Year: 1879




CAuP-rwo PROMISING MINES NOT IN THE DEAD


WOOD DISTRICT.


tryo,, , srAyr CORRESPONDENT OF TIE TRTBUNH.l


DrApwooD, ID. T., Aug. 7.-While nine-tenths oi
NIL the gold produced IN the Black Hilis Is takeh
from the mines IN the immediate vicinity OF DEAD
wood well.defined veins of quartz carrying the
precous metal in greater or less quantities h'eNe
been discovered in many other districts, ana scores
of mines have been found which, for the amount OF
work that has been done upon them, look exceed
inglv ycl It's true that majority of such proper
ties are owned by men who have neither the means
nor the inclination to open them up large SCALE
and who when they began to prospect, never III
tended 10 do anything moro than to develop any
mines they might discover sufficiently to make
then, marketable Some of them have already been
sold and their true value will be proved during tne
coming year. Meanwhile, capitalists from the Last
md fro;n California are careuly examining every
new strike" that seems to promise good lhihe'
and many bonds have been taken on properties
which on first examination have made favorable
impression.


The practice of bonding mines is prevalent
one in all the mining camps of the west
and while it is perfectly understood by
people in the East who deal IN mines or
their stocks, an explanation of 1t may be accept
able to some Of the readers of The TRIBUNE. lhe
risk in purchasing mine winch is only paTtlaliy





of vein containing previous metal can only be as
certained by extensive and costly explorations and
these the discoverer is rarely able to make. Pur-
clascrs of mines are, therefore, generally
unwilling TO complete an unco nditioual bar
gain until they have had an opportu-
nity to prove the property and to satisfy
themselves that 1t is worth much as they are re-
0uired to paw. 1t is. therefore, customary 1or the
owners of mines which for sale to give TO poss
bic purchasers a bond the conditions of which are
that If price agreed upon for the property shall be
paid within a given time, say three months from
the date of the instrument, then deed of the mine
shall be given. The man who takes bond has
'calI upon the owner of the property which gives
him the privilege of purchasing it at stipulated
price within given time, and for that privilege he
pays IN advance sum in cash. During the period
that the bond remains in force the holder Of 1t has
right TO examine the mine as much as he pleases,
and 70 satisfy himsof in regard 20 its value Nearly
all partially developed mines are bonded before
they are bought


Among the OUTLYING camps one Of the most prom
ising az present is that at Rockford, on Little Rapid
Creek. about twenty-five miles east of Deadwood.
Invent over there the other day, in company with
gentleman who had some business there, and found
many more signs of activity than l had expected.
leaving DeaIwood, soon after noon. on horseback,
we followed up the canon of Whltewood Creek to
the hcaIwatcrs Of the stream, and then crossing a
divide went down into the valley Of the Rapid
through a side canon.


The scenery for five or SIX miles after leaving
Dellwo1J is Of wild and romantic chayacter. The
mountains rise abruptly either side of the road,
their steep rocky sides covered with timber and IN
dcrbrush where the former has not been cut oil,
while the clear mountain stream dashes down over
the rocks at their base. The Black Hills are IN
many p3Its almost exact counterpart of the Cats
lill Mountains of New-York. There are the same
dark gorees through which crystal streams leap and
dash over the rocks; the same steep crags
difficult of access, bat from which en-
chanting views of mountain scenery may
be obt lined; the same dead forests, through which
the flames have swept leaving the bare trunks OF
the piues gray aud weather-beaten, ana the
same fertile openings full Ofrich grass and wonder
fully productive when cultivated Here the log
cabins IF prospectors cling To the mountain side in
stead Of viuo-clad rustic Summer-houses; tunnels
and clunlps of rock and occupy of the sites
which i'm the East would be selected for vacation
cottages and the rude dwelling of the ranchman,
with its corral, takes the place of the prm farm
house and its spacious barn. And the climate OF
the Black HILLS is delightful. Neither in the Cats
kills nor in the Alleghaues is the air more invgOr-
ating or the nights cool and refreshing. Moth
ing but their remOteuess viii prevent them from
becoming a favorte resort in Summer Of those in
search Of health or pleasure.


WAS interested, as l rode along. to examine the
noun, ain winch lies Immediately south OF that on
which the Homestake Mine is situated for indica-
tions of the great belt of mineral which has been
traced 10 its base on the opposite side. The whole
face of the mountain is one bare rock, but it con
tains no sign of the veu and believe that prospect
ors have not been able to find paying ore there.
The great belt seems to sink the south end Of the
Homes;akc Mine. and if the Pierce any mine
beyond 1t gets paying ore in large quantities,
1t will probably be found at considerable depth.


About five miles from Deadwo0d, we passed
through the little town Of Pennington, one OF the
camps Of the Black Hills, the rise and decline Of
which has all taken place within little more than
two years. Nowhere else do towns spring up with
such magical rapidity as in the mining regions OF
the West and nowhere else do they so quickly fall
into decay when the stimulus of successful mining
disappears One week the traveller sees only lone
cabin on the mountain-side and hole in the ground
which two or three men are patiently sinking
or driving into the hill. The next week,
on his return all has changed. A "stuke"
has been made. A mill site has been
selected. 4 ditch has been surveyed, and men are
digging 10. A town lot has been laid out, and cor
ner lots are held at city prices. Houses have been
built and the sound of the axe and hammer Is
heard IN every direction. A few weeks more and
another no less wonderful change has taken place.
The mines turned out 10 be less valuable than WAS
supposed and every sign of activity has disappeared
ainOst a, suddenly as when the euch&uter IN the
fairy tale waved his wand over the guests at the
banquet. Tue hammer and drill are no longer heard
in the shaft or tunnel-a DARK hole ana a heaP OF
broken rock are all that are left of what was be-
1Ieyed a few DAYS to be bonanza lhe stores
and saloons with their doors and windows boarded
up standing wide open aud displaying their DESC
late emptiness are already falling 10 decay, ana
look fhou0h they had been deserted Tor quarter