The weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1858-1860, 1859-07-05

seen very rich dep0sites Of gold opened
and was 20 confident the mines would pay
that he was going back to Denver to work I
few days and earn provisions enough TO ena.
bic him to return and prospeCt aeAiu. III
| did not remain at the mines Ia do this, be.
cause there were 30 many shiftless persons
| there, willing y work at almost starvation
prices After he had conveEsed With o. hali
IN hoar, we learned, IN reply to direct ques.
| ton, that he had eaten nothing since noon,
he had been soo proud tobeg, either directly
Or by. implications. Our larder was again
opened, and he very gratefully diminished il
con .ents. Then young MissouriAn. who,
in hunting, had wandered away from his
competitions, and become bewildered and
Elostin the mountains, strayed into our camp,
and wss glad OF IN invitation to share our
lodgings by this time the cool evening vas
tar spent and We were soon snuglg ensc0n-
scd 10 camp casing through the fir lboughs
at the quiet starr, and Jailed BY the muaic
ofthe yoicefui pine, the Eolian harp Of the
forest
EMfERING TIE Dfe6IN0s. 60
On Wednesday morniDg opr siambers were
broken at an early hour by the conductor Of
the party. The old Prossian rose from bis
sleep In the open air apparently as much re-
freshed A. il he had spent the night in . palace,
packed bis blankets upon his shoulders, and de.
parted, after thanking Us for his poor accommo
dations, with grace that any gentleman might
envy. In few minutes our mules were saddled,
aud we we're pushing towards the diggings.-
Our road, much like that of the previous day,
presented lively scene. Immig-ats, come on
foot, with provisions, cooking utensils and tools
packed upon their backs; others with hand,
horse and OK carts, with ropes attachedby which
they might be kept from overturning on the
steep bill and others still, with pack mulestha
occasionally broke their girts, threw up their
heels and sent their Heterogeneous burdens fly
ing IN all directions-were hurrying on, before
sunrise, towards the spot they had come so
many weary miles to reach. One Of the high
peaks on our route was surmounted BY tall
mass Of solid rock, which gave it the appearance
Of great cathedral, with it, huge dome rising
far toward the skies. Alter ride OF six miles,
we descended steep hill into the narrow valley
OF the Gregory DiggiDgs II was novel sight
"A confused mingllng Of men, tents, camps,
wagons, oxen and mules and all seemed to
be in motion. The first digger we met had
excavated some six feet beside LITTLE rivulet,
and the narrow hole in which be was working
resembled grave. As vet, he said, he had
not found pay-dirt. Passing up one Of the
MANY branching rayines, we soon reached the
main diggings
sITLEMTNTS IN THE MOUNTAINS.
MY hrst impression was one of astonishment,
that these mountains, almost without a human
Bong five weeks ago, should now exhibit 30
much busy life. week since there we're only
two buildings in the diegings; now. at least
hfty log houses are erected, and many more are
commenced. The number of tents and camps
! shall not attempt 10 estimate. Tie settle
fp .n%A II - Il
six miles. From what saw, ] am convinced
that i've Thousand il low estimate of the peo-
pie now IN these mines and they are pouring in
AZ the rate OF more than five hundred per day.
The whole number of inhabitants in Western
Kansas cannot be less than ten thousand 4
town. called Mountain CITY, has already
been started st tie mnes. There are few
trading houses, or rather tents, Al which ham
is sold at fifty cents per pound, and other arti-
Giles in proportion. We noticed several women
engaged in washing, Tor which the regular
charge Il three dollars per dozen. As excellent
water is found on tie spot, they cannot com
plain OF being poorly paid. We we're told that
there were just seven white women at the dig
eings, aud five squaws, the wives Of white men
who have been uappers in the mountains for
several years.
AMONG THE MINERS.
Alter oreaktast--eaten in the open sir, beside
the Mountain Hotei-our company divided into
three parties, and spent some hours among the
miners. TIE facts which We gained from them
will be found fully stated in the report which
enclose. The substance of the information
which we gained is, that few men who are
running slaices. are doing wel-reazine from
S25 70 500 per dav; but than many have not
yet struck lead, after working in vain for
several weeks Men Of skill, perseverance, and
pIEut Il n an a.
those who cannot bring large supply Of pro
visions, and xio are NOT willing 10 work hard
and perseye,ingiy, should BY all means stay
away.
The mres are entirely unlike those OF Caliior
nii-the gold being found upon the hilisides,
~ narrow creviees, or "feads OF ruts en- quartz
y hich have been thrown UP during commissions
and baye cleft the granite asunder. No cold
IN paving quantities Is found in the stream beds
Old Caiiiornians show no more skill In these
mines, than those who never saw gold dggings
before. A ftwef the "leads" are very ch. "A
gentleman in cur presence washed from half |
pan (the ordinary milk PAM OF dirt; taken out !
oil one of them 81 80. Some OF the miners |
were very exultant and hopeful; Others dis |
coaraged, and anxious to return 70 the States. |
One told Us be bad been nine months In West |
ern Kansas, without realizing any thing and he |
should stay and try eighteen longer, II the same
luck followed him. He certainly deserves sue |
cess. 49,
There is much speculation ID claims. A |
young man recently sold his nterest in one for |
! pony and i've dollars, and started Tor the |
States The claim proved rich, a. soon after /
me same interest wassold for $1,000. Asyet, / |
lhink net more than one-third Of the miners are |
making lar wages; but many are pushing fur |
Their on into the mountains and before the
IL 4 ~ hail 81,
discoveries will be made in other LOCALITIES, for |
these diggings have only been in operation Eve /
weeks, and it seems hardly possible that all the |
gold on the,eastern slope Of the Rocky Noun
tains, is contained IN of six miles. The /
gross amount OF gold now being taken ont, Is |
probably from $500 TO s., 600 daily There
are about twenty ssluices in operation but
many more are commenced. The lumber. or /
which they are made, il sawed out with whip-
saws on the ground and commands three hun. [.
tred dollars thousand. II
MASS MEETING OF THE MINERS
10 the evening, verbal notice having been
gwen ttat Mr.. Greeley would speak, the miners /
assembled, TO the member OF more than 2.Ooo. Il
y was probably the FIRST mass meeting yer held |,
q inc Rocky Mountains and the grizzly bears. II
who were roaming there undisturbed onls to-
months ago, we're doubtless good d. al astn.
shed! Ihe excellent practical advice giveAbS
Mr. w. IN bis brief address,v was we'll receisd by
ne audience; aud when he had coneludd. sew
raj other gentlemen were called ont, "a spoke I
or atew moments The meeting W very en- ,
husiastic, and whenever there was az least ex- I
'nEe Tor It, sent up cheers which ride the forest
ing. II
The NIGHT-THE RETuS TRIr. ~
Six Of u lodged in the n dntain City Hotel /
- lale tent, beside wl.h spacious log
building is being erected Il was barely large ,
.nough TO admit ~ WITH very ingenious man
cement, and We spep the night like % many
siamese twins
Snug
Asa hug
inarng."
In the mor,,nF, being awakened BY pecu-