Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1859-02-23


by Mr.. J. Jewett Wilcox of this city:
DENVER CRY, Jan. LIST, 1889.
FRIEND WHcOx:-I wish you Happy
New Yearl AS the express leaves here the
first of every month for Fort Laramie, will
write you, TO let you know how things are
moving.
Fua-The weather is fine as can be found;
have not had a coat on but few days since
| have been here. We have had about two
inches of snow here, and in ALL ii is the finest
climate so far, that / ever saw for winter;
but we can stand and look on snow four feet
deep, FIFTEEN miles from where l write, Oh the
mountains.
can assure Won that what you read is no
exaggeraion. for it is what see myself. But
what have done | will tell you. / have
some days taken ont myself from S. to $40
with a rocker but 1t is hard work for there
is not water to work with. In the spring
hope to do better than now. This is about
the average Of the mines. for the lack OF wa
ter. There is not more than one third OF the
people working in the mines the rest are
building houses in the different towns that
have been laid out here.
There Is about 1000 persons in this valley
and arriving every day. | hear that many
are detained at the crossing of the South
Platte on account of the snow. and that the
snow is very heavy in that direction. This
learn by the Indians.
from the St Joseph Gazette, Feb. 14.l
Major J. S. Tut, gentleman of our own
county, of the highest responsibility, intelli-
gence and probity, has Just returned from the
gold mines Of Cherry Creek, and favored us
with more full, minute and authentic inform
alton in regard To that interesting country,
than has ever yet been given to the public.
All the valleys of that neighborhood
abound in pine timber and luXuriant grasses.
There are two ranges of mountains above.
the nearest Of which is low and covered with
pine timber; ana the farthest is high and
bare, and capped with snow in winter. From
Fort Laramie 10 the mouth of Cherry Greek
is $50 miles over a good. smooth, level road.
That route crosses the heads Ofall the streams
from the mountains. and avoids the abrupt
hills and valleys further down. The country
already prospected and found to abound III
gold. reaches from Cheyenne Pass to Pixies
Peak, 20 miles y. w. and ). h. and $50
miles Southwark. The streams throughout
this place are numerous, pure, clear and
never falling, with boulder bottoms filed with
shot gold. They are Of such great fall and
rapid current, that the cheap process OF
acequid, or ditcbing, answers as well as the
more expensive plan Of Jltming, found to be
so necessary 10 successful operations In Cali
fOrnia.
All the valleys and hill sides contain scale
or float gold, and there is no question of
inexhaustible quantities of the lump or
chunk gold in the sources from which they
were thrown or washed. The facilities for
mining are crude and few, and yet the yield
is several dollars to the man per day.
Extracts from correspondent. Of the Leavenworth
Tmes.l
DENVER CITY, ArrapahOe CO., K. T.,
In,
All our cabins are hung upon all sides with
venisol, elk and mountain sheep. Some who
do not hunt buy very chcaply, OF rather
trade ammunition for supplies, (my CASEY. |
Besides, we have the finest climate; have
never seen the like of it. We are now in
January, with "a mild bright, clear sky, and
weather delightful. We often hear from
Fort Laramie, our present postofice, and
they have had about the same amount of
snow we have bad. Our cabins are all about
sixteen feet square, with earth roofs, and
very warm and comfortable. There is not a
single case of suffering here, either of man or
beast. We hear of deep SHOWS East and cold
weather. Not SO here, as two thousand peO- |
pie can testify. We have plenty of yellow
pine, cottonwood. limestone and marble, and |
"A pure bed of alum discovered with plenty of
gypsum. Take everything together. we have |
II splendid country, and in addition, plenty of
gold. If my old aud tried friend, j. G.
Vaughan, Esq. will come out here, can
take him to spot whore he and | can dig |
and work out 50 or So each per day, with a
pan, at the same time discuss all the politi
Cal topics of the day; and if one strOng-arm- |
ed, young, experienced mnner will go to |
work as though he was in earnest, he can dig |
out his IS or SIS per day, with the full hope |
of a grand strike every hour. The fact is,
we have had no time to prospect or dig, nor |
will We have until Spring, and then you may |
eXpccJ to hear of the richest kind of dig |
gings, with long toms aud sluices. Besides, |
quartz has been discovered bearing gold.