Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1882-10-07
SATURDAY, OCTOBER z, 1882.
I'M THE LAND OF THE DAKOTAs
The Black Hills Region.
From the Grinuell Herald,

&tSiEA III AUS. -, ioo-'
EDITORS HERALD:-The Black Hills
proper are a section comprising about
5000 square miles Of territory, situated
for the most part, in the southwest cor
ner of Dakota. extending over 100 miles
in length, and from 40 to go miles in
width. They are low a fiourishing por-
sion of settled Dakota, fully organized,
and divided into the three counties of
Lawrence, Pennington and Custer, to-
vether containing $1,000 inhabitants.
Although termed Hills many Of the
peaks might more appropriately be
called mountains, as Harvey, Terry, Gus
ter, and other peaks have an altitude
exceeding that Of Nj. Washington, in
the White Mountain range. 1t is esti-
mated that the mineral belt, so far as ex-
plored and prospccted, does not exceed
$500 square miles; yet statistics show
that this strip Of mining country pro-
duced last year an amount of gold almost
equaling the aggregate product Of Colo
THU, ghblltstIid did uatiO. ioDdOtN i IL
variety Of mineral resources this region,
extent OF territory considered, stands
without a rival. The list includes gold,
silver, copper, mica, salt, iron, coal
petroleum, graphite, asbestos and gyp-
sum. So far, only the gold, silver and
mica mines and salt springs have been
s,.,rl.nI ~ IN ,,cnGt hut Tho .n,N,or ann1
and iron mines will be great sources of
wealth when railroad communication
shall have been secured. Magnificent
scenery and q fine climate are among lis
foremost attractions. Add to these a
fertile soil and an abundant lumber
supply, and We here have a section OF
country hat is unsurpassed.
Some IDEA OF the extent &c which nc:n-
ing operations are carried on, may be
inferred from the fact that within a
radius of four miles in the celebrated
Deadwood district, 1900 quartz crushers
never cease their clatier day or night
and at Eockerville, in Pennington coun.
ty, a aume Is miles long has been con-
structed to afford a necessary supply of
water for washing gold out of the earth.
This hume cost over 100000.
Strange as it may appear, and in spite
Of the fact that this region is secoad TO
but one other gold producing region in
the Union. The Black Hills are without
a United States assay Office, and the
government continues dilatory in es-
tablishing an Office of this kind, not
withstandilg the subject is being con-
tinually agitated and the mining ON
munity is clamoring for this privilege,
which they claim is but a just conces-
sion to the gigantic mining interests
which are here being developed. Ibis,
however, is but another instance of the
slow and uncertain policy Of the gov
eminent in general, but which in this
case is in a matter pertaining to the well
fare Of the Black Hills in particular.
Custer City, the county seat of Custer
county, is a thriving town situated in
the midst of the Southern Hills, and has
a beautiful location, conceded by tourists
as being the most charming townsite
throughout this region. 1t claimed a
population of 5000 in the palmy days Of
1877, before the stampede to the Dead
wood district occur led, and is head
quarters for the distribution of supplies
to mills, ranches and mining camps in
this vicinity. Four quartz mills, with
an aggregate number of los stamps, are
located near the place, and several placer
claims are being worked to good ad-
vantage. Each stamp is capable of
crushing two tons of ore every "a hours,
and the cost of mining and milling has
been reduced to a maximum of 81 per
ton, SO that even ores Of q low grade
can be worked at a profit. There are
also y number of mica mines in the
vicinity of this town. Prominent among
them is the Custer mica mine, which is
shipping large quantities of the product
ia Cleveland, Ohio. In the person Of
Mr. b. c. McMaken, Snp't Of the Custer
I4.Ar, We ran across a veritable paleon