Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1859-09-29
From the Kansas Gold Mines
New and Rich Discoveries-Gold
on the Arkansas-Reliable In
telligence From the Whole Min
ing Country.

Saturday night, Captain A. F. Garrison, one
of the most substantial and intelligent cti-
zens of this county, who has just returned
from the Gold Country, which he left only
nine days before.
Our inquiries were particularly in regard
to the new South Park mines on the head
waters Of the Arkansas and Rio Grande,
and we give the exact account Of Captain
Garrison, as we took Is down at the time.
IN the South Park, where the South
Platte rises, the prospecting that had been
cone for the few days before Captain Gar
rison left, the yield was from 5 to IS cents
to the pan, to the hand, where sluices were
used. The diggings, SO far as discovered,
extend some ten miles along the streams,
and are what is known as "gulch diggings,"
or washings from the mountain streams.
THE ARKANSAS AND RIO GRANDE MINES.
Over the rim of the basin, or park, from
the above diggings, some 25 miles on the
western slope, on the head waters of the
Arkansas and Rio Grande rivers, are situa-
ted the richest discoveries yet made, the
miners panning out as much as 81 25 to the
pan OF. dirt. There are now about 1000
men employed in these diggings, and in II
localities on the head waters of these rivers,
the same rich deposits seem to exist, all
tending in a still farther direction south
west, toward the Colorado. Upon the sur
face, IN all this extended region. the "colol"
is found, indicating beyond question the
great riches of the mines now beginning to
be developed. 1t is the opinion of the most
experienced miners, that the western slope
is the true golden locality of the Rocky
Mountains. a1ss5s1sG dj0
Coal beds have also been found through.
out this region, in all parts that have been
prospected. z75a-sH-sl g5L siis
The South Park is on the SUBMITS of the
Rocky Mountains, and like all others in that
great range is perfectly level country, COW
cred W ith blue grass, clover, and other mou n
tam grasses. spread out for an immense
area of country, like meadow, intersected
with streams of pure, lImpid waters, distill-
ed and filtered from the eternal SHOWS of the
ranges surrounding. The sides of the
mountains are well wooded, and covered
with the asarvis" or"June berry," and wild
raspberries,s whore Mr.. Garrison saws, a
bucket full can be picked in an hour. a.s
NEW QUARTZ VEIN AT GREGoRY's. rs
Within few days previous to Capt. Gar
rison's departure, aew discoveries of quartz
veins had been made in Gregory's diggings.
This is the hard flint quartz; the former
workings have been in what is called "rotten
quartz" The flint quartz are much the
richest of the two. A specimen which
Capt. Garrison had with him, intended for
breasipin, was The finest specimen we
ever saw. In those diggings heretofore, on
coming to hard quartz and parties, the mi.
ners have desisled, but on penetrating this
formation three or four feet. small "pock,
cts like those of the California mines
have been discovered, which are some ol
them very rich. as high as $50 to S75 being
taken out of pockst-to the pan. These
pockets however, are not found everywhere
but experienced miners will understand the
character of such dIggngs. AS an aggre.
gate, the Gregory mines are not yielding as
much as formerly, owing to the fact that a j
except the hard quartz seem to be worked
out, and having no means of crushing, the
| yield has ia lien of. One crusher, the first
YET taken ont, was met few miles this side
of Denver City.
YIELD OF RUssELL's MINES.
In Green Russell's gulch diggines, in.
creased quantities of gold had been raised
within the last thirty days-,he aggregate
yield of the diggiDgs being abnut $4,000
per day.
| CLIMATE oF THE SOUTH FARK.
The seasons m this elevated region are
very short-three months being about as
long as can be made available with pfess nj
modes of mining. Ice was formed one night
in August, / of an inch thick. One thou
sand people will probably winter in the
South Park on the heaes of the Arkansas
this winter.
LOCALITY OF THE NEW MINES.
The mines Of the South Park and OF the
Arkansas and Rio Grande are from 100 20
| $50 miles south west from Denver City, and
all of them lie south of parallel 80 degrees
latitude, being south of Pike's Peak, and in
the vicinity of the celebrated Coochetopa
Pass, OF Col. Fremont. They lie on line
about due west from the city of ST. Louis
and about 25 miles south Of due west line
from Kansas City.
They are precisely upon the great route
Of Fremont, Beale and Gunnison, explored
for the Pacific Railroad from the mouth OF
the Kansas River through the Cooche,opa
Pass, and which can be found on any map
of the country published since 1850.
AGRICULTURAL CAPACITY OF THE COUNTRY.
In regard to the agricultural capacity OF
the country in the vicinity of Denver City,
Capt. Garrison says that the bottoms of the
Platte aud other streams, will produce vege-
table and small grains, wheat, (spring) oats,
barley, etc., abundantly, when irrigated,
but the rains wi! not of themselves afford
certainty of moisture to insure crops. He
never saw finer vegetables than those now
growing in the country. For an industri-
GUS man, it will be the most profituDle bust
ness that he can engage in, at least for few
seasons.
TERRITORY OR STATE.
The convention for the purpose of taking