Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1896-12-12
CUsTER's NEEDS.

| Vhiic ~ may uc iedlsOHdUiy COuCcutC
that there are towns In the world. and
even in the Black Hills, whose urgent
needs are more numerous than Clusters
it is nevertheless true that there are 9
few things that Custer needs very badly
just now. Political agitation Is, for the
time being, back number with every.
body except Brayon, who will probably
continue to agitate the ambient air for O
brief period pending the total annihila.
ton Of public patience, and it would
certainly be advisable for US to relegate
politics to the rear and turn our atten-
tion strictly to business.
Contemplating Clusters various needs,
we can but conclude that fire protection
is the most urgent, being. at present,
without effective facilities of any kind
for the extinguishment of fires, when
winter, with its greatly increased ratio
Of danger from this cause, is already
upon US. The importance Of such an
acquisition to Custer can scarcely be
estimated, and an earnest and vigorous
effort should be put forth for its attain.
ment at the earliest practicable day.
Another important need. and one
which would have q powerful tendency
to stimulate our general progress, is
ample and proper facilities for the re-
duction of the gold ores existing in such
exceptional abundance in this locality
This important need may be deemed a
very difficult one to supply, and it
doubtless ia, but other camps whose
mineral resources are manifestly IN
ferior to ours, enjoy such benefits,
having been secured through the enter
prise and persistent efforts Of their cit.
izens, and why not Custer? The almost
boundless measure of benefit that would
surely result from such an acquisition
would justify much more vigorous
effort in this direction than has hitherto
been made in this place. With the
proper effort, this greatly to be desired
boon is attainable, and we should, by all
means unite in an earnest and well
directed effort to secure it.
A Touring mill with sufficient capacity
to meet the enlarged local demand
which its creation would insure, would
also be a very desirable acquisition to
this place, and be the means of keeping
at home many thousands of dollars now
sent abroad annually to supply us with
this indispensable food product. Located,
as we are, in the best wheat producing
section in the west, having taken the
first premium at the Sioux City Corn
palace some years ago over Iowa, Min
nesota, Nebraka and other states for
the best wheat there exhibited, there is
no apparent reason why this place
should not succeed in establishing
-four industry that would prove both
permanent and profitable. In this con-
nection it il proper to cay that the
success of the industry would depend
largely upon the measure Of local sup
port bestowed upon it, which, If with
held to any material extent, as has been
the case in other towns of the Hills, it
could not reasonably be expected to be
Of any considerable benefit to the COM
munity, This suggests another crying
Custer need, and that is higher ap-
probation on the part of her citizens of
the vital Importance Of patronizing
home industries. The custom of send
ing abroad for articles which can be
bought at home, has obtained to con-
siderable extent in nearly all, if not all
western communities, and we regret to
say, that in none of them has this
pernicious custom become more common
than it has in Custer. We think we
may therefore safely say, taking into
consideration its serious detrimental
results, that radical change in this
direction on the part of our people is
the crowning need of Custer at this
writing The benefits to be secured by
q change OF policy in this regard are
easily attained, and require but little if
any sacrifice. Money will purchase
goods at home as cheaply, or very nearly
SO, as abroad, and for money only can
you purchase articles away from home.
1t Is your local merchant who favors
you with goods in exchange for your
products. and not infrequently grants
you liberal margin of time in which
to furnish the products. Every consid-
Grafton Of progressive policy favors
home dealing, while there can be moth
ing said in defense of sending money
away to swell the cash circulation in
eastern business channels to the serious
detriment of your home community.
Should every citizen of this community
discontinue the practice of sending
money abroad for articles that are
readily abtainable in this place, that Of
itself would be sufficient to stimulate
and increase our prosperity to degree
that would surpass in its benefits any
business boom in our history.
These are some of the prominent
needs Of this place, to which might be
added others which would quickly fol ow
in the train of those named, after being
secured. A town is not unlike an in
dividual in this, that it is always the
most difficult to reach the first perma
nent round on the ladder of fortune,
after which progress is less difficult.
What We should strive for is position
upon the first round of the ladder re-
ferred to. and continue the effort with
out cessation until the point is gained.
after which We may the more easily and
rapidly rise to the higher and more
desirable plane of commercial prosper.
ity enjoyed by numerous western towns
that have gained prominence as bust
ness centers by reason of the energy
and enterprise of their citizens. The
outlook for better times is most en-
couraging. and while we may not con-
sistently expect that Mckinley will
furnish us cooked rations upon applica-
tion, or raiment, ready made, for the
asking, we may very safely conclude
that oop,;pp condition. ,,,;ll L. -.