American Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1855-1860, 1858-05-27
cofrsspOnasDss Of Ihs clnslnnau commsre isL
Gold Mlues in Iowa.
PELtA, Marion County. Iowa.


Correspondence Of lhs cinelnnau commsrc isi.
Gold Macs in Iowa.
PELfA, Marion County. Iowa.
May 17th. 1853.
EDS. Cox You have doubtless heard
Of the gold excitement in this vicinity. l
have concluded thai 1t was but justice to
US and to the country. to give as nearly
reliable statement as It is possible to make.
There are many wild rumors which / cons
slider injurious to repeat. have been 10
considerable pains and expense TO visit
those diggings which are being worked
within two miles OF this place. and in Ma.
rion county, and viii siats what / have
seen. rrk rs f .gtf
At Coalport. FIVE miles distant, in bill
Of coarse reddish gravel and sand overlay-
ing light blue clay, gold is being procured
in 6ne particles. They are usually round
or irregular and none Of them that have
seen larger than the head Of pin. Mica
and iron pyrites exist in the same vicinity,
and delude the ignorant. But several Cal.
fornians aud jewellers and druggists have
Iexamined and tested the true particles, and
pronounce them fine gold. AS yet no ex,
tended operations have been undertaken
there.
Two miles below Red Rook, aud about
ten from here on the Demoine river. there
is another party at work. DR.. Williams
Of California. is the leader Of the party
4 They have rocker at work, and are wash
ing the gravel from q bill side. They
have been at work new about ton days.
with only tolerable success. DR.. Will
Jams says that he thinks it will pay to
shaft when the waters fall
! A mile below Warren's mill and six
miles east Of here, party have found lar.
ger pieces Of coaTser gold. but none larger
than pea. They are found in gravel in
a side hill in a narrow vein Of black sand.
DR.. Warren and others are very san
g1ino of success and intend shafting. They
are only panning as yet with varying sue
| cess. The highest days earnings has
been only S6; and many who are entirely
ignorant, love their small particles in wash
ing. and make almost nothing. The most
successful washer is an old Californian
who is making good wages.
Small PARTICLES have also been found OF
the stream about three miles from here, blu
, not enough to pay. have also teen gol;
got from White Breast. about twenty miel
from here. but in small particles And
understand gold has been found near Kuol
vile. on the Competiue and have hearc
that they are turning that stream.
You will see that | endorse all but th'
} last sentence of the last paragraph as hav
, ing been under my personal knowledge
The question now remaining is. will il pay
( | csunot say. When the streams are low
4 er there will be some shafting done, anC
t we can then tell better. We feel cou6den
! enough her TO spend some labor and cap
n ital in endeayoriug to test the matter.
a Whilst am writing about mirera
r wealth. might mention that there are si
. coal banks and three lime kins in activ
d operation within six miles Of this town.
: have seen iron ore Of fair quality .abou
n seven n lies from here. and feel confdcr
S that by boring in the Demoine Valley, sal
Q water can be reached in Eve hundred fea
: One man bored much less than that fe,
r. miles from here, but he had no Tubing
!, aud could not keep out the fresh watel
: however, made ssthy boiling in cauldronl
J. / have carefully looked for lead ore la'
n week. but have found only blossm ye
which ] consider very good. The Indian
d are said 10 have got their lead in this v
d cinity for many years. and come here ey
!. cry fall. but they work in the night, an
n We have not yet found their mine. II W
o 6nd it l will let you koow.
:. We have high, healthy, rolling an
e very fertile country. There is ahundanC
}. OF timber aud excellent wa er. We yet |,
Dor under Inconvenience Of market, but tW
railroads surveyed through this place, al
finished within seventy miles of us, an
grading is being done nearer. The DE-
: moine has been 10 ex 'ellent navigable cor
dition this Spring. and has brought u
thousands Of tons Of freight and carried o
/ large quantities. of bacon. lead, flower, bu
, II ter and eggs.
J, Rents and property are now very Low
% 4 account Of the cheaper than the
I have been for several years. Potatoes al
u worth ten cents bushel; -four So barre
N bacon cents; corn 10 O; wheat SOC; bu
I. teI l0c; eggs 40. Average cattle. A,
O' year old. $50. Horses of same age. $40
70 Improved farms. from $40 to S35 an acr
'e aud raw prairie, from $3 $50. Tow
! property can be bought for cash for le
10 than cost.
NJ AS such statements should have a nan
g. attached, subscribe mine. and will chee
!" fully answer letters from persons iutendir
u to emigrate West. E. H, GRANT.
al AMERICAN VIcToRY Philadelphia
s. redeemed The exultant news has reac