Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1888-02-25
English Comment on Back Hills Tin.

n following extracts taken from
a leading London journal would seem to
indicate that the local papers of the
Hills were being strongly reinforced by
the London press in their efforts to dis
pense undiluted tin truths to an inquir-
ing, but skeptical world:
The demonstration that tin ore of
exceptional richness occurs in great
abundance in the Black Hills of Dakota
was. we think complete in last weeks
Industrial Review and this renders alb
solutely necessary the investigation of
the reasons Of the delay that has taken
place in their development. That every
possible obstacle has been thrown in
the way Of those who attempted to
develop the property, and asserted that
the United States really does contain
tin deposits capable of rendering Ameri-
cans independent of outside supply OF
that metal, is scarcely denied but
whether those Instructions were the
result of honest belief that Dakota was
not as rich as asserted may well be
questioned. Whatever may be the
result Of the investigation, there is the
i~ndisputable fact that the chief OPP
ponents of the undertaking are men who
do not enjoy the highest reputation
either for honor or yeracity in the
United States or in Great Britain. More
over, the Harvey Peak tin property has
not been nearly SO much reyiled as were
the valuable tin deposits Of Australia
and Tasmania, even when their annual
production was nearly equal TO that of
the county Of Cornwall. 1t is only nee
essary to refer to former volumes of the
Mining Journal to learn (?) that tin de-
posits of Australia exist only in the
imagination of spectators, and can
e compete with English tin either
for price or quality" though at the time
that was written mot by the editor Of
the Mining Journal, but by correspond
ents supposed to be reliable Bensusan
was selling in Sidney Australian tin AT a
lower price than Chyandour could be sold
in England, and the Kangaroo brand
was in quite rs high favor rs the Lamb
and Flag. And justly so, for the
Kangaroo tin contained no less than
ninety-eight per cent Of pure metal.
whilst English tin contained considera-
bly, more than two per cent of impuri-
ties. Those interested in Harvey Peak
a congratulate themselves that the tin
produced during the exploration Of the
property is certified by Cornish shelters,
who have tested it in tons weight, to be
of the purest refined quality.
With regard to the resumption of
active operations ut the mines, the com
pany has, without doubt, acted wisely
in awaiting the report Of the engineer
sent out before proceeding. Between
~thirty-five and forty IONS of the ore has
just arrived here, which was taken from
the veins under the direction of the
engineer referred to, and which was
blasted out ofthe mines for this purpose,
and will be forthwith treated in order
to ascertain the percentage of tin con
tanned. This will enable the executive
to Judge with accuracy which veins
should receive the first attention, SO
that operations will be resumed under
the most favorable conditions: and,
although some delay was caused 10y the
opposition which has had to be met.
the advantages gained by more detailed
investigation will more than compensate
for any delay which has taken place,
whilst American sur of tin and
tinplates will be given almost inestima-
bic benefits III the shape Of a reliable
supply of home manufactured tin at a
lower price.