The weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1858-1860, 1859-06-28


LATE News vRoM ZEE GoLD MINEs.-We
have received from Mr.. Fletcher Il. Armstrong,
lately . Compositor in the Hawk-Eye ONCE,
copies Of the Leavenworth Times extra, of the
sOth, containing news from the digsiogs, as
late a. the 10th. Many Of rs statements are
30 peculiar, that We read them with some grains
Of allowance; but our readers can form their
own judgment. We extract the most impor-
tant and interesting portions.
In the storm and buster of last night there
came tidings Of great riches found in western
Kansas.
The mines are proving more gloriously than
was ever dreamed of in boundless wealth.
Horace Greeley safely arrived in the Express
at Denver City-going through in six days and
twenty-three hours.
The Express to this city made the trip in eight
days, and were detained one day through q
slight accident S2500 were received by Smoot
L Russell; one thousand to thens--the rest in
eastern consignments. 4st
Horace Greeley confirms the richness Of the
new country. He made speech to the miners
at which some 1000 we're present.
Mr.. Williams left here on the S0th Of May,
on the 18th Of June.
Great gold discoveries had been made at the
Jackson diggings, which Mr.. Greeley had not
visited. 1t is thought they will equal the Greg.
DRY diggings. Other rich discoveries have also
been made.
Smoot Russell received $5l2 worth Of "the
ore" from the jackson diggings. They also
have other splendid specimens.
Jonesi& Russell start mail and express every
Tuesday. They will soon put on daily coaches.
This is the best way of getting to the mines.
Mr.. Greeley gave man 500 to pick him out
. good claim, on which to work. He was de-
lighted with the country, and meant to remain
there some days.
The Rocky Mountain News sends half an
ounce Of gold to the Times for paper. The News
shall have it.
The following are some extracts from the
statements Of Mr.. Greeley and others, in the
Rocky Mountain News
Greg0ry's Diggings,
Near Clear Creek, in the Rocky Mountains,
June 9th, 1859.
The undersigned, none of them miners, nor
directly interested in mining but now here for
the express purpose Of ascertaining and setting
forth the truth with regard to subject of deep
and general interest, as to which the widest and
widest diversity of assertion and opinion is
known to exist, unite in the following statement:
We have this day personally visited nearly all
the mines or claims already opened in this val
ley THAT of little stream running into Clear
Creek at this pointG have witnessed the opera
ton of digging, transporting and washing the
vein stone, ia partially decomposed, or rotten
quartz, running in regular veins from south
west to north east, between shattered walls of
an impure granite), have seen the gold plainly
visible in the rifles of nearly every sluice, and
in nearly every pan Of the rotten quartz washed
in our presence; have seen gold (but rarely
visible to the naked eye, in pieces OF the quartz
not yet fully decOmposed, and have obtained
from the few who have already suices in ope-
ration, accounts of their several products.
Some forty or fifty sluices commenced, are not
yet in operation; but the owners inform US that
their prospecting" shows from 10 cents to IS
to the pan. As the leads" are all found on the
hills, many of the miners are constructing
trenches to carry water to them, instead of
building their sluices in the ravines and carry
ing the dirt thither in wagons or sacks. Many
persons who have come here without provisions
or money, are compelled to work as common
laborers, at from 81 to s. per day and board,
until they can procure means of suStenance for
the time necessary to prospecting, building slut
ces, etc. Others, not finding gold the third day,
or disliking the work necessary to obtaining it,
leaves the mines in disgust, after a very short
trial, declaring there is no gold here in paying
quantities. 1t should be remembered that the
discoveries made thus far, are the result of bat
five weeks labor.
In nearly every instance, the gold is estimated
nv the mDprs worth S0O nor aunca hich
for gold collected by quicksilver, is certainly q
high valuation, though this is undoubtedly of
very great purity. The reader can reduce the
estimate if he sees fit. We have no data on
which to act in the premises.
1t does not seem probable that the thousands
OF claims already made or being made on these
leads can be worked so proftably in the aver
age as those already in operation. We hear
already OF many who have worked their claims
for days (by panning) without having raised
the color" as the phrase is-that is, without
having found any gold whatever. We presume
thousands are destined to encounter lasting and
utter disappointment, quartz veins which bear
no gold being prominent feature o! the geol-
ogy Of all this region.
We cannot conclude this statement without
protesting most earnestly against renewal Of
the nfatua.ion which impelled thousands to
rush to this region y month or two since, only
to turn back before reaching it, or to hurry
away Immediately after more hastily than they
came. Gold mining is business which emf
neutly requires of its votaries capital, expert
ence, energy, endurance, and in which the high
est qualities do not always command success.
Respectfully, HoRACE GREELEY,
A. d. RICHARDSON,
HENRY Willard
No person should think OF starting for the
mines after September. The snow will proba
bly, Sc. in here by October, and mining, in
great measure. must cease.
From our own Correspondent
Denver City, June 10.
About an hour has elapsed since l returned
from my second excursion into the mountains
in company with Horace Greeley.
We started early on Tuesday morning, and
after having crossed the Platte on the Auraria
Ferry, reached the foot Of the mountains in
less than two hours.
From the river crossing up to the base of
the Table mountains and through the beautiful
valley intervening between the latter and the
first range of the Park mountains, we found the
road, and adjoining natural meadows literally
covered with trains of gold-huuters, herds,
camps, ranches, &C., all OF which had sprung
up only during the last 8 days.
Both banks Of Clear Greek, which we reached
after fifteen miles travel, We found lined with
hundreds of wagons and tents, and thousands
OF grazing animals. Among the inhabitants of
these extempcrized canvas towns a number Of
fair ones in "bloomer figured most conspio
uously.
The news of Mr.. Greely's proposed visit to
the diggings had out-;raveled US, and when we
reached the right bank of the Creek, a large
crowd greeted the arrival of the distinguished
Editor with chorus of hearty cheers.
The distance from Denver to the diggings
being over forty miles, and the road ragged to
an extraordinary degree, we did not arrive in
the valley Of the Rallston Fork Of Clear Creek,
along which Gregory's diggings are located,
until nine o'clock next morning Immediately
after cur arrival, we set out upon q tour Of
inspection OF the various mines, the result of
which you will find embodied in the accom-
panying comprehensive and well-authenticated
l merely wish to add, that since my first
visit at least fifteen more sluices have been
and twenty more paying leads
struck, along which hundreds OF claims have
been taken. The majority of the latter are,
however, not yet worked, on account of the
want of blasting means. estimate the guam.
tity of gold turned out to be at least a3 300 a