TIIK OMAHA SUNDAY IJKK. FEBRUARY fl, 1910.
Romance of Deadwood and the Wonderful Empire of the Black Hills
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EADWOOD .nd the Black Hlllt
Dl o hand in hand; they hav a
I history that in unique. Volumes
oi romance live in iinuu
colon connected with the early
days of the Black Hills; the
discovery of void, the rich placer diggings,
stories of Indian fighting with the fierce
Sioux, of stage robbing, of bold outlaws,
who, like Robin Hood, led a wild, free life,
raring little for customs or laws, ready
to do and dare, and who died at last with
their boots on. Such were Deadwood and
the Black Hills In 1878, perhaps the last
border land of chivalry and romance that
the world will ever know.
Plcturoeque Deadwood, seated at the
Junction of the two gulches, hemmed In
by rugged hills and the wild mountain
scenery of the Black Hills, their gulches,
gorges, crystal caves and healing springs
are as wonderful as ever, but Deadwood
has outgrown the stage-coach character
and has now become a commercial city,
with railroads entering it from every di
rection. No Inland city In America has a more
picturesque location that Deadwood. It Is
situated at the extreme north end of the
Black Hills range, commanding the trade
not only of the mountain country which
Is rich in all kinds of mineral but also
of the fertile valleys below. The tributaries
of Whltewood afford natural highways
from the mountain country down Into the
city as well as an outlet to the foot hills
and valley below.
Deadirooa'i Romantlo Story
Deadwood Is situated on Whltewood
creek, at Us Junction with Deadwood creek.
Whltewood gulch, elsewhere very narrow
and rugged, here widens out into a valley
with sweeping curves and pleasant inlets
for a distance of one mile or more up and
down stream.' On either side the hills rlsa
abruptly to a height of several hundred
feet, rounding off In overhanging peaks,
like White Kocks, which tower 900 feet
above the city or sloping away in un
dulating ranges. Six miles to the west
stands Bald mountain, (,00 feet high. It
Is around this old mountain that naturs
has deposited her richest stores of wealth,
aud many millions of dollars of gold or
have been taken from lu base, aud from
Ituby Basin, which Ilea near by.
Deadwood was Incorporated as a city
tn 1SS1, the late Judge Daniel McLaughlin
was appointed the city's first mayor. Dead
wood has been recognized by the railroads
as a central point, and the train service
on the Chicago & Northwestern and the
Chicago, Burlington & Quincy lines have
been so arranged that from this city a per
son can easily and quickly reach any point
of Interest In a few minutes or few hours
rids. Today fifty trains run in and out
of Deadwood, all of which carry pas
sengers. Uncle Sam has seen fit to take care of
his business arising In Deadwood by lo
cating there an elegant structure known as
the United States potitoffice and court
house. This building was completed for
occupancy last year. The total appropria
tions, Including the site for the building,
amounted to $0.000. This building houses
the f)ostofftce. United States court. Black
Hills division of the National Forest serv
Ice and the United States assay office.
Shis latter being ft branch of the govern
ment mint. A 12S,000 court house has re
cently been completed.
Deadwood has built within the last five
yrirs a number of public and commercial
buildings, which are second to none In
the state. In addition to the two Just men
tioned s ft lii.000 Carnegie library, a ru),.
COO hotel, the finest In the state, an l,000
theater, ft 165,000 Maaonlo temple, the B'.ack
Hi:is Trust and Savings bank, one of the
architectural buildings of South Dakota,
and many fine business houses, churches
i4 school buildings. The residence bulld
Im4 hJt been on a par with the construc
tion! work In the business section of the
town, and .many of Dead wood's bouse
ivv nnir. rnnnrt1 with th ariv A ' ' l K i If Mf 3 ' ,
.Ua ------ -w m- ..mv mir . . . 1 ft 1 11 1 11 M H mm K M - ' ' fT,. fc
1 .wing lltU. for cu.ton,8 or Jaw., r.ady L - - , . .VWVAI f-nPfff 1 'I' V " J
will compare favorably with those of any
other town in thee lend.
Strong- In Msvnafactorles.
