Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1892-06-25

form most prominent landmarks. To
the east we have East Range" with
/ Lookout Mountain" from whose pine
! clad summit the sentry used to scan the
distant horizon for sign Of Prairie
Schooners, which would bring news
| from the outside world and perhaps to
many in the camp glad tidings from the
loved ones at home. Many changes
have taken place in the camp since
those days, and the immigrant wagon
and later on the stage coach had to give
way to the modern iron horse The ad-
vent OF the c., Il. and q. X. X. was a
great blessing to this section, as with
long distance from the railroad and
difficulty Of transportation, il used TO be
impossible To bring in mining machin-
cry. A few years more will bring about
great revolutions, and the immense
wealth stored within those mighty
mountains will be made accessible and
brought to day light and to market.
In onr rear high Wooded plateasi.
stretches many miles southwark and as
we pursue our journey We take advant-
age OF every promontory from which
point OF vantage may be gained. The
view to the west and south while less
imposing Is scarcely less romantic. Our
path is broken by frequent gulches !;
springs are numerous in all of these !:
here the pine which is so abundant on
the slopes and hiltops, gives way 10
luxurious grass and profusion Of Wild
flowers. Here and there feeding group
Of deer will scare at our approach and
hurriedly disappear in the brush be-
yond. Quite frequently too We meet
NTH hnn.laG ,Af 1ip.r hnrgna "A
cattle. belonging to the ranchmen who
have taken up the fertile valley land
and carry on Il very successful system Of
farming. Arriving at last Mt our desti-
nation, we hurliedly partake of lunch,
which is washed down with refresh
ing drink OF icy water from spring
near by. The pleasing task which has
tempted US out here, begins now in
earnest and with hammer and chisel
We operate upon the boulders and rock
masses which at this point have tumbled
from an inaccessible bluff into the gulch
below. Tourmalines large and small,
three sided crystals with striated sur.
faces, six sided prisms with perfect ter
limitations Beryl of a fine straw color,
some twins. Needle crystals of tourmi-
lines in countless numbers in black
gangue Garnet crystals of a beautiful
translucent wine color in gneiss rose
quartz of a fine transparent tint, suitable
tor jewelry beautiful specimens all.
One after another; as they are secured,
is carefully wrapped and finds his rest
lug place in the canyass bag. In our
eager search we forget the flight of time
and the day is well nigh spent, when
after securing one, just one more crystal,
We begin our homeward tramp. How
long the road seems now, will il never
end, but after several hours of trudgery
we arrive home once more, empty of
stomach, heavily loaded, tired and oh,
yea Gods! what a sleep we enjoy that
night, dreaming perhaps of the few
more crystals which 10 our sorrow We
had to leave behind.
AS time permits we make excursions
III other directions, each one however
only repetition of our first in its
general features; true we enjoy the
ever changing scenes and add Slth hll,sssacRl sssacR
working or idle mines, no prospect hole,
no likely spot, no nook or corner which
offers ghost of show escapes our
vigilant eye. The dumps that have
proven very productive of fine speci
mems are those of the Climax Mica
Mine, the White Spar, the Custer, the
Lost Bonanza, the Tin Queen, the Bell,
the Pembina, the New York, the Tin
Mountain, the Glendale, the Eta, the
Southern Queen, the Car and the Flora,
the Dolphin, s.. Paul and most of the
Tin mines in Warrens Gulch. The
nearby caves have furnished us Calcites
and deep cannon has supplied Agates
and Jaspers. in an endless variety. Our
collection will probably contain over 65
species and 800 specimens. all gathered
in less than one fourth Custer county,
handsome pieces all, the result of our
delightful excursions. They are the Joy
Of our heart, the envy of our bretbern.
there are no pieces alike in color, no
two alike i'm crystalization, to two alike
in size, not one Indifferent, and not one
i'm all the lot which has not endeared
itself to us, through some delightful
episode connected with its acquisition.
We could now live contented and enjoy
the possession of our treasure undis-
tnrbed by remorse, if it was not for the
bitter remembrance of that finest of all
crystals, which the other fellow
Well, you need not call me hog
would YOU feel different If once-just
once-you had taken him out to dis
close to him one of your secret ledges of
tourmalines and he was to have such
unexplainable luck on your own hunt
ing ground?