Omaha daily bee., 1889-05-05

city by host of enterprisng merchants and
professional gentlemen. 1t passed the
Rapid City roller mills, and had pointed out
to it the waterworts, which cost S5l 900 and
belong to the city, only a fair return on the
outlay, sufficient TO make repairs and pro-
vide for further extensions, being required
from the citizens. The bonds sold for this
purpose run for twenty years. Street cars
run from the business part of town to the
school of the mines which is situated about a
mile away. The city is lighted by electric
Light, twenty lamps being employed, the
electricity being generated by water power,
which is capable of running a hundred man
ufacturing establishments There is here
located the Rrosecranz brewery, one of the
few institutions of the kind in the hills.
Surrounding the city is a number of brick
yards which turn out white and mottled
brick both of which are very pretty and
durable. The city has orders TO supply
pressed brick for Fremont, and when its
quarries of limestone and marble are opened,
1t will be able to satisfy demand for cheap
aud excellent building material for which
there has long been demand in this section
as well as in other parts of the country.
The population is now estimated at about
five thousand, lOil votes having been polled
at the last election. The Bishop Hare
Indian school, costing $4,000 is located here.
There are also magnificent schools costing
SOS, 900, court house and Jail valued at S40,-
coo and several blocks of brick structures,
the cost of which run up into the hundred
There are twelve saloons, which pay 81, 900
for license, the payments being quarterly.
party desiring to retire from the business
Mt the end of any quarter not beng obligated
to pay for tue remainder of the year.
Rapid City is said to be located in a circle
with diameter of fifty miles. which takes
in the Black Hills'tin mines, u resourse which
has long been engrossing the attention of
the people Speaking with a gentleman who
claimed to be acquainted with the subject,
W. N m in
were the first opened in the country. AT
Harney Peak there Is Il mill with capa-
city of 200 tons per day. This will cost $780,
GOO, and inside OF year is expected to have
its capacity increased 10 500 tons daily, and
in less than two years to 200 tons per day.
This mill is situated about thirteen miles
from Rapid City and is owned by New York
and English capitalists, with q capital of
Sl5ONO,O 600. or this amount 81 600 have
already been invested. At Lookout there is
Il gold mill with 100 stamps which last wear
ran but 40 The Sullivan consolidated mines,
thirty miles away, as also other mines on
the Butter sweet, are IN active operation.
In about the same distance from the city
there are about leo mines of silver in course
of development
Coal is to be found one and a half miles
from the city, and indeed it is claimed to be
under the city Ii crops out in many places
around the town and it is asserted that the
veins may be worked TO profit, although
Black lila coal and wood are yet in use.
Wood is 20 be had on all the mountains and
blttes and in various parts of the hills, saw
mills are in operation converting the rough
trees into boards, the lumber costing from Sl2
to SIS per 1000 feet.
In the surrounding nils there is also a
seemingly indefinite supply OF copper, mica
and granite, the last mentioned pronounced
by many of our Earty TO be- much finer than
any now in our buildings in this city.
There are two national and two private
banks, the capital of one of these alone be-
ing sS00, 900. There is one iron foundry, the
ore for which is received from Wisconsin.
| There is also marble works giving employ
mcnt 10 number Of men, and being sup
| piled By water power.
! The excavation has already been made for
| the foundation OF very imposing Masonic
| hail. which is to be erected this year at a
| cost of $55, 00O.
Last year il is estimated 100000 were ex-
! pended in new buildings, and this year il
| is expected that the amount will be greatly
| exceeded
The city is well supplied with churches, all
| the leading denominations having neat and
| pretty structures. The residences OF the
| people are located upon the hillsides of the
| SURF, unding country and Ia many instances
| are OF the most beautiful ana modern designs
The Dakota school OF m'nes is an institu-
tieE OF which Rapid City is proud, and fur