The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-05-03
The Gold Mines OF North Carolina.
IN THE EnITOR or THE UERAIn


h your issue Of Saturday you print letter from
respondent describing ga trip TO Of the Southern
States" which also received editorial notice the
day. adopting the views expressed by the traveller re-
spectng the and wealth of the North Carolina
gold mines. The opinions thus given calculated 10
msead and perhaps do injury to persons who might be
induced by their glowing character To unite with fresh
schemes OF speculation the mines Of that and the
joining gold producing States Your correspondent
questionaby sncere but his errors doubtless derived
from stories told him, are great and important
Ipassed the same route taken by the writer Of
that letter last summer, and visited numerous mines in
North Carolina and Virginia. have also been several
times at many Of the gold mines in Virginia, former
SURPRISING richness of that portion Of great Gold Belt
s fancy sketch. Any who has studied the course
and general characteristics Of that bel knows that it
exhibits richness this side Of the Gulf
Mexico beyond it, and that the ohe four South
gold producing state comparatively lean. There
have found spots pockets OF prodigous wealth
but the general fact OF richness all compare
Bile 10 that Of the California formation. They may be
richer than Pixies Peak and alas for hose who to
10 Pixies Peak
FIJI IL were even otherwise It should be remembered
tbst every inch OF gold property in North Carolina Is
under Zee title, aud forbds "squat.er sovereignty
even Nor,hCarolna were not democratic, antsquat
Yer state. Your own opinion and that OF the letter wr
Yer is that Yankee energy Yankee capital would dig
out that vast amount OF good gold now clustered in the
Bands and rocks and lying snugy together yerdu wait
ing only 10 be helped out To the light OF day and the
fTasp Of eager palms. North Carolina and Virginia
full Of the wrecks left behind by defeated "Yankee
~ and Yankee capital" More than twenty millions Of
dollars gone out OF New YORK city alone to those
mines, and buried ana lost in them. II is probable
That scarcely mine in that region, any sort OF gold
working, produces respectable per centage upon the
outlay Of expenses and the cost of putting that
$500 600 iato the mint at Charlotte counted 1t is
Improbable that would exceed that sum- Certainly il
does MT generally pay very large dividends to those
gaeeo There exceptions, but this is the rule There
IL no place that have heard OF where "wasbipgs"
pracsed by the hand 10 any extent The best results
and those not large, are generally where few men
all events, the balance in former trials by the aid OF
science, skill, machinery and money is many millions on
the wrong side OF the ledger.
The gold OF tho four States mentioned, s sought for
by regular mining The day for the pioneer gold seeker
bas passed IN those States long ago. that If the
pordent were to 60 there they would have 10 just
avalanche back again. But the story Of the eccentric
old gentleman who poughs IN his gold deem 1t my duty
10 faithfully and respectfuy believe. II is travellers
therefore sacred from suspicion. We not
to believe, however that there is more than one such
that ploughipg for gold will be confined TO that
blessed yet blessed, eighty one hundred acres"
When that odd old man dies, :" may be there TO
plough"
beg however not to be misunderstood. There in
exnausble deposits of gold in the four named States
that have worked until the propretors had worked
their pocket books all out But there is method yet
Known by which than thirty or thirty live per cent
OF the 90 them be obtained The waste causes
the mpossbIy Of making the business pay to any ex
tent When proper metallurgc system is made
public The gold property Of South will go up ike
rocket tine balance of the proverb may be omitted.
L. r. S.