Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1858-07-29
Gold Diggings in Vermont.

A correspondent of the Courier and Enquirer
has the following relative to Vermont gold dig
ging:
MONTPELIER, VT, July IA.
Before leaving the city had heard rumors
of late gold discoveries in this country, but
give them little credit. Vermont has never
been considered an auriferous State, though
gold has occasionally been found within its
limits Some thirty years ago lump of ma
tive gold weighing eight ounces was picked up
in Newfane a town near its Southern extrem-
itv and small particles have been found at 9TH
er times in that region in connection with tai
cose slate But no one has supposed that any
part of the Green Mountains contained the pre-
ccious metal tn any quantity. Says the State
Geologist, Prof Hitchcock, in his Report, made
last October.
Il know enough of the rocks and minerals of
the State to be satisfied that, probably, no other
portion of the Union, of equal size, can make
SO rich display of mineral wealth. ought,
perhaps, to except some mining districts of the
South and West for although gold occurs
here, on belt extending, probably, through
the whole State, appearances, | am happy to
say, do not lead us to expect it in IL quantity
sufficient to break up the regular pursuits OF
industry, and introduce the immoralities and
recklessness usually seen in rich gold producing
regions The leading subterranean products OF
Vermont, which are inexhaustible and always
will be in demand at home and abroad, are
MARBLE serpentine, soapstone, iron, slate, gran
lite, and limestone for cement. Scattered as
they are through the whole length of the State,
v and most of them of the finest quality, they
8 must always be source of wealth not COM
o ing in ftful waves like the precious metals,
. but in a steady stream, to reward patient in
u dustry.'
r Discoveries that have lately been made in the
70 township of Worcester and in other localities Of
the State indicate that the worthy Professor
d was, perhaps, a little premature in his congrat
=, ulations upon the scarcity of the yellow bane
l. | trust that the good people of Vermont, 81
s. well conditioned now in the honest cultivation
s. of their yalies and hill-sdes are not to be sub
e. iected to that worst of all social diseases-th
gold-fever but yet, it cannot be denied tina
there is some slight danger of it. Some thre
10 or four years since, q returned Californian
lie named Clogston, who originally went from thes
p parts, and had operated for about two years III
TX on the Yuba river, with some success, was lie
I'd by a certain geological resemblance which
r. observed between portion of this country an
sc gold producing region of California to 60 pr
Ii specting up some of the streams here, and pa
", ticuarly North Branch which joins tt
as Winooski, at Montpelier. He found particle
or of gold at several points on this little stream
,ty but as he went up towards its source oil trac
Of the precious metal disappeared. lie WI
satisfied that the gold was carried INTO u
,ot branch by some of its smaller tributaries gu
~" NV thinking it hardly worth while, and being
i,Gs gagged too, in other business, he did not PR
-. secute his search.
Or stsummer, happening, one day, to be rldll
o mast one of these little tributaries, called MI
oi ster's book which comes down from Worc'
eu, ter Mountain, and observing o parcel OF graz
!" accumulated in a position such as, in Calitorn
wo is favorable to u deposit OF gold, he collected
vas norrion of it, and on washing, found hims
ven we'll ranaid for his trouble. He, soon att
, az wards experimented on other portions OF I
aed hrook and was 50 well satisfied of producti
ana moss that. in the course of the winter,
Pc hongbt from tho owners of the farms throu
was Which it past, the exclusive right OF work.
'er' he he'd for gold-this right to continue Tor
ave form Of FIVE years. From the mouth OF
Iefo brooL IN its sourse on tho mountain is ab'
fnnr miles, and his present purpose is TO VIC
tbe he'd of the stream for the entire distance.
for y Tia commenced systematic operations in NJ
.ood int has been much interrupted by heavy "a
v a, and high water Towards the mouth he Il
90 the gold in minute particles, but OF very P
% maiity. bend worth q or % dollars an our
dies As he advances up, the gold grows coarSer'
the has found one nugget weighing nearly
ounces, and another weighing over IN our