Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1897-03-27
A Brilliant Outlook.

The Black Hills gold mines will soon
eclipse any of the celebrated mining
districts in the world, says the Chey-
snne, Wyoming, Sun. A great stride
will be made this year. and each year
will augment the enormous product OF
gold that is now being brought to the
surface. The famous Homestake, the
richest gold mine in the world. VIII
soon havs 500 stamps pounding away
day and night. The discovery at a
depth of 900 feet that there was q solid
vein 557 feet in width Of So to $40 ore
ore has given new life to The company,
and one-half million dollars will be ex-
pended in improvements this year.
These will consist in the addition or
300 stamps, the sinking of new shaft
5000 feet and the erection Of steel
bridge tramway across gulch ! 800 feet
wide. But new mining company,
which promises to rival the Homestake,
has sprung into existence. the "Golde
Reward" over which presides Harris
Franklin. once resident of Cheyenne.
1t embraces the original Golden Reward
and fifteen other mining companies, all
of which possessed valuable properties.
The ores are of refractory character,
but run from s25 10 $50 per ton. Mr..
Franklin has erected, about a mile be-
low Deadwood, the largest chlorination
plant in the world. 1t treats 225 tons
of ore daily and is kept in constant
operation. Recently two-thirds inter
est in the Golden Reward Mining and
Milling company was sold to an eastern
party for Sl,O00,000. Since then other
valuable mining properties have been
purchased and additional milling faeili-
ties will be secured. Just below the
works is large smelter which is doing
n tremendous business. Five additional
furnaces are now being added to the
smelter. A cyanide mill of large di-
mensions is also in full operation in tho
same locality. Another large chlorina-
tion mill is running its full capacity
between Deadwood and Lead, and the
owners are so much pleased that they
propose to increase their investment.
Some big strikes have lately been made
at Bald Mountain, Yellow Greek and
other new districts, and since it has
been ascertained that the refractory
ores Of the district can be proftably
manipulated, the tired feeling" which
hung over that section has given way
to new life and energy. For long time
the Black Hills has been "a next year"
country, but all is now changed. Every.
body is hard at work and capital is
seeking investment, prospecting being
carried on more scientifically than ever
before, and the highest order of talent
has been secured. Another thing that
has stimulated the people and given
new faith is the building Of railways
and branches by the Burlington and
Northwestern systems right into the
mountains. tapping the mines, whether
in the valleys or the snow capped
SUBMITS of the mountains. 1t was
Marvin Hughitt who declared that in
the Black Hills were 100 square miles
richer than could be found anywhere
in the world. And he spoke the truth.
The gold product might easily be in
creased to five millions per month, if
the management of the Homestake
properties were so inclined As it is
the yield for the next twelve months
ought to be sixteen million dollars.
Last year it was a little over eight.
These figures will give some idea of the
change that is now going on in the
Black Hills. One thing that will hasten
the mineral development is the dspo-
sition to invest in gold mines. This
class of investments are sought after, as
never before. The wonderful develop
ments at Cripple Creek are an evidence
of this fact.