Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1903-10-17
The Outlook.

1t is conceded that just at present
Custer is quiet, and we have been asked
what in our opinion was the outlook for
the coming winter. Our answer is this.
We see no occasion to feel pessimistic in
looking to the future for when we look
around we find the prospect as bright,
if not little brighter than usual at this
time Of the year.
In the first place our farmers have
harvested bountiful crop which they
are selling at a good market price for
cash. Cattle have declined in value
somewhat but there is no real reason for
it, for the demand is as good rs ever and
it is only the greed of the beef packing
trust who have entered into combine
by which they control the market, and
by which they are epsbled to buy cattle
at a low figure and sell their beef at q
high price. This condition is not likely
to last long as the cattlemen of the west
have formed counter combine with a
capital of $5,OO0,OO0, with the avowed
purpose of establishing stock yards and
marketing their own cattle. By this
they will probably be able to break the
packers monopoly and the price ofcattle
will 60 up to its proper level, subject to
the natural law of supply and demand.
We have observe that times are never
very dull in Custer when the farmers
and ranchmen have good crop and a
good market.
Again, the outlook from a mining
point of view is not so bad, in fact It is
rather bright. The Minnie May is about
ready to start mine and mill, and this
should give employment to twenty-five
men all winter.
The Ruberta at Four Mile will in all
probability be pounding rock in the
course of few weeks and will employ
about 20 men steadily.
The Gold Fish company have an
nounced their intention of building a
mill Immediately on their mine, and
though it may be little late in the sea-
son before they get running. But they
are as eager as other people to make
money and with such ore as they have
recently disclosed in their workings, it
is not likely that they will delay taking
out the precious metal any longer than
it is actually necessary.
The Central Black Hills Copper COM
pany have now all their machinery in
place, and have already made an expert
mental run which was pronounced very
satisfactory. 1t is probable that they
will start up for steady run as soon as
they can ascertain by boring with a
diamond drill the possibility of obtain
ing their water supply from the mine'
as otherwise it will necessitate the in
stalling Of powerful pump to force the
water up from the creek. This they can
do if they are obliged to, but they hope
to obviate the necessity Of doing so and
it is likely that they will be operating
in few weeks.
Again, Mr.. Harry Francis has return
ed from Chicago and with his family
moved out to the Copper Butte mine
where he will commence mining for
copper, which it is his purpose to ship
to the smelter at Rapid City. He has a
large vein of copper pyrite on Spring
creek carrying fair proportion of gold,
and the whole should be fairly remun-
erative for shipment as they treat that
character of ore very cheaply at the
smelter where they need it for fux. II
Manager Francis should be successful in
this, he will soon have steady work for
a large crew of miners as there are sew
eral large veins of the same material
crossing the creek, and within the COM
pany's boundary lines.
Next comes the lithograph stone
quarry. They are producing right along
and Col. Mason informs us that they are
working seven men and will add to the
force from time to time as they get room
to work more men to advantage.
Next in order is the mica industry and
Manager Knoble says they will start UP
on the Crown as soon as he returns
from Chicago which will be in about ter
days. Not only the Crown mica mine
will be producing in a short time, but
there will be development work going
ahead on two other mica mines adjacent
to Custer which promise to be good pro
ducers in short time,
In addition to all this, there will b,
the usual amount of development worl
applied to the many fattering prospect
in this district which will swell the lis
of men employed to at least $50 men
This makes very comfortable pay rol
and as most of the money is spent in th,
town, we do not think we have an,
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