, 1860-03-31
THE PIXIES PEAK GOLD REGION,
1T 4. D. RICHARDSON. :.

-
The aboye map, prepared from drawings and
observations made on tie ground, delineates
the principal routes to, aud settlements,
diggtngs, aud other localities Of interest in,
the Pixies Peak gold region, up to the present
time. While it is impossible within 'hese nar.
row limits 10 give full aud exact details in re-
gard to all matters in the mining districts, it ia
substantially accurate, aud presents large
amount Of valuable information, in compact and
ccnyenient form.
WHAT HAS REEx DONE.
The miners last season labored under great
disadvantages, viz:
No paying digsines were discovered until late
in May. Many immigrants who arrived before
that period, went back discouraged, and turned
back others who were on the way with supplies
and machinery.
The "uic" or Utah Indians were so trouble
Some in localities, 10 render it unsafe for SOL
/ itary miners or small prospecting parties, away
| from the settlements. "
The geology Of ,he Pixies Peak region is
utterly unlike that Of California or Australia;
Ecnct, old miners from these cou tries, though
fanllia: vita tie deals df trorEtra the zaine*,
were no more expert in Prospfefiny, than men
| fresh from the farm or countng-room.
| Quartz nlinins-Ehich must always take the
lead here-reGuired the transportation, by
oxen, Of hea:y and costly machinery from the
Missouri ryer-703 m les. II was not sent for
uutil the discoveries oi gold demonstrated that
1t was necessary aud could be pr2ttabIy used.
1t arrived SO late, that on the opening Of winter
| only two steam quartz mills had been put 10
operation, though sersral pther rude machines,
t cf stnaif cdpac,fy, and made OIL the ground, had
| been running for u few weeks.
Notwlthstandin. these drawbacks. the yield
Of tic I'lke's Peak mines up to the present
tiMc. is estimated BY those who hase tue best
facilities Tor Judging, at upwards Of one million
aad a hlIf Of dollars. Nearly half million
had been received at the naints, for coming.
several months a5o. In vicw Of all the carcum-
stances; the wonder Is, not that SO little, but
that so much, has been effected.
The average mint valuc Of the gold is about
Tie iargcst nuggets " discovered last xea-
son ranged III value IRON, 44u to s150. Recent
aslvsces, however, state that about the first Of
Eelsuary, Mcssrs. Temple L Mcintyre obtained
in North Clear Greek, q lump Of nearly pure
gold, valued 1t $l..09.
In addition to tue digg'nss worked during
tile summer, many peculiarly Tch " leHds =
were discovered late in the fall, when the MA
iurity Of tue miners were feaying. to spend the
winter in .9ihe States" Parties whn lave
| Park, aud on the head waters Of The Blue and
Colorado rivers immediately west Of it, express
| the opinion TINT in those localities a.oue lem
bsacing but su,asl portion Of tue known Gold
Region}, pnying diegngs hare dlrtdY been
found, sufficiently extensive to employ hun
son. This is probably au cxagyerAtsoa; but
| present indications promise that there will be
room enough for all, however heavy tho spring
immigration uay prove
During the past winter the1c have been about
ten thousand people in the Pixies t'eak country.
In August and September there we're nearly
twice US nf.Dy, but thousand Of the miners hare
been spending the winter ut their old homes in
the Ssates, and designing to return in the
spring, With their families, machinery or goods
,:ud other conycnicuces for permanent settle
ment.
EXTENT or TIE GOLD REGION.
The paying di..lnss already discovered, are
mainly between Longs ieak and Pikc's Peak
franz north to south, aud embraced within The
l95lh aud lV7ti lnerldlans Of West Longitude
f;ut The geological formation Of these localities
does not apparently d,t!cr from that Of H.:
whole range. Gutd has bcca kroxn to exist in
Utah fer several years, though the Mormon
leaders hare kept it a secret rs far a. possible.
1t has also been found near Fl. Dridger, in the
vicinity Of Ft. Laramie, and at various ctheE
points further south, embracing the present
knos;n gold region and extending beyond it.
During last summer and fall, tue writer Of this
journeycl I thousand miles frum north to south
among the Rocky Mountains and along tteit
eastern s|opes, in Nebraska, Kansas and New
Mexico. In the 'ast-namcd Territory he saw re-.
} narkably tine specimens nf gold, obtained 0nly
n few miles from Santa Fe; and his obserra'
lions aling the Whole route confirmed previous
impressions that the whole mountain ranges
from Salt Lake 10 Mexico, abound, at intervals
not only in gold. but also il silver and The bcsc1
metals, and will ultimately prove the richest and
most extensive mineral region in the world.
In cnrfobo.ation Of tt.is, it is 4 noteworthy
f,ct that the recently discovered "Waslloe
Mines" Of yald, silver and copper, about wij:h
so much excitement exists 10 California, are in
tie same latituie toiA ths Iite's Isak dygi.ys
Though nearly thousand miles west OF them
and tnat rnuel, Of tlacintcrvcninC range of coun
try bears indications Of being rich mineral rc
Sion. The Washoe mines are in the Carsot