The Portage County Democrat. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1859-06-08

And the years glide by.
for tkt Donre Girtle.
From the Missouri Democrat.
The Pixies Peak Humbug.
THE EXPERIENCE OF n NEW YORK EATGRANT
THE GOLD MINES STA7BD TO BE lN INFA-
NOUS SW1NDLE- -SUFRERlNGS AND LOSSES
OFLLFE AND PR0PERTY ON THE PLAINS.
EVERETT HORSE ST.. LoUIs. May IS. 1859.
Mr.. EDIToR:-Having seen in your columns
of the Oath inst, an article taken from the
T,eavenworth Times. containing highly favor
able reports from the diggings' about Cherry
Greek, ! am induced to write you this letter in
the hope that 1t may be instrumental in saving
some from being misled, and falling into
what believe to be the most gigantic hmm
bug that ,oas euer perpetrated upon the finer
ican people.
left my home in the State of New York.
as the 10th day of March last. for the pur.
pose of going to the gold mines. visited
most of the river towns 10 Kansas, and spent
about one week in Leavenworth and three
weeks in st. Joseph. During that time, had
good opportunity Of seeing vast numbers of
emigrants start from all these points and hear
the arguments of the Inhabitants of all the
different starting points, trying to prove that
their town was the best place to buy an outfit
and their route the best.
I became satisfied that the old California
road starting from St. Joseph. was the best,
and in company with friend, bought good
outfit, viz: Thee yoke of good CATTLE good
wagon, six months provisions, consisting of
every necessary article that We could think
of; also carpenters tools, nails. butts and
screws, window sash and glass. and all the ar
ticles necessary to build us good log house
on our arrival at the mines We left st.
Joseph on the Goth day of April, and travel.
ed west about two hundred miles. When we
reached the Big Blue. We began to meet the
tide of emigration flowing back towards the
East, with very unfavorable news from the
mines. This did not make much impression
upon us at first. and we came to the conclu.
sion that come what would, we should 90
through. We continued to travel on for about
six days after we passed the Big Blue, and
every day the emigration to the East doubled
and finally we came to halt for consultation.
We had united ourselves to several other par.
ties, 30 that we had about nineteen men in our
company. Mr.. John De Witt, with party
of five from Perry, Illinois. party of six
young men, some from jackson, Michigan,
and some from Minnesota; also party of six
from New Haven. Connecticut We pitched
our tents. and after consultation. came to the
conclusion that we should go through and see
for ourselves.
calculating to make good days journey. but
had not travelled far when we met company
returning that had been through and worked
in the mines. Amongst them were three old
acquaintance of our friend De Witt from his
own town in Illinois He said they were men
/ of truth, and could be relied upon We had
the most implicit confidence in their state.
ments, which were substantially as follows:-
They had prospected the country around
Cherry Greek. and travelled ten miles up in the
mountains beyond where they could find the
color. and prospected all the way. They gave
it thorough trial, and the most they could
make was three cents a day to the man. They
visited all the different diggings, and did not
find a man that pretended that he could make
more than from three to twenty cents per day.
They also stated that almost all the emigration
was turning back. and advised his friends and
neighbors Mr.. De Witt and party, to return
to their homes. This was too much for
them. The party began to move. Some were
n in favor of returning, and some for going
4 ahead. We travelled on that day, but did not
make much headway. As we met thousands
on the back track, the the road lined as far as
the eye could reach with long trains, nine.
!, tenths of which were vending their weary
steps towards the East, we concluded to 90
into camp again for consultation. We pitch.
ed our tents, and there we found gentleman
by the names of Vaness, from Jackson, Mich.
igan, who with his party, were on their re.
turn, after having spent some time in the
mines prospecting. Mr.. Vaness is gentle.
man of truth, and is well known by several in
. our encampment. His statement was sub.
: stantially as follows:
q STATEMENT OF Mr.. vANEss
. started in March, with mule teams, and ar.
rived at Denver City early in April. On nv
arrival tie spectators in town lots swarmed
around me and tried th induce me to tai e
some shares in their new town. told them
!. did not wish to speculate, but wanted to en-
= gage with my party in mining. asked them
if they knew where there were any diggings
t that would pay. They said:
q 'Oh, yes, We can show you rich diggings NOT
far from the town.
asked them how much it would pay to
: the pan. They said they could show me dig
gings that would pay tea cents to the PAN
d I told them if they would do that would
E give them ten dollars for their trouble. 81
they agreed to 60 and show me the next morn