Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1883-02-03
THE BLACK HILLS.

nat 40 'fllcu the biuCk tlIliS COuii-
try is all that part of Dakota lying south
of the 18th parallel Of north latitude and
west of the lO2nd meridian, and all that
portion of Wyoming lying north ofthe
43d parallel and east of the l05th meri-
dian, and embracing about 22,5Oo square
miles, or l4,500, 900 acres. ofWhlch about
one fourth is agricultural, the other
three-fOurths being mineral and pastoral
lands. About 100000 acres, all of which
are in Dakota, have been taken under
the homestead, pre-emption and timber
culture acts. The balance is now open
to settlement, with the exception Of II
email portion lying east Of the banks Of
the Cheyenne river and the l03d mcri-
dian. The farming lands of the Hills
are IS productive as can be found any
place in the world. Fifty bushels of
wheat, 90 of barley, 10 of oats, 400 of
potatoes and 600 Of onions have been
raised per acre Of ground. All other
kinds Of vegetables do equally as well
potatoes that will weigh two or three
pounds are common, and some have
been raised that went as high as four
pounds. The soil is Il rich vegetable
mold, strongly impregnated with cyp.
sum, Of which there is an inexhaus.ible
supply, and consequently the land need
become impoverished.
The timber lands of the Hills are es-
tima,ed at 5000 square miles, the timber
is principally Norway pine, with some
spruce, cottonwood, willow, aspen, oak,
ash, elm, etc, along the margin of the
streams which rise in the mountains
and flow on to the Cheyenne river on
the north and south side.
No other country in North America
can offer equal inducements to the stock
grower. The finest and most nutritious
grasses with plenty of good water ana
shelter from the winter winds and
scarcely amy snow, cattle keep fat on the
range the year round. never knowing
Hhat il is to be fed; the stock raiser can
have choice OF FIVE different railroads to
ship lis stock. thereby getting the low
est possible rates to take them to mar
ket. Sheep TO equally rs we'll as cattle,
and horses do better.
Large herds ofbunslo are o swarm
ing oven thr ranges north and west Of
thr Hills, with man, thousands of cattle
ni%ed in With them. Two years ago.
the hardest winter even known in the
west, the loss Of cattle WAS only about 5
per cent, while in the states and terri
tories south and west of here the loss
was from ~ to - per cent. There are
at Ne present time about 100000 head
of cattle on the ranges in this vicinity
aud room for nO0,u00 more without
oyc.stochi = the country.
Cold wipinV j. carried or from Pear
cyirh 81 To north 10 Custer Citr i" the
a"Ht!."ru rar. nft'c Hills, . distance al
niur,t mites. and from ! chGprd or tho
j., r-t 10 Euuhcui,!r On '',r nest. Ia no
other country in H." Wurl are there 81
MANY and extensive HiH"e Of sold -, liz
the Black Hills. From Tie nor.ht,n to
lhr southern and from the o~.,t.rn T.
the western extremely gold is iounl -
nearly every gulch and on cry hi
within The mineral belt. la other min
ing counir!r, It i, Only loU q over 4
small area uf country, covering Du; Il
few miles OF territory al the most here
there are about 1900 square miles IN
what IS called The mineral, and gold i
found IN a;n 81 every square mile of the
200. I'll" iodcs vary in size froM IL To-
! SEQ feet in width. and Spine ~ much
10mi'c@ il ,ens a.. ihc great %u'iogi.
,fthc ;t;ur, Sc low ,raar ot' IN
H.' lie jmnrusc hodi's o rpay one atd
BE- i~u:naepwent these mines have
mlp ia tny better tam any oth-
j:-t. Cuito,l ,ta:cs. Ore that viii
. pr" ton viii my 10 work, while
,I Eb',a gces from s. to elA per ton
.,, $751;. i..t ore which il,
Eorkcd Tie -rr,t llomc,;aEe mills
Lead ,i:y. does nol average s. per
t,0., vet t.a, company has paid irty-one
Successive monthly dividends, part OF
which have been 10000 per month and
the bulauce $4,000, besides having a
large surplus on hand after paying all
expenses. These mines are better
developed than any others in The Black
Hills, bat equally Us coed and extensive
mines have been discovered.
The quartz mills are the largest and
most complete ia the world, nearly all
have frem 10 to l20 stamps.
The silver mines Of the Hills are all
Of Il hill, grade. Those of Galena have
been worried continuously ever since
1876, and the ore shipped by wsgon 10
sidney go miles, thence by rail to
Omaha. Nebraska. fer treatment. At
the carbonate camp. eve miles west
Of Deadwood, rich carbonate mines have
been opened, tine ore from which is now
being shipped to Omaha and Denver.
Rich and extensive copper mines have
been discovered in several localities.
DI T.