Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1897-07-31
TO OUR MINERS AND BUSINESS
MEN

|
MEN.
Prospecting all over this district con.
tinues undated with encouraging re-
suits all around. Many of the boys are
still! fond of pounding and panning, and
their eyes brighten when they are re-
warded by string in the pan Of the
yellow metal. 1t is all very well. We
have plenty Of mines in Custer county
that show free gold near the surface,
but don't say you have a vein Of free
milling ore. At least don't do it until
you can point to one of our dozen quartz
mills, erected in the county on as many
of our best mines, which has proven a
success. 1t seems to us that in the long
years Of experience we have undergone
we should in time learn something by
the things we have suffered. So far as
our knowledge goes if there are any
mines that will pay by the free milling
process in Custer county, they are yet
to be discovered. The same sample,
from which you obtain your prospect of
$3 per ton in the pan, will run by assay
$50, and from that to $500 per ton in
gold. We have been handicapped by
our reliance in the free milling process
long enough. Every mill Of that char
acter which has been erected here, has
been curse to our country, and has
given black eye to some of the richest
mines in our county.
In our long and checkered career, we
have mined in many camps in the
different states and territories, as we'll
as the northern, central and southern
| Black Hills. We are tied to this dis
trict, because we have found here richer
ore on the average that we have been
able to find anywhere else. We are
here for that reason, and hoping and
working and waiting for the time when
capital shall recognize the merits of our
mine sufficient at least to do what we
have not the means to do. Sink down
and develop them, erect the proper and
necessary plant to reduce the ore, and
bring these mines to point where they
will produce and become remuneratiye.
We announced twelve years ago that
We must seek some process other than
by amalgamation to treat our ores. We
have reiterated it by tongue and pen
from that day to this. We have urged
our people, miners and town people
alike, to come together and by concert
Of action take steps TO find out the best
process to save the gold from our rock.
To erect plant, be it ever so small, so
long as it is perfect and complete, and
well calculated to do the work thor
oughly. We know what is needed and
We have proclaimed it constantly hut TO
no purpose. Our people, especially Of
the town, do not seem to realize that
they are living and doing business in
mining camp. They do not seem to
realize that the hidden resources of
country undeveloped will never bring
prosperity to that country. Our busi-
ness men have not stopped to consider
that town is built for the accom- mnoda-
ton of the country, and that the coun-
try must first prosper before the town
can prosper.
1t has been source of surprise to us
all along, that our business men did not
exercise the ordinary sagacity and
business forethought in this matter
which characterize the business men Of
other places. But so it has been, and
so We presume it will be until the bells
Of time shall ring out the old, and the
destiny of the pioneer camp shall be
guided by new men with new methods
"There is a tide which taken at its food
leads on to fortune. That tide and that
time has past, for the days when they
should and could have acted, they would
not, and now, alas, they cannot, and the
gem city slumbers in toipor, all
from neglect. 1t is not pleasant for us
to pen this structure upon our fellow
townsmen, they are our friends, and are
good fellows, and when all is said we
like them socially. Our fortunes, our
thoughts and feelings will always knit
us together. Still, as we love the truth
and hate lie. if we speak at all we
must state what seemcth to us to be the
Iacts. Now we can only get together,
take hold of hands and repeat in con-
cert the following verse, paraphrasad to
suit the occasion
Eve are the proper cause OF all our woe,
The careful pilots of our overthrow"