The Kansas herald of freedom., 1858-10-02
From the Kansas City Journal
Gold Fever MinesEEmigraiion.

! FIRST DIscovERIEs-For many years
the traders from this city to the mount
aims have believed in the existence Of gold
in the head streams of the Arkansas and
South Platte. As long ago as 1885,
Eustache Carriere, a French trapper, now
living, superanuated, with the Chouteau
family in this city, was lost from his par
ty in that region, and wandered for sew
eral weeks through that country, during
which time he collected in his shot pouch
numerous specimens, which he carried
! with him to New Mexico. They proved
to be gold, and party was there formed
and returned with N. Carriere to search
for the locality. He was unable to find
4 the streams where be had collected his
specimens, and was tied up and severely
whipped by the Mexicans, under the sup
position that he did not wish to disclose
their location. This was the first diseov-
cry we have been able to learn. The
1 Catholic missionaries have frequently
found specimens in possession of the
Kansas Indians and Others, who annually
visit the country for hunting. s
Col. BEST's KNOwLEDGE.-Col VIM.
Bent, or as he is more familiarly known,
"Bill Beut,n has been tradingin the vicin-
ity of that country for many years. He
says that the existence of gold has been
known to the Indians ever since his resi-
dence among them. He made many in-
1 quiries after the discovery of gold in Cal
ifornia, and has ever since been satisfied
of its existence. The Indians, however,
| bova oi, ho
knowledge being made known to the
whites. That country is their richest
hunting grounds /; their best wintering
country, and as one old chief told Bent,
if the white men ever found the gold,
they would take from them their "best
and last home" Their jealousy has thus
far guarded their country, and kept the
secret from the white man.
The SECOND DIscovERY.-The second
discovery was made by party of emf
grants to California, in 1851, from Mis-
souri,, Arkansas and the Cherokee Ma
tioa. Gold was found by them while
passing through the country, and pro-
posai made at that time to stop; but hav-
ing families with them, and no means OF
affording them shelter or protection, they
finally proceeded on to California. The
development of the gold deposits of that
State prevented their return. But their
reports further stimulated public feeling
and nothing was accomplished or at
tempted until'last season, when
The PRESENT DIsCovERY-WaS made.
The settlement of tho Kansas difficulty
left many men in the country who had
become habituated to excitement and ad.
venture, and were looking out for some
new field. Parties were formed at differ.
ent points for explorations. Some went
to Arizona, some to Salt Lake, and 9th.
ers to California. One, however, from
the Cherokee country and Arkansas, incit.
ed by the accounts which The Cherokces
gave of the Pixies Peak region, fitted ou
for that point. News of the expedition
being brought to Lawrence, K. T., par.
ty fitted out at that place late in May
I, last and company from Missouri, un
der the direction of member of the Cal.
ifornia party of 1851, left the centra
part of the State last spring. for the same
, destination.
These parties have been prcspectin;
the country during the summer, and thei
being in the country, and being discover
ed by some of the trappers and traders
led Berdeau, Richard, Cantrell and 9th
ers to the waters of Cherry and Long
Creek. The result of their discoveries
! we have already given. The great secre
of the Indians is a. last discovered, ant
before the SHOWS of winter cover tn,
country, thousand men will be a
work in tho auriferous sands OF. the noun
tain streams. .-..-........
: The COUNTRY AND ITS LOCALITY
, From those already returned from thu
/ mines, we have generally correct idc:
S of the region in which the gold is known
( to exist Pixies Peak, which may be
: taken as the geographical point, is abou
0 25 miles south of the 39th parallel o
t latitude, and on direct line about 57C
= miles southwest of Kansas City. It i,
about 80 miles east of Cochetopa pass
g and about 24 miles south. The -Arkan
4 sas takes its rise on the South side of tn,
a range in which the Peak is situated, auC
{ tue South Platte on the north side. Mr.
, John Cantrell, the Lawrence, Georgii
D and Missouri companies, have prospectel
: the South Platte streams, principally
] Cherry and Longs's Creeks, which ar,
from 40 to 80 miles from the Peak, al
| most in direct westerly course. Mr.
s King and the Cherokee company have il
$ addition pretty thoroughly explored til,
Arkansas branches, with, in many instan
ces, better success than on the Platte bu
sufficient has been demonstrated to prov
, that both are gold producing. The tw,
{ rivers head together, but the ,Arkansa
penetrates the mountain range to mucl
greater distance than the other. Til
t country prospected embraces about q
. miles north and south, and following tn
streams greater or less distances. From
the South Platte we have as yet see
: only the "hoat gold," but from the Ar
: kansas, we have both the scales and tn
: nugget, as well as the gold in the quartz
! The specimens which have reached Kan
0 sas City are greatly superior both in rich
i ness and quantity TO the first d;scoyerie
in California, and leave no doubt as t
g the capabilities OF the mines when prop
5 erly worked. ,-.
n THE COUNTRY AND CLIMATE-Th
: country in the vicinity, of Pikes's Peak j
II well suited TO the growth of small grain
/ is as well watered as the mountain dis
Ir tricts of Pennsylvania and ,yiirgiDi;
g and is in the same latitude with Balti
(, more, Cincinnati and St. Louis. Du
y owing to its elevation, SHOWS fall eari
s in the fall aud late in the spring. Ira,
IS pers and traders, however, who have Ion
been familiar with the country, speak {
it as much more mild than the ccuntr
at the. South Pass. Immediately we:
# and south ere the Parks of the Rock
l. Mountains, which are represented by Frg
mont Besie, Leroux, Williams earsol
d and GoOdale, to be exceedingly mild j
Is winter, afording abundance Of food fc
d stock during the entire winter season, an
a are the fav0rita uinfar haunts Of .ha IT,