The Kansas herald of freedom. [volume] (Wakarusa, Kan. Territory) 1854-1860, 1859-02-12
From the Lecompton Democra,


does it in 1860.
From tie Lecompton Democrat.
La,ss, from the Gold Region,-Arrival of Sheriff
E. W. Wynkoop and A. B. sieinbsrger, Esq.,
The most reliable statsmeni.
E. w. Wynkoop, Esq, who started
from this place in September last, bearing
a communication from Governor Denver
as Sheriff of Arappahoe county, (the scene
of the gold diggings,) in company with
A. B. Steinberger, formerly of Nebraska,
returned to our city on the 23d inst,
making the journey through in 80 days.
We have been favored by this gentleman
with information with regard to the coun-
try, and richness of the gold deposits,
which it gives US pleasure to present to
our readers.
The existence of the auriferous metal,
and the future success of the South Platte
gold region has now become fixed fact.
A comparison at present between this
region, 80 newly discovered and by no
means prospected, and the well developed
resources of California, would be pre-
posterous in the extreme, but that the
gold exists in sufficient quantities to
justify emigration, and support large
mining population, there is no longer a
doubt.
The gold-bearing country is by no
means confined to the South Platte river
alone the headwaters of Arkansas, the
Rio Grande, and the North Platte, are
emphatically gold bearing streams, though
the most thorough prospecting has GER
tainly been done on the Platte.
To have definite knowledge of this
region, one should understand in a meas.
ure, the topography of the country The
South Platte debouches from the Eastern
range of the great Cordillera in about lat
80 deg and 30 min. and flows North par
allel with the mountains for distance of
seventy miles. In the intermediate space
a number of small streams mingle their
waters with the Platte, coming from the
mountains in the West, the pine region in
the East, and the great dividing ridge,
separating the waters of the Platte and
the Arkansas. This is the region where
the auriferous metal is known to exist,
prospected in some localities, and known
to be rich in its deposits. In other local
tiles the soil has hardly been disturbed.
The number of ridiculous stories afioat
with regard to the country Gas they have
been in California and Australia are only
calculated to mislead the masses. The
real facts are by no means difficult to at
tain-that the mines now opened, and at
present but little worked, will pay, there
is no possible doubt the most important
of which are the Spanish Giggings, three
and half miles South of the mouth OF
Cherry Creek, upon the Eastern bank OF
the Platte river, the dry diggings upon
Dry Creek, seven miles South of said
point, and the mines but recently opened
upon Longs Creek, fine stream with its
two branches heading in the vicinity Of
Longs Peak and emptying into the Platte
about eight miles North of Cherry Creek.
These localities bid fair to yield large
return.
The gold is fine float, or scale gold,
intermixed with boulders, coarse gravel
and sand, the whole of which is from six.
teen inches to two and half feet in depth
and deposited upon hard cement. re-
sembling in appearance burnt clay or lava;
this is termed the bed rock, and reached
at distance of from three to six feet be.
low the surface. The valley of the Platte
and its tributaries here present the same
appearance in all its localities. The bed.
of the streams have never been examined
with view TO the finding of the gold
Upon Longs creek the rock or cement
has been penetrated and rich deposit.
found beneath this leads many expert
enced miners to believe that the real bed
rock itself has never been reached.
The great watershed of the Platte anC
Arkansas rivers presents many attractiv,
features independent of its mineral re-
sources, and each distictive feature is
valuable auxiliary to the enterprise o
men, and the future success Of the coun.
try.
A genial climate, pure liquid streams
rushing from the mountain barrier through
frightful gorgers-forming beautiful cas-
cades and thence ripping, with gentl
murmur, through pleasant fertile valleys
Beautiful groves and stately forests adorl
the plains, and the giant mountains rea
their lofty submits far up into the clouds
Upwards of one thousand persons ar
now in the gold region, nearly ene-ha
of which are now located at the mouth o
Cherry Creek. At this point the Georgi
Company (the first miners in the region
fixed their stakes for the winter. Emf
grafton hocked in rapidly, and soon
fiourishing town sprang up around them
/, Denver city, the residence of the count
officers commissioned by Gov. Denver,
/ located upon the Eastern bank of Cher
Creek. Both Gourishing places, and no,
consolidated.
The same activity displayed in Cal
fornia in 1889, may there be witnessed
buildings grow up as if by magic, and br
few idle men are to be found. ALI hay
the utmost confidence in the richness {
the mines, and the future success of th
country.
The soil in the numerous valleys
fertile, though not as extensive in erea ;
most settled sections o. the West. Th
} finest soil requires clearing, and in DR.
] seasons irrigation. In this country thsI
|, is not the scarcity of timber which Ii
: Great West is 50 proverhially wanted il
Q Upon the divide separating the waters
the Platte and Arkansas, is found the fil
r est quality Of pine timber, covering q
extent of country extending from Il
t mountains south Of the Platte, and form
( ing plateau in the form of crescen
1 for q distance of nearly one hundrs
e miles. The timber is very dense, wit
d stately trees raising to the height of OF
j, hundred and twenty feet; this is Il
: Nimrods paradise of the West. In Il
5 dark solemn depths of the forest ha'
oil roamed undisturbed by the white ma
huge and sullen grizzly, the trsache