, 1860-12-10
TILE WESTERN GOLD FIELDS.

TILE WESTERN GOLD FIELDS.
Interesting Details OF tho Sesson's OF
orations-S7, 100000 IN Gold Sent q
the 8tArcs-The Experiment socccss
ful.
fcorrrspondcace Of tho Chicago Tnbune.1
MOUNTAIN C1rr, Rocky Mountains, Nor. 20
| At the date Of 1ny Inst, (July 15th,) ha'
been in the mountains two weeks, nnd ha'
made what observation could in TINT time
relation to the cha1ncter oftho mines, the proa
pects Of miners and mill men, and the genera
prospects Of business. In the four month
since then, my observations aud experience
have taken somewhat larger and more variet
rauge, and my conclusions and opinions mn,
perhaps be entitled to more consideration OF
this tccount. The season is now so far adyanc
cd that pretty much nil Of tho crowd hav'
reached their homes. aud made thciF repo1'
On Pixies Peak. These reports, necessarily
have been various aud contradictory. a &c"
returning with we'll filed purses have made
favorable report. An immense crowd, roach
Ing home, pcnniless, their outfit gone thei'
seasons labor lost, their brilliant anticspauons
of snec3y wealth nll vanished, have made thei,
/ rcport. and a sad one It has been. By them,
thoueaud times over, has Pixies Peak been
pronounced humbug. This clnss being largo
| II In tho ascendant III point Of numoers, and
many Of them candid and reliable men, have
greatly staggered public opinion. and the pub
! lie mind, Judge, Jet rests In doubt q 10
whether gold in any considerable quantity real
| " exists here. THIS question, however, must
and will be settled upon It's mcrits. The facts
are not yet before the people The obsctVa'
tons and experience Of practical aud intelt'
gent men, together with the result Of a sc-'
sons operations in the mines, when a1l placed
before the public, will constitute group OF
facts tshich will enable all to form an intclli'
gent opinion as to the gold prospects Of the
Rocky Mountains. These facts will gradually
develop themselves, and reliable statistics Will
ere long be before the people which will settle
tho whole question.
From the tenor Of fmy first letter, many we're
led to suppose that Iwould continue to com
municate the results Of my experience, md
those who were oware that came to the noun
tafns with quartz-mill, were anxious to know
my opinion Of the practical operation Of quartz
mills.
During the scason OF unfayorable report,
consequent upon the returning tide OF disar-
pointed and unsuccessful gold-seekcrs, haye
received several letters from personal friends,
desiring me to state publicly the results Of my
observations in the mines, and wishing ny
opinion on the great question as to whether
gold mining in tho Rocky Mountains would
really pay or not In response to these de-
slres, and in accordance with my promise to
you, I chccrfully communicate my views On
the subject, expecting that those only who
personally know me will attach much weight
to my opinions.
The gold deposits Of the Rocky Mountains
ure found in two different positions, according
Is they have been acted upon By Dire and va
tor. The prlmnry position is in crcviccs in the
rocks Of the mountains, called "lodcs " or
"leada." These "lcads'' are composed Of
quartz rock varying from one inch to several
Get wide, aud were apparently forced into
cracks or crcyices Of the granite rock BY pow
crful volcanic action or internal heat It has
thoroughly burned by intense heat
There is but little native or crystalized
quartz In these mountains, md what is found,
believe is not gold-bearing. In these veins
Of quartz rock the gold is deposited, mostly
naked eye, but frequently PARTICLES, vnsying in
size from pins head 10 large nuggets. Oh
taining gold from these veins. is denominated
Quartz Mining. Tic other position In which
gold is found is in less clcvated positions,
where, by the action Of the elements these velnE
of quartz rock have been disintcgrated and
worked, with the separated particles Of gold.
