Omaha daily bee., 1910-01-30
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IAkXHNYh the red-brown of the Black
S@S Hills, the farm house has given
way to the ranch and it's extensive outrlder
or corrals and buildings, feeding racks and
yards, and the roll Of the prairie grows more
pronounced. One sees unique towns with
typical western surroundings; the crested
duties OF the foothills rise here and there
and the dark points of the Hills begin to
D. seen as the train reaches Buffalo Gap.
The history OF the pre-civillzed days Of
Hot Springs is something more than a
vague, mysterious legend. Since the begin
ming of the seventeenth century the now
famous M~innekahta Springs have been the
natural sanatorium of the cheyenne In
dians until little more than half a century
ago, when tradition says occurred the
sanguinary three-days' conflict which gave
Battle Mountain its name, proved the
waterloo of the Cheyennes and gave the
coveted springs to the Sioux Indians. In
June, 1879, Prof. Walter t. Jenny and
Colonel w. j. Thornby left Deadwood on
horseback on a mine location trip. They
arrived at Buffalo Gap and Colonel
Thornby found and located what are now
called the Minnekahta Hot springs. He
located his stakes from the present site
OF tho Evans hotel, a half mile up toward
the present Soldiers home. The same year
Messrs, Trimmer, Rumbo and Reno came
down from Hill City and located cattle
ranches in the valley where the city now
stands. the next year bringing their fam
lilies and establishing permanent homes.
early in the next year Joseph Petty
brought John Wilson, the first white pa
tient for the treatment of rheumatism, to
the springs, PROSTATE with the dread dis
aaRe RV AK Maaka' Of All. v,g,a.,t
baths he was fully restored and never suf-
fered a return Of the malady.
BY the summer of 1881, Trimmer Larayie
and Davidson had formed a partnership
and built a log hotel, seventy feet long
near the springs. Meanwhile a man had
come to the Hills who was destined to play
a most prominent part in the future of
Hot Springs. This was the late Fred It.
Evans, who had made large sums of money
In real estate and street car lines at
Sioux City and had first visited the Hills
with an exploring outfit in 1876. 1t was ne
who hauled the first machinery Of the
Homestake mine to the Hills, and many
is the story told OF the feats accomplished
by this determined character, with his
enormous f~reighting outfits, in the face Of
the most trying circumstances But when
at last the Northwestern railroad had built
from Rapid City on to W%hitewood, he
turned his entire attention to the develop
ment Of Hot Springs, where he had in
vested first In 1885, and he became a
dominant force in the upbuilding OF this
now famous place. He erected the mag
pificent Evans hotel, the Hot Springs
hotel, the Minnekahta business block and
many residences. He graded and built the
streets Of the upper town at his own ex-
aAA A 49,. A,
fiuence that the Northwestern railroad
built into Hot Springs, The town suffered
a great loss in his death In 1902. At pres
ent both the Northwestern and the Bur
hngton railways run trains into Hot
Springs, the former from Buffalo Gan and
the latter from Edgemont
The o has an altitude of $3.50 feet
and is situated In a valley. or canyon, be-
tween surrounding hills. When Colone
Thornby located the Minnekahta springs
he was much attracted by the beautiful
Fall river stream, which pursues its course
through the town and parallel with the
main street He says at that time the
stream vas literally filled with wild geese
and ducks that were in such vast mum,
bers as to be authenticated by his presence
Today this river is a glowing mass. winter
and summer. OF watercress, while tame
ducks OF varied hue lend a great beauty Il
its naturally picturesque appearance.
The climate OF Hot Springs is ~lnyigorat.
ing the year around, and while the great
influx Of strangers is usually I'm the sum.
mer people are beginning 10 discover TN,
fact that Hot Springs is a charming winter
resort.
The first netatorium was that erected By
Mr.. Evans. It is fitted with toboggar
slide, springboards. mfts and every con
Nenience for those who can or cannot
swim. The temperature OF the water 1.
about So degrees. and there are springs II
the bath itself bubbling up through IT.
pebbled bottom, The waters are as cleai
as crystal, Altogether there are NOR,
than se~venty-five springs In ana arount
Hot Springs, and they vary greatly In theli
constituent qualities, They are ali abso
lutely free from any vegetable substano,
and most OF them are from 20 degrees up
ward. The supply IS constant. invariabl,
and inexhausdble, flowing nearly 10000
gallons a day. The most prominent amonl
these springs are he Mammoth Ho
~AriA~- land Lakota Eroup) which suppl,