The Portage County Democrat. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1859-08-31
GurrRspnHhrllrr uf tbR Brnurrat.
Pike,s Peak

Pixies feaK
We are permitted. by Mr.. Allied Mowbray,
of Nelson, to make the following extract from
a letter, from his son. Alfred g. MoVbray: |
NEw NEVADA DI.TRIcr. K T, !
July 10Th, 1859.
At present. think. the majority Of the mi
ners are making money. By making money,
mean. making FIVE dollars per day, for if a
person does not earn that amount, ] consider
he is not making anything, after taking every
thing into consideration. Every, inch OF
ground for distance of, say, five miles from
this place has been prospected sometimes most
thoroughly and often but pertially. and every
foot of land that will pay, is claimed and rap
pidly it assumes different aspect. when the
pick and shovel are applied earnestly. Some
men of course. don't make their board, while
others are putting by their ounce of dust ev-
cry day.
think, yes, know these lofty hills con-
tain vast quantity of gold, but quite often
it will not pay to work them Why? because
the majority of the miners here are not pre-
pared to work through quartz rock. The
pick and shovel is poor machinery, to use IN
stead of the blast Powder is all that will
subdue these hard-hearted leads, and make
them paying article. think l have des
cribed lead to you, but / might have omit
ted it; SO I will try to define it. A lead, is
vein of gold bearing earth or quartz running
in straight direction, and continuing some
times for number of miles in the same course
The size of these veins, vary consider ably; it
sometimes being not more than a few inches
ally grow larger and richer as you descend, ex.
cept, they should close. BIZ closing | mean a
large rock intervening and dividing the lead
from the rest below it. That is the greatest
trouble with a lead, you don't know how soon
they may cease to pay 1 have worked on 9
lead, and know how it works on me. Some
times I would feel as rich as Jew, and the
next hour, may be- as poor as church mouse
l am now working on guIch claim, and am
thankful to be able to say, think it will pay
We have now two long TOMS in active ser
vice. You must excuse my telling you the
! earnings of the same, as it might discourage
you, or please you a triae too much, as the
case may be.
One fact think proves that this is not al
a patent Yankee Humbug. 1t is this; What
do miners buy their provisions with? Why
gold dust to be sure: and tell you one hal
of the present miners arrived here with only
a few dollars in their pockets. Ask the store
: keeper if his gold scales are of any use tc
: him. and he will tell you they are in constan
use.
] In this District where now reside, sluice
= and toms are running in every direction. Tive
weeks ago not sIuice was in operation.
A few claims below u.s. piece of gold wa
taken out worth forty two dollars, the piece
; saw weighed and examined it myself. That
no humbug. l hope, what have said, vii
induce no one to jump from the frying pal
into the fire, or in other words to come to th
: Rocky Mountains, if they can make living il
g the States. Here we have hard work, har
;. living, hard pay, but as I am caught in th
trap must make the best of it, and help 9th
ers to do the same. would say to all intend
ing to come here next Spring, come with tn
intention of visiting these Mountains, merel
Il for your pleasure. IF you can do well a
right, if not. why you have seen the Elephant
and can return without singing of your
y @Trals and trbulatons o'er the plains"
/ think have told you sufficient TO prov
{ that there is gold here but l admit that tn
: Cherry Greek mines were complete humbus
| worked on said Creek but soon omit, for
s found that a man could only make about fift
e cents or dollar per day. have about $40
d in dust that we took from the Greek. 1t
o beautiful gold, but very light according to tn
;, bulk. l will enclose a specimen of the gol
r we are now finding. 1t is somewhat coars
y and easily saved But the gold taken fror
the leads is as fine as -four, and can only b
is saved by the use of quicksilver. The lat
Q named article can be bought for 50 per poun
here at any time. Flour from $16 to $40 pc
70 hundred; Dried apples 80 cents per pound
Bacon from 80 10 40 cents per pound. Th
. above prices are asked here in the Mountain
n Truly yours,
e ALFRED g. MOWBRAY.