Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1882-08-12
SPEECH OF r. r. PETTI0REw
On the Bill Establishing An Assay O8oe
st DoadW

|
st Desdvood.
The following are extracts taken from
a speech delivered by Hon. r. F. Petit
grew in the house Of Representatives
July 9th, 1882:
"Sir, the Black Hills is now a flourish.
ing portion Of settled Dakota, fully or
ganized and divided into three counties,
to wit, Lawrence, Pennington, and Gus.
ter, the first named being the norther-
most, Custer the extreme southermost,
with Pennington in the center. To-
gether they contain 25,000 inhabitants,
10000 residing in Lawrence, 5000 in
Pennington, and the remainder in Gus
ter
Dendwood is the county-seat Of Law.
renee and contains 1000 inhabitants.
| This place, sir, is the outgrowth Of the
mining developments, and here the
great bulk Of gold produced in the Hills
snds its way, from whence it drifts into
the commerce Of the world.
Beside Deadwood, Lawrence county
is the seat of Lead City, with 5000 pco.
pie, and Central City, with 1000.
The seat Of these three cities. grouped
within radius Of four miles, is the re.
nowned Deadwood gulch, which has al
ready produced many millions Of placer
gold. and within few months past
quartz mining has assumed huge proper
tions, with enormous annual yield.
Within this radius ! 200 stamps never
cease their clatter day or night, produc-
Ing at the rate Of $5,OOO,OOO pure gold
per annun.
The quartz worked in thase mills is
obtained from the Deadwood vein, hich
is three hundred and twenty-five feet in
width and three miles loug. This vein
has been opened to depth Of six hun
dred feet at different points and found
to he rich in paying ore from its very
surface to the lowest depths penetrated,
Welding from 81 to 50 per ton through
out. II is all frce-milling ore and is
mined and milled at maximum cost Of
$50 per ton.
Upon this vein several mills are in
operation, yet the claims now being
worked constitute but small part of its
area. In single one of these mines in
operation there is s25,0GG, 600 in sight,
being one Of the most valuable proper
ties in the world, already producing an
annual revenue rivaling that Of such old
corporations Of the east az the great
Central Railroad Of New York. In fact,
sir, this enterprise owns and operates a
steam railway Of its own more than
twenty five miles in length, tapping the
forests, and constantly operated for the
single purpose Of supplying timber for
use in the mine.
This railway, from the rails to the
! great steam-horsc which draws the ears
was imported across the uninhabited
Plains more than two hundred miles by
means of horses, and was put in opera
ton at a cost Of more than 100000.
This item, sir. conveys fair impression
Of the growing importance Of the min
ing interests here.
Twelve miles distant, to the west of
Deadwood, is Bald Mountain, which is
another extensive vein Of gold bearing
quartz, containing more gold to the ton
but the ore is refractory and requires
roasting to reduce it, although the profit
per ton is much greater. Mining is in
successfu! progress here, with rich yield
ard most promising future.
Strawberry gulch, ten miles from
Deadwood, i'm another direction, is sur
rounded with mountains Of gold
ore of the free-milling class, not quite 50
rich as the Deadwood ores, in greater
quantities, however, and easy Of access.
Mining operations are in progress here
also, with satisfactory result, rapidly in
creasing in volume and promising i'm
mense proportions.
Besides many other beds of valuable
gold-bearing quartz too numerous to
specify, situated in this county of Law
renee, twelve miles to the southeast of
Deadwood, is the village Of Galena, at
the base of another mountainous forma.
ton containing rich deposits of silver
and inexhaustible quantities Of lead.
Two smelters are in constant operation
producing pure silver at the rate Of half
a million dollars year, with large profit
to the owners. This silver-mining en-
terprise is in its very infancy, but the
supply is practically inexhaustible and
also has great future.
Within this county are vast numbers
Of these veins containing both gold and
silver, many Of which have been pros
pected with satisfactory results and
await the combined action Of Drawn and
capital, ready to surrender their rich
contents.
In Pennington county several loca-
tions are being mined successfully, some
| Of the quartz deposits producing as high