Deadwood, as a manufacturing point. Is
fast taking first rank among the cities of
South Dakota. Large wholesale houses are
located here, and their sa'.,-men visit every
town and hamlet within 100 n.t.'es. Among
the .manufacturing industries sr the Beat-
rice Creamer company. Fish & Hunter
company an3 Stearns company, nM-nufao-
turers, wholesalers and retailers vt lum-
ber, si,h, doors, etc; Black Hills Menu-
facturin tompany, foundry and maaMne
shop. Otia of the Important consHera-
tions In Iho establishment of manufsctur-
ing p'at.m In Deadwood Is the posstU'lty
of securing cheap power. This field la well
supplied by two large electrlo p'.nrtt. the
Consolidated !.wer and .Light coBioWJy, one
of the largest 5i.m irtvon Blunts west
of the Missouri river, end the Black Hills Club worlt ftmong the women of Dead
Traction company, which owns an Immense "o nas come to be one of the Important
water power plant twenty miles distant. 'aatur?s of both the social and civic life.
These concerns are equipped to furnish for the different clubs, though originally
several thousand horsepower, and are rap- organised for purely literary purposes.
Idly adding customers who will soon con-
ume their entire caDaclty. Since the In-
stallment of these plants a large number
of the mines and manufacturing Instltu-
tions of the neighborhood have discarded
their old steam driven machinery and sub-
stituted the more up-to-date electrical
equipment. The Importance of this elec-
trio power to Deadwood and vicinity cannot
be overestimated. It Is bound to have ft
far-reaching effect.
$
Charch Social Life.
Coincident with the discovery of gold
ana tne rusn or inouBanas seeamg weaitn
In the Black Hills came the family, the
school and the church. These fundamental
elements 01 nigner civilization, mo essential
to the welfare of any community, were at
once Incorporated Into and became as soon
as possible an Integral part of the new
life. Th nhuri-h ihartil with other tn.
- ...
H....I 1 .1 - . 1 1 1 . t S l A
iuuiiviii iu 1 1 iv ruufl Aaw.uiiv v&
tieer life. It did not await Improved con-
d I tions, but assisted In creating them. Its
first temples were the groves of pine, the
miner's shsck or the log school houBS.
Its pulpits a convenient stump or an over-
turned dry goods box. Its preachers were
brave-heurtt-d men. and. as rule, true to
their calling. Many of theia labored as
miners or machinists during the week, but
on Sunday they would gather about them
a crowd, and the settlers would loin with
them In singing gospel songs, which would
be followed by prayer and a sermon. A
volume might be written on the struggles
of the churches In those days. Struggles
arising, not from opposition or Indifference
on the part of the people, but from the
prevailing conditions and hardships of
those times. The first churches built were
t humble proportions, but they have since
been replaced by larger and more elaborate
edifices. The first women's club organized
,n th Black Hills was the Round Table
clu& ot Deadwood. This took place Feb-
ruary 14, 1887. with a charter membership
or rlve- following the organization of
the Round Table came the Thursday club,
tho Culture club, the Woman's club and
th Twentieth Century club, all of which
ar Deadwood
,oon became wider in their scope, and
hav ben among the originators of many
of tna most Important movements In the
"'emoersnip is largo, all the
cIubB being well organised, while the
character of the work done Is such as
would be a credit to the clubs of any city
ln our ,n1-
Baake aad Business.
Deadwood has two banks, one national
and one spite, the First National and the
Black Hills Trust and Savings bank. Fullv
1176,000,000 of rich ores have been extracted
1176,000,000 of rich ores have been extracted
roin mo grouna in tne territory subsidiary
to Deadwood since Its foundation in 17,
nd with the present outlook for the
10 uiiniug operation s in the Hills it
la but ft premonition of the future wealth
of the city.
Deadwood Is Inhabited by ft hospitable.
mneroua wall-lnfnrnns nnni. ..
. wuw uvi
m .1 T Arim . - Lit - ,
iuiu wiiiio mey ftre ftttecir
tlve to business, find time to cultivate
the higher Intellect and are well versed
In literature and art. When one la shown
the Business Men's dub. with Its 250 mem-
bars, one cannot but feel that none of the
business advantages offered In the larger
cities, have been neglected ln Deadwood.
It quite plain that Deadwood will
hold all It has secured and In the near
future become one of the prominent sum-
mer resorts of the middle west. It is not
lacking in scenery, climate or natural sur-
roundlngs. Many people are coming each
year from the Mississippi valley and fur-
ther east to spend a week or a month In
the mountains. Many people have already
established their gummer quarters here,
and have a cosy log bungalow that serves
them good purpose during their hunting
and fishing season.
The scenery around Deadwood Is so
varied as to be almost indescribable. The
conglomerate rocks on both sides of the
canon are extremely Interesting In them-
selves, but the drives In all directions fur-
"8n " many peculiar type or scenio won-
der- Cascades, waterfalls, canons and
mountain drives are f. never ceasing chain
of wonderful suggestion. There are long
drives and short drives,
peculiar attraction.
each with its
Black Hills History.
