Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1859-03-11
Communications.
For the Watchman.
KANSAS.
The Gold Mines Reoldy.-Practical fator-
1u1fio0

give your readers my views of all the rumors
and facts in circulation, relative TO the Kansas
Gold Mines, but a press of other writing has
compelled me to defer doing so until the re-
ceipt Of yours of the 9th inst, when ! at once
resolved to take time TO give my fellow free
men of Vermont brief monograph OF the last
Eldorado. For a long time, ] have believed
that gold existed on the western slope of the
Rocky Mountains equal TO anything discover
ed on the eastern side. Its geological and
meteorological character proves this. Wash
gold found on the bars Of the Platte, Kansas,
and Arkansas rivers also proves it: and dur
ing the last two or three years Indian lcgen-
darics and the stories Of amiters and traders
in those mountain districts. have all confirm
ed my first Impressions Col French and
detachmonts of typographical engineers who
have travelled in that direction. have all been
subjects of the same conviction.
When the first party was formed In Law
renee last May to prospect around Pixies
Peak for gold, my faith was strong in the sue
cess of the enterprise, and had it been con-
sistcnt with my private business would have
Joined In the adventure. had some acquan-
tance with the most of the party, and believe
I them TO be well fitted for such a task, and as
truthful and responsible as the average Of men.
/ Their experience for the first three months,
as is well known. was anything but favorable.
Still they kept moving, chasing alike after
[ phantoms and realities as they were respect
ively borne to their cars. Letters were re-
ceived almost weekly, clearly tcstiiying
that neither doubts or Aattering could swerye
them They reached the base of Pixies Peak
on the 9th of July. but all their search prov
ed futile until the jth Of Sept when they ar
rived at Cherry Creek, branch Of the South
] Platte River.
1t is a singular coincidence, that large com
panies were formed about the same time last
Spring. in the Cherokee nation. also in Geor-
gia and Missouri, and these parties had no
concert Of action. or even knowledge Of each
other. What these parties have seyeraly
said and written. has been published to the
world. and the consequence is tens of thou
sands are impatient in all directions, for the
opening Of Spring, when they all expect TO be
IN the first party that crosses the plains. On
this point, the case is somewhat ovcrdone pro-
. badly. as ! will show before ] close.
Now in regard to the precise character and
prospects of the Gold Region. at present wo
arc All somewhat unsettled. That there is
gold scattered over an area of at least one
thousand square miles that large pine dis
districts are there also, sufficient 10 supply
halfa-dozen States; that belts of land along
all the streams have excellent agricultural ca
pacites that the country is inferior TO mono
in the Union in regard to health, and that, in
= any event, large and fourishing colony will
Dc sure TO eprug mp there during the next
/ six months, there IS uoi ne least sh1dor of d
/ d9ubt But that every man that goes there
D regardless of his habits, i, to become sudden
r. ly rich. no man of sense can believe. AL
a though nineteen out of every twenty who have
/ returned from the mines unite in the state
ment that the whole country along the base
j. of the mountain range is rich in deposits OF
- gold. and that those who dug last fall mad,
= from two to fifteen dollars per day or 5 to 33
/ cts per pan. still. il must be understood, that
all who 20 there. run some risks as all do
who emigratc TO any part of the West. The
necessity for this uncertainty must be obV-
ous First, owing TO the various depths at
which gold is found, as it is ditiUsed from tho
surface. down 90 the bed rock. generally aver
Z aging about fifteen feet. Them the quantity
n and distribution OF water renders the working
upon an extensive scale as yet problematica
. in many districts Besides, but small por
ton of the gold district has yet been prospect
3 ed' therefore lt is very pioOao't ln"' INC
: mountain districts VIII AFFORD richer digSihs'
% than any yet discovered ,.r
r In TINS Wew' the chaneeS are oeelueuI! a'
Vofaole for any reasonaole nuIHuer VINO may
emgra'e az the proper season ne inio'na,
d uon gwen 10y those VINO I'Sl,eu 'he MINES ,1S'
summer / nelle'e 10 De IN tne man ielao'e,
= Ouf western papers are hleu WIN lV'lcrs anu
mments every week sometimes 'ne crl.o-
tia's are o'efufe"n' csPe'Ia"Y Ia Io'",i.'o,
i Wh'te "a suohB INa''N exists on 'nV
OF outh'S' IN p7iN'u'",' can 'nu p'o"c l,''''
Gohnasn'' lh lne It'oPN'g' "iI''en ny " !" n NJ,
ID. d. I"rSunS la'' -" I.'p ~
MINES oil Wes'e,h NeH''s' ToPy VI "nS"
! Wi.. senu you pl 'n!S man, ~ CONTAINS 'nu
ueta'ls OF every i'h'hB 'ee t'"lS'"'i' "uu i''ueI
most want TO Know. oUon "S uesc''P''u o'
tne goIa mlhes' ulHeIen' Iou'os' 'al"P'"I
PAGES tools' outn'' &C win 'neH Gust
/ W mere iour traVei 'oSether IN one wagon
complete outht ior SIX months Purchaseu
mere. VIII cost about TWO huhureu uo'lars' IN
cluu'hS team
me news that mas oeon received during
p the WINTER mas continued 10 DC more ana
/. more encouraging, ana inns gives auoltloha'
& impetus TO tne EoIa mama IN our own went