Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1886-08-28
Black Hills Tin.

Following 20 "a letter from Mr.. Free
man, specil correspondent of the Chi
cage Tribase, which appeared in that
paper or the 18th inst. Mr.. Freeman
will be remembered AS the party who
visited Custer in company with MIR.
Samuel Scott, Of Rapid, about four or
five weeks ago:
Directly in our road We found a huge
bowlder, partly uncovered, which re-
yealed enough to allow an estimate Of
eight tons as its probable weight. 1t is
likely that this immense, rounded bowl
der contained at least 20 per cent of
cassiterite, its brown, weathnr-beaien
side being thickly streaked with The
s~onght-for crystals. At a low estimate
it contained 1000 pounds Of metallic
tin. valued at $400. Assuming a mill in
operation, the rock on an average in the
hills ought to be mined and milled for
ii per ton, leaving a profit Of 1886.
And ever 81 per ton for mining and
milling expenses is liable to be criti-
cisco by some as an excessively high
figure. Although il is possible that this
bowlder has been transported to it's
present p,ace-a claim ia located over it
and around it-still it is probably mere
ly the outcropping Of the lode, and a
mine Of fabulous richness viii probably
he revealed beneath and extend upon
the adjacent ridges. At least there are
no Developments at present initiating
against this theory. 1t is claimed that
the ore in this vicinity will i, some
places run as high as 40 per tent cas-
kiterite. This is clearly an overestimate.
There may be possibilities Of quite ex-
fensive bodies Of orc running as high as
20 per cent, but the major,.v Of the
claims will run possibly from il to 5
per cent. Still this leaves IL u%ndoubted.
ly the richest in-mining country on the
face Of the globe, and the probability is
very strong that q proper washing of
the bars, valleys. gulches, and often the
benches and hillsides in this whole !
region will cheaply produce thousands
of tons of this black sand which 30 tried
the patience and awoke the impreca-
tons Of the gold miners, and which thew
have since learned is at least IS per cent
metallic tin of an u~nequailed quality.
There is much to be seen in this district
to the southwest Of Harney's Peak to
justify the sanguine hopes Of the miners
that We are on the verge of revolution
izing the tin production and tin in,ius-
tries OF the world. Owing to may un-
fortunate circumstances in the develop
ment of our mining industries in The
past your correspondent was especially
careful not to be overentbusiastic. In
the interest Of the truth alone the con-.
yiction is firmly expressed that the tin
deposits in the hills are likely to be
more valuable as time goes on, more
characteristic as an American product,
and more valuable In IT'S boon to Ameri-
can labor and American ingenuity than
all the products of the silver mines from
the time ofCortez down.
n rather pompous and dcclamatory
public functionary in an address allud-
ing to the tin deposits spoke of the
mighty, crescentsbaped horshsoe that
enveloped three sides Of the ~stupendous
peak of which The Tenderfoot region
was the CENTRE" etc. To the miners
practical fancy and love Of the ridi-
culous is due the signboard set up here,
notifying all that this is "Tin Centre,
Toe Cork District"