Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1897-12-18
Outrageous If True.

summation OF all mining deals in the
southern Hills, which, If true, should
be given such prompt and heroic atten.
tien.na.foss swsrrsBt the immediate dis
continuance Of this outrageous practice.
The writer says:
There Is no question but that the
Black Hills has large scope OF country
that is enormously rich in precious
metals. This is being demonstrated
every day by discoveries that are being
made at great distance apart. The first
camp in which silicious ore was found
in quantities was Ruby Basin. Then
False Bottom camp was made, followed
by Ragged Top, Galena and Two Bit.
During this time, big discoveries had
been made In the southern Hills, not.
ably at Hill City and Keystone. In the
southern Hills, nearly every claim
is held by the prospector or small
owners, while in the northern Hills
large companies are operating. and some
Of these have held on in face ofa kinds
Of opposition. The question arises to a
southern Hills miner, how is I; that IN
one part of the Black Hills country
large Companies operate, and in the
other, the claims, many Of them very
rich, in metals, are still in the hands of
the original owners? Several represent
atives OF capital have visited these
mines and have returned very fayorable
reports. Usually this is oil the good the
report does. for sales in the southern
Hills have not been very numerous.
"The evidence of the existence of or
ganized opposition on the part OF Dead
wood men to the sale of properties from
which they cannot secure a commis.
sion is very evident, and it is generally
conceded that their efforts are specially
directed against the sales of mines in
the southern Hills. Recently repre-
MINING properties. Severar instances
are known where important sales have
been blocked from the same source.
after satisfactory examinations had
been made, and in some cases after the
purchase money had been deposited.
People east Of the Mississippi know
little OF the Black Hills. They have
heard OF Dsadwood and Of the Home
stake mine which they locate at Dead
wood. They have never heard Of Lead
City, and when they are told that Ger.
tain part OF the Hills contains nothing
Of value they are usually ready to be-
!icvo 1t. II is generally known that
there is an organized gang of men in
Deadwood that do nothing else but
decry everything that they cannot get
pay for 10 some way for the handling Of
the property. At any time when capital
interests itself outside of Deadwood
hue and cry Is started by these men
who are working for their own interests.
Of the two towns of Pueblo and Denver,
it is said that the first named had for
while the most success In selling mines
and was the Mecca of mining men. The
reason is that Pueblo used the same tao
tics as are being used by the business
men Of Deadwood
Several mining men from the east
haye been sent to Deadwood to report
on mines, and others in other camps
have come to Deadwood but with q
disastrous result to the mining sale 1t
has been the business Of several men TO
meet these parties with adverse opin-
ions on their property Investigated
unless 1t is in the northern belt. This
has been done and is being done today
and it is recognized fact that anyone
having mining property for sale cannot
safely bring an expert to Deadwood and
let the fact be known. The obvious
outcome of these actions is that large
companies have the ground in the
northern Hills, while in the southern
portion the land is still IN the hands Of
the original owners.
There are many fine prospects in the
southern Hills that need but the capital
to develop them into as rich mines 40
are to be found in the dead wood belt" !"
In the vicinity Of Custer, In Custer
county, there are four mines joining
each other. which have been partially
developed, that give an average Of SIS
free-milling gold to the ton. There are
several copper mines, sumo Of which go
as high rs 40 and 80 per cent copper.
besides carrying considerable gold and
valuable concentrates. There are sever.
al rich placer districts that are being
worked on q. small scale, and with q
moderate amount of capital for the
proper machinery, wouid pay big on the
investment. Since the paying Of divi-
dends by the Holy Terror mine At Key
stone. there has been perhaps less
opposition and LEES said against the
southern mines. This mine has now
paid fts third dividend Of 5000 Z
month. and VIII continue to make
the monthly payment. with prospect
Of an increase soon. There are several
rich mines in the Keystone district.
which will soon be put on the dividend
paying list. Sone experts who have
examined the mining districts Of the
southern Hills are con6dsht that the
day y coming not far distant when
this portion ofths Hills viii rival the
northern mines. and in some localities
snrpess the present mines. Capital and
che condolences Of tae people are need
cd