Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1886-03-13
SATURDAY. MARCH 13, 1886.

Within a month, or at most, forty
days, there Will be inaugurated in the
Black Hills an industry of an import
ance so great as to interest the people
not only Of this particular portion Of the
United States, but throughout the en-
tire nation-an industry new to Ameri-
ca, and destined in the course of a few
wears to produce for use throughout the
nation and for export an article of
merchandise for which the United
States now pays annually to other ma
tons many millions of dollars. We re-
fer to the commencement of the reduc-
ton Of tin ores and production of tin
bullion. The history of the discovery
of tin has been given in these columns
of the tests which settled beyond a
doubt the fact that tin ore of good quail
ty really existed here. 1t has also been
told of how the doubling Thomases of
this country predicted that the discov-
cry would amount to nothing-that as
tin mines of value had never been found
elsewhere in the United States, it was
not to be expected those found in the
Black Hills would eve prove a source
of tin supply. 1t has also been told how
English tin experts pooh-pOohed the
idea of Americas ever becoming a COM
petitor in the market of the world in a
commodity upon which they boosted
almost a monopoly. During all this
time however, developments have gone
quietly forward, and they have been of
q character to more than Justify the an
ticipations of the most %sanguine. Time,
labor and money have proven that the
Black Hills country has the quantity as
we'll as the quality of tin ore, and within
the time mentioned ut the commence
ment of this article, the first tin reduc-
ton works will be started in operation
upon the ore from the Eta mine, when
will be shown to the world q fact al
ready accepted by the tin experts who
have visited the Hills, that this country
is capable of producing all the tin re-
quired in America, and that the deposits
are so extensive and the ore of such
grade as to defy competition in many
foreign countries Oh the part Of the
deep, low-grade ores being extracted
from the mines of Cornwall. At first
capital was chary ofinvestment in Black
Hills tin prospects. Tin ore had been
discovered in many places before, but
In such limited quantities as to render
profitable mining and reduction impos.
sible. AS the work upon the tin loca,
tons of the Hills has gone forward
however, those who have taken pains
to learn the truth have become con.
WINGED that many good, permanent
mines will be developed. The tin is not
found to be confined to the one small
district, but is discovered in good guam.
titles over a large area. The fact that
California and st. Louis capitalists have
recently visited in the tin mines oil
Custer county, that the Harvey Peak
company of eastern capitalists has
pushed developments on a number OF
tin locations in Pennington county, and
at the same time has been continually
buying new locations, and that capital
Is now engaged In opening the tin de-
posts of Niger Hill, speaks significant
ly of the attention which the tin Of the
Black Hills is now attracting. All that
is necessary to bring millions of capital
is for it to be clearly shown that reduc-
ton works here in the Black Hills are
able to produce tin from the ores at a
profit. That this will be clearly shown
within a very short time there is every
reason to believe. The ores to be work
ed are far richer than those worked at a
profit in Cornwall. The demand for
tin is increasing rapidly, and a sure and
excellent market for an unlimited
quantity is a great incentive to the work
of producing it. With so many fine
prospects, some of which are now so far
developed as to warrant speaking OF
them al permanent mines. and with
every facility for cheap mining and
reduction, We may safely look forward
to the time when the tin mines will
outrank even the great gold mines OF
the Hills as producers of wealth and
employment of labor .-Rapid City Daily
Journal 9th.
Score n more for the Journal The
above article is gilt-edged in every
quality that serves to make up an &C
ceptable, consistent and judicious article,
1t is broad -guaged in its tendencies,
liberal in its conception, and just in its
conclusions. Its references cover every
section of the Black Hills where tin is
known to exist, and does not seek to
ignore or disparage the districts, which
by reason of more recent discovery are
comparatively unknown. We are glad
to note a recent change in the tone of
Black Hills journals in this direction,
and we trust that in the future their
joint efforts may be directed to the add
vancement of the interests of the entire
Black Hills country, and that the mis-
taken policy Of endeavoring to build up
one section by disparaging another may
be universally regarded as impolitic,
unjustifable, and outrageous.