Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1859-07-20

ing for claims, with them who are working
at paying Sluiccs and he will become con
WINGED that not one ont of a hundred ha:
made his board. And it is also said that
!, three hundred sluices are in successful opc.
ration. hut julging Of the whole from the
quantity | saw in the most densely popu,
lated mining section, / am conscious thC
!, number must be greatly exaggerated. On
count of the circums:ribed mining dis.
tricts, and the great uncertainty of success.
the tide Of emigration has recommended for
the States. Less than two weeks Of pros
pecting. enduring the hardships and tolls Of
these mountain excursions, satisfies most
linen. Trains are constantly leaving
From my present position, | can see them
draw ont every day, from the pleasant val
ley in which we are encamped, and head
for Denver. We, like the common herd,
are prospecting, and when another weeks
trials shall have been passed, We too shall
20 towards Denver.
The mountains arc covered with a mode
rate growth Of Pitch Pines, among which
are great quantities of dry, dead timber,
brush and scanty heritage. Fires from
camps often spread among this, famed by
stiff breeze, rushcs through the brushwood
as through prairie grass. sending flames fifty
feet above the tops of trees, presenting an
awfully sublime spectacle. Once hemmed
by the flames there is no escape. They
soon overtake n cOntending against noun
tain heights. and breathing the rare air
Within a short time, seventeen were known
to have been burned to death, and how
many more is indefinite. as the mountains
are covered with gold-hunters.
l presume that you have heard many
times, that the country is healthy. Dyson
terry. for. some cause which l cannot %conjcc-
tprc, is very prevalent Indeed. except a
few cases of scurvy, it is the only ailmcnt.
Provisions are selling chcaply at Denver,
on account of the quantities. sold by persons
determined TO 60 to the States. l knew
-four. yesterday, to be disposed of at ten
dollars per hundred, bacon at twenty, and
coffee for twenty-five cents per pound. In
the mines they command better prices, as
they must be taken forty miles, twenty-five
Of which in two days ten yokcs Of oxen
can scarcely draw ten hundreds. and one
trip nearly ruins a wagon. There, -four
can be sold for twenty-five dollars per sack,
and bacon Tor fifty dollars per hunlred.-
Whiskey, and al unmentiona5le article, are
held at the highest rates. Two dollars per
quart, Or twenty-five cents per nip" are
the figures for the former; this too, for the
most common. adulteratcd liquor, plentifully
diluted with pure spring water, the only
good ingredient in the composition. Bat,
in truth it is q fortunate thing for the
working men that the vendors are SO devoid
of sagacity as to hold the abominable stuff
at such cxorbitant prices.
An amusing joke is told on an old Cali
fornia miner from your place. 1t 50 hap
pened that representatives, from several
wagons when had come across the Plains
together, came together during their first
days tip into the mountains. About the
middle OF the afternoon. he. CHANGING to be
q mile or so in advance. cncamped beside a
small creek. When others and our mess
passed him. they saw where he had been
prospecting, and asked him why he stopped
50 early AMI what was the result of his Ia
bors. He answered them in the most eva
siva terms, and with mach dignifcd reserve.
When a few minutes after. one who had
journeycd the plains with him, a California
miner from Bazctta, hove in sight, our good
friend brought forward his secrcted pan,
frGught with many scales OF gold, and eX-
hibited it TO his former comradc. He was
exultant in having found . rich mine, and
that too within a few feet Of the road where
hundreds were passing every day. But
every one is liable to be mistaken. Our
friend 5 gold was deception mica. This can
be better appreciated when it is re,ollected
that the latter pervadcs the rocks in such
quantities that the road has become Of q
ycllowish tint where the wagon wheels have
worn the stones; it Is seen in the bottom OF
every stream, and that our friend is one o.
those persons who cannot yet be learned.
Horace Greedy addressed the miners on
the evening Of the Sth instant. He allua-
ell to the mining region OF Lake Superior,
then to the sccre-y il the mountains; then
to the theory that minerals arc the most
deeply seated of all materials. His chief
discourse was to rivct their attention to the
fact that vicious habits are very easily ae-
quired; against which he admonished them
in almost pateral terms. His speech was
not very fiattering to gamesters and liquor
dealers, yet it was characterized by many
sensible remarks and suggestions, and much
good advice. He urged them to examine
the snow-capped mountains, and penetrate
to the western slope. He said this country
was destined to become the Switzerland of
America. He opincd that the mines
would be opened in ten years, that it was
a rich mineral region, only needing deyel-
oIm2nt.
l hope it may prove to be a fact.
Respectfully yours, H.