Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1888-04-21
The Emmens' Party.

| lHe ciiuuSus
DR.. s. III. Emmens and son, and Mr.
Hugh Henry, of New York, whose ar
rival in this city on Thursday of last
week was noted in our issue of the l4th
inst, left here on Tuesday by private
conveyance for Rapid, from which place
they departed for the east on the follow
ing day The Emmens' party, SO called,
during their months soourn in the
Hills, have very carefully examined
many of the prominent mines in the
various districts, and leave with the
most favorable impressions of the region
as TO it's mining possibilities.
DR.. Emmens, whose reputation as
scientist is not confined to single state,
or nation, but whose high scientific at
tainments have given him world wide
notoriety, may not be expected to
hastily, and without extended investiga-
ton, pronounce favorably upon every
undisturbed dixie showing the presence
| of tin or other mineral to which his at
tention may be directed. The doctor,
while he is admitted to be one of the
most accomplished mining experts of
the period, has not advanced to the
point where he can definitely determine
the positive value Of vein by casual
survey Of its exterior features, or surface
indications, but on the contrary very
sensibly concludes that the real status
of lode can only be reached by ex-
ploitation hence the limited amount Of
mining development in this locality
must necessarily preclude positive re-
ports as to the established merit of our
mining properties. While he is by no
means an enthusiast, but on the contra
ry extremely conservative, it is not
difficult to detect feeling Of confidence
in the result of mining enterprises in
this locality, far beyond that which his
expressions would warrant; and when
he expresses the belief, that the limited
development already made upon the
mines in this section would fairly war
rant the further outlay of large sums
with a reasonable hope of successful
results, we cannot consistently expect a
| more t1attering report from so conserva-
tive source. We accept the doctors
statements as indicating impressions
| entirely favorable to the final success of
the mines in this vicinity.
Referring to the tin district Of the
northern Hills, he says it presents con-
elusive evidence of a tin bearing region,
which offers fair promise, in its further
development, to become tin producing
district. 1t is not fact that this gentle
man, as has been reported, gave the
northern Hills tin district a black eye :;
he simply expressed a conservative
opinion, which, while it was not as
favorable as the Hills people may have
desired, could not be SO construed as to
reflect seriously upon the general repu-
| tation Of the district.
Speaking with reference to the gener-
al character Of the tin ores of the south
ern Hills, he does not hesitate to assert
positively that they can be reduced at
much less expense than the Cornwall
ores. This fact he does not attribute to
the tin being purer than that of Corn
wall, which on the contrary, he believes
to be less pure, but in consequence of
the tin stone being more free from other
! associated minerals than the Cornish
ores. He asserts that the tin districts
of the southern / ils possess many dis
tinctive features, which are not found
in any c her tin bearing region yet dis
covered. These distinctive features,
which were not specially enumerated.
tend greatly toward mystifying the
geological student, and rendering the
solution of the tin problem more diff
cult. Even the different districts of the
southern Hills differ materially in
| character, no two districts being exactly
similar. The greatest similarity was
noted between the Eta and Warren's
gulch districts, which, however, are also
dissimilar in many respects.
The doctor gave it as his candid opin-
ion, that the district showing more con-
elusive evidences of being rich in tin,
was the district lying at the base of
Buckhorn mountain, in which is located
the celebrated Tin Reef group, owned
by the Harvey Peak company. The
doctor was more than pleased with
Custer and its surroundings, and expects
to revisit this place about July lst, to
look after development work, which in
the meantime will be prosecuted upon
certain tin and gold properties in this
vicinity, upon which he has secured
bonds, and which is elsewhere referred
to in this issue.