The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1859-05-21
Gold or no Gold-Emlgraiion West and East.

County Central Committee.
Gold or no God-Emlgraiion West and East.
Since early in month Of March, there has
been continued train of wagons, hand carts,
and footmen, vending their way through
our city toward the newly discovered gold
regions on the South Platte. How many
have passed over the Missouri ut this point
xo cannot say, but they may be numbered
by thousands. The early emf rants went
bnt poorly provided with either food or COW
ering and when the severe storms of April
came on, it found them but lily provided to
meet the driving snow and piercing winds.
md there has as matter Of course been a
large amount of Suffering. Within the las,
four or Eve weeks, more substantial and
better class Of emigraDts have gone forward
men with good strong teams and large,
stout wagons we'll filed with provisions and
oil the ct ceteras required for au overland
journey. Of this later emigration, quite a
large proportion is on the way to California
and Oregon, including several fine droves Of
cattle and horses. So much for the emf
grafton West.
The return emigration East commenced
about ten day ago. 1t consists OF dlsap-
pointed gold seekcrs-of men who had start
ed for the mines, became discouraged and
and dishcartencd by the reports from Cher
ry Greek, and who have consequently set
their faces homcward. A very few Of these
zen have been to the mining region
and after staying there few days, con.
Guided that there was no chance to get gold,
and started back, but a large proportion
consists Of those who have met friends, or
others on the road AMI trusting to these re-
ports, have turned back. We have convers-
ed with persons belonging to both of these
Glasses and we are convinced that they fully
believe in what they state. The latter, tel
us that nearly the entire emigration, Tor as
much of it as is not bound to California OF
*0rcgon) is turning back, and that every
body on the plains, agree that Pixies Peak
is humbug. They say that. west OF Fort
kearney, nobody is going west-but al
coming bnck or going to the Pacific coast
The former class, or those who have beer
to The mining region; tell US that the color is
there, that there is Gold in the sands of the
South Platte and its tributaries, but it is SC
foe, and exists in such small quantities, that
it will not pay to dig it, and that instead OF
making from three to ten dollars per day il
mixing, MN cannot make as many Dimes
" But is there not gold in the mountains"
VIC asked, but although they had not been
in the mountains, yet they did not belere
that gold could be found there either, in
suficien: quantities to pay! and so for home
they started, fully convinced that Pixies
Peak is a humbug and gold digging bore.
But still there is another side to this oues-
ton. Reliable men write to their friends
here and 10 other towns on the Missouri
,Rircr and East Of 1t, tina, there is gold in the
mining regions in sufficient quantities to pay
well for the labor necessary to secure it.
They assure US, that men who are willing to
work, can make good wages at the business,
and only such can do so. They say that the
men who are, returning discouraged, came
there with exaggerated expectations, that they
were many Of them without provisions and
without means to buy them, and were un-
prepared and unwilling to endure the priva-
ton which a residence in the country re-
'quired. So they got disguised with gold
hunting, and left the country. The return
ing miners, on the other hand, say these let.
tcrs are all written for effect abroad-that
their statements are deceptive and false, and
are intended to get men into the country,
who will become purchasers of town lots
and paper cities.
Thus we have stated the case as it is
have given the substance of the reports on
both sides, and must leave our readers to
Judge for themselves. 1t seems to US hard
~ possible, that all the letters and reports
written in the mining regions are made by
those who have come from there, setting
forth the existence of gold, could have beer
false and deceptive, and yet they are direct.
ly denied by the returning emigrants now
passing through our street. Wehave neye,
published anything in our columns which We
did not fully believe to be true. or if we
have had any doubts on the subject, we have
so stated at the time. But let our readers
decide for themselves. Just now, We con.
fess, Pixies Peak is in a cloud, how it will
emerge, We shall! know at an early day. A
few weeks at any rate, will settle the ques-
ton.