Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1916-10-21
TERRY PEAK AS A
BLACK HILLS ATTRACTION

into two National Forest Reserves,
the Black Hills Forest" having its
supervisors headquarters at Dead
wood and the "Harney National For
est" with headquarters at Custer.
Their boundaries are substantially
coextensive with the section known
locally as the Northern Hills" and
the Southern Hills" In the north
ern Hills there are two fire lookout
stations-at Custer Peak and Ce-
ment Ridge, both out of the way
places, while Terry's Peak lies be-
tween, within a short distance of
the c. b. d. q. and c. & n. w. sta
tions at Trojan. Few people appre-
-ciate the extent of the activities of
the national government in and about
our Black Hills district, or the
splendid work being done by the in
domitable rangers In preserving for
present and future generations our
forest trees by protecting them from
the ravages of fire and disease and
the greed of man, and refores:ing the
waste places, made bare by the des-
tructiye agencies of fire and phylox-
era in the days gone by.
That the government may be pre-
vailed upon to establish a fire look
out station on Terry peak, If the road
to the top, distance of less than a
mile, is made accessible, is entirely
within the range of possibilities and
could be accomplished by the combin-
ed effort of the commercial clubs
and good roads enthusiasts of this
section Such lookout station
would be OF much value on account
of the height of Terry Peak, 1869
feet.
In addition to the central admin
istrative stations at Deadwood and
Custer, the forest reserve maintains
important fire lookouts at Custer
Peak and Cement ridge in the north
ern Hills whose efficiency would be
increased Nv the addition of one at
Terry Peak. This would be further
evidence of the cent alization of al
Illulbll dllNt anu piDlNNNlNN pcNtl ~
the government.
The government as extensive IN
terests in the Black Hills region.
There is the u. S. Land offices at
Rapid City and Belle Fourche, the
L. S. Fish Hatchery at Spearhsh,
the q. S. irrigation project near
Helle Fourche. Wind Cave National
park near Hot Springs. the u. l.. Ex-
pcriinental farm at Ar:tlcoln, the
Tine Ridge Indian IesrrN alton the
Indian School at Rapid City, u S.
Weather Bureau at Rapid City Ma
t,onal sanitarium for disabled sol
diers at Hot Springs, Jewel Cave
National monument, Il. S. Assay Of
flee and federal court az Deadwood
and Fort Meade military reserva-
ton near Sturgis.
The State of South Dakota has es-
tablished a twenty mile square for
est and game preserve east OF Custer,
and already has stocked ii with buf-
falo, elk deer, antelope and other
wild animals, once native here, but
doomed to extinction by the advent of
civilization unless protected by the
fostering hand of a central power.
Then there is the State Normal
school at Spearfish, the tuberculosis
hospital at Custer, the state School
of Mines at Rapid City among the
state institutions and inte 'ests.
n11 nf
fional and state interests concentrat-
ed in the Richest Hundred Miles
Square on Earth" it is no far cry to
expect that with a united effort on
the part OF the northern Black Hills
commercial clubs, supplemented by
the press and the people, sufficient
influence can be brought TO bear to
cause the government to embrace
Terry Peak within the sphere OF its
activities and to locate on this high
est accessible peak east of the Rocky
mountains, a meteorological station
similar to that on Pixies Peak. BY
combining the forest reserve look
out station with the weather bureau
two important functions could be
advantageously housed under one
roof.
Possibly on account of the facili-
ties afforded, out of the ten per cent
OF the gross receipts from the ma
tional forest resources now expend-
ed each year by the government on
public roads within the forest, ar
rangeinents could be made to in
clude this small stretch OF Terry's
Peak road and make the project one
of national as well as local impor-
lance.
When the Lawrence County Com
mlssioners become convinced that
the people really want this improve
ment, and that it will serve a tang
ible need, they will quickly take the
matter in hand and include it in
their budget for the coming year.
The Terry Peak road should be built
on broad and liberal lines with am
pie parking facilities for autos at
the summit, all to be crowned by a
substantial observation shelter and
refectory, SO that the full purpose
of the scheme may be achieved.
america Open to the World
THE whole world is open to