Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1850-06-28
A Mountain of Gold.

The Pacific News of the Doth April has a very sin
gular article in relation to aedged discovery OF
mountain composed entirely OF gold and silver.
The first mention made OF this most marvellous OF
Natures productions, in letter written to the
N. Y. Commercial Advertiser, which at the time was
thought to be a clever parody the wonderful &C
counts from California. Subsequently party OF
emgrants fitted out for spot about sixty miles east
of Pueblo de los Angeles having heard of the exis
tence of vast quantities of gold in another direction
changed their destination. We continue with the
relation given by the News
The route lay in Northern direction from the
place of departure and full of difficulties. Striking
the Mahahve river, they followed its course some
distance crossing and re-crOssng necessity COM
PEELED, days often fifteen times leaving it
where it makes bend to the southeast toward the
Colorado into which it empties. Obstacles were en-
countered at various parts of the journey almost in
surmountable, in the shape of mountains of rock
which they had to climb, and mountains of snow
which they could not avoid, narrow gorges through
which they had to pass, and still narrower cliffs a.
long whose crests nothing but mule could pass
with a prospect of safety and where the slightest
mis-step would land rider and all hundreds of feet
below; but they pushed about 23O miles from the
Pueblo, the point for which they started Here, a.
mong the eastern spurs of the Sierra Neveda, they
found the object of their search gold-and silver
too; in such quantities they had not dreamed Of
a perfect mountain of rocks with silver and gold
min gled and comingled in solid masses, weighing
from one to many tons The quartz proved to be
exceedingly hard to such degree that during their
short stay all their implements made for this partl-
cular purpose before starting were completely worn
out in the operation of drilling and blasting.
The strangest part of the whole discovery is yet
ITO be told These large boulders of gold, silver and
quartz have the gold in the south end and the silver
in the north end No executions were found in their
examination, the silver being the most abundant Of
the two In the person who on the spot, there
is silver enough there to sink every ship in the har
Dor"
Possibly some may look upon this account as a
lest and so far as the practicabty of putting the
discovery to any present is concerned 1t is so
All the water to be found for miles and miles around
is highly mpregnated with salt salaratus or both
Not single drop of water free from one or the 9th
er of these properties did of the party obtain du
ring the ten days of their stay. The whole region
is perfect waste and disease and death must ineVl
tably follow any prolonged stay. On their return
they met a large company going to the same spot
true statement of the difficulties and dangers OF
further prosecution of the expedition induced abou
two hundred to turn back-ffty went on.
The gentleman named, from whom these facts havt
been obtained is in this city, with specimens II
his possession, brought from the mother mountain
They are the most singular and beautiful we nave
seen, and one need only them, and hear HIM
to be convinced that nothing has been told but th'
truth.
THE METHODIST CHURcH-According to a state
ment recently made, the Methodist Episcopal Church
South, has had an increase during the past year o
1885 members So travelling preachers and 81
local preachers The whole number of travelling
preachers is 1912 of whom 904 superannuated
local preachers 1892; members, 366,582 whites
l84,722 colored, 1926 Indians total, 5o4, $50. ~