St. Paul daily globe., 1888-05-05
WONDERFUL RESOURCES.
Graphically Depicted by Judge Robbins,
One Of the Early Settlers.
NOT THE CUSTER MASSACRE
Unequaled Anywhere in the Exienl
and Variety OF Its Re-
sources.

y
deems it proper in the beginning to cor
rect an error which is growing too COM
mon among writers in speaking of this
place, to-wit.: They refer to Custer City
as the spot where the gallant Custer, to-
gether with his whole army, was mas
sacred by the Indians some fourteen
years ago. This is not the place. The
circumstance to which they refer, and
which has passed into history, occurred
at point about 250 miles north of here
on the Big Horn river, at place which
is now called Fort Custer. do not
presume that the average reader of the
GLOBE would care to read at this late
day the historical incidents of the early
settlement of this country, though much
of it is teeming with interest to those
who admire the novel and dramatic.
The dangers and privatiOns, the hair
breadth escapes, and the almost super
human efforts put forth by the
early pioneers to wreSt this fair
land from the grasp of the savage,
would make volume of rare interest to
those who delight to read of daring
deeds and are touched by the recital of
scenes of suffering. All this we will
pass for the present, and speak of
things which are of more direct inn
pOrtance to those who seek new field
IN which they may better their condi-
tion in life. The emigrant, the investor,
the farmer, the stock raiser, the labOrer,
the miner. and last, but not least, to
those who suffer from the depressing
effects of Diseases contracted in less
favored climeS, or to those who would
escape for a season from the cares and
turmoils of business, away from the
busy street, the piles of brick and
mortar, and enjoy the luxury of a
season of freedom from the straight
jacket of artificial life.
CUSTER CITY
is situated on the southern slope of the
Black Hills, in the southwest corner of
the territory of Dakota, and to those
who delight in the grand and picturesque
no more lovely spot could be found. The
lofty peaks of the Harvey range on the
east and north but few miles distant
the open parks and the evergreen hills
which slope from every side to BASIN
like valley, in the center of which lies
the little town of Custer, clean, cosy and
peaceful as dove in her nest.
But Just now we are on the eve OF
MINING BOOM,
and there are thousands who have their
eyes turned towards the Hills, and the
first and paramount questions are:
What are your resources? What are the
prospects? and what are the chances to
make money there? In reply to the first
question, would say the resources are
almost boundless, and l say this ad-
viSedly. for never in all my travels nor
in all my reading have | seen, heard or
read of any country of like area which
possessed more than half the natural re-
sources of the Black Hills, or
more than half of the diff
ferent varieties of mineral, and
the veins are not small, but
on the contrary, everything is on
large scale. This feature is peculiar
we hear of countries which are famous
for gold and silver, another for copper,
another for tin, another for lead, an
other for iron, another for nickel, an
other for mica, another for salt, another
for oil, and 50 On to the end of the list
but we challenge all cOmerS to point to
any section of the country which pro-
duces all of these, grouped together
within radius of 100 miles. And yet
Custer county
CONTAINS THEM ALL.
And more than all of these, we have
every variety of stone for building and
ornamental purposes - granite, por-
phyry, slate, sandstone, limestone, gyp-
sum, marble; and for fuel we have
wood and coal of the finest quality and
in abundance. Surely your epicurean
capitalist ought to find something to
satisfy his morbid appetite in spread
like that.
Well, says another, all that is very
satisfactory, but how are you fixed for
schools and churches, and what is the
condition of society in your town? To
which | answer, excellent. We have
fine, twO-story brick school house, we'll
patroniZed. We have two churches
Methodist and Congregational; large,
twO-Story brick court house; the county
is well Differed, and the people are law
abiding, we'll dressed, and refined as
you find them anywhere. The only eX-
ception to this is when miner, who has
struck it rich or sold mine, comes to
town to have good time with the boys.
He is most always an Old-timer, hard
worker and big hearted. There is no
harm in him, so we let him have a little
swing, unless he gets too loud. You
can generally tell him OH such occasions
by his garb-a new WoOlen shirt, with a
checkbOok sticking out of the breast
pocket, and a wire, briar, Undertook
kind of gait. He is all right, and al
ways has friends enough to take care of
him. Every prosperous mining camp
has its quota of this class of men, and
can't get along very well without them.
These are the fellows that rend the
rock, turn rivers, break roads and
KILL SNAKES
and make our higher civilization posi-
bIe Without these our country would
remain undeveloped-ou hidden treas
ures would still lie buried. Without
these no temples of learning would
adorn these hiIl-sides, and no church
spires point to the blue arch of heaven.
In country which contains so much,
in one short letter the different resour-
ceS and characteristics can only be
touched upon in general way. Besides
we have other attractions in the way of
climate and soil, grazing facilities.
etc., and topics upon which your CORES
pOndent would fain dwell, such as
roads, railroads, mining news and min
ing sales, and mining prospects. But
all this must be deferred until my next
letter lest L trepaSs too much upon
your valuable space, besides it is get
ting late and the morrow brings other
duties, ''for behold have other sheep
that are not of this fold" and as this
letter contains some statements q refer
to the enumeration of minerals) which
may to some seem too strong, and being
willing and ready to hold myself person
ally responsible for all that | have writ
ten or may hereafter write, | prefer
not to dodge behind any nom de plume
but to subscribe myself. Youls truly,
w PoppINc