The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-09-02
THE PRESENT AND FUTURE of THE GREAT
WEST GOLD ON THIS SIDE or THE NOUN
TAINS. ''-T

me reports from Lcavenworth Of gold discoveries
and washings at Pike Peak, on the road from that
city to Santa Fe, afford us suitable occasion TO res
peat suggestion we made few weeks ago, that
the discoveries of the precious deposites would not
be confined to the Pacific slope. We do not care to
question the accuracy Of the Leavenworth state
ments do feel much interest in their truth or
fasity. What we have TO say is that gold deposites
this continent have been found within given lines
districts lying on the Atlantic, extending from Viz
ginie into upper Georgia, and on the Pacific, EN-
bracing especially the California region have been
infinitely explored and worked. The intermediate
territory of New Mexico has been also more or less
examined and all reports in the fact that
tensiye mineral deposites abound in that country
Sufficient indications and facts to convey the
impression that the great gold belt of the continent
stretches directly across from California to the At
lantic Nor do the Fraser river discoveries mill
tate against this theory. Gold has been found also
in Vermont and further NORTH in Canada, and in va
rious other northern regions to the east of the
tains. Within the latitudes embracing the great
California deposies and extending eastward to the
Atlantic the vast intermediate country, not even ex
cepting New Mexico, remains almost wholly unex
plored. All travellers who have frequented this
country in the opinion that it promises to be
one of the richest mineral deposites in the world 1t
is remarkable fact that the silver deposites com
lnence in Arizona and Sonora, ON the Pacific, and
extend eastward through Northern and New Next
co. These deposites to run out within the
countries last named; at least, we have no data
which indicate their existence on the Atlantic
coast,
We have made these observations not of course,
on the testimony of any minute geological survey
nor with view OF asserting the existence in point
OF fact of gold belt extending across the continent
within the attitudes named. Nothing is known of
definite character of the country beyond what has
been developed, accidentally incidentally, by per-
sons engaged in other than gold pursuits Enough,
however has been reported to excite great interest
in the region described and to offer to scientific men
promises Of rich rewards for any Investigations they
may undertake in the premises.
1t is noteworthy feature of American life that
nearly all important discoveries in the science of
geology, for few years past, have been made by a
class of who have little OF 40 accurate knowl-
edge of the geological structure Of the earth Pri-
vate enterprise, in the eager pursuit of gain, has
penetrated nearly every region of great country
and has unfoded and published to the world its vast
mineral resources; while strictly scientific attain
ments have been content to confine their labors to
those regions easiest of access and promising only
the developments of general laws. And we have
no doubt but the future will also show that individ.
developing the resources of the country to which we
have referred.
The American people are most remarkable for their
energy and they evidently trust to that feature of
life the for unfolding those fields for its
profitable exercise, giving themselves no trouble
about anything beyond the question Of immediate
profits With such data as exist and are well known
to all, indicating the depositc Of valuable mineral
within our own borders, there is no other country
on the globe which would remain unexplored for
single year. This fact reflects little credit upon our
geological science and compels to trust to acct
dents for what in any other State would result from
the explorations Of those ien who are educated to
understand and proclaim the great features of the
earth we inhabit.
We are compelled, indeed, to rely upon the pr-
waite enterprise Of the country--upon those who
have the very best means and who resort to the
woods in the hope Of gain--for the development Of
our and to bring them to the uses of the
human family. The most interesting feature of
American lifein fact, the most interesting events in
the history of the human famiIyare to be found in
the quick occupation of the interior of our great
country and its transformation into high states of
production, and comfort to man
What has been done on the Plain of the Lakes and
valleys ofthe Mssissippiand Missouri
10 say nothing of California and Oregon, are the
greatest wonders which have ever cen enacted in
The history of the They point with equal force
10 the past and to the future. They tell us that
within the last quarter of century great Emn;re
IF Industry has been built up, perfect in all it's
parts, successful in all its departments and wonder
ul in all its achievements. What then, is to be
he future of the West that we can look back
ipon what the present generation has accomplished
or themselves and their children? Half the CONT |
rent has been explored, occupied, and cultivated.
)ur frontier limits are being extended hundred
niles each year. Mineral wealth is being unfolded,
compensation for labor and widening the
ield of universal employment. We may, then well
rust the great interior to the explorations of the