Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1886-07-31

unlucky warrior. The old house still
stands that was the first restaurant IN
the Hills. Here the notorious Calamity
Jane a a dining room girl, and per-
mitted no grumbling at the hash" she
brought to the table. The little house
still stands on the banks of French
creek which was occupied by Wild Bill
and his crew Of depraved women in
1875. Later on he was killed by Jack
Mccall at Deadwood, who was hung at
Yankton. The people Of Custer City
refer to Wild Bill as a "bum" and hard
citizen who sought only the lower strata
of society for associates. The death Of
| those two was no loss to the Hills.
CALAMITY JANE
is referred to as a queer admixture Of
the feminine and the devil. For u time
she would behave herself, and then the
wicked parts Of her character would
come to the surface, and she would walk
the streets firing revolvers and cursing
as only she could. In those early days
prices were anything but low. Flour
was S2i per sack, potatoes 50 per bushel,
and hay $500 per ton. When General
Crook, under orders of the wal depart
ment, visited the present site Custer
City and the little camps along French
creek, this place was a hive of human
activity. But his orders were to dis
perse the crowd, and permit the greasy
Indians to retain the lands and its valu-
able minerals. The general found the
task a s%tupendous one. Settlers were
pushed to the railroad, but many Of
them beat the troops back into the hills.
The scramble for gold never found a
parallel. Thus, hastily outlined, is a
SHORT HISTORY OF CUSTER CITY
and the scenes attending the discovery
of gold in Dakota. This town has seen
all the fluctuations of the mining camp,
and has recovered from the shocks far
better than is the history of others
similarly situated. The discovery of
gold in Deadwood gulch was a dark day
for Custer City. The pulse of specula-
ton and adventure was just then too
ripe to let we'll enough alone, and the
rich and profitable findings here were
ignored in the excitement created by
news from above, and in a few days a
city of 5000 contained a population OF
only fourteen people. From that day to
this the boom has never returned. The
population Of Custer City is now prob
ably 500 people. A few of the original
inhabitants came back and new ones
came in, and entered tic quiet avenues
of trade, and have done we'll. The sole
reason why Custer City is not one OF
the booming towns of the Hills is be.
cause capital has not entered here to
develop its various mineral deposits.
II HILLS SURROUNDING CUSTER CITY
are vast deposits Of tin, silver, gold and
mica. Within six miles is the Dansby
mine, which needs only to be developed
to yield plenty of gold. Near by is the
Dolphin tin mine, n of the riches,
mines of the kind in the world. The
following tin mines lie within a few
miles Of town: Tin Reef, Great East
ern, Kit Carson, Hidden Treasure and
Old JEFF. Development is only needed
to make al Of these profitable mines
The ore assays from ID to 20 per CEN
tin. There are over 500 recorded tin
mines within a few miles of Custer City
Mica lies everywhere. 1t crops out on
every hillside, and g~listens in the sand
and gravel like diamond dust. No force
of circumstances cal be imagined that
will keep Custer City from realizing
rich returns from its. surrounding min.
eral deposits. The lack Of capital and
excitement elsewhere keeps down devel
opment here, but that cannot last very
long. Here are the greatest tin deposits
in America, and to get that staple article
the people OF America must come here
for it. When that day comes, and it is
already dawning, Custer City will be
one of the best and by far the lovelies;
places in the Hills.
A PRETTlER
cannot be found in the United States.
Just picture a 1000 acre plateau 5,40O
feet above the level ofthe sea, surround.
ed On three sides by hillsides thickly
covered with timber, with far away to
the northwest barren rocks raising like
clouds to cast their shadows on the val.
ley beneath, the gentle gurgle and
murmur of French creek and Laughing
Water as they pass by your door, and
you have seen the beautiful town OF
Custer City. Purer air never blew over
the peaks of the Alps than is here every
hour of the day. Sickness is unknown.
During the last three years there has
not been a death in Custer CITY, except
from accident. There is no doctor in
tie town, and no need for one.
THE INHABITANTS OF CUSTER CITY
look hale and hearty. They love their
little town and its promises. An I'M
p%retentious brick church is now their
Sabbath retreat, and crime here is a
thing of the past. The eIncatiou Of