Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1896-05-16

seem, Of a great fold running northward.
A stratum Of impure iron ore seemed to
be the most obvious clew 10 its position.
This stands nearly vertical parallel with
the bedding of the states. /. was noted
east Of Lead, about of a mile west Of
Desdwood, and also crossing the gulch
little west of Central City. What
evidence it may give Of the arrangement
Of the original deposition Of the states,
and perhaps Of valuable mineral de-
posits, may require much study to de-
termine.
Englewcod, point north of Dumont,
| is the junction Of the Spear6sh branch.
The railroad, from this point, gradually
clinbs the north flank Of Terry Peak,
reaching its highest point at Portland
6425 feet above the sea. From this place
most magnificent views may be OBJ
tained on a favorable day, Of not only
the Bald Mountain district and the main
points around Dead dwoood, but also Of
Bear Butte, the northeast corner stone
Of the Hills, as it were, and Of Crow
Peak, similarly situated on the north
west, but Of the whole scope Of the
country drained by the Belle Fourche
river, with the various buttes occupying
the higher portions of the divide be-
yond, from which rise the Moreau and
Grand rivers. Castle Rock and Hay
stack buttes standing out prominently,
with the Deer's Ears, strongly suggesting
their name, and beyond them the Short
Pine hills nearly due north and little
east the glimmering white walls Of Slim
Buttes, the last being over so niles away.
Numerous prospect holes on the sides
Of the valleys skirting the mountain,
with the narrow gauge railways going ia
and out between them, mark the valu-
able mines Of Bald Mountain and Ruby
Basin districts. From Portland the
railroad begins its descent into Spear
fish canyon, which lies not far away
upon the west and runs between several
prominent peaks. Though we are in
formed that the road goes to Spearfish
nearly due north, we find that we are
turning south and even east. We begin
10 recognize not only the red sandstone
of the Carboniferous. but also the mas.
siye limestone cliffs 20040O feet in
height, which mark the walls of the
canon. BY following a quite crooked
course, the bottom ofthe canon is re CHI
ed 4 or miles south of the point where
We first strike il; and we turn north and
find ourselves disputing the right Of way
in the bottom of the canyon with a
vigorous, clear stream rushing over
large boulders and among dark spruces
The beauty of the canyon has been in q
measure destroyed by the burning Of
the forests which were first cover 4
with thick growth Of pine and now
leaves instead black vertical trunks
studding the cliffs The course down
the canyon is full Of surprises as we
catch gimp.es Of the walls, from time
TO time, which seem TO increase IN
height and grandeur. About 700 feet
lower than the point where we fret
reached the bottom OF the canon a
stream pours oyer massive ledge Of
rock, % or 80 feet. We regrstted much
that opportunity did not permit US
to study il. The railroad crosses il just
above the fall Lower down in the
canyon the familiar brown sandstone Of
the Potsdam begins to appear in the
cliffs. and We thought We saw traces Of
the strata corresponding to the Trenton
beds, which appear near Dead wood.
Just before reaching Spearfsh we
passed again through Y shaped notch
fSEsl' Msssess ate saa siesaty s.Ms as1 saa d.
ward the northwest down the valley ol
spearfish creek. In the distance are
seen the spurs of the Dakota Sandstone
running in from the north and east
One OF these eliminates just east of the
town of spearfish and forms Lookout
! Mountain so called from its use in early
| times, when the first settlers were
watchful of the hostile Indian. Upon
this mountain is valuable quarry of
sandstone. From its summit q magni-
! ficent view is easily obtained Of the
valley of the Spearish and Red Water.
and also eastward over Centennial Przi-
ris to the vicinity Of Nhitewood.
Spearfish creek may be made TO furnish
enough water, which eventually will be
utilized not only for the separation of
valuable ores found in the mountains
southeast, but also for manufacturing
for the population, which in time will
occupy the valleys 10 the north. Easy
irrigation will cause the country to
blossom like a garden. Twenty miles
to the northwest fine quality Of coal
has been found, the extent of which,
though not yet determined, is continu-
ally promising more and more TO the
patient prospec,or.
As We passed over this branch and
marked the engineering feats employed
in its construction and saw how few
were the stations along it, we were led
TO inquire for what purpose such an
outlay had been made, especially as We
were repeatedly told the line falls very
much short of paying expenses. But
with the hints already given of the
future prosperity OF the region, we may
not wonder that the enterprising com
pany of the l.. 4 NJ. Railway, should be
quick 10 perceive aud preoccupy this
desirable point. At the same time we
can heartily recommend this line to
those who would desire TO spend several
days in studying and inquiring into the
wonders of nature and invigorating
mountain air, without the expense of a
more distant trip TO the more frequented
places along the Rocky Mountains and
in the far west.
Our visits to the points indicated,
having necessarily been very brief, We
shall live in hope of studying more
closely and at leisure the problems coa-
nected with Spearfish canyon, the mas
sivs lava outflow about Terry Peak.
and the intricate folds Of the states and
schists Of the central core of the Black
Hills The latter especially, we hope
may throw valuable light upon the
origin and distribution of the valuable
ores and minerals for which the Black
Hills are already widely known.
j. +. ToDD.
State GeoIosist.
State Uniyersitv, Vermillion, s. ID.