Black Hills - Description and History, 1878 This file contains information from the business directory for the Black Hills, Dakota Territory taken from Wolfe's Mercantile Guide, Gazetteer, and Business Directory of Cities...", published in 1878. This information transcribed by Joy Fisher, sdgenweb@yahoo.com This file may be freely copied for non-profit purposes. All other rights reserved. The Black Hills This famous mineral region is situated upon the plain between the 43d and 45th degrees of latitude, north, and is divided about midway between Wyoming and Dakota territories, the east and most productive half being in Dakota. The highest peaks rise to an altitude of 8,300 feet above the level of the sea, while the foot hills, and Deadwood City are only at an elevation of 2,800 feet. The soil is a red or yellow clay, mixed with decomposed rocks, giving a great variety. The prairies for many miles around the Hills are extremely rich and will produce such crops as can mature in such an elevated and consequently cold region. Pine, spruce, birch and cedar entirely over the surface even to the tops of the mountains, interspersed with a few oaks, cottonwoods, and elms. From the Union Pacific Railroad to the southern point of the Hills, it is 180 miles, and to Deadwood 257 miles. There is abundance of water throughout, running in clear and rapid streams. The rainfall is very great in the spring and summer, lasting until July, when from four to six weeks of dry weather is depended upon. Snows fall very heavy in the winter, the gulches frequently having thirty feet. Game was abundant and still is found in large quantities in the more inaccessible places; mountain lions, wolves, antelope, deer, elk, bear, (black, cinnamon and grizzly,) prairie hens, curlew and pheasants are among the varieties. The view, as the traveler approaches this region from any point, is grand beyond description. Coming from the monotonous plains, he espies high, tree-crowned peaks, and feels the balmy air, spiced with the resinous odors of evergreens, and at a nearer approach catches glimpses of sparkling rivulets pouring down from the mountain sides into the level beneath. From the dust of the plains and putrid waters, he suddenly comes to a calm, fragrant air and bubbling springs, as clear as crystal, and cold as ice, and dry wood in abundance for the grateful camp fire. But all of these were not sufficient to cause such a tremendous rush for this famous spot; indeed they had but slight weight in inducing the hundred thousand people who have visited the Hills and undertaken the journey. Gold, the chief attraction, and silver, beckoned them on; and they found the enchantress there. No country yet discovered has shown such rapid advancement in the same length of time. Metropolitan cities sprang into existence in twelve months, and not two years from its discovery, one stream has one thousand stamps pounding and thumping night and day without cessation crushing the quartz mined from its banks. The yield of gold in 1877 was about $3,000,000. MINERAL RESOURCES. Commencing with Deadwood and Whitewood gulches as being the most productive of any part of the Hills, we will outline the mineral resources. The placer mines on Deadwood have been the most profitably worked because, as old miners assert, the bed-rock lies near the surface, and is easily drained, and not because there is more of the precious metal in its channel. The mother quart, from which the dust is theoretically supposed to come, is situated at Central City, and the lode cuts across the channel of the creek exposing a vast amount of float ore, in immense ledges, but as yet no true fissure veins of gold have been discovered. The rock is called low grade ore, and assays from five to sixty dollars per ton. Gold is found in every kind of secondary rock and cement, and is all easily worked. The average cost per ton of mining the ore and reducing it to amalgam; is estimated at about eighty dollars per ton. The placer or gulch mining in Deadwood has paid variously from two to three hundred dollars per man per day, but is believed to be well worked out; but Whitewood below has a large amount of unworked surface as the bed-rock lies lower. For sixteen miles on the south side of Whitewood creek there exists a chain of mountains called Gravel Beds, thoroughly impregnated with gold, and giving from one half a cent to ten cents per pan over its whole surface. Water has been carried to these mines from the creek above, in what is known as the Boulder ditch, and a few of these claims are being worked, washing out the gold by hydraulic pressure. With a good water supply these Gravel Beds can be made to pay a great profit. The Spear fish, sixteen miles away, is to be carried to these hills, when a volume of water equal to the needs of these mines, will be available. The quartz mills in Deadwood and Whitewood gulches now have one thousand stamps at work running the year around without stopping, and averaging twenty-five dollars a day to each stamp. These alone give a daily income of twenty-five thousand dollars. Steady employment is given to at least five thousand men in this region, and in the season twice that number are employed in the various duties of a mining camp. Gold, silver, lead, copper, iron and coal are found at various points in the Black Hills, and the presence of gold is indicated in almost every part of them. There are doubtless richer gold and silver ledges on Castle and Spring Creeks, than on Deadwood, but the rush of people to Deadwood centered capital there rapidly and developed the country in the immediate vicinity, at the expense of more distant mines. In time Rapid, Potato, Castle, Spring and Battle creeks will have equally active men and machinery forcing them to give up