Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1859-07-21
Letter from Il. BeIangce.
HEARD WENT! SAW III!
DEApwooD DIGGINGs. June. 1

DEAR SPENcER:-I have been waitin,
patiently for something to turn up wort
writing about, and sure enough have il
although expect You have heard all, an,
more too. l cana from the Gregory Dig
glngs--they are taking out the gold il
thousands per week, in new kind of dig
gings to Californians (you will see it i
Greely's report-he was there, made
speech last Thursday, took items, made
report, had it printed here, and sent it t.
the Trlbuns). These discoveries are il
leads between rocks from four inches e
two feet wide, and no knowing how deep
yielding different sums to the pan--some
times ten dollars to the pan, and some.
times not ten cents. There are are some
few claims that will yield from fifty to one
hundred dollars per day, to the man--one
man to pick, one TO haul on a hand sled
in bag, aud then carry the sled back
two TO wash. This is a regular business
since they have commenced and got fairly
TO work (How it would hurt our return
ed company. if they could see the dust
through glass, sitting by their fire sides
at homs!) More anon.
/ have had word sent TO me twice to
ONE over, that they had claims staked off
for mel started of, footed it over the
mountains both times--a distance of some
twelve miles--but Enoch's proved woth.
less, or no lead at all. Enoch is GU. of
luck, but if perseverance, pick and shovel,
are the bowers. am sure to lift the pile.
l keep stiff upper lip, and nary time
wish I'D turned back with the rest of the
company am bouad TO have the gold,
for Il feel it in my bones" as dad Vim.
hedge says. Let US go back to Grcgory's
went over last Sunday, after
being isvited Saturday night to come, and
as | was going through among the wag-
gons, tents, crush shantes, and some few
log cabins covered with spruce pine, brush
and dirt, it was curiosity to see their diff
ferent occupations--the old, with specta-
cles, the middle aged and the young wri
ting, and al, Ipresume, on different bust
ness and subjeots-some on business of
profit, and others to their loved ones at
home Gan article that Enoch has not got)
Some with tail gates of Wagons, and lots
with gold pans or pine logs, and every po-
sition that could be thought of for writing
letters. Some cooking for the week 10
come. or already come. some singing hal
lelujahs wniie others we're singing Bar
barry Hen A man commenced playing
on bGgle, very wei as ! supposed,
but the hills made such halooi6g in re-
spouse. that the player got ashamed and
quit--this was at night. Now for the
one had rooster that
crowed in the morning, and probably
hundred mon tried 10 beat; the noise caus-
ed mule to bray, and for nearly a mile
in every direction might be heard the bray
ing of mon in imitation. and l am not
ashamed to say that colld not tell the
mule Fl ON the men. Enough on this sub
Jet.
Hundreds are coming here daily, and are
returning by fifiies, swearing that it is all
a humbug. and III some respects it Is, for
there are only few who get gold. This
kind of mining is new thing TO many.
and many have not their leads open, and
sluices ready to work, but are progress
ing very fast. Some forty or fifty men
with saws going steady, and principally all
for sluices. There is hardly a house with
floor Or door, as all other business monop
by and speculation are set aside, and the
diggings made the order of the day.
The finder of new nine is entitled to
two claims, one as discovering claim, and
the other he will stake off for Tom, Dick,
and Harry, and then commence selling.
some pay and some do not. Gregory, the
first discoverer, told ME that he had sold
more than 100000 worth of claims in
about month. lie sold his last and best
claim last Monday, for 4O.OOo--the men
opened it and took Out IS to the pan.--
Gregory says he will give $4,000 to rue
back again. He sells claims, payments to
be made weekly after the buyer can get to
work, or all that is made over expenses,
under forfeiture of the claim. His income
amounted to 81 900 before the last $780,
600. They are allowed Fifty by one hun
dred feet for claim, and probably this is
more than FIVE middle aged men would dig
in their life. time-the claims are too large,
it don't give enough chance to work.
Now for my prospects. am at Dead
wood diggings. the timber all being killed
for thousands of acres together; the creek
is called st. Vrain's fork; some call the
diggings Jefferson diggings, after town
laid outon the creek, but nary house in
the town. am in company with three
others; We hold claim Of three hundred
feet up and down the creek, we commenc.
ed turning the creek. bu; the snow in sight
of us began to melt and swelled the creek
to quite a river, and washed away the dams
which were built, and it has kept rising
till few days past. We turned in the
ground sluices off the top dirt, thinking
the creek would fall soon, bat we were al!
disappointed. We have given up any GER
tain time to commence taking out the gold.
and have been trying % find some dry dig
gings till the water falls, but have foond
none as yet. Our claim is thought to be
the best or the creek the best judges think
it to be 'ounce diggi,gs'--more than that
was taken out before the creek raised. l
hove nat tatan out a dollar as vet but