The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1859-03-15
The "Gold Disgings"
Here is something taken from the Shell
byville Patriot, on the gold mines:
PIKE's PEAK, Nov. IS, 1858.

Here is something taken from the Shell
byville Patriot, on tho gold mines:
PIKE's PEAK, Nov. 1s. 1858.
Mr.. EDlroR:-Me and my wife left the
Succor State on the first ofSeptemlcr, and
arrived right on Pixies Peak, on the 18th
of the same month, being just lit days
on the trip. Short trip say you? But
the route travelled was not by the Arkan-
sas, neither that of tho Platte, but just
midway between the two. Uniting the ad-
vantages of each, without the drawback of
either. Th, route was never travelled till
me and my vito passed along; it is much
better and much nearer, il turns out neith-
er to the right or left, but goes strait along
right to the mines, and furnishes an abun-
dance of grass, wood and water; 80 nntri-
ciou' is the grass that when mo and my
wife got hore, our cattle were "buttcr fat"
At the urgent request Of the half starved
miners, me and my wife killed them and
sold the sbanks at thirty three and ono
eighth cents per pound; the floshy pieces
We swapped for gold nuggets pound for
pound. But amt We richl Tell all your
folks TO como my route, no difficulty in
finding it, as me and my wife took pains
to blaze all the tre,s. We think Of put.
ting up tol!-gate, my wife can tend it
while ! work in the mincs. There is truth
in all tho exaggerated accounts about gold.
Just now my youngest child Ia yearlng)
brings in an apron full Of very rich dirt
which my wife will wash and send you the
yield.
supply me and my wife with meat by my
gun, Buffalo, bear. deer and antelope a,o in
abundance; yesterday killed an antelope
500 yards. A gun will kill further here
than any other place l ever saw. Strange
as it may appear, right on tho peak md
close to our house is little lake tlled
honey; few yards from this gushing
spring of pure MILK! Thore is species Of
treo here, tho fruit of which is better than
the best buckwhcat cake you over saw
My wifc thinks shc has discovered indica-
lions of n soap mine; and Joe Bootlree is
making preparations to manufacture tur.
pontinc. Tho boys arc MI doing well; l
have 90 or 100 pounds of gold which | in
tend to send back to wifc's poor conncc
tions the first express; sickness and sorrow
pain and death are strangers hero. When
me and my wifo left Pinkin Hollow, in
Illinois, sho was poor, scrawncy, wasp
waist creature, weighing 80 pounds now
shc weighs I4O. and looks like huge mo-
lasses hogsbead. Tho color of my wfo's
skin has changed to deep yellow, some
property of the atmosphere communicates
this to tho cu,clc. Take this as indication
of abundance of gold.
My wife stops mo to say the aporn Of
earth was not very rich, only making $I5,
80 cents, o mills and fraction over.
Ny wife sends her respects to you and
says you must send tho Patriot TO the
Peak. My second boy just brought in The
point Of two edged sword doubtless the
one that guarded the garden Of Eden
There is an old Indian here who says he
well remembers Noal, and the ark. Nv
twelve sons arc MI hearty, and my two
daughters fire looking girls. Farewell.
AMARIAH BILpAD
AND HIS WIFE.