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

rock comes from the bowels of the
earth until at last we wind up at an
iron mould, where, turned out, lies be-
fore you gold brick worth S32, 900. II
our party had all the gold we have
been shown the Klondike could 20 to
grass.
We went over the conpany's store,
which any eastern city would be proud
to call her own. We observed the 500
pound pink sand stone eagle placed
over the white marble door OF the
library, at Lead, presented to that city
by Mrs. Hearst, Of California, wife of
the late Senator Hearst, who owns the
controlling interest in the Homestake.
The furnishings for the library cost
SIC, 200, and Mrs. Ford, the librarian,
receives salary Of u, 800 a year for
taking charge of the library, playing
upon the piano and singing for the en-
tertainment of visitors. We met many
old friends that have lived In the east
ern part OF the state, who were delight
ed to see us.
We leave Deadwood today; August
I'd, for Sylvan Lake and Harney's
Peak, the Switzerland Of America. Ar
irving at Custer City, we took . stage
drawn by four prancing steeds, and
pretty soon were on our way up the
mountain. Up, and up, we went;
sometimes the mountain peaks were
high above US, and in little while the
driver would call our attention to the
same mountains, far below US. So, on
we went, until at last We reached the
top, which is six miles from Custer
City, and after dash down the noun
tain side beautiful Sylvan Lake lay in
the bosom of the mountain. We were
driven up to the hotel called after the
lake, and ushered into elegantly fur
nished apartments, which for cleanli-
ness, order and everything done in
first-class style cannot be excelled at
any summer resort. A Chicago gentle.
man, worth many millions, unmarried,
and wishing to see what he could do
with the $50 acres of mountains and
rocks he possesses, spares no money In
identifying, enlarging and improving
this spot, which is now becoming the
Mecca of all tourists.
After a good nights rest and break.
fast, nine small Mexican burros were
brought to the hotel. We mounted
them, ladies riding the same - the
gentlemen, the guides going before.
We started for Harney's Peak, the
highest point in the Black Hills, 5000
feet above sea level. From the hotel
the distance is six miles. Up you 60,
passing giant rocks, from 100 to coo
feet in height. These are called the
Needles, owing to their pointed forma-
ton. Then you pass through Cathed-
raj Park, and certainly you could not
help bat explain, This Is the work OF
the Great Omnipotent." At last, after
Juggling away up the side of the noun
tain, the path being SO narrow At times
that you come near being knocked
from your saddle by coming in contact
with the trees and rocks, you arrive 1t
the base of the rocks, on the top of the
mountain proper. You dismOunt, tie
the burros; then for climb up 10 the
Peak. There was one climb of forty
feet between the rocks that was a mar
row crevice and almost perpendicular,
bus we all managed to get there, and
when at last on top = wonderful view
presents itself. Nebraska, Wyoming
and Montana you see to the south and
west, while to the east lie South la
kota's pralries, stretching deep green
like the ocean. To the north lies
Deadwood, six,y-five miles away. You
can see the smoke from the great
stamp mills Of the Homestake, at Lead.
sixty-eight miles away, rising in col
umns to the sky. Upon that mountain
peak we had the pleasure Of drinking
water from little running spring over
q mile above the clouds. We could eco
the hotel 1900 feet below US. This
mountain was called after General Har-
ney, one Of the peace commissioners
who was sent out to make . treaty with
the Indians. The lake in front OF the
hotel is furnished by two mountain
streams. 1t covers fifty-five acres and
is forty-fve feet deep in the centre.
Last spring it was stocked with 1900
mountain trout. You can spend the
entire summer there aud visit new
haunts every day. I have been q
many summer resorts, but can truly
say that Sylvan Lake on the mountain
and the surrounding scenery, cannot b
surpassed.
The next, and last place Of our trir
through the Hills (which, By the way
IL . misnomer; they should b called
mountains), was Hot Springs, tha'
grotto Of America which 10 visited b