Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1889-09-21
Interesting Interview ,

The following interview, imparting
important information from a reliable
source upon subjects of vital intrest 10
the Black Hills at large, is taken from
the Buffalo Gap Globe of last week and
will be perused with interest by CueoS
rcLE readers:
J. w. Barns, of York. Neb., was at the
Winsor Yesterday and we had tile pleas
ure of long talk with him regarding
the intentions Of the Il. & Nj. railroad
company towards the Black Hills county:
and in the same connection We exchange
views upon the capital location. Mr.
Barnes represents the b. * NJ. company
in an innuential capacity and comes
nearer TO knowing just what that com
pany intends to do in the near future
than any other man in the West, aud
unlike most railroad men is willing TO
talk freely about it. He started out by
agreeius with us that the Black Hills II
a county ofuuFtsaled variety Aud exfent
of resources ard that the time forsutilix-
them ~ near az hand. He exactly ex-
pressed our idea again when he said that
this country is capable Of supporting
denser population than any other coun-
try Of twice its size in the United States,
and that the county would he swarming
with people within year.
Upou capital location MIR. Barns is an
earnest advocate Of Pierre's candidacy
and he gave us some additional reasons,
though none were necded-why the
vote Of the Black Hills should be a unit
for Pierre. He drew from his pocket
~
western quarter Of which were drawn in
red ink numerous red lines. These
lines" said he, represents a network Of
railroads that the B. & NJ. &C mpany are
now building have already surveyed, or
are now surveying in the Held,-and
they now have three corps Of surveyors
at work here-and every one OF them
and more will be built within two ears
for ten million dollars is to be invested
by the company in this field by that
tine"
One line represents the road that is
now building from Crawford to the coal
fields forty miles west If Custer City at
the rate Of two miles a day, and from
there this road branches, one branch go
ing around north 10 Lead City aud Dead
wood, the other going by the way Of
Custer City and Hill City 10 Rapid.
Sull another branch leaves the coal
field line where it crosses Hat Creek, and
follows down Hat creek TO Cascade
where it branches TO Hot Springs and TO
Buffalo Gap.
Besides, there was shown on the map
two distinct lines Of road entering the
reservation from Nebraska, one crossing
the Niobrara river at Valentine, the
other crossing the same river fifty miles
further east and the two uniting north |
of the center Of Pratt county. From
this junction one line runs northeast TO |
i'-rfV urrss s..-.-. - =. ....s a. pa.;J lgt,,
These wero only part OF the fosS's
down on the map.
Mr.. Bar said that work on the road
TO Deadwood and Rapid City, from the |
west. would be pushed all winter, and
that b. & NJ trains would be running TO |
those towns. before spring.
We also learned from Mr.. Barnes that !
the Ua.an Pacific would shortly tap the !
main line Of the +. Il. & NJ. V. west Of |
Dakota junction, and that arrangement |
were already complete for the Union Pa |
cific 10 run its own daily train from |
Denver to WhiteW ood, a distance OF 366 |
miles using the +. +. < NJ. V. on the |
north end.
Thus it is quite sure that three differ
ent railroads will be running trains 10 !
the west side of the reservation this |
winter, and these will carry thousands |
Of people 10 the Black Hills in the early |
spring.
The Manitoba, we also learned, is
building to Pierre and thence will cross
The reservation in the early summer.
In conclusion Mr.. Barnes said that the |
B. NJ. would do for the Black Hills what !
Il had done for Nebraska, would pot a |
branch road to every town and help to
develop every industry; but that the
would naturally expect the
Hills to appreciate the advantages to be |
derived from the building Of the road |
md not vote again its own interests and |
he interests of the b. & NJ. by voting |
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