Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1858-07-23

rer and Enquirer, gives the facts of past and
present gold-mining in our State, in very
interesting letter to that journal. We trust,
with him, that the day is far distant when
Vermont shall be added to the Eldorados,
and in spite of the unlavorablc symptoms
we cannot feel much alarmed about it.
MONTPELIER, W., July IA.
Before leaving the city | had heard ru
mors of late gold discoveries in this c9 S{ tx
but gq HGs tR ESG%nsdered an auriferous State,
though gold has occasionally been found
within its limits. Some thirty years ago a
lump of native gold weighing eight ounces
was picked up in Newfanc, a town near It's
Southern extremity, and small particles have
been found at other times in that region in
connection with talcose slate. But no one
has supposed that any part of the Green
any quantity. Says the State Gcologist,
Prof. Hitchcock, in his last Report, made
last October:
| know enough of the rocks and minerals of the
State to be satisfied that probably, other por-
ton of the Union, Of equal size, make rich
a 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 a
quantity sufficient to break up the regular pursuits
of industry, and introduce the mmoraliies and
reckessness usually seen in rich gold producing
regions. The leading subtcrranean products Of
Vermont, which inexhaustible, and always
will be in demand at home and abroad marble,
serpentine, soapstone, iron, slate, granite and
limestone for cement. Scattered they through
the whole length of the state and most of them of
the finest quality, they must always he source of
wealth; not coming in itful waves like the pre-
cious metals but in a steady stream, to reward
patient industry.
Discoveries that have lately been made in
the township of Worcester and in other To-
calities of the State indicate that the worthy
Professor was, perhaps, a little premature in
his congratulations upon the scarcity OF the
yellow bane ! trust that the good people
of Vermont, so well conditioned now in the
honest cultivation of their vallies and hill
sides, are not to be subjected 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 Clogston, who
originally went from these parts, and had
operated for about two years upon the Yuba
river, with some success, was led by GER
tain geological resemblance which he observ-
ed between portion of this county and the
gold-producing region of California, to 60
prospecting up some OF the streams here, and
particularly North Branch which joins the
Winooski, at Montpelier. He found parti-
cles of gold at several points on this little
stream, but as he went up towards its source,
all traces of the precious metal disappeared.
lie was satisfied that the gold was carried into
the branch by some of its smaller tributaries;
but, thinking it hardly worth while, and be-
ing engaged, too, in other business, he did
not prosecute his search.
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 accumulated in position
such as, in California, is favorable to deposit
of gold, he collected portion of it, and on
washing, found himself well repaid for his
trouble lie, 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 passed,
the 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 course 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 water. Towards the mouth he finds
the gold in minute particles, but of very pure
quality being worth 81 or % dollars an
ounce. As he advances up, the gold grows
coarser, He has found one nugget weighing
nearly two ounces, and another weighing
over an ounce. He has now three fumes in
operation, and several men employed. The
actual amount of his daily collections he does
not divulge, for he is very anxious to keep
off interlopers. There is every reason to
suppose that it docs not average less than
four or five dollars a day, for each man en-
ployed. lie himself admits that though his
best days here, thus far, are not equal TO his
best in California, yet the average is higher.
lie expects to find the brook more productive
as he works up towards its source, the
heaviest particles of course being car
ried tie shorter distance. The mount
ain from which the brook flows, is of
talcose slate plentiiully intermixed with
quartz. Mr.. Clogston declares that, in its
general structure it has IA marked resemblance
to the gold producing hills of Yuba, They
H.