Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1897-01-09
The Limestone Range.

The Limestone Range.
The attention Of the miners and pros
pectors, as well as men following other
pursuits, is still being directed to the
extensive area Of country comprising
what is known as the limestone range
west Of this city, where numerous loca-
tons are still being made. Prior to the
discovery of gold in a similar formation
at Ragged Top the idea of this region
being Of a gold bearing character was
not entertained, and it was not until
the presence of gold in payable quantity
at Ragged Top had been well establish.
ed, that this region was given any at
t~ention. While the float tests thus far
made have not gone up into the hun
dreds, they haye been such as to war
rant the belief in the existence Of ore
bodies in the region which will compare
favorably with the ores found at Ragged
Top, where surface tests, with few ex-
ceptions, gave a smaller return than
those obtained here. The presence Of
gold, in some degree, is shown in all the
tests made, Of which there has been
made something over sixty, many of
which gave a return Of over four, and
in some instances over six dollars to the
ton, which may be said to be very en-
couiaging, and certainly warrants a full
and thorough investigation of the
region, which, by proper development,
may outrank Ragged Top in the rich
ness of its gold deposits, as it is known
to be far more extensive in its area.
The work Of development has just
been commenced, only two claims, as
yet. having been disturbed by pick or
drill, but it is hoped that many other
claims will receive early attention and
that the result MAJ be the establish
ment of the banner gold camp of the
patiently and ~prayerfully await the
pending issue.
ANY ore that resembles that of The
Ragged Top camp is deemed good en-
ough to locate, and the fact of the lime
belt Astounding in ores bearing such
resemblance, the result is the setting of
more claim stakes along that belt in the
past two weeks han have previously
been set in Custer county during the
past two years. On Monday of last
week, II. u. Reynolds, a well known
attorney Of this city, who owns a ranch
on the belt, about 10 miles west of this
place, being favorably impressed with
the appearance Of the float rock found
upon his ranch, which so closely re-
scmbled the rich ores Of Ragged Iop, he
concluded to gather up q few samples
and have them assayed, which he &C
cordingly did, the Pitcher Brothers Of
this place making the test, which gave a
return Of SO so per ton. This was the
first test made Of these ores, and it was
regarded as a very favorable showing,
and as soon as the result of the test be.
came publicly known an era Of claim
stalking began which still exists and
WllCU jus IulT W COilllIuc until Tue
entire belt, which encircles the whole
Hills, has been located.
At this writing claims have been
stahed at various points along the belt
as far as Pringle and a number of loca-
tons are reported as far east as Fair
burn, and the end is not yet. Very
little has been done as yet in the way OF
development, but a number of our resi-
dent locators, among whom are ii. ID.
Reynolds, ecker Brothers, McFadden
Brothers, G. S. Johnson, }. B. Foster
and others are making arrangements to
proceed at once with the development
Of their claims, and it is earnestly hoped
they may be richly rewarded for their
enterprise. Recent assays have given
larger returns, which has had the effect
of intensifying the excitement, and the
prospect of finding ores, down in the
depths, which will be the equal if not
superior to the ores Of Ragged Top, is
considered fairly favorable.