Year: 1874

II tile symptoms are not deceptive, we are in
the earlier stages of another gold fever The
BLACK Hills" begin to loom up as portentously
as California did in 49, and as Pixies Peak did
at later date. Needless Of the warnings of ex-
perience the restless elements which seek sud
den wealth may be expected to join in the race
now opening a. madly as though history had
not shown the majority of such ventures to end
in disappointment But to some natures the
chance of success overrides all reason or eau
ton. The gold hunt is a lottery a few succeed.
the many fail but each of the seekers thinks
he is the one who will draw the capital prize.
The men who make the fortunes are those who,
following after the miners. have subdued the
land, pursue farming or business in legitimate
way. To these men come the results-or nearly
all of their predecessors labors. And yet it is
illogical to deprecate the work of the pioneers,
for without them none of the other work would
follow new country would not be made availa-
bls for mans needs and the power Of civiliza-
ton would not be extended. The gold hunters
build without meaning it seeking only their
own enrichment they are indirectly the benefac-
tors of the race. Properly therefore, we should





all times to take their lives into their hands and
to set out upon the work OF subduing the wilder
ness.


And AZ relaten to this particular search it must
be said there is nothing repelling in the picture,
ar ut present shown, OF the Dakota gold regions.
On tile contrary the Wow ID one Of surprising,
and most romantic interest. The "Back Hills
sound forbdding, but, according to Genl Gus
ter, the valley lying within these gloomy noun
tains is a garden spot, abounding with varied
vegetable life, traversed with streams of pure
water and formed in all respects to be the home
of man. There should be no struggle to sustain
life here, as there was on the heights Of "Pike,
Or on the arid plains Of California. Apart from
the gold the country is as ready for settlement
this hour az ANY of the prairie States. Genl
Custer does not attempt, however, to dsparage
the dangers of the journey especially of the
Hills encompassing the marvellous valley--nor
OF the risks which the pioneer will run from
the Indians. The Gold Region is part of the
Sioux reservation, and that tribe, one of the
widest of the savage forces, would doubtless be
excited to the highest pitch by the inroad of the
white man. But if the gold is there the Indian
must go. That much is settled, and it ID just as
true unfortunately, that many gold seeker
will fall in the effort to "clear the land"


The Indian is, indeed, the only real obstacle
These new gold fields are incomparably nearer
the social centres than any that have been dis
covered in modern times. The journey is as
nothing to that which the California adventurers
took at day when there was scarcely any rail-
roading outside OF the Middle States. Now he
can almost reach the mines by rail and steam
boat combined. Various routes have already
been planned, the one which it is declared will
prove most expeditions being via Chicago, tank
ton, and Brule City. From the first to the
second of these points iH $40 miles and from
Yankton tile adyenturer takes steamboat 125
miles to Brule City. From that point stage
route of 191 miles takes to Harveys Peak
whence the miner must get to the Hills a4 h,
best can, distance of 50 miles. This is simpli
flying trip to Ell Dorado amazingly but the fina
fifty miles is environed by very peculiar dangers
from which, indeed, the stage line from Brul,
Cty il not entirely free.


The wonders of the United States are but be
ginning to be developed. Great a. are the treaa
ures of the East they will be found to pale thei
Intellectual fires before those of the mighty Wes
whose boundess resources and capacities fc
wealth, and for the nourishment of the huma
family, it has been left for this generation t
first appreciate.