The weekly pioneer and Democrat., 1858-08-05

WILLIAM CoLyI:Lg, Esq, editor OF the
Red Wing Sentinel, in letter to that pa
per, from the Oronoco gold diggings, gives
some interesting particulars as TO the pro.
gress Of the gold hunters on tho Iumbro.
Writing from Oronoco, Olmsted county, un-
der date Of July Is, Mr.. CoLvu.LR says +;
A brief examination ut Oronoco disclosed
the fact Of the existence OF gold there, and
in considerable quantities, About ten feet
above the level OF the stream is strata Of
clay, lying above coarse gravel. Near the
bottom Of the strata the clay Tor about four
inches in depth is OF dark copper col.
or--very thick and heavy and in this, at
Oronoco, tho particles Of gold are found,
from the size OF pin head down. A pan
OF this earth washed. gives from five to
twenty particles, with abou, a common tea
spoonful OF black sand
But the excitement about diggings be.
low, distracted attention from those in town.
which was only worked for the purpose Of
proving TO visitors the existence OF gold.
From Oronoco, accompanied by Lowell
and Hall. Of st. Paul We PROCEEDED to MIR,
Sleighmakcr's diggngs by the overland
ronte, six miles, through rough and bro
ken country. Near Slcighmaker's the
south branch comes into the main stream,
making a wide and beautiful valley. in gen.
eral elevated about twenty feet above the
channel. A narrow gravel bar two or
three feet, above, now on one sile and now
on the other oi, the stream, AMI back OF that,
and but two or three fret higher, n bench of
clayey soil contain the richest deposits.
About thirty miners. with rockers, a.e
working on the bar
The rocker is wooden box, the bottom
of sheet iron punched with holes halt an
inch in diameter. Into this box the grave!
Is shoycl,d. and water poured in the shak'
ing causes the fine gravel and sand to tall
through on TO al inclined plane, along which
il is carried out OF the way tic black sand
and gold being stopped by pieccs OF wood
nailed across the incno! plane--a very Sinl-
plo machine G. but which does not work well
in such diggings, the shaking not being sui
hcient To shake out one fourth ot tue gold
from the gravel and sand which Is washed
down the plaiuc.
A company consisting OF thirty indlyid-
uals, known as the Oronoco Company, bad
by small daui obtained about ,hrec feet
head Of water, and they were then engaged
in constructing sluicc (;hen nearly finished
one hundrod and eighty rods long, "a bring
the water up to the bench mentioned above.
WHERE they were constructing tom An
inclinNi plane. some thirty ke, long, over
which pours the water carrying the dirt
shoyeltd into the head OF the tom. in going
down which the gold is separated IRON the
earth and collected in box containing
mercury.
This company is under the management
Oft. A. Olms,cad, Esq an Old California.
Their works had cost the amount Of ) 600
and we're neatly completed. Judge ottman,
| of Oronoco. also Californian, Is a member
Of the company. From various experiments
/ hy Mr. Hall. and from what lcarrd from
Judge O,.man and MIR Olmstead. about
one dollar per day can be made IN these DIG
gings, by diligent man, working with 8
pan; from which they inier that IN the
tom" man can obtain from twenty to nj
~ dollars pr day, This is the case in 'al
iiorna. whore similar d,gginys arc made t'
pay well with the tom, IN which you can ge'
nothing out with the pan, and here, wltl
an incNhaus'able supply Of the gold bearing
Garth as easily dug a. the soil OF the prat
ries AMI most cacciient facilities tor obtain
,ng water. they bei1sve,ycry ra,lonaAy tina
ii will pay cqaally a vyl IN proportion.
MeSrs Hall and OlnHtcai are men o
grca, experience in the busincss. Of gcc