Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1859-07-20
Letter from the Mines.
CLEAR CREEE, X. T..
June 23i, 1859.
EDIToRs CmRoNICLE:

| Less than a month ago. while We weT
/ yet IN the read, every day we met number
of individuals, who had been to the myth
ical mines, and having become dishearteneC
l by the prevailing depression, were returnin;
home. Some conquered by the despondin:
D tales. and example Of others. wheeled il
= their tracks, sold their interest in tie com
pany possessions for a mere trife, anl
without even a glimpse of the Peak, turne;
their hacks upon the mountains. 1t wa
amusing to behold the expressions of woe
!, beeonc sadness and wretchedness deplctc,
in their countenances. No argument could
shake their resolution. Many were really
sick, i'll TIE complete prostratiOn of ali theil
hopes.
The m~ultitudes who went back by tho
Platte and Santa Fe routes, were truly
astonishing, and could give one an adequate
conception of the number who were allured
by the delusive tales to seek a fortune ID
the undiscovered kansas Gold Mines"
Persons whom 1 willingly credited, said
they counted a hundred teams per day, re-
turning by the Santa Fe route a short time
previous to the discovery of the lead mines.
And yet the number who went by the latter
way, were a mere drop in the bucket, when
compared to the myriads who passed down
Platte River. and the Platte Route. But
when GREGORY found his lead, and sold his
two claims seyerally for ten and eleven
thousand dollars, the tide of emigration was
stayed, and things began to assume 4 dif-
fcrent aspect.
The story of such a vast sum having
been paid for two hundred feet by fifty. was
rather too favorable, and there were few
who were SO credulous as to have no omin-
Gus suspicious. Yet the rnnor settled TO a
reality. And twenty one thousand dollars
was to be given for two claims. providing 1t
could be dug out of them. The news drew
great numbers TO the vicinity. and in due
time other rich c~1cvices were found. Prop
erty which would not bring forty dollars
previous to the finding of the mines, was
Immediately enhanced to two hundred
Everything took q corresponding rise
Since the opening of the mines, all the emf
grafton has borne straight for Gregory 5
diggings.
Until the last fel days, the number GO
ing into the mountains on prospecting tours,
has averaged more than five hundred per
day. The neighboring country has been
pretty thoroughly scrutinizcd. and the
quartz leads are all found to he comprc-
hcndcd within q space Of ten miles square.
The searching has not been merely confined
to the country contiguous to the rich dig
gings. Every creek within two or three
days travel, has been examined to the snow
capped mountains. Though these cxami-
nations have been made. they were IN
doubtcdly too hastily done in too many
instances. and careful scrutiny may expose
mines to view, where gold is thought to be
wanting. There are but five localities,
designated BY names, in which gold has
been found. Taking Gregory mines as q
central point, Boulder Diggings arc thirty
miles north, on Boulder Creek. These
were discovered before the former, but the
superior richness of Gregory leads caused
Boulder City to become almost depopulatcd.
Jacksons diggings, seven miles south east
of the quartz mines. on the south branch of
Clear Creek, are Ike Boulder mines, surface
dig9ings, paying from two to FIVE dollars
per day, which is said to be better than the
latter. The mining districts in each local
ity is said to be vccy limited.
The Spanish mines, on the same stream,
but above Jackson's vicinity, are very cir
cumscribed, being confined to a bar in the
creek, where the workmcn. standing in a
foot Of water, raise tie gravel from the
bottom, and obtain in coarse sold from
twenty-five to fifty cents to the pan. The
last mining section is that of Green Russell,
the Georgian. a name familiar to those who
read the letters purporting to have been
written from the mines last fall. They are
gulch diggings, the only ones which | know,
that have paid fo- working.
They are in the immediate ncighborhool
Of the quartz claim; not three miles from
Gregory : first found lead. To strike a
lead is the chief Of difficulties: much de-
ponds upon the slight knowledge one can
soon acquire from personal inspection OF
paying claims, and the descriptions and in
struotions of miners, yet much more abidcs
with good luck and chance.
Besides having a general uniform direc-
ton Of \. i. and S. W, they are further
distinguishable by Icing a little more Gle
waited than the adjacent ground-a kind of
a low ridge, covered with sharp, jagged
rocks, one extremity Of q reddish hue, a
burnt appearance, standing moro or less
vertically ii the lead. These cxcavated,
the fissurc, from two inches to two feet in
width. is exposed between walls of solid
rock. containing dirt of a burned yellowish
color, gritty, yet tenacious, Indicative OF
clay. This earth, and a mellow rock pos
sessing the same general characteristics, are
the real gold bea>iag materials, which the
miners have called rotten quartz" The
crevice enlarges as the shaft is sunk. and
the dirt usually grows proport;onately rich
CT. The latter is lot always true, but l
never knew the former TO deyiatc. l saw
one creviee which paid tGa cents to the pan
at the surface. at the depth Of thirty feet
where it was three feet wide, failed to yield
even the color" 1t is not i difficult
matter to find external indications of crcy-
ices, yet to strike tie crcvice which bears
the wealth, is the desidcratum often sought
but seldom seen. Many leads pay extray-
agantly. \ dollar per pan is an ordinary
occurrence, and even five dollars is often
washed from the same quantity of earth
from the richest lead mines. The richest
claims have as yet paid from the surface,
though rich mines have been hit at ten feet
in depth. P~rospeetors do, and so they IA
tionally should, delve for gold from visible
signs, yet many precious leads outwardly
level with the surrounding country, hidden
by moss, grass, and brush, viii undoubtedly
BE- brought 70 view by the accidental lick
Of some lucky chap.
There is still an abundance Of water in
the ~ravines, but the dirt must all be brought
to IA from the mountain side: ard SUBMITS,
by packers. sleds or slides.
The far-famed and notorious Platte and