The Grand Haven news. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1858-18??, 1859-07-13


visited the gold mines os the Rocky
Mountains, and we give our readers a.por-.
tion Of tho statements relative thereto ms
published in-a late issue Of the Chicago
Tribune. II is thought its gcnuineness
may be relied upon:
!Statementof MeSsrs. GrecleH Richard.
son and gVltard.
(near Clear Crock, in the Rocky Mountains
June 9th, 1859.
The undersigned, none of chem miners,
nor directly interested in mining, but now
here for the express purpose of ascertain
ing and setting forth the truth with re-
gard TO subject Of deep and general in
terest as TO which the widest and widest
diversity of assertion and opinion is known
TO exist, unite in the following statement:
We have this day personally visited
nearly all the mines or claims already
opened in this valley Chat of little
stream running into Clear Greek at this
poinD; have witnessed the operation Of
digging, transporting and washing the
vein-stone "a partially dccomposed, or
rotten quartz, running in regular veins
from southwest TO northeast, between
shattered walls of an impure granatc),
have seen tho gold plainly visible in the
rifles Of nearly every sluicc, and in near
ly every pan of the rotten quartz washed
in our presence; have seen gold (but rare
ly visible TO the naked eye,) in pieces Of
the quartz not yet fully decomposed, and
have obtained from the few who have
sluices already in operation, accounts of
their several products.
Some forty or fifty sluiccs commenced,
arc not yet in operation; but the owners
inform us that their prospecting" shows
from ten cents to two dollars pan. AS
the leads" are all found on the hills,
many of the miners arc constructing
trenches to carry water TO them, instead
of carrying the dirt thither in wagons or
sacks. Many persons who have come
here without provisions or money are
compelled to work as common laborers, at
from 81 to SO per day and board, until
they can procure means of sustenance for
the time necessary for prospecting, build
ing sluices, &c. Others not finding gold
the third day, or disliking the work nee
essary to obtain il, leave the mines in dis
gust, after very short trial, declaring
there is no gold here in paying quantities.
1t should be remembered that the discov-
cries me . thus far, are the result Of but
five Weeks labor.
In every instance, the gold is estima-
ted by the miners as worth $40 per o.,
which for gold collected by quicksilver,
is certainly high valuation, though this
is undoubtedly of very great purify
The reader can reduce the estimate il he
sees fit. We have no data on which to
act in the premises.
The wall rock is generally shattered, SO
that it, like the vein-stone, is readily
taken out with the pick and shovel. In
single instance only did we hear of wall
rock too hard for this.
Of the vein-stone, probably not more
than one-half is so decomposed that the
gold can be washed from it. The residue
Of the quartz is shovelcd out of the
sluiccs, and reserved TO be crushed and
washed hereafter. The miners estimate
this rs rich as that which has rotted SO
that the gold may be washed from it;
hence, that they realize, as yet but half
the gold dug by them. This seems prob
able, but its truth remains to be tested.
1t will be borne in mind that, while
the miners here now labor under many
disadvantages, which must disappear
with the growth of their experience and
the improvements of their now machine
ry, they at the same tine enjoy advanta-
ces which cannot be retained indefinitely,
nor rendered universal They are all
working near n small mountain stream,
which affords them m excellent supply Of
water for washing at u very cheap rate;
and, though such streams are very COM
mon here the leads stretch over rugged
hills and considerable mountains, down
which the vein-stonc must be carried TO
water at n serious cost. IL does not seem
probable that the thousands of claims al
ready made or being made on these leads
can be worked so pro6tably in the aver
age of those already in operation. We
hear already Of many who have worked
their Chains for days (by panning) with
out having "raiscd the color" rs tho
phrase is-that is without having found
any gold whatever. We presume thou
sands are destined to encounter lasting
and utter disappointment, quartz veins
which bear no gold being prominent
feature of the geology of all this region.
| We cannot conclude this statement
without protesting most earnestly against
renewal of iho infatuation which impell-
ed thousands TO rush to this region n
month or two since, only to turn back be-
fore reaching it, or to hurry away imme-
diately after, more hastily than they came.
Gold mining is a business which re-
quires Of its votaries capital, experience,
energy, endurance, and in which the high
est qualities do not always command
success. There may be hundreds Of ra-