Omaha daily bee., 1901-02-13
DESTINY OF RAPID CITY
Great Hopes Are Based on Buiidins
of the Dakota Pacific Rail-
WAY

RAPID ,. ID, feD lS.-lSpeClAI.D-
In 1900 the Black Hills mines produced so-
800, 900 in gold and II is confidently ex-
pected that this year the production will
equal $4,000 600.
The gold production has gradually in
creased every year for twenty years and
the great Homestake Mining company has
paid monthly dividends never skipping
single month in all that time The rapid
increase In the gold product has been
brought about by the new process of cy-
aniding. There are now in the hills coun-
try a dozen plants using the cyanide pro-
cess. Properties heretofore thought to be
practically worthless are now on a dividend
paying basis, because their ores can and
are being mined and reduced by the cyanide
process for 50 ton, making IL profitable
to work the lowest grade OF ores to advan-
tage and with large profits. The Home
stake company will soon start up the larg-
est cyanide plant IN the world, having
daily capacity OF 1000 tons. The same
company now mines and mills 1000 tons
a day, and there is in sight enough ore
to keep all the plants going at the present
rate of output for ffty years. All of the
properties and plants OF this company are
situated at or tributary to Lead city.
The mining activity In the hills country
was never so strong as now. There Is
abundant water, fuel and timber. and min
ing operations can be conducted all the
year around The climate Is fine. The
weather office of the United States govern
ment shows more days of sunshine In the
Black Hills than at any other point In the
country. Capital from the east and west
is finding Its way into various mining dis
tricts of the southern hills and this year
M pral nj nj 90 xvil
be placed on dividend-paying basis. Ger
tain districts in the southern hills have only
been scratched over, because the trans
portation facilities have been too limited,
but with new railroads completed to these
districts a new era of prosperity will be
inaugurated in the southern hills.
From a reliable source II Is learned that
the Dakota Pacific railroad. between this
city and Mystic, will beyond doubt be COM
pleted in a few months. The road runs
through the heart of the southern hills.
Eight miles are completed and 20 per cent
OF the grading of the entire line is done.
SiSty-flve pound new rails are being used,
and an examination OF the road shows that
nothing is lacking to make IL first-class
project i'm every respect. Nothing but new
and frst-class material Is being used in Its
construction. The eastern connection OF
this road in this city is the Fremont, Elk
horn & Missouri Valley railway. and the
western connection at Mystic is the Bur-
lington & Missouri River railroad. The
object of the road Is to gain access to the
heavy bodies OF timber and the gold. silver,
| iron and copper ores known to exist. The
right of way between Rapid City and Mys-
tic passes through rich gold. silver, copper
and iron districts. already partially de-
nd bo af ,,,ip tbor
| furnish the road with all the traffic It can
handle in the shipment OF ores just as soon
as the road is completed and In operation.
The chlorination plant In this city can
| use $50 tons OF ores day, and the electro
| cyanide plant at Mystic will take 125 tons
| each day There are actually on the dumps
ready for shipment to these reduction
| works and also to Deadwood. Denver and
| Omaha, thousands of tons, and 1t IL ap-
| parent to everyone who has gone over the
line that the mines will furnish traffic to
the Dakota Pacific that will make IL one OF
| the best paying enterprises In the west
| With the actual business now in sight there
| is no doubt about II. The local business
| alone. and without any reference TO joint
| business with the other roads, Is regarded
| as justifying the early completion and
operation of the Dakota Pacific railroad
| The president of the Dakota Pacific rail-
road, Hon. William T. Coad, has shown
| great perseverance and enterprise In the
promotion and carrying forward of this
| project He is the originator of the enter
| prise, and has never relaxed his efforts. In
hard or good times, to complete and put
| the road In actual operationt Mr.. Coad's
success means much for this city. The city
| will get new growth.
| Many believe Rapid City Is destined to be
the railway center and commercial metrop
| oils OF the Black Hills 1t is beautifu
site, the natural point of approach from the
vast prairies of the east to the mines, for
ests and quarries of the hills to the west
1t is situated to the Black Hills mining
districts and cattle ranges. as Denver is tc
| those of Colorado. 1t Is the natural dis
tributing point for western South Dakots
! and northeastern Wyoming and Is called
the Gate City OF the rich Black Hills terri
tory.