Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1859-02-17
From the Losansport Journal.
PIXIES PEAK.

PIXIES PEAK.
he world Is IN al uproar again about
gold diggings. Any proposition that
promises wealth without the time and la
Dor necessary to attain it by the legitimate
and usual route. takes absolute possession
of the public mind and drives men wild
with excitement.
Gold has been found in the Indian Ter
ritory west of Kansas. AMI iowa DIS the new
fields everybody is emigrating or prepar-
ing to start with the Spring.
That gold has been found at Pixies Peak,
is indisputable. but that it is there in suf-
ficient quantities 10 Justify emigration, for
it alone. is not so plainly demonstrated
The proprietors of speculative towns
those existing on paper alone. the traders
and merchants offrontier cities. and all who
can in any way be benefited by general
emigration, are busy in spreading the news
of gold discoveries. Fiction rather than
truth make up most Of the material of their
reports. and an over-activc imagination
aud the natural avarice Of the people re-
ceivc them with nm enthusiastic welcome.
Pixies Peak may possess an abundance
Of gold. but that would not, alone Justify
the emigration now on the way there
California was, perhaps. the richest and
most extensive gold field ever discovered,
yet emigrants thithcr lost money. True.
one here and there earned and secured
wealth. but for each Of them, how many
returned broken in health, wealth and
spirit. or remained on the shores of tie
Pacific in condition far below that they
enjoyed at home?
The experience Of the world teaches that
gold-hunting is not a sure or profitable
speculation. individuals have succeeded
whilst thousands have not only made moth
ing but sacrificed considerable property in
the business.
Gold-digging is about the hardest labor
that can be proposed. anil generally speak
ing. the same amount of energy exerted in
business at home will pay a greater profit,
and be more generally successful.
The Expeditions to California from this
County were failures. To take all who
went and average the profit and Ios- it has
been bankrnpting business. More mon
ey was made by those who remained at
home.
II the California diggings did not pay,
Pixies Peak must certainly fail. For even If
all the stories are true OF the latter place, it
falls far short in value, Of California But
all are not true. Gentlemen residing on
the frontiers desire to sell oxen, mules wag-
IONS, provisions, DC, DC. to emigrants,
and they have direct interest in exciting
tho people of the States to patronize them.
We clip the following experience of q
returned Pixies Peakcr. from the Monitor,
published in Holt County, Mo. 1t is suf-
ficient for present purposes:
Mr.. Henry Sterret, one of the company
that left Forest City, on the 81 of Octo-
Der last. for Pixies Peak, returned last
week from the great Cherry Creek hum
bug goldmin
Mr.. Sterrct is young man OF excellent
character, well known in this county and
what he says is reliable.
We publish his statement hoping that il
may be the means of preventing some of
ourcitizens at least. who arc calculating
on going ont in the Spring. from engag-
ing in fruitlcss enterprise that is frauglt
with danger, and will prove the ruin of
many young men. We would canton our
people against the false and absurd stories
that are circulated through the papers
about the richness Of the mines, &C., for
the purpose Of keeping up the excitement
and to gull the poplc Of the East. These
stories are got up by base. unprinciplc men,
for the purpose Of speculation.
MIR. Stcrrctt spent some twcnty-eight
days prospecting and travelling from point
to point, visiting placfs where, it was
said. god hads Leen discovered. Having
spent sons years in tho California mines he
is competent to judge. and he says. that
while there he heard Of places where men
were making good wages. but in every In
stance he found. upon going to the place.
the stories were untrue. lie says there arc
signs Of gold in many places. and there is
gold there, but in such fine PARTICLES
and small quantities that it will not pay
for working Instead Of getting from fifty
. Its to one dollar per pan. as some of the
papers have Il. tho dirt viii not average
more than one and a-l,alf cents to the pan
All who have gone tl,ore are dissatisliod;
and those who cen ere ssturning. He con-
sislors L tho evo1adst husubug q the age
The ssanfry = ~. the haas sre got