Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-10-07


The valleys are lovely. Peaks clothed
to the top with dark pines surround
them. Crystal springs purl through
them. Thew head in springs of the pur-
est water, and they are fed by the SHOWS
and rainfalls of the mountains. Many of
the valleys are under cultivation. OH
ers await the apprecistive husbandman
Ten years from now. when the tin
mines are fully developed, these valleys
will undoubtedly prove far more valuable
than the gold plscers in the gulches.
Aside from agriculture the drainage
OF the Hills sustains an immense cat
tie industry. Nearly 1,000,0O0 cattle
browse on the grass bordering streams
that have their source near Harvey Peak.
They dot the valleys as far as the eye can
see. They feed upon the native grasses,
summer and winter. These cattle mostly
| escaped the rigors of the winter that
proved so disastrous in Montana and
upper Wyoming few years ago. Huge
trains laden with them are beginning to
roll down the Elkhorn road toward
Omaha and Chicago. These trains have
the right and frequently attain
q speed Of fortysfive miles an hour. If
Black Hills country, said W. H. Wilson,
OF Fremont. take hog train. You'll
get here twelve hours ahead of the regu-
lar express
The Black Hills arise from series of
pllteaus from $500 to 5000 feet above
the sea level, Harney's Peak is 8 200
feet above it. From its top the distant
pains look like the swelling fluctuations
of the sea. No other mountain ranges
are in sight. Even the Big Horn and
Powder mountains are beyond view. I'm.
mediately below you is
WILDERNESS OF GRANITE PiNNACLEs,
hills, rsvines. canOns, gulches, parks and
streams, and beyDd the circle all ocean of
verdure and dry grass. Just now the
view IL dimmed by the smoke from the
| Montana prairie fires. Great black
patches on the plains below tell You that
such fires are not all confined to Mon
tana. The farmers along the ElShorn
railway NOW the grass and weeds along
the track and then burn it, They thus
prevent fires that might prove disastrous
to their crops and cattle.
The fruit Of the Black Hills is remark.
able. Apples. pears, plums. cherries and
grapes grow 10 u large size and are I'm
usually luscious. The Hills cover 200
square miles, and lie in the ex-
IRENE southwestern part of South
Dakota. The scenery is msgnifi,
cent. In years TO come they will I'M
doubtedly be fsvorite resort for tour
lists. There are no trout in the brooks.
nor are there any lakes IN the Hills. Small
clubs and suckers ale the only fish to be
found. The pine trees are filled with red
squirrels, but they are not fit to eat
They feed upon pine cones almost exclu-
/ sively. When cooked their flesh retains
the taste OF the pine. The ground SOUR
rels are striped like chipmunks, and are
not much larger than mice. They infest
every dwelling and granery. A mole as
large as rat is a curiosity. He heaves
bushels Of subsoil To abe surface and
seems to enjoy himself immensely Elk
and buffalo have disappeared. A few
cinnamon bears and black tailed deer are
left. The deer are already protected by
game laws. Rabbits are found. bat the
hawks and eagles prevent their rapid in
crease. There are no beavers, minks nor
fur-bearing animals. A few quail have
been brought from the east and are said
to be doing well. Robins and meadow
larks are plentiful. bat. there are no
THRUsHEs NOR ORIOLES
| Blackbirds hover over the wheatfields in
dense clouds. A stray mockingblrd is
sometimes seen, but he quickly wends his
way to Texas. The English SPARROW has
not yet found this paradise, and the
ground chippy has the country to him
self.
The climate is delightful The sum
mer months are characterized by warm
days and cool nights. The air is pure
and wholesome; light showers are fire.
queDi; tornsdoes are rare; the autumn
months are lovely, warm weather remains
until after the holidays. lt is asserted
that there are more days of sunshine in
the Black Hills than in any other part of
the United States. The winters are cold.
but there is little snow. Seighs are
never used. The mercury seldoms rises
above ninety degrees in the summer. In
winter ii sometimes reaches twenty de.
grees below zero. The climate is espec>
tally favorable 10 those suffering from
pulmonary and malarial diseases. II has
all the good qualities Of the air of Colo
RADIO, without the light, rarified atmos-
phere. You seldom hear of sickness in
the Black Hills.
The border days are past The road
agent has disappeared. The Hills are as
safe for travellers as the roads of New
England. The Indians are kept on reser-
vstions hundreds of miles away. have
been here sixteen days without seeing a
solitary savage. The people are hospit>
able and entertaining They are proud
OF the country, and have glowing hopes
OF the future. 1t Is still in its infancy
but it is growing like giant. Thirteen
years have passed since the Custer mas
saore. The Black Hills were then devel>
oping the first germs of commercial life
To-day . Siey 90 s.noo S.h@hs.@-.- --~--.-
at its gateway, and there are &C, 900
miners and laborers within sight of Har.
ney's Peak. 1t looks as though somebody
was monkeying with Aladdin's lamp"
III 1t were necessary to substantiate
any OF Cummings statements. we would
cheerfully do so. The Black Hills is
certainly wonderful country, as vet I'm
developed. but containing storehouse
OF treasure for those who come to seek
We have seen enough of il, however, and
will take the next train for home, and
for the grandest state in the union.
]. W.P.
| npfna, Ta