Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1891-12-19
OUR MANGAN ESE.
What an Expert Says of 1.-THE Future Of
the Industry--The Outlook.

~.~ ~"N@~-'
ii. NJ. Chance, a mining engineer and
expert of Philadelphia, Pa, was in Gus
ter this week. on a mission connected
with the recent manganese finds made
in this vicinity, and now owned by men
residing in Custer. Mr.. Chance made a
thorough examination Of the properties
in question, and while the development
of them has hardly been commenced.
he expressed his conviction that manga
nese of a high grade existed there In in
exhaustible quantities, To Messrs.
Heidepriem and Andrew Barber he
made proposition, which though con-
sidered by many to have been a liberal
one, was not accepted. These gentle
men propose to hold and develop their
property themselves and receive the
profits of such course, or sell outright.
No part or interest is for sale. They
have fixed pr,ce upon the mines, and
if purchaser does not present himself,
one who has the money to put up, they
will proceed with the mining and ship,
ping of the ore. Their policy is gener-
ally conceded to be wise one, and in
sures the speedy development and build
ing up Of an important industry. The
ground in the vicinity of their claims
has already been staked by eager pros
pectors, and other properties of equal
value may be heard of in the near
future. 1t is probably generally known
that, as we stated some weeks ago.
manganese is largely used in the manu-
facture of steel This being the case, and
the existence of manganese having been
proven, why need the mineral be ship
ped eastward or westwardp Why may
it not be consumed at home? There il
certainly no reason why it should not
be, and many why it should We haye
within a radius of forty miles every
mineral needed in the manufacture of
steel. Lying to the northwest of Custer
are immense deposits of iron ore, the
great value Of which has within few
weeks past been testified to by men
who have examined it, and who are
eminently qualified to pass an opinion.
The iron ore will be mined and utilized
sooner or later, and ut time no. far
distant, why not in the establishment
and support of a manufacturing in
dustry that is one Of the most extensive
and remuneratiye in the world-the
manufacture of steel? Here are the
necessary ingredients, iron about us.
manganese few miles south, while
Newcastle furnishes the coke and coal
What we want now is men and money,
and that is all We want. During the
year past the Northern Hills have pro-
duced 100000 IN gold. What does
that Indicate Simply this, that the
Black Hills country is country in itself
That the time of our dependency has
passed, that this section is no longer TO
be a producer of raw material only, that
the day has come when we can and will
build up our own industries, and right
here utilize the product of our unlimited
resources, and reap the additional re-
ward of increased prosperity. 1t takes
time to accomplish all things of i'm
portance. For years the Southern Hills,
with only few faithful champions have
striyen to throw off the mantle of OBJ
scurity, and capital has been wooed
with but i'll success. But the ten years
that are passed are not to be lived
over again. The long struggle for recog-
milton has not been in vain. Rising
from position of obscurity to one of
recognized importance, casting off the
shackles that defamation and incredulity
welded, the Southern Black Hills are
even now entering upon period of
prosperity and business activity that
has never been surpassed in any locality,
any section Of the United States. A
presumptious statement is it? Wait Just
little longer.