Nevada national., 1859-10-01
A Win 20 thc NV Digrina-.


Mr. G. d. Roberts. who has recently re
turned from the new diggings in NASSAU
Valley. has kindly furnished us with the fol.
lowing interesting account OF the wonderful
richness OF the mines in that locality. lie
says -
Four days ride on horseback. from this
place. brought us to Virginia Town. now the
ocus Of attraction at the dggings. Here it
IS, where the silver lead has been discovered,
which rivals in richness any found in Mexico
since the conquest.
This lead was discovered about three months
since by an old irappcr numcd Comstock,
Who, it is said. can't read bis own name, and
an old soakcr called Virginia" while they
were prospecting for surface diggngs. OF
course they have disposed Of their interest.
aud are now luxuriating in the possession OF
the frw thousand dollars Which they received
for their discovery.
The ore IL found ia quartz lead. in irreg-
ular veins, from one TO four inches in thick
ness. and yields from three to -four thousand
dollars per ton. in silver. The mine is now
Owned by Judge Walsh and Joseph Wood
worth of this place, Mr. Geo. Hurst and Wm.
Morrison Of Nevada, B. Davidson Of San
Francisco, and some others.
The extent and value OF the mine IS not
yet fully demonstrated. The lead has only
been opened on the surface three or four
hundred feet. and not over fifteen feet in
depth. Should it continue rich as they 20
down. its value will be almost beyond con-
puiation Shares that were bought few
weeks SINCE for three aud four thousand dol
ars each would nov readily bring thirty or
forty thousand dollars. The quartz lead in
which the silver veins are found. is from ten
to fifteen feet thick. aud is also rich In gold.
After the silver ore has been carefully select
ed, and packed in boxes, the quartz aud pay
dirt is then worked in arastras, and pays
from three to five hundred dollars per ton.
We were informed by Judge Walsh tat the
company have decided on shipping their sill
yer ore TO London in preference 10 erecting
machinery for smelling it at the mine.
\ number of gold bearing lead, have been
slightly prospcctcd in that neiehborhood.
some Of them giving promise Of great rich
ness, but no further discoveries Of silver
have yet been made The scarcity of wood
and water are the great drawbacks to exteE'
sive mining operations in that locality. A
gentleman who has resided in that part of
the country for several years. says that it
seldom rains; the winters are culd aud dis
agreeable, and he thiaks il will he impuss;-
Bile for miners to do much during the winter
months. The ows commence melting in
April and May, which will be the best time
for prospecting.
From the topography Of The country.
would think it almost impossible TO convey
water to any great extent in dilches. The
mountains are more isolated than in the ST
ezra range, and the waters Of Truckee and
Carson rivers could only be taken TO the dig.
gings by using iron tubes. Wooden fumes
would be impraclcable on account of the
great height that it would be necessary TO
construct them, and the strong winds that are
as common there as IN San Francisco
The accommodations at the diegings are
not Of the best. and reminds the old Caiior'
nian of the flush time Of ~ and 80 Fight
ing whiskey at two bits glass, slorjacks.
monte pork and beans, and sleep where you
please ON the ground, constitute the bill Of
fare.
We would advise parties leaving here for
the Washoe diggings, to take the Eureka
trail, as it is the most direct aud hest road.
will say ca PasSanf that the citizens Of
Nevada County have much overlooked their
own interests in neglecting to construct
wagon road from Eureka to the DOwneville
road. A sum not exceeding sl0 00O would
make as good wagon road from Eureka TO
the Truckee river as there now is from here
to Sacramento city. The road necessary TO
be constructed would not be over ten or
twelve miles in length. A number Of emf
grant wagons came over this route this sea
son. 1t is astonishing that this route has
been so little noticed. We have conversed
with several old mountaineers, and they all
agree that it is the best pass known in the
mountains.
Parties should 60 well armed. and in com
panies of not less than three or four, as there
is a lawless banditti infesting the roads from
the eastern slope Of the mountains to the
diggings. Several persons are reported to
have been killed recently near Sierra Val
ley. We passed Mr.. Refs party, from Dow
melville, who had been attacked at Dog Val
ley on the same day by band of despera-
does. Mr.. Refs was severely wounded. |
believe the particulars have been already
published.