The Placer herald., 1859-04-16
Correspondence of Rambler.
ST. LOUIS, March 17th,

from the South. l find that there is here
great excitement about the gold mines at
Pixies Peak. In blazing letters you can see
Pixies Peak hats, Pixies Peak shirts. guns,
guide books, and the most direct route to
Pixies Peak gold mines. In word, Pixies
Peak is all the go-just such an excitement
as you had last year about Frazer river
But alas! for poor humanity, again gulled
and badly sold to the humbuggery of shrewd
Spectators who can make rich harvest
from those that have the gold fever.
To my friends, and those that have the
gold fever, let me say, you had better hold
on and see what is to come of all this eX-
element, for l have made inquiries and am
used to such stories, and from what l can
learn many poor fellow will be sold this
season. | have heard of towns and town
lots that have been staked off, but I have
seen no one that has been there, that can be
relied on. have seen but two small pack
ages Of gold dust, said to be from that
country.
There may be gold there, but fear it may
be like the Indians gun-costs more than
it comes to-tor there has been parties there
prospecting all fall and winter, and from the
many reports | am forced to come to the
conclusion that there are better diggings in
old Placer, than in the new Ell Dorado. For
if there is so much gold there and so rich
where is the money that they have taken
out? This is proof of the pudding, To
these inquiries the wiser ones srhug their
shoulders, and say, it is good for St. Louis,
and will be good for Kansas, and also to
California.
Now from what have seen it is another
Frazer river; but when the excitement gets
up and the fever gets into them, nothing
but seeing the elephant will do.
saw an article in an Independence (Mo)
paper, Of last week, stating that there can be
no reliance placed in the truth of the great
richness, but that persons were and are max
ing from 81 to $40 per day. Now admit
ting the truth Of this, such diggings will not
pay or justify the present excitement For
one moment bear in mind that there is not
such pleasant winters or so mild climate
as California. Six months is as long as one
can expect to work; now if miner should
be able to make 50 per day for $50 days, it
amounts to only $3.50, which he can get in
California and not have to board himself and
feed on such provender as he may chance to
get besides meeting all the privations tina,
the pioneer has to undergo.
Provisions are bound to be scarce and
hirb. for II ic actinnto1 fbot thora will
be over 100, 900 that will leave for the mines
Goods and provisions are to be transported
in trains from the Missouri river at an enor-
nous expense, and only in the spring of the
year; and soon they will be exhausted, and
those that are so fortunate as to have grub
will demand the highest of prices; specula-
tors will buy up the supplies, and as there is
no San francisco to 90 to, the miner will
find that he is the slave of those that have
the goods to sell, and if the diggings should
not prove humbug, of which there is every
chance, what can the miner make after pay
ing the most extravagant prices for all the
necessaries Of life! hope the miners of
California will profit by the past and let
Pixies Peak alone until there is more known
of it.
The spring is here after an unusually wet
winter which has not been confined to this
region, but throughout all the South.
Congress has adjourned without passing
the railroad bill, at which every true friend
of California feels indignant; this can say
from knowledge; for in all of my travelling,
which has been in almost all the States in
the Union, that with the masses there is a
strong feeling for the passage of the railroad
bill. But instead of passing bills that would
add to the greatness of the nation they have
spent the session in concocting schemes to
make President, and have left our treasury
exhausted, and the Government expenses
unprovided for.
California may never expect to have any
weight in the national councils until they
send different men there, for with the excep-
ton of Gwin, we are unrepresented only by
units. So let us look around for new men
and try and better our condition.
After spending the winter in the South |
started for Missouri by the way of Augusta,
Ga. At Chattanooga, | met the cars convey
ing the remains of the late Postmaster
General, Brown, on the way to Nashville
| for interment. We arrived there on the
l4th, and were met at the depot by two
military companies, cadets, masons, State
| and Federal officers The procession was
imposing-the remains were conducted to
the State Capitol, where they were laid in
state-the Assembly room was crowded to
sutfocation, and deep and profound was the
silence while the funeral Grafton was being
delivered. After the rites were over the
corpse was transferred to the cemetery. After
remaining at this pleasant city, a short time,
took the steamer for st. Louis
So, in conclusion, must say, that ! have
! hoen over almOct oil Of TTncla So,,,, tor,;