Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1901-02-09
The Resumption OF TIN Mining In the
Black Hills Of South Dakota.

i
In another column of this paper there
will be found an article clipped from on
exchange, setting forth the fact that a
new corporation had been formed with
the avowed purpose of producing tin
from the mines of the Black Hills. The
people generally. and the mining frater-
nifty in particular, will hail this an
nouncement with pleasure and satisfac.
tion, especially as it is backed by the
names of some of the most financially
solid men of New York. The names Of
the directors and principal stock kholders,
together with the announcement that
they propose to operate on grand scale,
affords guarantee that something will
be done, and to those Of US who are fami-
liar with the occurrence Of this metal
In the southern Black Hills it is almost
guarantee of grand success.
The company. from the fact that they
own quite large block of tin bearing
ground in the Bear gulch region in the
northern Hills will, no doubt, make that
the scene of their most active work at
the start. but they certainly cannot be
unmindful Of the fact, that the largest
and richest area of tin veins are found
in and around the great uplift of the
Harney range. 1t is evident that they
have made their examinations carefully,
and that they appreciate this fact, as
according to their prospectus they pro-
pose to put up concentrating works at
every point where tin may be mined on
a commercial scale, and to receive all
the tin that will be offered from every
part of the Black Hills. 1t is true that
we haye had one large tin company
operating in this section before, and
millions Of dollars were expended in
the enterprise. and that they did not
continue long in the business. There
is nothing disparaging or discouraging
in this fact. 1t was plain to every one
of us who were familiar with the opera.
tions Of the promoters Of that scheme,
that from start to finish 1t was gigan
tic swindle, and the result was not un-
expected. 1t was case of New York
fleeing London, and it was not the in
tention from the first to produce any
more tin than was deemed sufficient to
bait the hook, and they found plenty to
bait it with. There were car loads of
ore shipped to London which would 60
all the way from 20 to 60 per cent black
tin. The captains from the mines of
Cornall who had spent their lives in the
tin mines Of that country all returned a
fayorable report to the English inves-
tors, and they were honest men and
honest reports. The English
put in their money by the millions, but
not SO fast that the New Yorker could
not take care Of it. The Englishmen
grew tired and refused to put up any
more, the New Workers gave it out that
tin mining in America would not pay,
the chief promoter died, the mines and
mills shut down and did not again re-
slulS' llluL IluC hO
dared to look at tin mine in the Black
Hills, nor could he be persuaded that
there were tin mines in this country
that would pay. But the miners and
prospectors who have examined and
worked in these mines, who are cap.
able of estimating the cost Of mining.
and reduction Of the ores,
have never had their confidence shaken
in the least, for they know 1t will pay,
and l am ready to record prediction,
based on what | know about the busi-
ness, that the production Of tin from
the mines of the Black Hills will, when
carried on in legitimate manner by
honest and capable men, take it's place
among the most important and profit
able Of all the mining industries of
America. And now, in behalf of the
miners and the people of this district, /
welcome this company to this field, and
let US see to it that they are fairly treat
ed.
G.. w. ROBBINS.