Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1899-06-10
Phonol1te In the Southern Hills.

Ilte In Lawrence county, laying west Ol
Deadwood, which extends in north
and south direction for several miles
1t is q source of mineral of no small
pretention in the way ofgold, and has
become an object of interest to many OF
our northern Hills miners, and some
Colorado operators as well. This min
eral, is said to be the recent discovery
of Mr.. o. U. Pryce, Colorado mining
man, who had come from Cripple Creek,
Colorado, where his eye had become
familiar with the phonolite ore of that
phenominally rich camp. And yet the
prospectors had seen, travelled over, and
dug in that formation for more than 20
years Yet for all that the credit for the
discovery still belongs to the Colorado
man, for it was he who first classified
it and gave it, its proper name and dem
onstrated that it carried gold in paying
quantities.
The question arises here why did not
we prospectors know long years before,
that character of rock carried gold. We
answer simply because the assay ers to
whom we submitted it failed to get any
thing out of it. 1t has taken more than
90 years to learn how to save the gold
out of that kind of ore, and many a pros
pector has died poor and broken heart
ed who might perhaps have been alive
and rich to-day, had our assayers been
competent, and thoroughly up in their
business. 1t is too bad. But let by
cones be by cones, we will say no more
on that subject.
We come now to announce that the
phonolite ores Of the Black Hills are
not all confined to Lawrence county.
There is another belt of phonolite. At
the extreme southern point of the great
mineral belt of vertical veins, which
traverse the Hills from north to south,
from DeaGwood to Pringe. 1t is at the
latter point where the archean states,
with all the dykes Of igneous or intru-
siye rock, which is here designated as
granite, diorite, hornblende, and trap
take their final plunge under the pots.
dam and the limestone, and are seen no
more. At this points stands what is
known as Demereau mountain. 1t was
so named from the fact that it was here
| that James Deme~eau established his
first camp in 1875. He was even at that
early day an experienced prospector in
Colorado and New Mexico, and although
not graduate Of any school Of mines,
| he knew mineral formation when he
saw it. 1t was he who gave the name
of Point of Rocks" to the high promo.
tory Of granite which juts out at the
place where the town OF Pringle is now
located lie also the named the creek
which flows through the town, "Bigler"
creek in honor of John Bigler who was
one ofhis party. There was a mistake
made however, for the map maker got
the name wrong, and it was marked as
Beaver" creek and such it is called to
day. We beg pardon of our readers,
for DEPRESSING from our subject long
enough, to give this little bit Of hitherto
unwritten history of this part Of the
Black Hills. 1t was here at the foot Of
the mountain which now bears his
name tfat Demereau pitched his tent,
and worked, prospecting this mountain
for years, and though the exigencies Of
the occasion have at times called him
away from it for season, he has never
abandoned it, and the locations he made
at that time, he holds today, and is there
digging down into that mountain, with
the same tireless energy and hope,
which inspired him "a years ago. He
has never realized anything as yet for
his labor on these mines, but he
SAYS. II know the wealth is here,
| am going to have some of it, and
Ill never quit, and I'll never die, till
get it," Talk about the perseverance,
grit and energy of the genuine prospec
tor, there is sample for you. viii he
make it winP We shall see. We have
examined the ground, and we are betting
all our small change that he will.
The Demereau mountain stands alone,
and overlo0ks the town of Pringle and
the surrounding country for miles. The
country rock is in part the archean or
old micacious slate. These states are
traversed from north to south by dykes
Of granite, diorite, syenite, and horn
hlende. While encased between the
walls of these different igneous forma-
tions, lie the veins ofphonolte, streaked
in places with quartz, and iron, until
water level is reached, when they be
come almost solid mass Of pyrite
These phonolite ores contain gold, cop
per, lead, bismuth, iron and tellurium
to greater or less extent, but the chic
minerals Of value are the gold and cop
per. But is it sure phonoite? Well, il
compares well with the phonOlite from
Cripple Creek, and also with samples
from the northern Hills, although il
differs somewhat in appearance from
some specimens from Lawrence county
which apparently partake more of the
nature of porphyry than phonolite
| The Demereau mountain rock has the
true clink, and clearer sound, than any
we have seen from either of the other
localities But we will give another
proof, which will be perhaps more salts.
factory, to the doubling Thomases o
the northern Hills. There is with all
the rest an excellent vein of graphite or
this mountain, feet thick with smooth