rial used can be gathered by scrutinizing the following figures taken from the contracts of 1889: Hay, 2,500 tons; corn, 900,000 pounds; oats, 2,000,000 pounds; wood 7,000 cords, and other supplies in proportion. When it is remembered that Uncle Sam is a liberal buyer and willing to pay good, round prices for good weight and quality, and that he is a sure paymaster, it can readily be seen that the farmers of Meade County have grand opportunities open to them, opportunities which they are not slow to avail themselves of. Fort Meade is the regimental headquarters of the Eighth Cavalry, and as a consequence, has the elegant band of the regiment, a musical organization having no superior in the employ of the government barring, perhaps, the Marine Band of Washington. Fort Meade is one of the most important posts in the Union, and will always be occupied as long as the Government desires to distribute troops throughout the North and Southwest, or keep close watch over the Indians on the various reservations. Tilford is a small station on the F. E. & M. V. R. Ry. situated on the foot-hills on Morris creek and was destined once to be the connecting point for the Homestake Narrow Gauge Road, which, however, made the new town Piedmont, a few miles farther southeast, their starting point for shipping wood and freight to their works at Lead. In Bear Butte valley and along Spring creek, near the Butte, a large settlement was early begun by hardworking German farmers. The three brothers, Theodore, Hank and Mat Karrels were among the first settlers, and with energy and economy they have proved that farming around the Black Hills is remunerative in spite of all difficulties. They came from near Port Washington, Wisconsin, and a number of their friends followed them. On lower Bear Butte creek quite a number of emigrants from the Old Fatherland settled, and are adding to the wealth and prosperity of the country. On lower Elk creek a settlement of FrenchCanadians was begun early in 1877, but recent failures in the crop seem to discourage these settlers. Alkali, Bend, Big-Bottom, Black Hawk, Dalzell, Doyle, Elm Springs, Grashul, Hereford, Runkel, Smithville, Viewfield and Volunteer are the names of the other postoffices in Meade county. CHAPTER VII. PENNINGTON COUNTY. Pennington County occupies a central position in the Black Hills, extending eighty miles in length east and west, by twenty north and south, and having an area of one thousand miles. The base line of the Hills survey on the forty-fourth parallel of north latitude, passes through the center of the county, which extends ten miles on each side of the line. The county is about equally divided between mountains and open country, the western portion extending into the hearts of the Hills, and the eastern including the main valleys and plains. One-third of the great granite region of the Hills is within the limits of Pennington County, including Harney Peak, the loftiest summit in the Black Hills. This mountain is situated twenty-three miles in an air-line southwest of Rapid City, and can be plainly seen from the foot-hills northwest and southwest of the city, lifting its gigantic northern face far above the surrounding summits, standing among the granite towers and battlements, flanking the great mass like the dome of a mighty cathedral half in ruins, but magnificent still. To the northwest of Harney the horizon is pierced by innumerable peaks and ridges with many beautiful valleys intervening, through which the clear, swift streams go rattling toward the foot-hills and the wide spreading plains beyond. The whole western part of the county is heavily timbered, principally with hard pine, with some spruce, balsam fir, birch, oak, aspen and willows interspersed here and there. In places are found open prairie lands elevated from 4,500 to 6,000 feet above the sea, like the one lying east of Rockerville and another at the head of Prairie creek, near the center of the county. Some of the wildest scenery of the Hills is found in this county, especially on the slopes of the Harney range, and in the canyons of Rapid, Castle, Battle and Spring creek. The north face of Harney lifts its magnificent battlement with a five miles sweep 3,000 feet above the valley at its base, and there are lofty cones about Rockerville, and between Hill City and Castleton, in the central portions of the county. A belt of country six miles wide, running diagonally from Harney City to Rochfort, includes the bulk of the gold, silver, copper and tin mines in the county, the principal exceptions being the placer gold mines at Rochford. A line drawn north and south through Rapid City very |