The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1885-01-30


each. The mill we visited contained
100 stamps and belongs to the Home
stake Mining Co., as do all the mills
and in fact almost the entire CITY.
The ore tha, is crushed in this mill is
brought fror, the mine, the entrance
Of which is some distance up The side
of the hill and about level With The
uppermost story of the mill, on an
elevated railway which is built from
the mine to the third story. The
cars, which are very small, and drawn
by a small and queer looking enslne.
are let down into the mine by means
Of an elevator and are there filled
with ore; they are then hoisted Up
TO the main track, by the same means,
and are then drawn to the mill where
the ore is dumped into large hoppers..
from which it runs through large
spouts down 10 the first floor into
mortars, in each Of which five stamp,
are constantly at work crushing H..
On leaving the mill our attention
was attracted to the way in which
the wood used by the mill for fuel
was brought down from an adjoining
hill. A large slide was made Of plantN
from the top Of The hill to the bot
tom, which was yet some distance
from the mil, but to save hand isg
the wood after it reached the bottom
another slide was male, with one
end attached TO the first and the
other end elevated to an angle Of
about 40 degrees, so that wood placed
in the slide at the top Of the hill
would pass down with such speed
that il would be carried up the second
slide and into the air for a distance
Of 200 feet or more. On our way
back to Deadwood Git being the day
before election) we noticed posters
announcing Democratic rally would
be held in the Court House that
evening. This we were determined
to attend, not because we were Dem
ocrats, but out Of curiosity. AT the
appointed time the Democrats came
out in full force headed by the Dead
wood band and marched TO the
Court House. Some Of Deadwood's
most prominent Democrats addressed
the audience; among them were Judge
Kingsley and Col. Steele, both very
able speakers.
On the morning of the 4th of Nov.
we continued on our Journey, and
though II cost us only $r.5o to get
into Deadwood over the toll road, il
cost us s. 90 to get out. Consider.
ing the perilous times Of the pioneers
of '76, their road, if they had wha,
could be called one, winding around
in nearly every direction through the
deep canyons, and many times were
obliged to hold their wagons from
overturning by means of ropes, one
end attached to the wagon themes
taking turn around some tree on
the upper side, could let them down
the hill slowly and safely, we though,
the compensation but trihing and
went On our way rejoicing. The
morning was beautiful one, though
we could not see the sun till about
10 o'clock on account of the high
hills and tall pines that covered them
The FIRST three miles was nearly, il
not quite all, up grade the road be.
ing built on the side Of the hills by
blasting the rock and grading wide
enough for team to travel. At in.
tervals of from 400 TO 500 feet were
places graded wide enough for teams
to pass--,he teams going down giving
the road to those going up. After
reaching the summit we commenced
to descend gradually, passing through
Boulder Park, a small opening and
comparatively level prairie of about
900 acres. After leaving Boulder we
passed through very deep and wind
ing canyon, and although the "hlls'
seemed to be solid rock, they were
densely covered with hard pine trees
with now and then a few white birch
After travelling about ten miles W,
came into n narrow and rocky valley
almost devoid of vegetation. Her,
we found small town called Sturgi,
City. Although situated in a narrsv
valley and the surrounding countr,
apparently barren, there were man,
, new buildings in course of erection
and the place seemed to enjoy pros
perity. About three miles from
Sturgis is Fort Meade, one of tn
! largest forts in Dakota, and is loca
. ton is undoubtedly the finest; tn
valley being about two miles wild
and bounded on the south, east an,
,, west by high and ragged bluffs.
, After camp was pitched and sup
5 per over, our camp was politica
, bedlam. Two of our party, on &C
5 count of having attended the Demo
cratic meeting the night before, brok
their former political silence, ant
f argued for that party; but four to on