The Kansas herald of freedom. [volume] (Wakarusa, Kan. Territory) 1854-1860, 1859-01-01


there is any gold there.
Yours in haste,
A. 6. McCRACKEN.
All those in want of picks, and other
digging instruments, can get them at half
price about Warsaw, as some of our bhoys
are overstocked with articles in that line.
Apply to the senior publisher of the Dem
ordt.
Such is the substance of the early his
tory of the mines, as we gather it from our
files of 1855; but it seems the spirit of
inquiry thus aroused in regard to gold on
the eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains
was not allowed to sleep thus quietly
Pool and others who had discovered the
gold there; and reported the fact, found
their characters for veracity involved, and
hence they labored the harder to make
the discoveries anew.
/ Passing to No. II, Vol. 8, of the Herald
S Freedom, dated Dec. 5, 1857, we find
the following:
TAHLEoUAH, C. N. Oct. 81, 1857.
ED. SOUTHWEST DEMOCRAT I'm late
number of your paper, see letter from
Richard Coody, referring to the gold region
of the South Platte. AS it may be of in
terest to some of your readers to know
who some of the returned gold hunters
are, and what they say in reference to this
country, l will give you the statement of
Mr.. Beck, citizen of this nation and a
member of the National Legislature. He
is worthy man and considered to be re-
liable in the strictest sense. He was raised
in the gold region of North Georgia, and
thoroughly understands digging for the
precious metal. He says that in the Spring
of 1850, he, in company with several 9TH
ers, started to California, and when they
had reached the mountains, he and few
Others commenced prospecting in tribu-
tary of the South Platte. One of the
company waded into the creek, from the
bottom of which he obtained painful of
sand which yielded two or three dollars
worth Of gold, with which they returned
to camp and proposed remaining, but be-
ing overruled by large portion of their
companions, who had heard such marvel
Gus tales of California, they were obliged
to yield and keep ON their way. Mr..
Beck, while in California, made from
twelve to twenty dollars per day. Since
his return from California he has been
anxious to return to the South Platte, but
has not been able to raise a company suf-
iciently strong to protect them from hos
tile Indians, several tribes of which range
in the immediate neighborhood.
Last Spring some white men and son
of Mr.. Beck, started to the South Platte.
They had got within sixty miles of the
creek spoken of by Mr.. Beck, camped and
commenced prospecting. Young Beck
from hole about six inches deep, obtaind
one painful of sand which he brought home
with him, and which l have in my Office
1t contains white gravel, black sand ant
gold dust, and is worth about fifty cents
They only remained there part of q day
their company being small and Indians
plenty, they deemed it advisable to re
turn.
Mr.. Beck says that the country, tire,
hundred miles around, indicates minera
region, and fine country to live in. Their
is considerable excitement in this nation
in regard to this subject. Mr.. Beck and
large company speak of returning to tn,
mines in the Spring. He says it will no
be safe for a small company to go.
GEO. BUTLER.
This communication was published il
Lawrence year ago. We received sew
cral letters from the East during the mex
two or three months, inquiring in regard t
the mines, and then the matter seemed t
rest, until towards Spring, when it wa
stated company was being organized il
this city to make explorations in tn
region of Pixies Peak. Whether the let
ter of Mr.. BUTLER had anything to do wit
the matter we can't say but on the 25tI
of May, after its publication, the Lawrenc
company set forward, and on their arriva
in the mines, they found that the Chero
kee company, which had been organizes
under the auspices of Mr.. Beck; the Ra
and Bates county companies. and small
company of Georgians, had anticipate
their movements, and were a month or $
in advance of them upon the ground
By letter of Mr.. McKimens, one of tn
Georgia company, published elsewher,
under the head of "valuable Letters"
will be seen that the members of that com
pany have remained in the gold regio
down to the present, and much of tn
credit awarded to any party for making tn
actual discoveries during the last season
should be given to them /; though tn
Lawrence company is justly entitled
the honor of giving publicity to gres
deal of valuable information in regard I
the mines, and with having done more
excite the present interest in them tina
probably any other body of men.
Thus much in regard to the early dis
icoveries, which will serve as a basis fc
fuller information in regard to the move
ment of three and a half years ago, if an
one should be disposed to follow the ir
vestigation. hlo1 a.3 IS
/ From the Gold Mines.
i Mr.. H. c. Rogers, who left this cit
some time since for the gold mines Q
Cherry Creek, writes to his father,
Leavenworth, as follows
i am happy to state that there is gol
hare, but in what quantities, am unabl
to say. One of the boys went out with
pan few moments since, and in one par
full of dirt washed out twenty cent
worth, which is large yield. There al
upward, of one hundred men at this poin
and some have washed out considerabl
/ gold. Tbs miners who have been her
for some time, say they have made frol
ten to fifteen dollars day with pans.-
T. Il L n -.