The Portage County Democrat. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1859-06-08

they said they could not go that day. and
made great many excuses. was satisfied
they were humbugging me, and offered to pay
them ten dollars if they would show me where
could find dirt that would pay even five
cents, then three cents, then one cent They
could not do either, for the very good reasoa
that there neuer haze been diggings found in
that country anywhere that icouLd pay one
cent to the pan, nor euen one. fourth Of a cent. :.
prospected the country all around. visited
all the claims and diggfngs. and positively
assert that no man has eper made more than
f,renty cents per day in the best diggings in
the uicinity Of Pixies Peak or Cherry Greek.
Gold does indeed exist there. It can be found
anywhere about Cherry Greek and all the
streams, but the particles are so minute that
it is with great difficulty they can be collect.
ed. and n,ining c7n never be made to pay
there Denver City and A uraria consist of
few log houses or huts, and there were less
inhabitants there when left. than when ar
rived. The towns are being deserted by all
except those who own the lots, aud they are
hanging on in hopes of selling them.
Mr.. Vaness was present at the burial of
Bassett. the bogus postman. He states that
Mr.. Bassett had been engaged in writing fraud.
ulent letters East. He said that there were a
large number found in his possession, and
that all the letters coming from that country
giving glowing accounts of the mines, are
fraudulent and downright lies. The state
ments of Mr. ", backed up by all the COM
pany who we're with him. was hard pill for
his Michigan acquaintsnces to swallow, and
many of them came to the conclusion that
they should retrace their steps to the East
STATEMENT OF A BROTHER OF ONE OF THE
COMPANY.
That day saw two brothers meet on the
road-the one on the return had been to the
mines. had spent the winter there, went out
last fall, had prospected everywhere, had CIV
en- it a thorough trial. and said that there was
no gold in paying quantities to be found any
,chere in that country-that from three to 6f.
teen cents per day was the most that could be
made by any one-that the country is bar.
rem waste-that it never can be a good agri
cultural county-that it is not fit for white
man to live in-and that if gold could he found
there in quantities thut would pay five dollars
per day, it would be nonsense to go there and
dig it. as there are only aboat four months in
the year that q man can work there; but as il
is, it is downright madness for man to go
there expecting to make money by mining
when be can have no hope of making over
twenty cents per day; and if he has to pay
board, it will cost him three dollars per day.
A conversation, something like the follow
ing, took place between these brothers. The
one on the return said: ~
my God where are you goingr
I am going to Pixies Peak
! What in the world are you going to Pixies
Peak for? wrote you not to come
you wrote for me to come Immediately
and stated you were making from five to eigh
dollars per day, and here's your letter. pro
ducing one that purported to have been writ
ten by him, and was mailed at Auraria, bu
was fraud.
The brother outward bound returned
travelled in company with one who spen
the winter at Cherry Greek, two days, and hat
many an interesting talk with him. alss
met gentleman, whom knew well in New
York, who has been sutler to Fort Laramie
and has spent fourteen months there. He il
on his way East. He has just come dow
from the mountains and is we'll informed re
specting all that country. He pronounces tn,
whole thing most outrageous humbug, an,
says that they have tried mining there year
ago; that he has seen old sluice boxes lyins
rotten there that have been abandoned be
cause they could not make it pay. He say
that this is well known by the officers in tn,
army and others that have travelled in thi
country. Some of his clerks left him and wen
to the mines last fall, but after their vain ell
forts, were glad to return. This gentleman
name is Clark. He is now at Leavenworth b
and will be at the Planters House in this cit,
in few days It would be well for any tha
have the Pixies Peak fever to call and have
little talk with him.
Well, after having heard all this evidence
and having seen large number of others VII.
had been through to the mines and all tellin,
the same story, we were overwhelmed with tn
evidence and returned.
eUFFERING ON THE PLAINS.
There has been great deal of suffering
sickness, starvation aud death of men and an
imais on this journey. 1t was no uncommon
thing to count the carcasses of more than 6ft.
oxen in single day. Hundreds of men start
ed off with no better outfit than a carpet sack
others with handcarts. and some with wheel
barrows. They got ahead of the emigration
with teams, and after having passed For
Kearney, the only alternative for them wa
robbery or death. They banded together il
strong parties, and robbed many man o
horses, mules. oxen and provisions, and man,
from incessant fatigue, privation and exposure
have left their bones to whiten on the distan
plains of Kansas.
THE GETTERs UP OF THE swINDLE.
There has been three or four different clas
ses of men engaged in getting up and promul
eating this infamous swirde which has cause,
tens of thousands to leave their families an,
homes, and spend their last dollar to reac]
what they supposed to be new Eldorado-
A lot OF land sharks who went out there an,
laid out towns. and then. by lying and writin,
back false reports to the East, made some be