Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1883-06-30
THE BLACK HILLS

What is termed the Black Hills coun-
try is all that part of Dakota lying south
Of the 18Th parallel of north latitude and
west of the l02nd meridian, and all that
portion of Wyoming lying north of the
43d parallel and east Of the l05th meri-
dian, and embracing about $500 square
miles, or 100000 o 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, presumption and timber
culture acts. The balance is now open
to settlement, with the exception Of a
small portion lying east of the banks of
the Cheyenne river and the l03d meri-
dian. The farming lands of the Hills
are as productive as can be found any
place in the world. Fifty bushels Of
wheat, 60 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 we'll !;
potatoes that will weigh two or three
pounds are common, and som have
been raised hat went as high as four
pounds. The soil is a rich vegetable
mold, strongly impregnated with gyp-
sum, of which there is an i~ncXhausiible
supply, and consequently the land need
never become impoverished.
The timber lands of the Hills are es-
timatel 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 and
shelter from the winter winds and
s~carccly any snow, cattle keep fut on the
range the year round, never Knowing
what it is 10 be fed; the stock raiser can
have choice "f five different railroads 10
ship hi, stock, thereby getting the low.
est possible rates 10 take them TO mar
ket. Sheep DO equally as well rs cattle,
and horses do better.
Large herds ofbulaloare now swarm
ing over he ranges north and west of
the Wills, with many thousands Of cattle
mixed in with them. Two years ago.
the hardest winter ever known in the
west, the loss of cattle Was only about :
per cent, while in the stateS and terri
tories south and west Of here the loss
was from 20 to - per cent. There are
1T tie present time about 100000 head
of cattle on the ranges III this vicinity
and room for 100000 more without
o~vcrstocking the country.
Gold mining is carried on from Gear
gulcli on the north TO Custer City in the
southern part of the Hrs, a distance of
ninety miles, and from Rockford on the
west to Rockcrvillc on the east. In no
other country ia the world are there 50
MANY and extensive mines of gold as in
the Black Hills. From the northern to
the southern and from the eastern 20
the western extremely gold is found in
nearly every gulch and on every Hill
within the mineral belt. In other min
ing countries it is only found over q
small area Of country, covering but Il
few miles Of territory at the most here
there are about 200 square miles in
what is called The mineral. and gold is
found III almost every square mile Of the
! 200. The lOdcs vary IN size from 10 TO
J 900 feet in width, and some AZ much
as 80 miles in length. The great majori.
of the mines are low grade ore, but
with the immense bodies Of pay ore and
good management these mines have
been made to pay better than any 9th
ers in the United States. Ore that will
90 s. per ton will pay to work, while
goes from 81 10 SO per ton
will pay largely. The ore which is
worked 10y the great Homestake mills
at Lead City, does not average s. per
ton, yet that company has paid fifty-one
successive monthly dividends, part of
which have been $4,000 per month and
the balance $4,000, besides having a
large surplus on hand after paying all
These mines are better
developed than any others in the Black
Hills, but equally as good and extensive
mines have been discovered
The quartz mills are the largest and
most complete III the world, nearly all
have from 40 to l20 stamps.
The silver mines Of the Hills are all
Of a high grade. Those Of Galena have
been worked continuously ever since
1876, and the ore shipped by wagon to
Sidney 250 miles, thence by rail to
Omaha, Nebraska, for treatment. At
the carbonate camp, V miles west
Of Deadwood. rich carbonate mines have
been opened, the ore from which is now
being shipped to Omaha and Denver.
Rich and extensive copper mines have
been discovered in several localities.
The mica mines of the Black Hills are
all in the vicinity Of IIarnev's peak and