The weekly Ottumwa courier., 1858-12-09

C"o EEO" FAkc'0 Fe0ks
First .4~the~tic information from the ~ev Gold
Disgiss-PreUious Reports Corroberated-
R'eMGold F;eld'-Dseriptios Of the Coss-
ty-Prospsct Of the Misers. &c.
Msssrs. A. French, Joseph Bradt. VIM
Hartley, 7. c. Dickerson and WIN Smith ar
ived in this citv yesterday. direct from Pike.
Peak gold diggings They LET: the mines on
the first day Of October, il a company Of four.
teen persons, nine Of whom remained n Law.
renee. K. T. They are portion Of company
OF 40 men which was organized under the aus
Picss OF the citiz.ns Of Lawrence for the pur-
pose Of prospecting in the Plies Peak region,
information Of the discovery of gold in that
section having been brought into the town by .
parry Of friendly Indians. The company left
Lawrance in May last. On arriving at Pixies
Peak and finding no gold, they .ncamped and
sent out prospecting parties in various di-ec.
tions, one OF which met Doch's party on Cherry
Creek. returning from South Platte, on that
stream. They reported that but 81 or s. per
day could be made by each man. Both parties
returned to the Peak disappointed. The day
after their arrival Mexican came into camp,
and on his representation that large quantities
OF gold were to be found on the head waters
OF the Colorado, imbeded in quartz, marty Of
about Fl were dispatched under his guidance
10 search Of the diggiugs but after nine days
Of weary and unsuccessful exploration, the
guide becoming bewiIdered, they lost their
reckoning and came struggling into camp one
bv one. Fortunately, all arrived safely. An
other party, which had been dispstched SOUTH
ward, went as Tar in that direction 40 Fort
Massachusetts, or, a. it has been recently
named, Fort Garland, 13 miles east Of which
they reported having discovered gold in con-
siderable quantities. They also found the orc
on the head waters OF the Arkansas river.-
The two companies then prospected on Cherry
Creek-jus. above the mouth Of which they
discovered, what are now the regular diggines.
The party from Lawrence, left that place with
provisions sufficient, they supposed, to last
Them some six months, but which gave out
at the end Of the fourth month after their de-
parture. In consequence OF This, nine Of the
party have returned to Lawrence to obtain pro-
visions for their companions; the remaining
five have come on 10 this city on business, and
intend to return to tn, mines a. early in the
coming spring az possible. When they left
Cherry Creek they were under the impression n
that the news Of the gold discoveries had not
reached the States, and their first intimation
to the contrary was received on meeting, on
the northern route by which they came, large
parties Of emigrants on the way to the mines
The different trains numbered collectively
about 500 men, with i57 Wagons. The stock
was in good CONDITION, and, with the loss Of q
few cattle by one party, no accident had hap
pened to any one Of the trains. The smigrants
were in fine spirits on being informed concer-
ming the true condition Of the mines, for the
various indirect reports received along the route
had somewhat dampened their srdor. About
an equal number Of emigrants were reported
on the southern road.
Our informant states that there are at pres
snt about I,5 0 persons in the mines, composed
principally Of Americana. There are mum.
| OeI Oh N1extCau0 6uu u lev AuOb0UUs Sukee
enterprise has already began to manifest itself
| in the founding OF two towus-one, St Charles,
situated at the mouth Of Cherry Creek, snd
the other Montana, about eight miles above
the former. Buildings are going up rapidly;
provisions-though not sups abundant-a,e
sufficient to supply the immediate wants Of the
miners. and no very great sufering for want of
food or prot ection during the ensuing winter
is apprehended. The day before our party
left, special train had been dispatched to
New Mexico for provisions in case they should
be needed during the winter. The stock may
suffer for want Of food at the mines, but there
is said to be 6ne pasturage about 80 miles south
to which place it can BE- driven in case Of
exigency.
In regard to the full extent and richness OF
the mines, nothing - yet can be known with
certainty, beyond the present ineipient stages
Of the mining operations afford. Mr.. Russell,
On old experienced Csorgis aad Csliforais