The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1905-08-25
TELLS OF BoNHsTEE1.,

TELLS OF BoNEsTEEL.
A Union Correspondent Writes Of
'"The Horn OF Plenty"
A couple Of weeks ago I visited
Bonesteel and the Rosebud country.
While there I remembered that it
was exactly year since I visited
the place before. How different the
placel On the other occasion the
town numbered not less than FIVE
thousand persons, with rs many
more passing in and out each day.
All we're there for one Of two pur.
poses-to graft or to be grated, al
though not all Of them quite realized
this until it was impressed upon
them by . more or less bitter OK
perience. Most OF them came TO
take q chance (and long one) in the
drawing for tho valuable lands Of the
resel vation. They would have been
highly insulted il ono lad accused
them Of gambling, yet the chance
was far greater than the average
man takes at roulette. This gamble
was not the one which did the great
est damage, however. The real es-
tate grafters we're bad enough, but
tame indeed as compared with the
gambling sharks who accosted Q
person on every side, inveigling him
into their clutches by all the hellish
devices known to man or dcyi'. Now
all this is changed. Bonesteel is q
quiet little town OF six or eight hun
dred souls, all content to live peace
ably and (more or less) honestly.
A few unscrupulous real estate men
remain to drive out those poor men
who were unfortunate enough to get
good piece of land and who are not
able to pay for it or to stand the
expense OF q contest if one be started
against him.
also drove forty miles into the
interior to the new towns which
have sprung up since the opening
OF the observation-disclosures, Burke,
St. Elmo and Gregory, the last nam
ed the most Important j9st now. Out
here the Transformation is even
greater than at Bonesteel. A year
ago the country presented view Of
unbrokenlprairie, marred by no cabin
nor house, nor fence, nor habitation,
nor other evidence of civilization,
while now there 10 scarce 3 quarter
section that has not q dwelling
place of some sort. some Of them
very good. A large portion Of the
land is fenced, and from ten TO
eighty acres OF each claim Is broken.
On small portion Of it good crop
OF fax or corn will be raised this
year. but for the most part no at
tempt at farming has been made.
Most of the ground was broken by .
traction engine operating gang
plow-eleven gangs, breaking from
twenty-five to thirty. five acres .
day.
Gregory Is yet distinctly new"
town. II has no government Of any
kind. and the last evidence Of the
blood.thirsty gamblers are still
there. You know there is no moro
resemblance between the typical
western gambler and the thieves
who operate q little farther east
than there is between big stock
ranch and : modern farm. In the
west the gamblers observe certain
code Of :'honor, and are content to
take the percentage regularly al
lowed them by the odds Of the game;
but here they give you absolutely no
chance. They take everything in
sight, whether you play it or not.
II once you show your coin it is as
good ss gone.
The night I was in Gregory pub
lie dance was given which attend
ed. The hall (and very creditable
one it was was crowded, and such
mixturel People Of every des.
cription, and from every part OF the
country: poor men, men well-to do.
Ignorant, uncultured women, women
of education and refinement. married
and single, old and young-a good
illustration Of the motley crowd thai
rushed to take chance for . valu-
able piece of land at small cost
From general appearance end sucl
information as was obtsinable il
seems that grass widows predomin