Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1883-10-13
THE A HILLS

What is termed the Black Hills conn.
try is all that part Of Dakota lying south
Of the l5th parallel ofnorth latitude and
west of the l02nd meridian. and all that
portion of Wyoming lying north Of the
43d parallel and east of the lO5th meri-
dian, and enbracirg about ~, 800 square
miles, or II 500, 900 acres, ofwhlch about
one-four.h is agricultural, the other
three-fourths being mineral and pastoral
lands. About i0O,GOn acres, all of which
are in Dakota, have been taken under
the homestead, pre-emption and timber
culture acts. The balance is now open
20 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 II
place in the world. Fifty bushels OF
wheat, 80 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 a. 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 i~mpregnated with gyp-
sum, of which there is an inexhaus.ib.e
supply, and consequently the land need
never become impoverished.
The timber lands Of the Hills are es-
!iuiaiei 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
,he north and south side.
No other country in North America
can offer equal inducements to the stock
roWc The finest and most nutritious
grasses With plenty of good water ana
~heltcr from the winter winds and
scarcely amy snow, cattle keep Cat on the
range the year round, never knowing
shat If is to be fed; the stock raiser can
~ ~ W
ship his stock, thereby getting the low.
est possible rates TO take them to mar
ket. Sheep do equally as well as cattle,
Large Icfds OF hufIlio are now swarm
ing 0ver The ranges north and west Of
40 (I,lt. ,...l .... l.. L. .a1
me iil''S' Win many thousands oI cattle
mixed IN WIN then. TWO years ago,
me harde't winter ever kno"n III me
west, the loss OF cattle was only about :
per cent, While III the states and terri
torres south and west o' here The loss
was rom ~ To % per cent. There are
II me present h!le hbou 'oo,o"" head
81 ca''i' on NE range IN thls Vl"l'lty
ana room Tor l,'",""O NOR" WITHOUT
"'crsto%HirG lae country.
Gold miuing il carried On from iie.r
gllch on the north 10 Custer City III toe
southern part of The imiills, i di-s.,nce Of
ninety miles, and trom Rockford Oh tie
west to Eurkcryii'r IN tie cast. In 10
l;hcl country in t!le world ere there So
many and extensive r;incs OF god ~ in
he Black !l:!.s. i'r"m the nor:irrn 10
;hc southern aid from -, eastern l.,
he western extremely gold il found IL
early every @.,rh ald on every Hill
within the mineral belt. H. other min.
ing countries it Is ONLY found over Il
small area of country. covering but Il
Few mics Of territory ut the most here
here are gbont 200 square miles ia
" hat is called TIE mineral. and gold j.
found IN almost every square mile Of the
| 200. The lodes varr in size from 10 to
, 800 feet in wid,h. and some as much
AZ 50 miles in length. The great MAORI
tv of the mines are low grade ore. but
with the immense bodies of pay ore and
good anayemen these mines have
been made to pay better than my 9th
err in Tie United States. Ore that will
20 So per ton will paw to work, while
that which goes from 81 to $40 per ton
will pay largely. The ore which is
worked by the great IIomestake mills
at Lead CITY, does not average s. per
ton. vet that has paid fftv.onc
successive monthly dividends, part OF