Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1897-08-12

Falls and the Scenery of Spcarfish
homestake Mines ana the Lead Public
Library-Thc Switzerland Of America as
Rxemplified In Sylvan Lake and Harncy's
Peak-Cnstcr City and Hot Springs The
Wind Cave and the Soldiers Homo.
DEADwooD, July 81, 1897.
EDITOR COURIER:
Thinking perhaps that letter from
me in regard to our trip in the Black
Hills would be interesting to your
readers, will begin at our arrival
here in Deadwood, which was July %.
That same evening Mr.. Ringsrud and
wife and Mr.. Miller and the writer
we're invited to 6 o'clock dinner at
Kirk G. Phillips, state treasurer,
where we Toasted on mountain trout,
and in the evening were invited to a
card party at Mrs. Waits. Mr.. Rings
rud made the remark coming home
that this business had to be stopped:
that with such high living we would
lose what little health we had, and
wouldn't be able to get back home.
The next day, July Goth, Mrs. r.. and
myself we're invited to attend the A. o.
U. W. picnic at Sturgis City, nineteen
miles from this place. The Lead City
Woodmen band accompanied the ex-
cursion train from Deadwo to Stur-
gis. Upon our arrival there we were
invited to lunch with one of the citi-
zens in their lovely home, Mr.. and
Mrs. Marshall, after which they drove
US to the park, which would take the
brush of the painter to describe. We
were driven to Fl. Meade, two miles
distant, and there found an old Elk
Point boy. George Linebarger, who is
second sergeant of Troop H. Upon our
return to the picnic grounds we took
lunch with Mrs. Ash, mother of the
first white child born in Dakota. She
said she lived in Sioux City when there
were only three white women and 200
white men in the place, and in Yank-
ton three months before she saw IA
white woman. Today do not think
you can find more intelligent, bright
and lovely old lady in the whole coun.
try. She is the mother of Mrs. Charles
Bates, of Yankton. AT 600 we we're
driven to the train and came to Dead
wood. There were six carloads from
this place and Lead. We had two
powerful engines to pull us up the
mountain, and the engines in this coun-
try are perfect giants, ten-wheeled af-
fairs.
Friday, July 3Oth, we started for
Spearfish, and through the grand cam
yon. l have heard tourists remark its
scenery cannot be surpassed in Europe.
1t is forty miles from Deadwood to
Spearfish, and twenty-eight from Engle-
wood. These twenty-eight miles up
the mountain and through the canyon
it took two years to survey, and cost
one million and Il quarter Of dollars.
Two miles through the deep cut in the
mountains cost two hundred thousand
dollars. At one place the road drops
1900 feet in nine miles. Here you see
three tracks below you at one time.
The lowest is 1900 feet. From the
first to the second track you 60 up and
down the mountain seven miles before
you reach it, and SO on until you reach
the third. On this twenty.eight miles
there are 375 curves, thirty-three
bridges, of which eighteen cost oyer
$1,000 apiece. The B. and M. own
this road. They have fine observation
cars for your comfort, and all points Of
interest are explained to you in u salts
factory manner. You pass over Spear
fish Falls, and by Bridal Veil Falls
which must be seen to be appreciated
You also pass in sight Of the famous
Ragged Top mines. The mountain
streams abound with trout. You pass
through giant rocks that seem to have
no ending. At last the mountain
stream grows stiller, the rocks dimin
ish in size, and your train glides out or
the plateau where is situated the
pretty city of Spearfish, called from
spearing the fish in the mountain
streams. We could not help but be
enthusiastic in our praises of the beauty
grandeur and wealth of the Black
Hills, but after all we felt they had Il
take their gold and purchase those
substantials that keep soul and body
together from our part of this grea
state and Nebraska. Talking abou
substantials, Mrs, Ringsrud and I paii
10 cents for two small ucumbers, aDi
20 we have come to the conclusion WI
will raise cucumbers next year ani
ship them into the Hills.
| Saturday, the 3lst. we visited thu
Homestake mines at Lead City. A
the Office we were presented with /,
pass down into the mines. After ar
irving at the Old Abe hoist, we wer,
told that they would take vs. down tn,
800 feet In thirty seconds. We looked