The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1859-04-13
Pixies Peak

tons on the gold excitement. These extracts
are taken from various letters now afloat in
the columns of American journals and the
writer's arc generally Endorsed as perfectly
reliable and most of them in the immediate
neighborhood of the diggings.
Wc-that is those of us who are out here
ARE perfectly satisfied with our prospects.
Were it not for the hope that we may
discover something in the spring, have no
doubt but that nearly the whole camp would
leave for home.
There is no doubt in mind but that gold
abounds in sufficient quantities to pay well
for digging, and laboring men can make
more money there than they can in the
States.
If you have any confidence in my judg-
ment and act on my advice, you will imme-
diately abandon the idea of coming out here.
In my humble opinion, there is ground
enough already prospcctcd that will pay
from IS to $40 per day for 10000 men to
work one year, and new diggings are being
discovered almost every day.
Pixies Peak is non-paying diggings; there
is gold there but not in sufficient quantity to
pay.
Rich diggings have recently been discov-
cred, that it is supposed will pay 500 per
day in the spring; some are sanguine enough
to say 5000.
He stated to me that there were thirty or
forty Of them prospecting faithfully for four
weeks, and did not get five dollars amongst
the whole of them.
Cherry Creek is the best diggings discov-
a., a
to twenty-five cents to the pan.
My impression of the mines is, THAT THEY
ARE DID HUMBUG!
have had good chance to learn what is
doing at the mines, as there are men COM
ing down almost every day completely dis
couraged, and glad to get back.
Bapt. Parkinson, of this place, says that
he knows of diggings where he has taken
out 800 to the pan, and in the spring
they will be known. The whole country is
alive with excitement
Where we are wintering is about twenty
miles north of the mouth of Cherry Creek,
and in Canon at the foot Of the Rocky
Mountains, or Black Hills. We have found
here the best quality of gold that has been
discovered, and cannot make one dollar a
day.
1t is the general opinion that miners will
average six or eight dollars a day in the dig.
gings now known.
He had been there two months and half.
and said he labored hard all the time and
had not realized enough to pay for the
clothes worn while engaged.
can make with the cradle from five to
eight dollars per day.
Tho ONLY, tho ho,,n that r 1.,-o vo.,-
that when spring comes, We may find some
thing that will pay us in the mountains.
Not ten minutes since man came into
the store in which am writing this letter
with a vial containing $3.50, while another
has a mineral water bottle containing $500
in shot gold.
am satisfied that there has been no good
diggings found yet.
feel very confident that miners can
MAKE from So to dollars per day, with
rockers, during the summer.
have prospected considerable and car
| find gold most anywhere, but it is very fine
and not in any quantity to justify a mar
coming out here and working it,
Where water can be obtained to run slut
ces, feel confident that from eight to TWEEN.
ty dollars per day can be made
Wood and water is plentiful, and game i:
very abundant.
We have to so twenty miles for pine logs
as what cottonwood there was in thi; sec
ton is already used up. Gambling is car
ried on to an alarming extent in this place
Several young cities have sprung up, anC
speculation in town lots is already running
| high.
Every one feels confident that heavy gold
will be found in the mountains during this
spring and summer. ..-
CANNOT ADVISE YOU OR ANY ONE ELSE TO
CONE HERE UNDER EXISTING CIRCUMSTANCES
In fact, SO completely arc we surround.
cd by mineral influences, that the needle o
the surveyors compass Huctuatcs so as to
make calculations very uncertain
He further says that the quantity, al
though of the finest quality, is of inconsi
| derablc amount, scattered in flakes over tn.
whole prairie, and affording but small remu
ncration for a great deal of labor
They are making from two to five dollars
per day, to my knowledge, and some were
said to be making more.
| have had number of letters of inaui-
ry from acquaintances in Wisconsin, res.
pecting the Cherry Greek and Pixies Peak
gold diggings, and as believe it to be ont
of Of the greatest humbugs of the day,
wish to answer them, one and all, that they
had better wait until something more thai
the color is found.
1t is generally believed among the ~
turned miners, that about one-half of tn,
letters that are published in the Border pa
pers, purporting to be written ut the mines
are counterfeit, and it is perfectly ridiicu
lous to impose upon the public in that way
and should be exposed.
| Some went out here last fall, expecting
| the gold was going to take legs and walk in
their pockets while they were sitting idle in
camp; which place they did not leave un
til they commenced their return home
These are the kind who bring unfavorabl.
| reports.
We were quite surprised few days sincs
when we read the golden accounts in tn.
Missouri river papers, of what the miners
| are doing out here. pronounce them q
pack OF lies, written and reported back, by
| set OF petty one horse town spectators
and are calculated to ruin many poor devil
beside your humble servant.
The boys are all doing well; have 90 OF
100 pounds of gold which intend sendin,
back to my wifes poor relations by the frs
express; sickness and sorrow, pain ant
death are strangers here.
@eO~
Looking ut the Bright Side.
Here is letter from wife in Massachu
sets to her husband in California. Sh,
don't intend going through this world with
the blues:
"My dear husband: As it is now some
time since you left for California l suppos ,
that you would be glad to hear how We arc
getting along in your absence. ] am happy
to say we are enjoying very good health or
the whole. just at present two Of the boy.
have got the small pox. Amanda Jane ha.
rot the typhus fever Retsev is doun wifi