Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1883-12-08
8. w. Durant's View Of Custer.

The above named gentleman in letters
to the 81. Charles. (Ill) Chronicle has
: the following to say Of Custer City and
: her surroundings:
Custer City. the natural center of the
!, Southern Hills, il beautifully situated in
a delightful valley. through which flows
French creek, small, clear stream OF
excellent water. The site Of the city is
elevated about $500 feet above the sea,
and is the highest Of any town site in
the Hills, though Lead City approaches
II closely. The Harvey range lies to the
north east, and lesser mountains over
look the place, in ranges or single peaks,
toward the west and south. There are
,, numerous beautiful natural parks near
by, and altogether the scenery surpasses
anything in the Hills Custer might be
made one of the finest summer resorts
in the Union and very likely will be
when the railways penetrate this re.
markable region. The climate is ex
ceedingly healthful. One of the first
|
ly s deaths from natural causes since
the town was settled in 1875. The popu-
lation has tluctuated greatly. At one
time during the first gold excitement
there were 5000 people in the place, and
400 cabins were erected. At present
there are about 400 permanent inha-
bitants, and the place is slowly picking
up. Around it, within radius Of 8
miles, are numerous gold, silver copper,
tin and mica mines, and it is altogether
probable that the place will in few
years become an important business
center. On the south and east are
numerous great cattle ranches, and the
valleys are being occupied and cultivat-
ed. Timber and good water are abun-
dant, and it lacks only the railway and
iudicious advertising to build up Il ii 9
mountain city, to which thousands of
health ard pleasure seekers, shall flock
annually. The place is well laid out
and has IL number Of good buildings, in
Guiding brick court house costing $l5,-
600, two churches, two good hotels and a
number of private dwellings. Several
new buildings have been erected the
present year The place could be easily
reached by a railway, and good route
leads out through the Hills To the west.
In the southern part ofthe county are
hot springs, which are said to possess
remarkable curative qualities, in cases
of rheumatism and kindred difficulties.
The springs are on the freight route be
tween Custer and Sidney, on the U. p.
railway, and will no doubt become as
noted as the hot springs of Arkansas
when the country is opened to cheap
and rapid communication.
Game is plenty within few miles of
Custer. Elk are often killed, and deer
and bears abound about the Harney
range. Antelope and buffalo are found
on the plains to the westward, and prai-
ric chickens, grouse and jack rabbits are
quite plenty in the PARKS and foot hills
In speaking of liarneys Peak he says
The elevation Of Harney has been yari-
ously computed Lieut.. Ludlow, who
accompanied Gen. Custer in 1874, made
its hight above the sea 900 feet: while
Professor Newton and JGnney in 1873
gave three measurements-7363 7403,
and 74iO. They also stated that Crooks
Tower in the limestone range, 70 miles
to the n. w. of Harney, rivalcd in hight.
Those calculations were made from an
aneroid barometer with Cheyenne as a
base and ! am satisfied they were long
way from the correct figures. When at
Custer ! assisted Mr.. c. w. Dryden
county surveyor, in making some close
observations on Harney. We assumed
the base at Custer City to be 54O0 feet
above tide, which is certainly lOO or 200
feet below its actual altitude. Mr.. Il
took the bearing and elevation Of the
mountain from the court house he also
took the bearing and elevation Of the
BuckhOrn mountain from the same
standpoint We then climbed the Buck.
horn, which is 1000 feet above Custer
and took careful observations on the
principal peaks of Harney range. After
coming down Mr.. B. made careful cal
culations Of hight and distance, and
found Harvey to be Z! miles in direct
line from the court house, and its eleva.
tion a little oyer 5000 feet. All persons
who have been at the summit agree that
I overtops by many hundred feet all
other upifts in the Hills. It's summit
f can be reached over very rough and OBJ,
scure paths by two routes, but the ven.
lures involves immense labor and toll.
f returned to Rapid with my overcoai
loaded with specimens" which tope
to show to my st. Charles friends i'm the
near future. One more brief chapter
: will close my experience beyond the
, Missouri River, which has been exceed
r ingly pleasant and interesting.
e The following system has been adopt
r ed by the Cheyenne Stock Association
! to prevent the stealing of cattle b,
l.. l.