Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1883-12-15
THE BLACK L

west OF tne lUZllG nlerlulan, anu all tifat
portion of Wyoming lying north of the
43d parallel aud east OF the l05,h meri-
dian, and embracing about 22,JO0 square
miles, or IA ,5G0,000 acres, Ofwhich abou:
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
10 settlement, with the exception of a
small portion lying east Of the banks of
the Cheyenne river and the lO3d meri-
dian. The farming lands of the Hills
are as productive as can be found any
place i'll the world. Fifty bushels of
wheat, 90 Of barley, 40 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 a rich vegetable
mold, strongly ~impregnated with gyp-
sum, Of which there is an i~neXhaustible
supply, and consequently the land need
never become impoverished.
The timber lands Of the Hills are es-
timated ut 5000 square miles, the timber
is principally Norway pine, with some
spruce, cottonwood, willow, aspeI,, oak,
ash, elm, etc, along the margin of the
streams which rise in the mountains
ind 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
@rower. The finest and most nutritious
grasses with plenty of good waite: ana
-he!ter from the winter winds and
scarcely any snow, cattle keep fat on the
range the year round, never knowing
what it is 10 be fed; the stock raiser can
have choice OF five different railroads to
est possible rates to take them To mar
kot. Sheep do equally as wcil as cattle,
and horses d. better.
Large herds ofbufalo are row swarm
ing over the range north and west of
he Hills. with many thousands Of cattle
mixed in with them. Two wears ago,
the hardest winter ever known in the
west, the loss Of cattle was ouiy about S
per cent. while in the states and terri
WAS from 20 Ia - per cent. There are
IT tie present time about 50u.NoN bead
OF cattle on the range IN this vicinity
and room for 100000 more without
o~yerstockipg tlp country.
Cola mining is carried on from Bear
gulrh on he north to Custer CITY IN the
southern part ftE- Hills. a It Iarre Of
ninety miles. and from Rockford III the
west To Rock"rriiie on the east. In no
many and extensive minr> Of 2Hii rs IN
the Black lIi'i'. From the northern TO
the southern and f"nm the eastern To
the western extremely gold il found in
nearly every gulcli and on every Iii
within the mineral belt. IL other min
ing countries it is only found over Il
small area of country, covering but a
few mites OF territory at the most here
there are gbout l.2G0 square miles ia
| hat II called the mineral, and gold il
found IN almost every square mile OF the
1000. The lodes vary in size from 10 to
1000 feet in width, and some rs much
as 80 mics in length. The great i%najori-
Will, 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 ni!l
go 20 per ton will pay to work, while
that which goes from Il to SO per ton
will pay largely. The ore which is
worked by the great IIomestake mills
at Lead City, docs not average 81 per
ton. vet that company has paid hity.oEe
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
EXPENSES. These mines are better
developed than any others in the Black
Hills. but equally rs good ard extensive
mines have been discovered
The quartz mills are the largest and
most complete III the world, nearly al
have from 40 to l20 stamps.
The silver mines Of the Hills are al
of a high grade. Those Of Galena have
been worked continuously ever si,ics
1876, and the ore shipped by wagon L
sidney $50 miles, thence by rail tC
Omaha. Nebraska, for treatment. A
the carbonate camp, seven miles ives
OF Deadwood, rich carbonate mines have
been opened, the ore from which Is nov
being shipped 10 Omaha and Denver.
Rich and extensive copper mines hav'
been discovered in several localities.
The mica mines Of the Black Hills ar,
AL in the yicinity Of IIarney's peak an'
Custer City. They are easily worked, re
curing very little capital. All that j
a. ..1-l. ,.... -, na .-,