The state of South Dakota contains an
area. 77,000 spuare miles, of which about
40,000 square miles lleswest of the Mis
sourl river. Western South Dakota, ex.
eluding the Indian reservations of the
Cheyenne Indians and Great Sioux nation,
embrace an area of approximately 23,000
square miles, and- extends from the Mis-
sourl river to the state line of Wyoming,
Western Dakota has a population of
from 80,000 to W.OOO. which, at the present
time, is confined kuruely to the area
known as the Black Hll:s, lying ln the
"treme western part and extending north
anl south a distance of about 100 miles,
Th chief industry of this section Is mln-
The chief industry of this section Is mln-
'"sr. Dul sioca growing anu agriculture are
oarrlid on extensively. Mining will un-
doubtedly continue to be one of the chief
'uuir". uuv 1110 rcaiun cpuio u&
developing untold wealth In agricultural
pursuits. It contains many millions of
acrM f rich soil, which only requires
Irrigation to make them productive. Vlanv
-
. It- K -ri a 4 . m vm fvArA with .tlt
. -.....
ranges, and vast herds of sheep graze on
lu rlch Pastures.
The Black Hills region was opened to
settlement February 28. 177, and all who
came In prior to that time were looked
upon by the government as tresspasser
on the Indian reservation. In consequence.
several parties were taken out of the Hill
by the government troops and their out-
fits destroyed to prevent their return.
Some few people had settled at Spearflsh
during the summer of 1S7S; then there
were some also at Bear Gulch, some
thirty miles northwest of Deadwood. Custer
and Hill City were the first settlements
of all and were the center of excitement
until gold was discovered at Deadwood,
when both were virtually depopulated In
the mad rush to the placer fields. At this
time Rapid City was also a small settle-
ment After the first few parties had been
taken out, the government recognised the
fact that the rush was so heavy that It
Mould be useless to try to remove the
people. Therefore, It again started negotla-
Hons wun tne Indians roi oe cession or
the reservation. These negotiations were
consummated on February 28, 1877, and
that spring a very great rush began.
"
LwreBCe First Cosintr.
At Lead City, which was quite a village
on account of the placers and gold run.
there was no trouble from Indians, as It
was somewhat removed from the course
of travel and protected by other settle-
ments. After the ratification ot the treaty
with the Indians, Lawrence county was
organised, and the governor of Dakota,
appointed the county officers. The county
took its name from John Lawrence, who
was appointed county treasurer. John
Wolzmuth at Spearflsh was among the
three county commissioners at that time
and Major Seth Bullock was the first
sheriff of Lawrence county.
Most of the pioneers, who started In their
cabins and shacks, havs now handsome
residences and are among the most proml-
neni uusinoas men 01 uie various com-
munltles,
The Black Hills derived their name from
ma ueavy givwtu ui iiicii pine cuvenns;
the mountains with Its dark foliage. The
valleys produce a great aniqunt of hardy
rercaJs In comparison with their acreage.
Almost every ranch has a sroodlv bunch of
- -
.oMla ftt f.t tnn.t n .Via In
... v ...v iwitimt ...
these parts have been very successful and
built good homes.
Cattle Industry la Heavy.
The cattle Industry of the hills, through
Belle Fourche, Whltewood, Rapid City and
Hot Springs, runs to enormous figures, as
bifc-o as 100,000 bead of cattle having been
shipped In one jeiir from Belle Fourche.
In 1876 the first cattle were turned loose
on the ranges of the Black Hills. Later
In the same year M. V. Boughton drove In
a herd of 200 head. This herd was really
the first to be turned out upon the range,
and the same fall a band of Sioux swooped
down upon the cattle and drove them off.
During the spring of the following year,
1877, however, the first big herd of cattle
was brought into the country, having been
driven over the troll from Texas. In 18b0
several large companies drove their herds
to the Hills and selected ranges on the
streams flowing from the mountains. That
year every one who had money to Invest
invested It In cattle, and the result was
that the range was overstocked. The coun-
try wa, an aeai one tor cattle raising
wnen not overstocked the range afforded
too&, water and shelter for hundreds of
thousands of heads of cattle, the native
grasses furnishing more nutriment than
those of any other section of the country,
For several years th cattle men were not
disturbed In their possesion of the range
In this section. On the south and east
sides of ths Black Hills the same condi
tions exist as upon the north and west sldos.
Gradually the farmer and small rancher,
with their wire fences and cultivated
fields, have driven the cattlemen farther
away from the Hills.
