Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1858-08-21

township of Worcester and in other localities in
the State indicate that the worthy Professor was
perhaps a little premature in his congratulations
upon the scarcity of the yellow banc. | trust
that the good people of Vermont, so well con-
ditioned now in the honest cultivation of their
fegtile valleys and hill'sdes, are not to be sub
iectcd to that worst of all social diseases--the
gold fever; but yet it cannot be denied that there
is some slight danger of it, Some three or four
years since a returned Californian, named Clogs
ton, who originally went from these parts, and
had operated for about two years upon the Yu-
ba river with some success. was led By q certain
geological resemblance which he observed be-
tween portion of this county and the gold
producing region of California, to 90 prospect
ing up some Of the streams here, and particu-
larly North Branch which joins the Winoosli
at Montpelier. lie found particles of gold at
several points on this little stream, but as he
went up towards its source all traces of the pre-
cious metal disappeared He was satisfied that
the gold was carried into the branch by some of
its smaller tributaries, but, thinking it hardly
worth while, and being engaged, too, in other
business he did not prosecute hissearch. Last
summer, happening one day to be riding past
one of these little tributaries, called Minister'S
brook, which comes down from Worcester
mountain. and observing parcel Of gravel ac-
cumulatcd in position such as, in California,
is favorable to a deposit of gold, he collected
portion Of It, and, on washing, found himself
well repaid for his trouble. He soon afterwards
experimental ON other portions Of the brook,
and was so well satisfied of its productiveness,
that in the course of the winter, he bought from
the owners of the farms through which it past
ed Che exclusive right of working its bed for
gold-this right to continue for the term of five
years. From the mouth of the brook to its
source on the mountain is about four miles, and
his present purpose is to work the bed Of the
stream for the entire distance. He commenced
systematic operations in May, but has been
much interrupted By heavy rains and high wa
ter. Towards the mouth he finds the gold in
minute particles, but OF very pure quality, be-
ing worth u % dollars an ounce. As he
advances up, the gold grows coarser. He has
found one nugget weighing nearly two ounces,
and another weighing over one ounce. lie has
now three fumes in operation, and several men
employed The actual amount of his daily col
lections he does not divulge, for he is very anx-
ious to keep off interlopers. There is every
reason to suppose that it does not average less
than four or five dollars per day, for each man
employed. He himself admits that though his
best days here, thus far, are not equal to his
best in California, yet the average is higher
He expects to find the brook more productive
as he works up towards its source, the heaviest
particles Of course being carried the shorter dis
tance. The mountain, from which the brook
flows, is Of talcose slate plentifully intermixed
with quartz. Mr.. Clogston declares that, in its
general structure it has marked resemblance
to the gold-producing hills on the Yuba. They
are also working upon the other side of the
mountain in the town Of Stowe, but with what
degree of success have not been able to learn.
1t is said that gold has lately been found in Mad
river stream which flows from the South into
the Winooski a few miles below Montpelier
Bald Mountain, which lies near this stream, has
{ resemblance 10 Worcester Mountain.
Gold has lately been found in Windsor coun-
ty. in the town of Plymouth, lying some fifty
miles south of Montpelier, and promising pros
poets" have been made at various points in that
quarter do. not hear, however, that any sys-
tematic digging has been done. Three or four
years ago. a quartz vein in the adjoining town
of Bridgewater was worked for gold. and with
degree Of success, but not sufficient to pre-
vent final abandonment of operations The
geological structure of that region is similar to
that of the localities in this county where gold
is obtained
Enough is now known to settle the fact that
gold exists among the Green Mountains in con-
siderable quantities, and to stimulate svstemat-
ic search for it. But it vet remains to be prov
ed that mining operations or an extensive scale
would be warranted. There are particular spots
doubtless, which will well repay digent work
ing some perhaps, which, if known, would af-
ford small fortune; but it will not yet do to
consider Vermont another California. For its
own sake we trust the day will never come when
it will he so regarded. There is now no State
in the Union, whose people are more generally
il the enjoyment of individual competence and
all the social blessings and nothing would more
tend to demoraiize, impoyerish, and make un-
happy than the distempered excitement of sue
cessful gold-hunting. J. X. s.