Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1883-06-23
THE BONANZAS
or Rawhide Butte, Wyo, District
What is and Will be Done.

| WhAt ls ana III be Dono.
Muskrat canon is the principal camp
in the district. To give full descrip,
ton Of the many very promising proper.
ties Of this camp would be difficult to ac'
complish in single effort, SO ! must
needs content myself with u passing
notice of a few Of the more prominent
ones.
During the past six months il has been
impossible TO carry on the development
work on any of the claims other thar
those being worked under cover by drift
or tunnel.
The most noted, and in fact the repre-
sentative mine Of the district, is the
Michigan, which was located little
over two years ago. Nature has suflici-
emily developed this mine to show thou
sands Of tons Of fcopper ore sitting on top
Of the ground awaiting the erection of
reduction works in the immediate
neighborhood, that would thus save the
heavy expense of transportation TO dis
tant markets. 1t is the estimate Of
many competent judges that enough ore
is now in sight on this one mine alone
to supply Bottom smelter upward of a
year The ore tests made show mill
ing average Of % per cent.
The Black Eagle, northeast from the
Michigan, is Il valuable mine, improving
steadily with development. This mine
is opened by two drifts cutting across
the formation. The north drift has cut
through II feet vein of good ore. leav-
ing the head of the drift still in solid
ore body. A second tunnel is now
being run to tap the ore body AT Il point
iUo feet south from the first workings
Upward Of 800 tons of high-grade ore is
| on the dumps-of .,n average value of
$50 n ton.
The Little Bessie joins the Black
Eagle on the north and is Of great width
as shown by two shafts 40 feet apart
across the vein. Good returns have
been had from the ores Of this mine in
gold and silver in addition to a high
percentage Of copper.
In the immediate vicinity, and locat-
ed on the same belt, are the Mammoth,
Silver Cup, Silver Glance, Valley Queen,
Murphy, Great Eastern, Thompson,
| Black Prince and Blue. Development
of these properties has been retarded
since the beginning Of the present year,
owing to the continuous and heavy fall
of snow.
Immediately north and west of the
Michigan are located the Mary Jane and
Chance mines, through which, it is
claimed, runs the ore body found on the
Michigan.
North west from the Blue, on upper
Wild Cat Creek. are the Walter, Rattle
snake, Pleasant Annie and other promis-
ing prospects. Very little development
Of the mines Of this camp has been done,
due chiefly to their being located at some
distance from supply points and ore
markets.
Owing to the absence Of mills and
smelters, the owners can only hold on
until the march Of events brings the
needed relief Enough has, however
been determined to prove that there is
an almost unlimited supply Of high
grade ore, carrying its own tluxents, and
all that is now needed to make this one
of the richest copper districts in tn L. 5.
is machinery for the reduction of its
ores Several of the best developed Of
these claims are now in the hands Of an
English syndicate, and prelimnaries
have been entered into for the erection
Of smeters.
In my next letter to the CHRoNIcLE,
propose giving description Of the
mines Of the other camps in this dis
trict, also recite the ore characteristics
and the formation in which they are
found.
T. A. F.