Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1891-11-14
CUSTER LAKE.
First of January, 1862 win See
Ii q Lake in Truth

When the saw mill outfit belonging
to Chas. and Theo. Reder, passed
through Custer last Tuesday noon, on
Its way to the site Of Lake Custer, our
people probably realized more fully
than ever before that at last actual steps
we're being taken toward the utilization
of the advantages embodied in that
wonderful spot, Lake Custer, and its
immediate surroundings. It was near
ly six months ago that party Of bus-
ness men Of this city, while on trip TO
Harney Peak, passed over piece OF
country. which though not far from
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thoroughly explored. The gentlemen
were attracted by the peculiar beauty of
the spot, and upon further investigation
discovered the natural basin. the spring
near the upper rim Of it, which furnishes
wafer for good sized stream, and the
single narrow aperture through which
the water escapes from the basin. In
addition TO these practical features, the
accessibility OF the spot and the beauty
and grandeur Of its surroundings were
noted. On their return to Custer, the
members OF the party said bat very lit
tie about what they had seen. and day
or two later returned and located the
far and wide, and companies of Custer
people, and visitors from the outside
world, hundreds in number, have flock
their during the summer months just
passed, to 90 into ecstacies over what
they saw, and to unanimously pro-
nounce ii one Of the greatest natural
wonders in existence. The locators
talked Of organizing a comapauy, and
proceeding without delay TO build the
dam and make other improvements that
were necessary to make the place more
accessible and attractive. An expert.
enced surveyor was employed to ex-
anime the ground aud his repor. was
10 the effect that the basin could be
flooded and other improvements made
at a nominal expense. Then for some
renson or other active operations ceased,
Custer Lake" was not made lake, but
remained in its origina! state, only a
lake site, 10 be visited by tourists and
picnic parties and noted through the
Hills and far beyond them as a grand
possibility, " hich the citizens of Custer
ma lAsss iYasV To Nalg
Thus the matter stood when few
weeks ago Messrs. Chas. and Theo.
Reder made TO the possessors of the site
the proposition, the substance of which
appeared in the CHRONICLE three weeks
ago. Tuesday the ReJers were in town
ard the deeds to the property and the
contract were signed. By the con-
ditions of the Later instrument, the
origira al locators deed to Chas and Theo
Reder their entire interest in and claim
TO 100 acres of land which includes the
lake site and the.adj jacent territory. In
consideration of which the last named
parties are 10 build concrete dam not
less than twenty feet high aud twenty
feet wide, to build a road between the
lake and Custer City which shall be
lit for light and heavy travel, to clear
away the underbrush along the road
and abou, the lake, and to patent the
l60 acres Of land as soon as it can be
lawfully done, the improvements TO be
completed 10y May lst 1892 Each OF
the locators is TO receive lot 100 by
| $50 in the town site which the new
owners propose TO lay out. As stated
before Reder Bros. outfit and their en-
ployes passed through this city Tues
day, and are now camped at the lake
ready for setion. The saw mill has
been put up and Quarters for the work
man are being erected. 1t is expected
that the dam will be completed by Jan.
lst, and as soon as that is finished a
large hotel will be erected, and MANY
minor improvements be made between
! now and spriag Custer people have
longed claimed for their city the natur-
al advantages that 90 to make up sum-
mer resort, aud the hundreds OF tourists
that have visited and tarried with us
during the year since the building of
the B. & NJ railroad, have promptly
seconded the assertions, that as a city
combining beauty of location and sur
roundings, scenery that is grand and
sublime, and climate that is temperate
and health giving and restoring, Custer
is equa!ied now here in the great north
west. The completion of the lake will
| fiji the list of her attractions, and in the
summers 10 come thousands of refugees
from the heat and toll of the east and
south will spead the days allotted to
their recreation in the calm. cool at
mosphere Of ofmatchless Custer, climbing
to the summitts of her evergreen noun
tains, driving through her numerous
parks. and boating, fishing and bathing a
Custer Lake.
The present indications are that the
Chiisn difficulty will be adjusted with
I Ll.NlaLaI