Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1850-06-20

We have delayed publishing notices Of the "gold
dlggngs' of Brown county. as DR.. BeowN, the BROTH
er Of the editor Of this paper who was in ndianap-
oils short time since. and was then his route To
that region Of country, promised 10 give the result Of
his investigations in letter to he Governor of the
State This he has done and his letter is published
in the last number of the Charlottesville Review.
The editor of that paper says that Dr. Brown is one
OF the best biologists and chemists in the State. aud
his observations and conclusions may therefore be
set down pretty nearly correct. The following is
his letter.
To has EreelLency Joseph Wright Governor Of Indiana
SIRs-Permn eommunieste you, and through you
10 the public, few observations the result Of recent
euIsion to the Indiana gold region.'
The extent OF country IN which gold has actually been
discovered in Indiana is about IS miles long with
age width Of about 10 miles, Almost all the small streams
mng the heads Of Salt Creek aud Bean Blossom in Brown
county being worked Passing from this section
noTihweseIly di,ecton few points huts-
~ Indian Creek are worthy Of attention. Continuing
The line in The direction Bunets Creek. the
side Of White River Morgan county, gold has been wash
ed several Of the small branches u this nearly
10 its source.
The face of country broken with abrupt hills and
deep ravnes, presenting, indeed, but little level surface
The SUBMITS Of the bills seldom exceed 100 feet above the
level Of the stream though in Instances they om
bold and lofty ridges rising elevation Of perhaps
than 300 feet The soil light sandy diIuvium, covered
with heavy forest Of sugar ree poplar oak ash, &C.
On the ridges however where they attain their highest
vaion the chestnut oak black hickory ard whoIiebey
make their appearance The country is not sterile; the
great Obtace TO agriculture being its uneven surface aud
not the poverty Of the soil
GeooeicaIy, this region is undeilayed by heavy
stratum Of aglscou SANDSTONE many places running
into the light blue clay slate shale resembling nearly the
argiIe Of Krwin. This forms bed Of the streams,
frequently rising 10 the height Of 40 so feet in the hills
presenting bold, precpilous bluffs OVERLAPPING this sand
stone is heavy diviuval deposiie drift, consisting of
'cious sand waterwurn pebbles and clay, all strongly
tnged with lion. The gravel is from the primitive oTms
quenily specimens of chysals Of that mineral beau
u This diIuvium is The source of all the gold found in
that region, and il is probably mixed uniformly with this
immense deposte. and it is only where the wash from the
hills avOTs The descent OF il into the streams that washing
for gold be followed with any probable prospect Of
picked few small detached specimens of the
gold bearing Salt Creek and Bean Blossoms
they ave very rare and no where found in strata. The
quartz pebble quite common THERE IS evidently refOTma
from the material furnished by the decomposition of
this rock The gold is found in small PARTICLES
every conceivable shape, generally however assuming the
appearance Of small scales. The largest PARTICLES which
did exceed the size of a gain of wheai while
many Of them were too small To be visible 70 the naked
To procure the gold the sand and gravel deposited be
streams is washed in in "BuIke's Rocker" This
washing is continued until nothing remains but a heavy
black sand mixed with PARTICLES Of god which become
visible on close inspection From This sand the gold
arated by amagamaton with From the best data
within my reach estimated The number Of persons employ
ed in the "digg gs at between aud 800. | found il
very difficult to ascertain with degree Of certainty the
net profits per day. From all that could eaIn suppose
that experienced hand would two three
will hardly pay board. To popular
the subject, will state that there such thing
"mines Of god' local vens Of the dust" IL only
pTohIably found in the beds Of streams mixed with the
washed sand and gravel from the hills. Where the largest
Of surface is washed into stream, where that surface
has been poughed aud thus facilitates The washing of
surface and where the descent the steep aud
dnec,, without much bottom land Intervening there
washing will be profitable other things being equal
Much docking for god' has been done different places
in Indiana Of aie gold be detected by "lookng
merely, in the richest streams in Brown OF Morgan.
To find it the sand must be washed have described
have slIeady alluded 10 the knOwn Of the de-
pose in Indiana; prevent mistake and frutiess
section of what Mr.. Owen in his report calls the
bOneOus series This formation the State Of Indi-
ana at the falls Of the Ohio and travees the State
heightened curve, bearing nOIhery direction iBcliniDg
gradually toward the until il is lost the Wabash
tween COviDgton aud Attica. IL forms the noh-eas
border of The great Coal Fields Of Indiana Its line
by apids ali the principal streams, where it
and by the knobby character of the face OF the
well by the presence Of the underlying argilaciOus
sandstone.
Gold may be found in the whole length Of this geologic
cal range, would be uitless labor
You'd. From certain geological necessary
to be named think very probable that gold I be dis
covered many localities this formation but DO where
in veIy large amountspeIbap not in sufficient quantitie:
TO make it object Of much interest
g Respectfully, yours, &C.. r. I. BROWN.
CRAwFoRDsvILLE, June S,h, 1850.