The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1908-08-21
REPORTS STILL COMING
Subject Handled Dinerently BY DIFF
fercnt Editors.

The good words from the editors
continue to come In. Following is
what the Beresford Republic says
about Rapid City:
Nestled quietly at the foot of the
first OF the Black Hills which every
where greet the eyes Of the tourist
in the only mountainous portion of
our state, as If resting after tire
some journey over the plains and
before climbing the rugged heights,
with the impetuous waters of Rap
i'd Creek babbling close by on its way
to join the great Father of Waters.
is the beautiful little city of Rapid
City, South Dakota. On the east is
the great stretch OF .undeveloped
farm land, until recently known as
the range, and on the west are the
stubborn fir-clad hills, relieved only
by valleys through which flow the
silvery mountain streams.
"The city has substantial air to
it, the important buildings being
constructed of stone, and the gener-
Gus streets being covered by a
ground lime stone which easily sheds
water and answers as a pavement.
The water. which is piped from a
large spring mp in the mountain is
exceptionally fine, and this fact
alone goes far toward making the
place an ideal one in which to live.
"A bold prominence at the rear of
the town is known as Hangman's
rock, and tourists are told that in
an early day three young men were
hanged here, the offense being that
of horse stealing. BY real estate
man by the name of Mccain we
we're told that steps are already be-
ing taken to purchase some ground
at the south of this historic place,
to convert into park, and to one
from the prairie it at once became
evident that the natural advantages
for a park were superb.
Probably the most interesting
feature at Rapid City is the so called
Crouch line. The line is standard
gauge and while 1t is supposed to
run directly to connect with the
Burlington at Mystic, it follows the
course of the Rapid Creek and goes
toward all points of the compass.
A sharp curve and a cut through
solid rock is followed by a reverse
curve and more scenery. A brake
man told us that in riding caboose
down grade rom Mystic to Rapid.
City, on train of freight cars he
caught glimpse of the engine only
three times on the entire tlip of
probably 20 miles. Since returning
home we have read of a section crew
being caught unawares at McGee's
Point and the foreman being killed.
Knowing the track as we now do,
our only wonder is that more sec
ton crews have not been caught in
this way.
"The equipment furnished the
Press association was crude in the
extreme, but was enjoyed by all
Open coal cars were cleaned and
seated with planks, and three car
loads of human freight were backed
into the mountains for a distance of
twelve miles where the good people
of Rapid City, headed by Editor
Harry Wentzy and Editress Mrs.
Gossage, spread sumptuous meal.
Pure water from a nearby spring
furnished the foundation for some
excellent coffee, and with pure
mountain air to breath, and the
clear sunshine mellowed by the ev-
ergreen trees, what more could a
touring party ask, with which to
take solid comfort? A pan of gold
bearing sand was washed out in the
creek to show how gold "panned
out" and limited amount Of "col-
orr was the result, but not suffi-.
cient in quantity to pay any Of our
tourist bills. Here our ambition to
climb one of those everlasting hills
got the better of VS., and we began
the task. The hill-or mountain if
you please seemed to increase in
height as we endeavored to scale it,
but we were determined to get to the
crest, and see what was on the OPP
iposite side of the hill. Our lungs
suddenly became Of all too limited
capacity and we caught ourself
like steam engine and
wishing that our chest was the size
of bushel l.,sket. We were work
ing hard, and for the first time 1t be-
came appar that we were living
in thinner al On and up we went,
putting and owing yet determined.
At last the height was scared, only
to find that a little way of was an
other hill which looked the same,
except higher and we retreated. All
too soon the three blasts Of the
whistle called US from the hills to
the train and the journey to town
followed. On the way, a name was
pointed out to us, written in for
eign language on the rocks Of one
of the cuts. Our curiosity was
aroused and we were told that the
man had lost his life by prema-
ture explosion while blasting out the
rock, that after the accident there
was nothing left of him but his
name; and from the looks of it 1t was
too badly torn up to bury.
The great school of mines of
the state is located at Rapid City,
also an Indian school. but the party
was permitted to see very little Of
these. BY this account, we have
given you seme idea Of Rapid City,
which by the spanning Of the great
space from the river to the Hills by
the Milwaukee and the Northwest
4 ~