Freeman's champion., 1858-09-09
More About the Gold Mines The
Facts

Peak.
Mr.. Cantrell is an old California
miner himself, and has had much cx-
perience in gold digging. He went
out last spring with a lot Of goods to
trade with the army any emigra-
tion crossing the plains. After clo-
sing ont his stock, and hearing that
several parties had been prospecting
on the head waters of the Platte, he
determined to visit the country and
see for himself.
He first arrived at Cherry Greek,
and there learned that a party Of
about one hundred men, portion
from Arkansas and Missouri, and
Cherokee Indians, had been in the
country for several weeks during the
spring, but from the unusually high
waters, the country being flooded be-
yond what had ever been known, they
became discouraged, and many of
them returned home. He learned,
however, that o party of fifteen men,
under Green Russell, of Georgia, had
remained, and were up nearer the
mountains. He set out to find this
party, which he succeeded in doing.
They had been at work for ten or
twelve days and had taken out about
ST. ,OOO, portion only being at work
and with no mining tools.
THE GOLD REGION.
Mr.. Cantrell traversed about seven
ty miles Of the'country, and in every
stream he prospected he found gold.
In one place where he prospected,
three pans of dirt paid 66 cents,
weighed with apothecaries scales.
lie says he can, with a pick and a
pan, make from SIT to $40 per day
in portions of the country where he
prospected, and that, so far as he ex-
plored it, he gives it as his opinion
that it is fully equal to the average
mining districts Of California.
THE MINING PROSPECTS,.
In many respects the country is far
superior to California for mining,
He believes that third or h If less
digging will be required, and that
water is more easily obtained and
more abundant. There is an abund,
ance of timber, grass, and game Of all
kinds-Ond for farming he thinks
the country unsurpassed by any ot
the States.
THE DIRT TESTED BEFORE WITNESSES
Mr.. Cant.ell brought about three
bushels of dirt in his wagon, which
was tested in Wesport yesterday
morning, by Edward Peyton and 9th
er experienced miners, and which
yielded about Is cts. to each two
quarts of dirt, and Mr.. Cantrell in,
forms that he prospected bars that
would yield from 20 to % cents tC
the pan.
These results he gives only as wha
he saw and can testify to Of his owr
knowledge. He cannot give any in
formation as to the prospects o
quartz mining or dry diggins, as he
had no tools 10 test the matter, and NJ
provisions for stay in the country
He only went there to test the fact o
the existence ofgold, and remained
as long as it was possible for him tC
do 80.
HIS OPINION OF THE ROUTE,
To reach themines he crossed tn,
country from Fort Laramie. He rep
resents the route by South Platte az
dry and sandy, very hard on stock
and almost impossible when tn,
streams are full. He intends to re
turn by the Arkansas route, taking
the great Santa Fe road via Counci
Grove. This he says is by far tn
best route across the plains, being
well beaten, plain wagon road, from
this city to Bent's old fort, in th
midst Of the mining region.
These are the facts, as we hav,
them from the lips of Mr.. Cantrel
himself, and they can be relied upol
as true. They settle the question o
the new discoveries, and come in sucl
shape as to entitle them to the con
fdence Of the country. We can as
sure our brethren of the press tina
there is no cxageration in this matte
and no effort to incite an emigrf tiol
to that region OF icountry. But whel
thousands are preparing to leave fo
the far off regions Of British Amerc'
with no better prospects than exist al
most at our own doors, we have ia
ken unusual pains to obtain correc
information upon the subject, Kan
City Jour, w aiau
flol VIM Rant far tha Minag