Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1885-12-26
Custer and It's Surroundings.


In that portion Of the Black Hills that
slopes to the south Inward, and located on
both banks Of the swift gliding waters
Of French creek, stands Custer City. Her
geographical position may be described
about as follows: Sixty-fve miles south
from Deadwood, As miles southwest
from Rapid City, and - miles due west
from Buffalo Gap, which at this writing
is the terminus of the Black Hills branch
Of the Northwestern railroad, and rs
miles northwest from the Hot Springs,
which are fast acquiring fame for the
curative quality Of the waters. Forty
five miles east from Jenney's stockade,
near which is found the oil wells and
salt springs, the first Of which serves to
lubricate our machinery and the latter
70 furnish the salt that is used by the
people of the Black Hills generally.
Custer. although the first town located
in the Black Hills, is not just now re-
ceiving as much attention as is due to
her in consideration Of her many natur-
al attraction and advantages, and al
though there is pretty healthy rivalry
existing between some Of the Hills
towns, still we do not think there il a
single person, who has ever visited
Custer, that will not willingly admit
that in point of beauty, Custer, nesting
in her sunny valley, surrounded by
wooded hills, and watered by the limpid
water Of French creek on the one hand,
and the dancing stream Of the Laughing
Water on the other, she sits to-day the
queen of the Hills. Bnt just now there
are several things combined to make
the town dull, among which is the fact
that Custer is not laid down on the map
AS being on the line Of the Black Hills
branch Of the Northwestern railroad,
The result Of this is the fact that she
does not get the free advertising that is
accorded TO the towns on the line, and
while correspondents are sent out by
the leading journals of the east to write
up and report upon the advantages of
the towns along the line, there is no
one to say word for Custer In saying
this, we do not mean to infer that these
railroad towns Of the Hills are painted
in coiors any too bright, or that they
are praised beyond their deserts. 1t
would be very hard to transcend by
description the merits of any portion of
the Black Hills, and we have no wish
or disposition to detract from any part
OF it. For probably there is no other
country in the world, ut least We have
never heard or read Of any, that con
tains anywhere near the same variety
or extent of the natural resources
Of wealth in the same given
area as these same Black Hills.
That is to say, We do not believe
there ia another country in the world
where man can mount his horse in
the morning, and having ridden until
sundown, can say in the evening, This
day have visited mines Of gold and
silver, and Of lead and copper and iron.
Mines Of aluminium, plumbago, and
mica. Mines Of lin, nickle and cobalt.
Mines Of coal and gypsum. Quarries of
granite. limestone, sandstone, slate,
marble, and feldspar. Veins of potters
clay, fre.clay and cement. Veins Of
red. brown and yellow ochre. Springs
of pure and springs of mineral
water, springs Of petroleum and Of salt
water. This day l have also seen the
best Of grass and the richest of soil,
ample water powers, and an abundance
Of timber. have rode all day in an
atmosphere pure and bracing and have
enjoyed the greatest variety of scenery,
constantly changing at every turn Of the
road, yet always picturesque" We say
that the traveller of day in the Black
Hills can see all we have mentioned in
the foregoing, and right here we fling
down the gauntlet and say to all comers
show us the land where the traveller Of
day can say the same. And this leads
us back to the point we wish to illu-
strate, which is that you do not gather
figs from thistles. or in other words you
must not look in the western Hills for
the things which you find in the east
ern, and YOU must not look in the
northern Hills for the things you find
in the southern Hills. 1t is not SO far,
but all is changed and everything is
different. Just 30 every town that has
grown in the Hills has sprung from
some local advantage. And every city,
and every camp, is maintained by its
specially, each one with some feature
in common, but each containing some
thing that the other does not possess
And looked upon in this light, We con-
tend that Custer City and her immedi-
ate surroundings will be found to con-
tain more Of natural resources hereto
fore mentioned than anv other town in
the Hills.
Ifyou desire gold mines. we have them
and that too of higher grade than is