Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1859-05-20
The Pike Peak Folly.

The accounts which we receive Of the pEivs-
ton, suffering aud misery OF the misguided
mor,als who left the States last fall aud this
spring lor the Western Kansas gold fields, are
,ruly hesrtrending. The poor, deluded men,
women and children who passed 81, Louis on
their way west were estimated at about hve
thousand per week and this estimate doubtless
fell short. during the month Of March. There
were days during that month, we are eredibly
informed, when the immigrants numbered tniiy
one thousand per day.
when the rumors reached the States that gold
had been found in abundance in the Western
extremity OF Kansas territory, in the neighbor
hood of Pixies Peak, asd in the Cherry Valley,
il aroused the gold seeking spirit which was
beginning to flag after its exhaustion upon Calls
fornia. Accounts began to reRch US irom
persons who claimed to have been at the mines,
and so highly colored were they that the gold
fever again became an epidemic, and tens OF
thousands declared their purpose Of going to
the mines ''iust as soon as spring opened" The
gold news increased during last fall and winter
until many, believing the apparently truthful
reports, supposed that they had but 10 reach
the FL Dorado to be fabulously wealthy
Some time last fall we received news from the
far west that satisfied US that Pike Peak and
Cherry Valley were humbugs, and that there
was not enough gold iu the entire region to
Justify one company going to the expense OF
securing it. In addition to this reliable infonna
tion we had other evidences which satisfied US
that the whole thing was deep laid, villainous
speculation, in which land downers, out fit towns,
and emgrant agencies, were the parties who
were to be principally benefited at the expense
of The treasure and lives of thousands, who
naturally enough desiring to improve their con-
dition, would invest their all in the dnnning
,aka-in. The moment we were convinced Of
of this villanous trick, we used all our inior
nation, with what ability we possessed, TO
dissuade people from attempting the journey
to the Kansas gold fields. We succeeded to
some extent; for men have told US so. But
thousands Of persons in our own State whc
either did not read the papers, or reading de
termiued to close their eyes against reason, per
sisted in making the venture. 10 every part
the Union, the same peTverseness was manifest
eO, huu nc now he'O NhS ASNNAN J~SN 49, W
have, aud hundreds OF other journals have, pre-
dicted--almost untold suffering on the plain
of Western Kansas.
1t is heart sickening TO read Of the condition
of the returning gold seekers. They are al
reduced to the most abect want, and we heA
instances OF actual starvation. We ventur
that ct one in thousand will have enough
to purchase meal when they get back to tn
States indeed, vast army Of Paupers is nov
approaching the Missouri line, and will sool
be scattered over the country bordering Oh tn
BIissosEi and Mississippi Rivers, like the locust
of Egypt, endeAvoring to work their way =
homes which they deserted for an i'll detinet
ignus fatuus.
These unfortunate people have themselve
principally to blame. They went into the mat
ter with their eyes open, as the press in th
States fully showed up the false stories pro
mulgated by the St. Louis and Kansas paper
q long before they ventured 90 their perilOu
jaunt, The people have learned lesson !
this Pike Peak business which ought to las
three generations to come.