“ THE BAD LANDS 8East of the Black Hills, and within easy reach, is scenery, somewhat mountainous in nature, yet very different from anything in the Black Hills or in other mountainous regions. To anyone who has not travelled the “Scenic Highway through South Dakota,” a two days trip eastward from Rapid City over this road is well worth while.
The tourist enters the Bad Lands near the town of Scenic, 45 miles east of Rapid City. From this point the next 50 miles is in the midst of some of the strangest and most wonderful scenery known. ”

“ CITY OF BELLE FOURCHE The City of Belle Fourche, the County Seat of Butte County, is located in the Belle Fourche Valley upon the Belle Fourche and Redwater rivers. The city was established in the days of Count de Mores and Theodore Roosevelt upon the western prairies and was one of the stations on the De Mores trail between the Black Hills and New England and De Mores, N. D. It bears the distinction of being the greatest primary cattle market in the world. Its trade is drawn from the ranges of Montana and Wyoming as well as the fertile valleys of South Dakota. ”

“ SPEARFISH CANYON 6There is probably no other scenic place in the Black Hills which has been given as much attention by tourists, photographers, and magazine writers as Spearfish Canyon. The Royal Gorge in Colorado, the Palisades of the Hudson and many other points of national scenic wonder may be found reproduced here on a scale perhaps less grand, but making up in beauty all that is lost in magnitude. Good automobile roads traverse long stretches of this canyon, entering it from Deadwood, and from Spearfish as platted herein. ”

“ Plover, partridges, pheasants, grouse, ducks and geese may be easily had in season. Although many kinds of fish are found in the mountain streams, trout are the most common. The streams are restocked at frequent intervals from the Government Fishery at Spearfish with Brook, Locklaven, Speckled and Rainbow trout, so that fishing will continue to be one of the leading diversions of the pleasure seeker. From November 1st to May 1st when trout fishing is prohibited in South Dakota, the sport may be continued across the line in Wyoming where no such restriction exists. ”

“ The nights, owing to the altitude of nearly thirty-two hundred feet, are always cool, there being few in the hottest of the summer months when blankets are not needed. The absence of dew makes camping a delightful pastime and there is trout fishing, for those who enjoy the gentle art of Isaac Walton, as good as the country affords anywhere. ”

“ Government land can be secured within a few miles of the city. The city has four churches, seventy businesses represented, one of the finest school buildings in the state, with a competent corps of teachers, a large garage, 50 by 120 feet, containing all the latest machinery for repairing autos, including the new autogenous welding machine, an immense bridge over the Cheyenne river, admitting of travel the year around.
Twenty trains leave Edgemont every day, among which are six passenger trains—four of them trans-continental, fully equipped with all conveniences for the traveling public. ”

“ Automobiles must be driven in a careful and prudent manner, at a rate of speed such as not to endanger the property, life or limb of any person, provided that a rate of speed in excess of 25 miles per hour is presumptive evidence of driving at a rate of speed which is not careful and prudent, in case of injury to the person or property of another. ”

“ East, south and west of the city lie great belts of rich agricultural lands now in course of development. A short distance from the town is the government Experimental 96farm, where all kinds of seed and methods of cultivation are tried out for the benefit of settlers. ”

“ No tourist should leave the Black Hills until this trip has been taken either by automobile or rail. In either case he should go as far east as the towns of Interior or Kadoka, and actually go through Cedar Pass which is five miles northeast of Interior. ”

“ The raising of the hand, by anyone who is leading, driving or riding a horse or other draft animal, as a signal to stop shall cause the driver of any automobile thus signalled to, to stop his car until the danger of frightening such animal is past. ”

“ From a personal standpoint, the renewed vigor, and quieted nerves that result from rest among such pleasant surroundings, breathing pure air, laden with the odor of the pines, bathing in or drinking mineral waters all make it a trip well worth while. ”

“ HEALTH RESORTS As a health resort the Southern Hills have gained a National reputation. A sanitarium for treatment of tuberculosis patients has been established by the State near Custer, 29 miles north of Hot Springs. ”

“ It runs southeast through the Bad Lands, the only railroad traversing this Wonderland of Nature, and on to Chicago. The Rapid City, Black Hills & Western has its headquarters in Rapid City, and is one of the most wonderfully constructed railroads in the country. ”

“ The idea is new, however, of selecting good automobile routes to reach the larger cities and points of scenic interest in this region, and of platting the same as a guide to the stranger who may be easily lost amid the windings and branchings of the roads in forest, mining camp or city. ”

“ THE HOMESTAKE MINE 5The largest gold mine in the world, employing an average of 3500 men and producing from $5,000,000 to $8,000,000 worth of gold bullion per year, has its principal properties and mines at Lead. ”