Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1859-01-21

.-ss.s- uux--sxS- -ga -ss4or ths Journal.
GebzSeka Gsea Mnnes.
OxxsA, N. II, Jan. Is, 1859.
1k,ExD MANN III lave 1his morning
rssoived your paper Of The IN inst, con.
tanning lsttef from the Peosia Transcript
de1Fine the distance sof Gid at Pixies
FSSk IL payinx quantities.. This do not
dispute-in fact it has never been claimed
on the frontier thst such was the case, nor
that the peying mines wsrs within ssresty-
foe miles Of Pixies Peak. =
Pike Peal" has heeoms assooiatsd
with the gold mines simply because there
10 where the frat color was found by the
prospecting companies last summer, since
which time the newspapers have not been
able to drop It'll suppose because it 10 east
~ written and already ssset up." For in
stance, on the 1st day of Dec, '58, wrote
you letter respecting the gold mines In
which the words Pixies Peak did MT once
occur, nor did speak Of any country near
er to that point than 80 miles. yet it ap-
peared in the Journal under staring head,
"Pike's Peak Gold Mines." afs
Gold exists at Pixies Peak In small guam
titles, but not sufficient to pay. Passing
north from that point, the first paying
mines that are found are on Cherry Greek,
about s5 miles from the Peak, increasing in
richness as you progress north.
Cherry Greek smpties into the South
Platte Derry asor the Kansas and Nebraska
line. 1t comes from the south and does not
head in the high mountains, but in timber
ed mesa or elevated plain, jutting out from
the mountain side.
The gold is in very fne particles, and diff
cult to gather. sne bed Of the creek is now
dry Tor nt...een miles above its mouth, and
!.ae dirt must be carried to tho Platte to
wash. r....- ...a-
Passing up the south side Of the Platte,
the mines that are now mostly worked are
found along the bank of the river for four
or five miles. The next stream from The
south is Dry Creek, seven miles above
Cherry Greek, and the next is Sand Greek,
three miles further. Both are now dry near
their mouths. Gold has been found, but
the diggiDgs are not worked. Continuing
up. gold has been found all along the river
to "the Canyon" thirty miles above Cherry
Greek. At this point the river emerges
from an impossible gorge Divereing from
the course of the river, the ridge has been
crossed and a lateral valley found, three or
four miles in width, barren red earth, with
quartz rock cropping out of the hills. Here
the Georgia Company have prospected, and.
they say, found gold, as we'll as in second
valley. beyond the second ridge, which is
described as being of great beauty and fer
tility. Thus far the mining region ia claim
ed to be in snsas, and no doubt the great
or part Of it is. '' 81
Passing to the north and describing the
streams flowing into the Platte from the
north side, the mines shall mention are
admitted by all to oe in Nebraska. The
first stream is the North fork of South
Platte, cutting equally across the mo untain
ridges and intervening valleys, the same as
the main river. This stream has beer pros
pected somewhat and found very rich
Next We reach Longs Greek, heading in
Longs Peak, by two branches, Rallston and
Vaskar forks, respectively. On the former
rich diggings have been found, and part
are preparing to work sluices. Passing one
or two minor streams, we come to Thomp
sons Greek, which has been prospected Tor
twelve miles above its mouth with good
success. The next and last on which pros
pecting has been done is Cache-a-la Poudss
(Oashlapoo) river, which heads in the Med
icine Bow Mountains, very near Latitude 420,
and joins the Platte in 40 l 20, very near
Fort st. Vra n. This has been prospected
for twenty five or thirty miles above its
mouth and gold found all along. This is
pronounced by those who have been in the
mines the richest in gold Of any stream yet
found; its distance from Omaha is $50
miles, or so miles nearer than Cherry Creek.
Let me say to you and your readers tina:
I would not write did not believe implicit
~ what say. My authorities are letters
from scores Of persons with whom | am
personally acquainted, who left here in the
tall and are now in the mines from several
of my acquaintances who have returned for
supplies and their families, with whom |
have conversed. and examined the gold they
brought in. may here say that those who
have returned are every one preparing to
90 back, and of those who remain in the
mines not one writes discouragingly. Sew
eral have written for their families.
More recently have made the acquain
lance of Edward Wynkoop Esq, brother of
the celebrated Col. Wynkoop Of the Mexican
war, who was sent out by Gov. Denver, of
Kansas, as one Of the officers 10 organize the
new county Of Arapaho in the mining re-
gions of Kansas. Mr.. W. travelled and pros
pected extensively on the head waters of the
Platte and Arkansas, and it is TO him am
indebted for the above description Of the
mines and the mining region. He went out
by the Southern or Arkansas route and came
back to Omaha on his way to Lecomptnn.
His statements, think, are entitled to i'm
Pilot credit.
Mr.. John E. Riley Of the Peoria letter,
is, I presume, one of the company who aban-
doned the Georgia Company on Cherry
creek, only a few days before the rich dig
gings were found, for full history of which
/ refer those interested to letter published
q this N. Y Tribune of 18th or 18th of Dec.
asst. 1t will soon appear along with much
other information in a little book entitled
"Nebraska and Kansas Gold mines, and how
to get there"
From here to the mines there is better
road than across the State of Iowa. 1t is
already settled half the way, and before fall
the traveller can eat his meals off table
and sleep under root every night from here
to the heart of the mining reg on. ..
Yours, truly, WIN. N. BYERS.
r. r. Strike. employees on the
Chicago, Alton & St. Louis Railroad 'sstruok"
for back pay, on Monday of last week.
There has been no train either way since,