Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1882-09-30
The Black Hills 1T Denver.

by Judge II. " Mcguire Of Rapid, under
the authority Of the Rapid City 1mmi-
grafton Bureau. 1t is the finest pub
ication Of the kind we have seen Issued
from the Hills. The principal article
is description Of the mines and coun-
try one would see in making = trip
through the Hills with Rapid A. the
starting point, travelling north to Dead
wood and south rs far as Custer and the
Hot springs, and the Judge deserves
the thanks of the people of the entire
Hills and Of the southern portion in
particular The following is his descrip-
ton of the Custer district
"In the Southern Hills-flere we
now are OH the south side of the Black
Hills. Here nestled among pine-clsd
mountains, with the mighty Harney's
Peak towering up to the northward, is
Custer-the pioneer town of the Dakota
mining districts-now the thriving
trade-center Of rich mining and farm
ing section. The farming and grazing
lands stretch all the way around, north
ward and eastward. TO Rapid (ity, our
starting point. But there is 80 much
mineral wealth between here and Rapid
City, the Gateway to the untold treas
ures of the Black Hills, that we must
forego the pleasure Of returning by the
picturesguely undulating meadow-lands
of the foot-hills-we shall take a more
westerly course, within the higher eleva-
tions, and note the mineral wealth al
ready developed in that boundlessly
wealthy district.
How the impression has got abroad
that only "low-grade ores" are found in
the Black Hills is to the Black Hitler
unaccountable. Richer gold ores were
never found in any country than have
been found on and south of Rapid creek.
We will visit some of the great bonanza
mines Of Custer district, sixty miles
south of the Homestake group, on the
northern extremity Of the great belt Of
fissures, and thirty miles south of Rapid
creek, which cuts it in twain at its great
est breadth Here We are at the famous
Salmon mine Yes, that is gold--pure
virgin gold-that glitters all over the
piece ofquartz you have picked up. No
wonder the owners hope-inspired en-
thusiasm leads them to declare and be-
lieve the Salmon will prove in its devel
opment "annother Comstock in value"
Probably the richest "free-gold ore"
ever discovered i'm America outside the
Black Hils-has been taken from this
mine,
We next visit the Penohscot--a fissure
of enormous extent We find twenty
stamp mill operating upon it, the result
ing profits being large. Next We go to
the Gold Star, where large hosting
works are in constant motion, rapidly
enlarging the dump-piles, in contempla-
tion of greatly extended milling facili-
ties, and here too We And twenty
stamper in successful operation. The
Grand junction is too important to pass
we go to it, and are again amazed at
the vast bodies Of auriferous quartz
such enormous masses Of gold-bearing
rock as have never yet been found in
the world outside the Black Hills; and
the results Of forty-stamper show that
it pays to mine and mill it all. Moving
on to the northward, we come to the
Grizzly Bear and st. Elmo-not yet suffi-
ciently developed to warrant positive
opinions as to value, but showing at the
surface immense deposits Of "free-gold
ore" Many other great bonanza mines
we are told Of in the Southern Hills,
but other attractions made us forego the
pleasure of visiting them. We retrace
our steps, through few hours's ride,
and rein up south Of Custer City, at re-
markabe Thermal Springs. The fame
of their curative virtues has reached
every mining camp, every hunters
cabin, between the Forks of the Chey-
enpe. We here end throng Of rejoic-
ing convalescents. When We ask the
worst afflicted if they think their re-
coyery will be full and complete, they
answer by telling lis of far more ag-
gravated cases in which radical and per-
manent cures were effected. These
sanitary springs are certainly destined
to rival in reputation for curative vir-
tues the famous hot springs of Arkansas
the advant Of railroads will at once
give them a national reputation. They
are most picturesquely and pleasantly
situated-in the foreground a wild
expanse Of rich-soiled meadow lands,
and in the back ground timber-crowned
up-lands gradually rising until the view
is shut off by the sombre outlines of the
massive pine. covered mountains. Com
Portable hotels, with luxurious bathing
houses connected, have already been
erected and the plausible report is in
circulation that great railroad corpora
tions there are four grand trunk lines
now heading for the Black Hills have
had their agents in the country to
secure possession of these wonderful
healing fountains.
d., .of~rr.~n 20 h. occovc ,,: ., ~