 'the
county Of Crook, ss."' There is a large
share of splendid agricultural land in
1t, but Its pastoral facilities overshadow
its farming prospects.
The Homestake companies are now
grading for a railroad from Lead City
to a heavily timbered belt some fifteen
miles east. and will have a narrow
gauge road in operation by next fall.
Two narrow gauge roads are pro-
jected from Deadwood to the coal fields
of Wyoming, and probably one will be
built this summer. The negotiations
are now being carried ON in New York
by interested parties. Definite news will
soon be received here regarding these
enterprises.
The Black Hills continues to be
about the same kind of q mining coun-
try that it has been for the past two or
three years. No sudden fortunes are
made, but there is a regular yield from
the mines. The output averages about
S400, 900 per month.
All the vegetable products consumed
in the Hills, IS well as all the meat,
and a large part of the flour, are now
produced in the valleys adjoining.
The engineers of the new road having
been asked, by our correspondent, for a
description of the route in Wyoming,
write him as follows:
DEADwooD, April 9th.
SIR: In compliance with your re-
quest for a description of the route of
the d. & r. w. R. R., in the terri
tory Of Wyoming and of the adjoining
territory, l submit the following The
route Of said road. as at present located,
enters the territory of Wyoming in the
valley Of Hay creek, at the crossing of
the Miles City and Deadwood telegraph
road with said creek, and pursues a
general course of south, 100 west, fol-
lowing the valley Of Hay creek and
middle tributary of said creek for a
distance Of $50 miles to the coal fields.
The valley Of Hay creek is not very
extensive but is quite fertile, and
bounded on either side by high rocky
cliffs. After attaining the high table
lands OF the north side Of Hay creek,
the country stretches off to the north
and west in a gently rolling prairie,
dotted here and there by small groups
Of p~ine-covered hills.
On the south side of the creek the
country is more rough and broken, and
continues to increase in a~bruptness until
the Bear Lodge range of mountains Is
reached, about ten or twelve miles from
the coal fields. In the foothills Of this
range is found quite extensive groves
of hard wood timber, principally oak,
and in the main range good pine timber
is quite abundant. The upland is well
adapted to grazing purposes, supporting
a large growth of most nutritious
grasses. Respectfully,
WIN. T.. SMITH.
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PERSONAL POINTS.
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