Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-07-30
BLACK HILLS WEALTH
Richest Spot in World Was
Sacred to Indians.
CUSTER'S MEN FOUND GOLD
They Decided Then and There to
Mutiny and Desert.
THE GENERAL STOPPED THAT
Some Interesting Facts and Figures
About This Country Of Won
ders of the Mines.
RY WILLIAM F.. CURTIS.
Special Correspondence Of The star ana inc
Chicago Record Herald.

RY WILLIAM f. CURTIS.
Sn.cia1 Correspondence Of The Star and the
Chicago Record Herald
DEADWOOD. s. D.. July q. 1909.
The mines OF the Black Hills have pro-
duced not less than $ls0.OOoO0O of precious
metals and probably more. The output
has increased steadily from s1,NO.OOO in
1876 to about 100000 in 1909. The IN
crease has been gradual as different prop
critics have been developed and new re-
duction plants have been INTRODUCED to
extract The metal from refractory ores
But there has been no falling OFF, and,
Judging from the ore in sight the future
promises permanent annual production
about as large, if not larger, than that
of the current year.
The storehouses in which nature has
concealed these treasures seems TO ne
inexhaustible. The Black Hills furnish
about one-seventh o. all the gold PRODUCED
in the United States: about one-thlrtieth
of that produced in the entire world: ana
a district five miles square makes South
Dakota the third among the god STATES
and first among the states OF the Union
in the annual production of wealth per
capita of population.
But we cannot help remembering that
this treasure was purchased at an awful
the Black Hills, was sacred ground. IL
was the dwelling of Gitzhe Manitou. the
Great Spirit worshiped by the Sioux,
and was the abode of the released souls
of the dead. Each tree, each rock, each
canyon had its own especial Manitou and
where no Indian could go without offend
ing his Jehovah, the ravages OF white
prospectors was the most fragrant sacri-
lege.
High Brows Were Fooled.
Until the early seventies a treaty made
by Gen. Harvey with the Indians for the
protection of this sacred territory was
respected, but rumors of gold created
such an agitation among prospectors and
other adventures, that the government
sent Gen. Custer, with an expedition of
100 men and corps of scientists from
i Fort Lincoln in the summer of 1874 to
ascertain the truth.
1t Is an extraordinary fact that the
biologists and mineralogists who accom-
panied the expedition, and they were men
of the highest professional standing, oc-
cupying chairs in the faculties of univer-
stiles, made a formal report to the Sec
rotary of War that they We're unable to
find any traces of gold or any other
valuable minerals in the Black Hills, and
that the character Of the formation for
babe them to expect the presence of min
erals This profound expert opinion may
be found as an appendix to the official
War and was printed as a congressional
document by Secretary Belknap, in his
annual report for the fiscal year ending
June so. 1875, where any one who chooses
can find the names of these eminent ex-
plorers.
Gen. Custer, however, dissented from
the judgment of his scientific corps and
narrates the experience Of three practi-
cal miners and experienced prospectOrs
who accompanied the expedition in the
guise of teamsters, because an order had
been issued ferbidding civilians from ac-
companying the expedition. 1t was my
good fortune to be one of three news
paper correspondents with the command,
but in order that 1 might go. it was nee
essary for Gen. Sheridan to appoint me
clerk to the sergeant major of the eth
Cavalry.
Found Gold Right Away.
The miners found traces of gold in the
grass roots soon after we entered the
Black Hills, and on July g. 1874, sem
sational discovery was made about one
mile east of the site of the town now
called Custer City. 1t is a delightful spot
and. having plenty of grass and plenty
of water. the expedition went into camp
there for several days while Gen. Gus
ter sent out scouting parties and escorts
for the scientists who were making in
spectons in different parts of the hills.
During his absence the soldiers, having
nothing else to do. initiated the profess
sional miner in prospecting along the
banks of the creeks. using their wash
basins, tin plates coffee cups. bucket
covers and everything else that would
hold water in washing out the sand.
With the instructions of III. n. Ross, one
of the miners. / washed out in my wash
basin small vial and almost everybody
who tried got "A color
The consequences were serious. The
soldiers became very much excited and
held a mass meeting at which they organ
lied a town and elected officials with a
determination to remain there instead of
following Clusters flag during the rest Of
the summer and back to Fort Lincoln.
The general, who had been off on four
days reconnaissance, returned to camp
about IL o'clock the night after the town
meeting. His mutinous soldiers had
wrapped themselves in their blankets to
dream of the millions they expected to
acquire. Custer was man of great re-
sources and determination and, realizing
the peril of the situation met it promptly
About ) O'Clock the next morning the
camp was aroused by what was supposed
10 be an attack from the Indians, who
had followed US to the borders of their
sacred territory and were always hover
ing around for chance to catch q
straggler, but, owing to the strength of
the command. they had not attacked it.
Therefore the alarm was not entirely un-
expected, and, as every bugie In the
camp was sounding the call 10 arms the
men pulled on their jackets and trousers.
grabbed their guns and saddled their
horses Each company swung out into
he open one after the other deployed
this way and that. some at quick march
and some at double quick: the packers
and teamsters loaded the camp equipage
INTO the wagons and followed on.
and what a march we had that day.
We stopped al noon for coffee and an
hours rest and every man In the COM
mand supposed that we would strike the
Indians the next time we crossed a ridge.
It was net until dark that the orders
came 10 halt. and then. as soon as he
lad unsaddled and watered his horse and
eaten few mouthfuis of hard tack,
every soldier dropped in the softest place
he could find on the ground and went to
sleep.
That Mutiny Didn't Last.
And that was the way mutiny was pre-
vented. That was the end of the first
mining camp in the Black Hills. The
guide books and some OF the histories
of South Dakota say that II. n. Ross was
Clusters chief of scouts. but that is
mistake which Ross himself would be
the first To correct Lonesome Cha rley''