Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1888-07-14
Walkers Wind.

| former county commissioner Of Custer
county, whose official acts failed to
escape criticism, and who is well known
to be afflicted with an uncomfortable
mania TO appear in print, realizing the
becalmed condition of the country craft
which Stanley, the pilot has SO vainly
been endesyoring to guide into safe
waters. kindly contributes an install
ment of wind, with a view to the early
Xpanrion Of the lazy sails which have
SO long hung motionless from her yard
arms, and impart an impetus which
shall result in bringing into the Her
craft laden with all the requisites, (in-
Guiding the Custer court house, nee
essary to bring the much expected,
greatly desired but long lingering boom
to that aspiring prairie village
The windy effusion referred to- which
appeared in the Pilot of the 10th inst, is
literally without color of truth, and SO
glaringly inaccurate in its details, as to
render it absolutely harmless, and utter
" unworthy Of our attention; but in
view of the remote possibility of some
CHRONICLE reader being misled, by
reason Of being unfamiliar with the
early political history of the county, and
the reputation of the versatile, but
intensely romantic writer, we have
decided TO submit briefreply touching
upon the eXtravagant and chimerlcal
statements embraced in the fantlstical
contribution referred to.
This self appointed lIermosa oracle
starts ont with the very simple and
clearly undeniable proposition, that
"but very small proportion Of the peo-
pie Of this county are aware that Custer
county has no legally located capital"
This proposition, while il was evidently
submitted with view to calling public
attention to the alleged fact Of the
illegal location Of the county seat at
Custer, must nevertheless be accepted
as being very nearly correct in its com
mon aCccptation. as there are "but
few" If any, of the people of the county
who are aware Of this startling fact. If
this time honored pioneer Of Custer
county, who prides himself upon being
a resident as far back as 1873, and who
so dchantly claims TO "know whereof
ne speaks" will deign 10 yield the floor
10 one who correctly dates his advent
years prior to that period, he will be
| favored with a statement OF facts, in
! this connection, which will, if accepted
| by him, oi!cctually prevent the further
| airing of his cOnsummate ignorance of
| the subject, through the medium of a
puhlicj journal. Had this modern paragon
Of distinguished memory been a resi-
dcntot Custer county at an earlier period
he would doubtless have remembered
the first election held after its organza-
ton at a time when the county seat
was temporarily located at Hayward
and the subsequent effort made by the
officers elect TO gain possession of the
Offices and il is fair to presume, in that
event that he would have distinctly
remembered the fact of there being no
intention, planned or contemplated, for
the removal of the county seat; and
that notwithstanding the fact, that the
point was gained, no attempt was made
10 remove the records from Hayward.
Had this over creduous dsfamer of the
early residents of Custer City been
present during the memorable events
transpiring in the early history Of our
county affairs, he would not have i'm
bibed, as he evidently has, the fallacious
rumor of the raid upon Hayward for
the purpose of securing the county seat
at Custer City. 1t is a well settled fact,
patent to all early residents Of the coun-
| ty, among whom we believe we may
safely include the renowned CORE
spondent of the Pilot, that at no time
has there been anything approaching a
raid upon the town OF Hayward with
any such object in view.
After a somewhat cursory account
showing how narrowly the raiders
escaped the awful penalty of their crime,
which is as meager as it is mixed in its
description, and which clearly bespeaks
the grossest ignorance of the subject he
attempts to discuss, the writer thus
refers to the alleged purchase of the
county seat:
Some time after the above took PLACE,
and in order to finish up their nefarious
scheme, Custer citizens came TO Hay
ward and visited the chairman of the
board of county commissioners, one Mr.
James Hyde blacksmith, then living
in Hayward, and bought him TO remove
to Custer City, the consideration being
a shop and set of blacksmith tools.
Hyde went, and that is all the legal
right Custer City has to the county seat,
contrary reports Notwithstanding.
Our readers are requested 10 re-read
the above as it is by no means probable
that they may ever again be permitted
to peruse paragraph SO utterly absurd,
and glaringly subversive Of facts as is
here presented. 1t is scarcely necessary
to inform our readers that the above