Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1884-02-09

What is termed the Black Hills coun-
try is al that part of Dakota lying south
of the ioth parallel ofnorth latitude and
west of the l02nd meridian, and all that
portion of Wyoming lying north of the
I'D parallel and east of the l0oth meri-
dian, and embracing about 22,500 square
miles, or 1890 900 acres, ofwhlch about
one-fourth is agricultural, the other
;hree-fourths being mineral and pastoral
lands. About A0o0o0 acres, all of which
are in Dakota, have been taken under
culture acts. The balance is now open
20 settlement, with the exception Of Il
small portion lying east of the banks of
the Cheyenne river and the lO3d mcri-
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 well
potatoes that will weigh two or three
pounds are common, and some have
been raised that went az high rs four
pounds. The soil is a rich vegetable
mold, strongly ~impregnatcd with gyp.
sum, Of which there is an in~eXhaustiblc
supply, and consequently the land need
never become impoverished.
The timber lands of the Hills are es-
timatcd ut 5000 square miles, the timber
is principally Norway pine, with some
spruce, cottonwood, willow, aspen, oak.
ash, elm, etc, along tho 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 ana
shelter from the winter winds and
scarcely any snow, cattle keep fat on the
range the year round, never Knowing
what it is to be fed the stock raiser can
have choice OF five different railroads to
ship his stock, thereby getting the low
cst possible rates to take them to mar
ket, Sheep do equally 10 well AS cattle,
and horses do better.
Large herds ofbufilo aro now swarm
ing over the range north and west Of
lie Wills, with nanv thousands Of cattle
mixed il with them. Two wears ago,
the hardest winter ever known in the
west, the loss of cattle was only about 8
per cent, vhi'c in the st"tcs and terri
tories south and west OF here the loss
Nae from 20 70 = rcr cent. There are
at the present time about 50J,O head
Of cattle on the ranges in this vicinity
and room for 100000 mo without
overstocking the country.
Gold mining is carried Oh from Gear
tllrE on the moth to Custer Eitr in tie
,utlcrH part ofii.c lM!ill>, a 1istancc of
ninety miles, anl rom Rockford III tie
W tSt W lNNE Ett INV va A'lt tttNl, III III
other country ia the wor I are there so
miny and extensive mines OF gold as in
the Black Hits. From tic northern to
The southern AID from the eastern To
the western extremely god is found in
nearly every gulcl and on every LII
within the mineral belt. In ether min
-. ,,,..,,- - =, r,l,. Foo, l,.o. :,
small area Of country, covering but a
few miles Of territory AT the most here
there are about LOO square miles in
what is called The mineral, ard gold is
found III almost every square mile OF the
200. The lodes vary in size from 10 10
1000 feet in width, and some rs mach
as 80 miles in length. The great MAORI
tv of the mines are low grade ore, brt
with the immense bodies Of r"v Gre and
good management these mines have
been made TO pay better than any 9th
ers in the United States. Ore that VIII
60 81 per ton will pay to work, while
that which goes from 81 to SO per tor
will pay largely. The ore which is
worked by the great lIomestuke mill,
nj Lead City. does not average s. PEI
ton, vet that company has paid Gfy.one
successive monthly dividends, part 81
which have been $4,000 per month and
the balance $4,000, besides having 6
large surplus IN hand after paving II
expenses. These mines are better
developed than any others in the Black
Hills, but equally as good and extensive
mines have been discovered.
The Gualiz mills are the largest and
most complete ia the world, nearly al
Rave from 40 TO 40 stamps.
The silver mines If tho Hills are al
Of a high grade. Those OF t;a.ena have
been worked continuously ever since
1876 and the ore shipped by wagon l.
Sidney $50 miles, thence by rail Il
Omaha, Nebraska, for treatment. a
! the carbonate camp, seven miles Yves
Of Deadwood. rich carbonate mines have
been opened, the ore from which is nov
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 ilarney's peak anc
Custer City. They are easily worked. re
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