Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1886-07-24
1.-THE Land of the Dakota"

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view with Prot, q. T.. Bailey. who has
spent the last two years in developing
the tin mines of the Eta Tin Company,
and who is well acquainted with the
of the Black Hills Of Dakota,
the following interesting facts were OBJ
tanned:
The Black Hills are a veritable won
derland TO the miner, the g~eologist, and
the mineralogist. | know of no other
equal area of land in the United States
which contains SO many and 50 valuable
resources. In an area oval in shape,
measuring sixty miles from east to west
and 100 miles from north to south. are
found all the known useful minerals
and metals. The geologist sees exposed
all the formations from the granite to
the tertiary. The builder finds the
region covered with a magnificent
growth of large clean pine timber.
1t has been from the first self-sup-
porting agriculturally and before the
advent of railroads was exporting i'll
stead Of importing flour.
Of gold mines the Homestake mines
at Lead and Central are too well known
TO need description but there are many
other mines scattered along the summit
from Deadwood to Custer which help
swell the production; and there is
hTrdly a valley in the interior among
the slate rocks where placer gold is not
being extracted.
Silver is being mined at numerous
points, the most prominent producer
being the Iron Hill Company. The
carbonate camps and the galena districts
are full OF life, activity and prosperity.
The Galena district has been the most
prominent producer of lead, although
this mineral is widely distributed.
Copper associated with silver and
other ores is abundant but has not been
worked owing to difficulties in trans
portation. The advent of the railroad
removes this trouble and the GRAY
Eagle near Sheridan will not be long
alone as a producer of this metal.
The tin of the Hills" is simply mex
haustible and will be one OF the most
important industries in this country.
The policy ofthe Harvey Peak company
in shutting down SO as to obtain more
control of the discoveries is too well un-
derstood now to need comment. This
metal will speak for itself in a few
months more.
Iron, manganese, zinc, and associated
metals are known to exist in valuable
quantities but are u~ndeveloped. Many
rare metals such rs nickel, cobalt,
platinum, uranium, and vanadium are
known to be present in valuable proper
tons in numerous veins.
Mica has been shipped for several
years from around Custer.
Graphite and asbestos, are found near
Rockford. Oil and salt are being work
ed at Jenny stockade.
Coal is found in the foot hills, es-
pecially in the northwest along Hay
creek. Building material in the way of
limestone, sandstone, marble, and gran
lite are found everywhere. Gypsum,
hydraulic cement, fire clays, brick clays,
potters' clays, are well distributed and
i'll inexhaustable quantities. The latest
find and a most valuable Gne is that Of
milestone rock ofthe very finest quality
razors and cutlery. This quarry is
located at Buffalo Gap. The homes have
been tested for me by experts who pro-
nounce it equal to the Arkansaw stone.
This quarry will also yield whetstones,
and grindstones of all sizes and grades.
A stranger would be surprised to see
the development size, and business of
the cities and towns Of the Hills. The
country has agriculture as a basis. and
adding to this such a variety Of re-
sources, SO near each other it is safe to
predict the growth of numerous manu-
features and industries, and to believe
that in a few years this will be the Frei-
berg Of America, the richest and most
active corner in all of Uncle Sans do
main ,"-Correspondence Chicago Min
ing Review.