Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1859-03-02
$. n. ROW, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR
CLEARFIELD. PA, MARCH 2, 1850
THE PIXIES PEAK GOLD MANIA.


The Pixies Peak gold fever seems to be pre-
vailing to almost as great an extent at the
present time, as the California did in its PALM
lest days. From all quarters we hear of the
formation of companies, preparatory to start
ing for the new Eldorado as soon as the sea-
son will permit; indeed, We understand, that
our own county is not entirely free from the
contagion, and that quite a number of persons
are talking about sspulling up stakes in the
spring, and going to the s:diggin's."
We presume there is little use in telling the
infected to "keep cool'' about the matter, foI
once the excitement is up, but few will listen
TO advice of any kind. Nor are we surprised
that the fever is spreading. Most of the ac.
counts represent the gold as being plenty al
the mines, and that digging pays from 81 te
$40, and perhaps more, a day to the man
This may be all true, and yet nothing be made
at it, for with the exorbitant prices at whicl
the necessaries of life sell there, four dollar,
day will little more than keep man. Thai
there is gold of a superior quality in that re-
gion, is a matter of little doubt; but since the
bursting of the Frazer River bubble, we are
gold discoveries with suspicion.
We have, from the start, been of the opinion
that the intellig from Pixies Peak, in most
instances, exagerates the condition of affairs
in that locality-that it comes through the
hands or agents of spectators who have pos
sesscd themselves of lands, and expect, by the
excitement, to realize immense profits, in one
way or another. In this opinion are
strengthened by seeing an extract from a let
ter written to the ST. Louis Democrat by Mr..
III. l.. Bolton from Auraria City, under date OF
Jan. 18th, in which it is asserted that diggers
who have been most successful do not average
three dollars day-the majority not over fifty
cents. Mr.. Bolten then goes on to say:
ssThe gold is very fine. 1t takes from twen-
ty to twenty-five PARTICLES to make the value OF
a cent. The largest speck which have heard
of, will not weigh more than twenty-five cents
in value. All the large Jumps that you have
received in st. Louis, Pixies Peak gold,
were never obtained in this region-they be-
long to California. All the accounts of gold
findings of an extrayagant character, are the
fabrications of spectators. l wish to put you
aud others on their guard against these sto-
ries; especially Gen. Larimer's account.
will venture to say that he does not know any
good prospect yet and l am on the ground.
venture the prediction that few persons will
make fortunes hunting gold in this country.
But EaS seeing is believing let ali who wish
to have sight Of the elephant come on.
am beginning TO get view of him. There
are more than two hundred cabins built here,
and two hundred more are to be erected be-
fore the last of March. Spectators are al
ready busily engaged in laying off cities around
the diggings. and they are the fellows who are
sending to the States such glowing accounts
Of gold discoveries
John Bruce and John Kearns, St. Louis en-
gineers, also write from the same place, con-
firming the above. Plenty of gold, they say,
but scattered over large surface, and very
fne-can take pick and dig it up any where,
but it does not pay to work tit only pays a.
long the water courses. They state that some
make from three to eight dollars day. ]. G.
W. Coonce, writing still later from the same
place, confirms the others. He says, ga man
provided with good tools, in good weather,
can make five dollars day. He advises
those at home doing we'll, to stay where they
are, but if they must come, to take the route
up the Platte, as the best and shortest.
Such of our readers as have an idea Of 60
ing to Pixies Peak, would do well to look at
both sides of the picture, before they come to
final determination and allow themselves to
be carried away on the waves of excitement.