The first shipment of cattle from the
Black Hills by rail was made from the
town of Buffalo Gap, over the Northwestrn
roaj. This anlpment consisted of but a
few thousand head and was made ln 1888.
the road was extended to Rapid City
tha vm, ereater shlnmenta wer ma.An
frnm orenn-n a fw mllaa below which
remained the main shipping point until
In 1889, the road was completed to Belle
irmlPrhe riurin th rattu hir,i,inr
nf inns thr . .hinn. fmm wn
" -
Fourche 110,000 head, valued at nearly to,
000,000. With the disappearance of the
large herds which formerly ranged over the
vallftv
m.ng
and the prairies adjacent to the
Black Hills, there has been no dlmlnuatlon
of the number of cattle In the Black Hills;
on the contrary, the number bos Increased.
-4
Horses aad (beep.
While from the first settlement of the
Black Hills the broncho was the most liu-
portant part of the cattleman and ranch
man's equipment, he was not .allowed ts)
remain always In the first place In the es
timation of the settler. It has been the
constant aim of horsemen to Improve the
breed, and each year sees this end nearer
accomplishment Horsemen consider the
Black Hills country the region par excell
ence for the raising of fine stock, and
many have entered upon the business on
a large scale.
In 1878 the first large flock of sheep was
brought to the Black Hills by J. D. Hale,
who had located ft ranch on Morse creek.
In Meade county. Others followed Mr.
Hale, and the business proved a profitable
one. A very good Idea of the magnitude of
the Industry can be had when it is stated
that during one season 80,000 sheep were
shipped to eastirn markets from the Black
Hills. Markets for the sale of wool are
held every year at Bapld City, Sturgls
and Belle Fourche, which are attended by
buyers from all over the United States.
The wool Industry is one of the most Im
portant In the Black Hills region, and the
number of flocks Is Increasing every year.
The timber industries or the Hills are
large but of late have been somewhat
curtailed by the forestry laws. Saw mills
sre on every hand, however, cutting rail
road ties, timbers for the mines and mer
cantile lumber for building, ritch pine of
the Black Hills take a very fine polish.
Although the log cabins of the past have
been eliminated pretty thoroughly from
the towns, they are In evidence throughout
the Hills, many of them having been
erected In 1878, and are still In ft splendid
state of preservation. Many are built
today, on an Improved scale, and form as
picturesque and comfortable a home as one
could well Imagine.
Black Hills Forest Reserve. .
The Black Hills forest reserve was es
tablished on September 19, 1898, by Presi
dent William McKlnley, who on that date
by proclamation withdrew from settlement
practically all of the timbered area of the
Black Hills, the number of acres of land
B6t aside for this purpose being 1,211.080,
au 0f this large area being In the state
0f South Dakota, excepting 48,640 acros In
the Wyoming strip. The object of the
forest reserve Is for the purpose of pre.
rervlng the living and growing timber,
promoting -the younger growth and the
regulation of the water supply; the do
pendence of the latter for ft sure and sus
tained flow Is wholly upon vegetation, j
which prevents rapid run-off and Is beet
attained by a dense and vigorous growth
of timber. The permanent Industries of
the Black Hills are wholly dependent upon
timber and water; destroy one and these
Industries will disappear, while If both are
destroyed, tho "richest 100 miles square"
will become a desert. The revenue derived
from timber sales In the Black Hills forest
reserve has been double the expense con-
nected with the work.
S t
Farming; la the Hills,
u la "corded that the first actual at-
"pt t0 cultivate the soil of the valleyi
lading from the foot hills was made In
,n Pr,n" 18Sl7' man by the name or
Erown having broken ft few acres of
"round In the Whltewood valley, ft few
miles below the present town of Crook
City. This small tract was planted to
oat- an1 ,n July of that Var w" ready
nsrvesieu, uui wnro men wem 10 ine
'ru?A tor Jhat PurPO" rv
off y the Indians, who took an especial
delight In destroying the ripened crop.
t ... r . I - I 1 1 1 1 1 .
vu viia iojiiouiiiih4 prairie, six ruiies norcn
from Deadwood, almost within the Hills
themselves, and In the Spearflsh valley,
hay was cut ln the summer and fall of
1876, and those who did the cutting took
their lives In their hands. Settlers soon
flocked to the Red water. Belle Fourche,
Lower Falsebottom, Bare Butte, Alkali,
Lower Box Elder, Elk, Morse and the val
leys of the other streams of the northern,
Hills during the latter part of the same
year. These valleys have since tha be
Continued on Face Fur4
