Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1906-12-22
Remarks on the Recent Mining Deals n
Custer County.

One by one our mines change hands
Who has not sold mine? Well, there
are still quite a number who have not
sold but are in fair way to do so, while
there are some others who owing Ia
neagre development, and the fact that
they hold their property to high, it is
likely will never sell. Nevertheless the
outlook is good for goodly number OF
mining deals to be consummated be-
tween now and spring.
Those sales of mining properties which
have taken place during the year which
is now drawing to a close, may be men,
toned as follows: The Ideal, the New
ark, the Granite Reef, the Lillian Belle,
the Globe, the New York mica mine, the
White Spar, the McKenna mica mine,
the Foye mica mine and two other mica
mines east of Custer whose names we do
not now recall. Two placer mines have
been sold, one on Tenderfoot belonging
to Chas. c. Crary, and another on Lights
ming creek belonging to John Darlington
and Chas. Holmes.
This foots up twelve, the most Of
which have been paid for in full, others
have received cash down in amounts
ranging from 100000 to 100000 and
the balance not yet due. The purchase
price of these mining claims, and groups
Of claims run all the way from 81 500 90
to S24, 100000. These changes in owner
ship have mostly taken place in the last
six months, and altogether make very
satisfactory showing for the prosperity
of our camp. In addition to the fore
going there have been several leases Sc.
cured on claims mostly lithia bearing,
some of which are being worked contin-
uously and the product shipped to the
east for treatment.
Rejecting upon the causes which have
given rise TO the increased and increas.
ing interest taken in our mines is the
fact that we have ceased to represent
our ore rs being free milling and the
fact that we have not done SO in the
years that are past has proven a serious
and grevious bIunder to our camp which
has suffered for that mistake The vel.
low metallic gold that is found near the
surface in most all of our mines has
proved delusion and a snare, and If
our mines had yielded no free gold what
ever, our camp would be away head of
what it is. In that case it would have
been understood that our ore, although
rich, was refractory and our mine own
ers would have addressed themselves to
the question of the best method of ex-
tracing the precious metal that is con-
tanned in our rock. That method if it
had been ascertained at an early day
there would have been no failures and
no idle dismantled mills dotting our
county. But instead of these there
would be reduction works of large ca.
pacity, and deep mines yielding their
owners a steady stream of the precious
metal to add to our prosperity and en-
rich our nation.
We will not dwell longer upon this
theme. The past is irretrevable. Let
it CO. Let us face the future with a hope
that is based upon broader and a bet.
ter knowledge of our resources. Let US
rejoice that the merits of our mines are
being more widely recognized, that the
key of the chemist has unlocked the
doors of our treasure vaults, and those
who have learned to labor and to wait
will receive their reward.