BLACK  HILLS  LETTER

Carroll Chroncile; Friday Jan. 5, 1877 issue;

One of Our Boys in the Black Hills
Galena, Black Hills Country
Nov. 28, 1876

Dear Sister:   It has been some time since I have heard from home, although I have written several times. I left 

Bismarck last Spring and have not heard from you since then. If you do not hear from me often, don't be alarmed
for I am all right. This is very healthy country, and no danger need be anticipated from Indians as they have all
left this country for the winter.

I struck the Black Hills on the 20th of May, bought a lot in Crook City, and built a house on it; then I entered a 
claim and went to sluicing for gold, making about $4.00 a day. As there was no money in that job for me, I started,
with eight others, prospecting for quartz leads; we have so far, one gold and six silver leads, and consider 
ourselves very lucky. A ton of our gold quartz produces $135.00; one of our partners is now in Philadelphia 
having an assay made of the silver quartz. There are some very rich silver mines in this camp; the ore produces
from $50.00 to $3,000.00 per ton, and I think ours is as good as the average. One thing is certain if one half them
proves good, each of us will have an independent fortune. We have started a town here which we call Galena. 
Each one of us has erected a house, and there are about sixty more in course of construction. This will be a 
lively camp next spring when we will have quartz mills and smeltzers in operation.

Affectlonately yours; Frank Wagoner.

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