their hidden treasures. Silver is found at various points, and will, ultimately, exceed the yield of gold. Bear Buttes, Bald Mountain, and Battle Creek have rich deposits of silver in their mountains, and so far as known, they are inexhaustible. The writer gives it as his opinion that only a few years will elapse before the Black Hills will produce more of the precious metals than any mining district yet discovered. Indeed, it seems to be one vast mineral upheaval destined to develop richer year by year, as labor and capital extend their operations, and penetrate deeper into the mountains of ore. The ease with which the quartz is reduced, makes it possible for low grade ores to he worked with profit, and has induced the rapid erection of machinery in some places. Of course, there has not as yet been work enough done to enable miners to judge of the depth of these gold mines, but it seems unlikely that there is nothing but this blow-out underlying these mountains of ore. If, as is believed by some, the deeper down the richer will be the rock, there will be more excitement about the Black Hills in the future than there has been in the past. One thing is sure, there is employment for about fifteen thousand persons in these mines, with a prospect of doubling that number the coming year. DEADWOOD CITY is situated near the north end of the Hills, and ten miles from the eastern edge. It is at the junction of Deadwood and Whitewood creeks, and contains a population of about 4,000. It is the county-seat of Lawrence County; headquarters of all the stage and transportation companies and express offices, and is regarded as the chief town. The city has three banks, two daily papers, theatres, churches, and about five hundred business houses. The people are thrifty, energetic and busy. LAWRENCE COUNTY OFFICERS. Sheriff - John Manning. Deputy Sheriff - John Maher. Register of Dceds - C. H. McKinnes. Treasurer - Geo. E. Brigham. Judge of Probate - Jno. R. Frazer. Assessor - J. Conzett. Coroner - Dr. A. V. Bevans. County Attorney - Joseph Miller Commissioners - Jno. Ryan, J. B. Whitson, W. G. Gates. Justices of the Peace - Chas. E. Barker, X. S. Burke, Robert Giddings, J. D. Fisher Constables - A. E. Van Valkenburg, Chas. Spencer, H. B. Beamen, Ed. Donahue. GAYVILLE two miles above Deadwood, on Deadwood Creek, is a thrifty town of about 500 inhabitants, and doing a good business. It was burned last August, but was rebuilt within thirty days. SOUTH BEND, immediately adjoining Gayville up the creek, is but a continuation of Gayville, and contains about three hundred inhabitants, and adjoining this is CENTRAL CITY, a place of nearly as much importance as Deadwood, and the site of a vast number of stamp mills. The clatter and hum of industry at Central is something deafening, and resembles a manufacturing city. Each stamp turns out about twenty-five dollars in bullion per day. The population of Central is about three thousand, with about three hundred business houses. From Montana City, two miles below Deadwood, through Elizabethtown, Fountain City, Deadwood, South Deadwood, Cleveland, Gayville, South Bend, to Central City, is but one continuous city (at points swelling, to large proportions) of five miles in length. The stranger is confused by these different names to what he instinctively regards as one town. LEAD CITY, is another prosperous town, five miles from Deadwood, with many quartz mills at work. CROOK CITY, in the foot hills, ten miles from Deadwood, is a fine city, and is called the gateway to the Hills. The Pierre, Bismarck and Sidney routes pass through this place. RAPID CITY, on Rapid Creek, thirty-five miles from Deadwood, an active place of five hundred inhabitants, is situated in the foot hills, on the east side, about midway of the Hills from north to south. The Pierre and Sidney routes run through this town. It is the centre of the finest hay region in the Black Hills, and has constructed irrigating ditches. which are a great success. This town is striving to become the metropolis of the Hills. It is the county seat of Pennington county. HAYWARD CITY, on Battle Creek, sixty miles south from Deadwood, is the county seat of Custer county. It is a place of about five hundred inhabitants. CUSTER CITY, fifty-five miles south from Deadwood, is a defunct city, though playing a conspicuous part in the early days. There were about seven hundred houses built there, and Custer was, at one time, the metropolis. BEAR BUTTES, ten miles from Deadwood east, is the location of the richest silver mines yet discovered. One smelter has been erected there, and a town of about three hundred inhabitants Prospectively, it is one of the best points in the Hills. SITTING BULL on Little Rapid Creek, is a small town thirty miles from Deadwood surrounded by quartz and placer mines. CASTLETON, two miles from Sitting Bull, and thirty-two miles south of Deadwood, on Castle Creek, is a place of five hundred inhabitants, and is full of energetic business men. It is the headquarters of several heavy companies, which were organized for the purpose of deep mining in Castle Creek. Bear Butte Canyon Cut-Off. This is the shortest and best road out of the Hills. It runs through Boulder Park, where good and abundant grazing can be had, within seven miles of Deadwood. It passes through Bear Butte Canyon and reaches the valley and makes a junction with the Sidney Route nine miles east of Crook City - saving eleven miles in the first twenty miles of travel by either of the other routes. The gradants are lighter than on the other roads. A good gravel bed extends over its entire length. A Toll - Gate will be erected, and it will be formally thrown open to the public March 1st 1878. The Road is now owned by JOSEPH VOLLIN, M. U. COOPER, Dr. H. P. LYNCH.