into the valleys and gulchcs below. These
deposits BY wafer, on the higher levels or
plattcaus are called "Fatch uiggsinsB." on
the 1arger streams, where large deposits are
made III the valley, between the present bed Of
the stream and the base Of the mountain
upon either side, nrc what is called "Dar Dig
GINS" and in the smaller valleys On the small
rirulcts and streams are the "Gnlch Di-yyins." :"
In these various positions arc carried On the
mining operations Of these mountains. In
the three Inst, the gold is obtained by washing
the dirt In sluiccs, the gold being caught BY
rifles in the slaiccs, or amalga.nated BY quick
silver resting In the bottom Of the same,
The mode Of obtaining gold from the quartz
rock is 1st, finding the vein; ed, then sinking
shafts or holes into the rock, following the
crevicc, and qnarrying ont the quartz, raising
It by winlasses and buckets to the surface, or
By tuunclling from the base Of the mountain
and working the veins deep under ground, In
either case conveying tho quartz by teams, by
1t is crushed to q fine powder, and the particles
of gold saved by washing it over the surface of
|, quicksilver, either In pools or spread upon the
] surthcc Of sheet copper.
The belt Of gold 6earing mountains, 30 tar
as discovered 10 this date, extends from the
! north fork OF the Platte on the north, to the
san Juan Mountains on the south. The width
| Of this belt raries from Is to 10 miles. It Tor
| = portion Of it) crosses the summit of the
Rocky Mountains in tho vicinity Of the head
waters Of the Arkansas, and extends down the
western slope in the directions OF the Rio
| Grande. The entire mountain region en-.
braccd In the foregoing description IS tr.1vcrs.
ed by innumerable veins fgold- bearing quartz,
| and the debris Of the same will be found in the
| valleys and gulches, containing the grain aud
LUMP gold in its native state. These veins
vary greatly in richness, as do the deposits in
the valleys. Some pay richly at the very sur
face, and Others pay poorly at the surfacc, but
grow richer the deeper they arc worked.
| Hence the varied SUCCESS OF want Of success
Of those who dig for gold.
From this description of the extent and
character Of the gold-hea region, you will
already have come to the conclusion los have
done from Observatory that there is plenty
OF gold In the Rocky Mountains. This point
being conceded, next comes the consideration
| Of the very important question rs to the prae
ticabllity OF obtaining it. This Is the great
practical question which every one feels inter
ested in, and which all desire to have satisfac
tori1y solved. think the past seasons opera
lions have already practically settled the ques,
tion. Statistics Of the gold yield Of the Rock.
Mountains have been In process Of collection
during the whole season. The United Statcz
census returns, the statements Of bankers ane
business mcn, and the facts gathered by tht
intelligent members Of the press, enable I'll
yield Of 1850 from tho Rocky Mountains q
am informed by Nr. Clarke Of the firm o
Clarkc, Grubc q Co., bankers and cofncrs a
Denver, that from personal observation ht
knows that from one hundred to one hundred
md lfty thousand dollars per week has regu
since July 1st, besides, probably, as nucl
more, Of which he had no knowledge Gov
Stec1e In lis Message to the "proyisiona
Legislature" on the 18th Of this month, say
upon this subject:
1.-THE reports Of the treasure carried East Ar
making marked change on the puhlie mind ia on
States Mint shall be published. + will be found II
fail not far short Of seven millions Of dollars
coincd from this Pixies Peak region, this year."
! have every reason to suppose thst TIL
above estimates arc essentially correct In nd
/ H1t1oQ 10 Inc aQCFC d1uUuul6, WHICH, A0sGEoAl
East, it must he remembered tia
the :, entire circulating medium Of al
this gold region. wherein commcrcia
| and other business transactions arc carrict
on to the amount of millions Of dollars, is it
the native guild dust, and is nov, aud will con
tinue to be retained here in business channels
and neye1 appcariu iu my returns or statistics
eastern Institution.
Z Although the past seasons returns shoul.
20 far In establishing the fact Of the product
lyencss Of the Pixies Peak gold 1nines, d.