The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1858-12-11

e. SOUTH PLATTE, Mov1st CHERRY eRKEk,
l#Si 4 Nvveiih&r y. isSsS
I@ From the uncertainty Of news and the
fmeagre accounts from the gold legions OF
7 the South Platte, alSo the intcrcse felt inat
by the people this tide Of the great plaiss,
induce me to publishsthc pih Of by obter-
vations. Having spent some little time in
viewing the general land surface, and gain
ing what information could otherwise than
BY observation-sfthc Gold bearing country.
The first gold is found upon the banks OF
the Platte rs low down as st Vrain Fort ,and
the lands grow richer as you approneh the
Mountains. The streams which form The
Z tributaries of tho Pfattc arc rich IN the nus
rifcrous metal. The Quartz Rock or Rntu-
raj depositc of gold, have not as yet been
discovered. Theprospecting andlittle work
ing which has been done is confined to this
Immediate vicinity; the season is too far
4 advanced to admit of profitable working,
though have up to the time llcft seen men
make four and five dollars per diem with a
pan, on what is termed Dry Greek, about
six miles south Of this point or up the river.
The dirt yields from three to thirty cents per
pan, it is very fine and requires much care
with such implements to save the metal. 1t
is said to be the finest gold ever discover
cd, and worth from nineteen to twenty-five
dollars per ounce. 1t is found ON the gravel
banks among large boulders, and from six
inches to three feet under the surface. Ex-
1 pcrienccd miners say that from $40 to ss2U
per day can be taken out of such places
with s!uicc and tom, in seasons when the
water is plenty. 80
Gold in this country is finer than in Cali
fornia or Australia, but far more universal,
/ being scattered over Il large area of ground
it will afford profitable employment to thou
sands. H'-.
Timber is abundant, principally pine and
cotton wood. Some portions OF the river
bottom arc susccptivc of cultivation, also
the canons in the mountains. The streams
present fine water privileges, and the cli-
mate certainly good. The lofty mountains
protecting the Immediate country from the
high winds which rush over the plains. =.
Provisions are high, but -four will be bro't
from New Mexico for twenty dollars per
Dbl. in the spring. 's'. ILL.,. 1t
VIZ. W HooPEs, who went from Florence
to the mines, writes to j. w. PArrIsoS, I'M
uIE uutC VI NONs Jill WHICH lctt'E 10 pun
lshcd in the Omaha TImes-as follows:
That Gold exists is CERTAIN, not only
on Cherry Greek, but on the Platte and
country around about. 1t is the opinion Of
the Californian miners who are living here,
that the metal is richer and more generally
diffuscd than in California, and when spring
opens there will doubtless be some rich
mines discovered. The pros
poets for mining next season must be good,
rs many who prospccted before the arrival
of our party, have returned for stocks of
goods, saw mills, and other machinery which
will be needed here for next Springs opera
tons.
More Evldrnce-Lrt,cr from W d. McLain.
Most Of our readers in this city Nre doubt
less acquainted with W. D. McLAlS, and
know him to DO reliable and candid man.
lie went with the last company from Omaha
to the Gold Diggings. From n letter from
him to DR.. j. II. SEYMOUR, Of Omaha
City, dated Noy. It'll, and published in the
Times, We make the following extract:
"And now for the min question, is there
gold here? there is, and plenty of it. 1t is
too late to dig rs the ground is frozen and
cannot be washed; but there are men who
were here in time to mine some before the
cold weather sat in, and they made from
81 to $40 per day with pan or cradle. 1t
averages IL cts. to the pan, and they say a
man can double or treble the amount per
dav with II long tom or sluicc. ! have seen
plenty of the gold so know it is hcrc.'
From The Peoples Press, Nebraska City.
BY the kindness of l.. NrcKoLLs, Esq, we
arc permitted 70 cory the following letter
from o gentleman hnoun to be reliable:
Montana, n. r.,
October ., 1858.
T.. E,'cxvi.Ls, Esq,
Sr:-This, my first to
you, is written in our shnnty, situated on
one Of the principal streets of the above
named city, which is located u miles above
the mouth Of Cherry Creek. We reached
here last Sunday, the oath, having been out
IS days. We had the finest weather | ever
saw, and extra good luck. We have done
nothing since we arrived here but build our
slan,ies, and put up a little hay, which, they
tell us, Is necessary, and we think so, too.
We have prospcctcd some. We intend to
| commence on Monday to sec whaswe can do.
Others are making 50 to $40 per day, with
pans, So to $50 with rockers, and poor
things, TOO.
The gold ishere, but it has no. been found
in large quantities $3.50 is the most that
has ever been taken in one pan. That will
4 paw. q We have found a dirt that will pay
20 cents per pan, or where three Of us can
make $50 n day. ut good work. We have
not tried any place up and down the river
for forty miles, but VIC have found the col
or. The Georgia Company were the first
here. (Thev were the ones that found the
gold.) They know Of better digginss than
we find here, but they will not commence on
them until next Spring. Greene Russell,
has gone to Georgia after 500 miners, out
of the Georgia mines. The place will be
found in the Spring. We learn from the
Omaha Company, that there WIS estimated
to be 100 wagons behind them. 1T that is
is the case, i, will give the miners Il pnpuia-
ton of nenrv 500.
Cakes and Kuntz, reached here 10 days
in advance of us, having gained ) days OF,
us. We did not see them, they went right
to the mountains. They have not returned
vet, but all here think that large gold is in
the mountains, md will not be found until
Spring, as tho snow is now On the nearest
mountains to us, Is miles distant.
found things as we'll as expected. We
can mine here almost all the winter, so men
tell us who have lived here. ..
!. We laid over five days on the road. Ok
teams can make here in thirty days in tho
Spring. would have all my work cat
tie shod at Fort Kearney, or before | start.
cd, as the road from the upper crossing here
is all gravel and sand. All the cattlc's feet
wore out before we reached here; some had
to turn out all their cattle, and hire their
hauling of those that had shod theirs.
Bacon is worth SO cts, -four only SIS pc,
Dbl, as they get it from Taos, New Mexico
which is 800 miles from Cherry Creek. II
you should bring train in the Spring, bring
clothing, whskey, bacon, (5oc) tea, 2.5O,
coffee, (5Oc) sugar, (5Oc) and other grpce.
rieS. g. .s...
There is a splendid range here for cattle
They can be herlcd at u small EXPENSE
Beef will be high next summer.
will look for you in the Spring, with a