The Kanzas news., 1859-03-05
Letter nom the Mines.

Pixies Peak. It was written to Ar. o. Y.
Hart, of this place. by friend of his now
in the Diggings:
DEzvER CErY. Jan. Sd. 1859.
DEAR FRTEHD:-Our progress after leav-
ing Burl:ngame. where wrote you. was
slow and tedious: bringing out fully the
bad IS well as the good qualities of both OK
en- and men. Our team worked badly and
we came near breaking down at Council
Grove. on account of the lsmeness of one
of our oxen but by yoking one pair by the
horns We succeeded for time very well.
bat were obliged to leave one OF our wagons
one hundred and forty miles beyond the lat
ter point. From that time we did much
better and got along finely with all the load
in one wagon. When huRdred and Cwen-
ty miles west of Council Grove we struck
the Arkansas. and from that time followed
it-with the exception of sixty-6v miles
across bend-to within one hundred and
ten miles of this place.
We vera without wood, more than weI
carried or we're able to pick up along the riv-
er, on bars, etc.. for two hundred miles
and even when We came to the big timbers.
so called, on the Arkansas. Ne found only .
few scattering, scrubby. diminntive cotton
woods. Our road. with few exceptions.
was the finest In the world. a hundred
miles vest of Council Grove we found q
half days travel of sand hills. and from
this point we found the land with the excep-
ton of the bottoms. of an inferior quality
and even this sometimes desert. Seven
ty-five miles west of Council Grove We
were among the buffalo. which were our
daily companions for three hundred miles.
Cactus, or prickly pear, such as you find
in flower beds East, was abundant most of
| the way, the fruit of which I liked much.
We first saw the mountains when near
Bents Fort. We left the Arkansas near
the Boiling Spring river, seven miles below
Puevlo. a small American and Mexican set
| element. This stream receives its name
from warm spring some forty miles from
its mouth. Our route was up this stream
thirty miles or more, and then across di-
vide forty Eve miles to the head of Cherry
creek. Across this divide pine is the only
timber, as cottonwood was before. With q
| little care we found no lack of water through
the whole route We had snow before we
] came to the crossing of the Arkansas, and
again before we reached BeRt's Fort, and
| then when we were crossing the last much
dreaded divide. Very little snow fell at
any time, but the weather was very cold
| during the last storm mentioned, but not
as bad as our fears. So much for our jour
ney now for country, gold, etc.
| Portions OF the country here are good
for farming purposes. while others are of an
inferior quality. Several towns have been
laid out in this vicinity, the best of which
is this, situated at the junction of the Platte
and Cherry creek. which has now not far
from three hundred houses. We have a
population in this country of about 5000,
with trains arriving daily from New Mexi-
co and the Slates.. This place is the coun-
ty seat, and will probably be the Capital of
the new Territory of Colona. Things go
ahead nightly. Gold is found almost uni
versalIy diffused; it is found two hundred
miles below here on the Platte, and as far
up as it has been prospected, as also ON all
it's tributaries and the head waters of ali
j other streams within two hundred miles,
and yet have no positive evidence of It's
being found in very large pieces or quanti-
ties anywhere, though / hear many reports
4 to that effect, and some of them from pretty
reliable sources. Certain ii is, that men
can even at this season of the year make
from Two to ten dollars per day. and old
Californians seem to be pretty well salts
J fed with the country and its prospects. 1t
is confidently expected by all that far richer
diggings will be found in the spring, up in
the mountains. ] think those who are not
afraid to work cannot fail of doing we'll
here, but men must not expect to become
rich in day, though some may. Mining
is everywhere a lottery business--not more
so here than in other places thousand miles
away, where have been. From FIVE to
fifty cents per pan is common, and even
from two to three dollars have sometimes
been taken out-so say many here. have
not mined any myself and do not expect to,
as think can do better at other things.
i The climate is like that of Lake Superior.
only ne lack the cold and snow. ] am now
engaged in building me house, and have
not had my coat on for the last four davs.
/ came here on the 9Th of December, and
the ground has been bare the most of the
time since. and yet it has been too cold 10
mine much. have never seen anywhere
a finer Christmas and New Years..
/ There is not shadow of trouble with
/ Indians. We have abundance of provis-
ions, with any quantity of game. There
are innumerable deer sad mountain sheep
In the mountains. / have never sat at a
better table on Christmas and New Years
than here. Venison. pies, cake, green corn
and various sauces, nuts, etc., loaded the
table. I never saw better contented set
of people than here. When started here
it was without very high expectations. but
as ] told the people of Wyandot, / came
hoping either to have better health or die,
did not care which, and holding that all
might make. and hear or learn concerning
the practicability of railroad route would
be clear gain. have already got the health
so far as the short time have been on the
road and here could restore il, and think
now am going TO make some of the prof