Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1913-09-05

Dr. II. ID. jennings. as president of the
Association was the first speaker and
in his little talk welcomed the visitors
to this fourth annual meeting. He then
introduced Col. w. j. Thornby, of
Deadwood, who was the p r n @ . 9
speaker of the day, who gave histori.
cal talk on the early settlement of the
Black Hills and Hot Springs in partic-
ulsr, his talk being one of the most in.
teresting ever listened to by Hot
Springs audience from the fact that
people and places familiar to all the
residents of the city we're mentioned.
Col Thornby has the distinction of
icing the tirst white man to locate the
warm springs which have made this
city famous. June 18th, 1879 in COM
pany with Professor Walter P. Jenny,
United States Geologist. he visited the
present site Of Hot Springs and located
what Is now the Minnekahta Springs
He was SO very enthusiastic about his
property here and the ideal climate
that in the summer Of 10 and the
spring of 80 he pursuaded others to
locate here among them being George
Turner, George Trimmer, both resi-
dents here now, John Dennis. Joe
Brunsmidt, Bond and L. B. Reno,
later of Buffalo Gap. Brunsmidt
erected the arst log cabin here Just
above the present Evans plunge and
together with Turner spent the winter
of 70 at this point.
On his first journey to the present
site Of Hot Springs, the Colonel and
Professor Jenny came down fro m
Deadwood by the way Of Rapid City
and Rockerville. where they stopped at
the Ferguson House conducted by Mr..
and Mrs Ferguson, mother and father
of Mrs. Mary Mckay, of this city, who
was then ayoung lady. She was, present
at the picnic and heard the Colonel's
talk and remembered very we'll the in.
cident of their visit to the hotel in '79.
Part Of that old hotel building was
later moved here and is now the old
Fall River House.
On their way home to Deadwood
after locating the Springs they stopped
at Hill City with Reno and Bond, who
had q ranch just south of the town
and Reno accompanied them to Hill
City and introduced them to George
Trimmer and John Dennis mentioned
above, whose families were living there.
and afterward came down that fall and
located the first ranches here. They
were accompanied by George Turner
| who located his ranch where the
Loomis $. Gull home is now ana
brought in the first cattle from Colo.
RADIO.
In 1881, Col. Thornby disposed of his
property here which included the
springs to Joe Larbey and Tohn David.
son, two squaw men and they later dis.
posed OF it to DR.. r. D. JenninRs and
he together with Fred r. Evans, A. s..
Stewart and Judge Dudley, began the
development and building up of the
city. Colonel rhornby, was resident
Of this county for number of years
located at Custer which was then the
countyseat before Fail River was seQre-
gated from Custer county in 1883 and
was it's first assessor being elected first
IN 70 for one year and reelected in 80
for two years longer. This gave him
an opportunity to visit all settlements
in the county.
In his talk the Colonel stated that
Henry Marty, present cashier of the
Peoples National Bank, was without
doubt the Oldest continuous settler In
the county being first located on the
old Bar L. ranch in 70. Mrs. George
Turner has the distinction of being the
tirst bride In Hot Springs, she being
the daughter of John Dennis. who
came here in the fall of 70 and located
here in the spring of 80. Others whom
| the Colonel mentioned as living in the
Southern Hills shortly after his visit
here were Joe and Ted Petty and Capt.
". z. Phillips, all residents here now.
The Colonel explained how Battle
Mountain received it's name and gave
much more historical data which space
prevents US from giving. He has g
vivid memory and Is one of the best
posted men in the Black Hills and
gives early dates and names accurately
he closed his talk by stating that be
was more than pleased with the oppor.
tunity of joining the old settlers in
their annual picnic and his health per.
mitting he would be here as often az
possible in years to come:
Sheriff Ed Clark was called on for q
short talk and spoke in humorous
vein dwelling largely upon his personal
beauty. 1t of course is self evident
and it will not be. necessary for us to
enlarge upon it, As one Of Eds hear
ers remarked "it is bad enough any.
way" Nevertheless he caused. many
hearty laughs and was the means OF
others Joining in the jolly spirit of the
day. This part of the program was
concluded with song by GeorR
Richer.
The grand march was next In orde,
and headed by DR.. Jennings and Mrs
A 8 Stewart, Col. Thornby and Mrs
Jay Crane, John Mueller and wife. the
old settlers started that part of the
festivities in motion Dancing con.
tlnued until FIVE o'clock and after 6
short intermission for supper which
was served on the grounds, commenced
again at eight O'Clock, both old snG
lyoung entering into the spirit Of tht
occssion.
The nicnic was a comhlofa .......