Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1860-11-30
Erom our Utah OorrssDondsnt.
snvsn cIfY, cAasDS Co., usAe r,
OSeober iSth. ~.

&A Ossober 1SsAs no.
DiAR GAsrsfr my M was ftom Omeg.
California !; then promised you somc note.
from Silverland, and I have now been ir
Washoe, over Ave months and have not beer
able to fulfil my promise; but bear, with me
friend GAzErTE, Tpro,nise you on the word
Of an "honest MINER to amend.
Since coming here have been almost con.
stantiy engaged in prospecting among the
neighboring hills and mountains; often
have taken loaf or two Of bread, few
slices Of bacon, pick, shovel, blankets and
horn-spocn, and wandered for three or foul
days in the mountains, seeking At night some
spring or rill Of fresh water, where after fry.
ing slice Of bacon on my shovel and par.
taking Of frugal repast ofsuch "yarbs' q
bread, tea and "inyons," I would roll up in
my blankets and in spite Of the bowling Of
coyotes and my fears Of having tarantula,
rattlesnake or scorpion for bed fellow. sleep
soundly the sleep that none but Washoe
prospecter can know. 81
This region, but eighteen months since the
hone of bands Of wild Indians, and an al
most unknown waste, is now peopled by
thousands Of busy miners; substantial and
tastefully constructed adobe cottages peopled
with the cheerful wife and merry and roguish
little ones of the miners, merchants and me-
chanics are to be seen in our towns aad cities.
The steam whistle of our numerous quartz
mills resound where but few months since
naught was heard but the war-whoop Of the
fierce Pah.Ute brave, or the tremendous
echoing bleat of the timid mountain-sheep.
Splcndidly graded wide and smooth thor
oughfares have taken the place Of the old In
dian trdil, bridges are built and ferries estab.
lshed; four and six-horse coaches dash
through our streets and express wagons pass
conveniently along, where but lately logged
in solemn state the skin-dressed Pah-Ute
patriarch, astride his scrubby steed while on
foot followed weary train Of his women
and children, packed like donkeys with the
household possessions IF the family. In
short We now have (where one year ago a
meal could hardly be obtained) splendid no.
tells, restaurants, saloons, fruit-stores, baths,
barber-shops, drug-storcs, book and periodi-
cal depots, liyery-stables, laundries, and al
most all Of the conveniences and luxuries Of
any country. Hundreds Of wagons, heavily
laden with machinery, lumber and merchan-
disc and drawn by long lines OF oxen or
mules come pouring in from California, to
tumble into our streets and upon our side
walks impossible piles Of bales, bags, boxes,
wheels, cranks, stamps, wheel-barrows and
china-mats long struggling pack-trains come
winding in and the "ha NICOLA" Of the Mex
lean drivers is constantly ringing in our ears.
Hundreds Of stores, shops and dwellings,
arc now being erected, aud all, from the
humble 1Ox12 miners cabin to the large and
substantial brick or stone fre-proof building
Of the merchant, spring up with mushroom
like celebrity; now is busy time among our
builders, we have already had a fore.taste Of
Washoe winter, and though our hills have
rid themselves Of their snowy mantle and
appear again in sober brown, the warning
has not been lost upon our people. sE.f
Mining has been carried on with great
deal Of energy ever since the conclusion Of
the Indian-war, and hundreds, yes, thousands,
of veins have been prospected more or less
thoroughly. Many new and rich leads Of
gold and silver-bearing quartz have been dis
covered since my arrival here, and claims
then selling for four, bits per foot, are now,
in many instances. selling for fifty, one hum
dred and as high as three hundred dollars
per feet; many lucky "hombres" have left
for their homes with their 'piles" and others
can 60 whenever they have mind to say the
word. ti'f .a.@ @la a' Ff
At the Comstock, Ophir, Spanish and
Gould and Curry claims At Virginia City,
they continue to raise vast amounts Of the
richest quality Of ore, in many specimens
wires or threads Of the pure metal are to be
seen where fragments Of ore have been rent
apart by the force of blast or . blow Of the
sledge. Hundreds of claims show very fair
prospects in silver and will, no doubt,
when worked to sufficient depth. amply ~.
munerate their owners for their labor-but
this will take time. Silver is not commonly
found in paying quantities near the surface;
the Comstock lode. must be considered an
exception, and its being so very rich at OF
near the surface may be accounted for by the
moistness of the locality which prevented loss
Of mineral in the upper portions Of the vein
by evaporation. Gold veins are often found
equally as rich at the surface as lower down
as it is not affected by such agents as would
operate to produce . change in tho more
volatile minerals and metals. Gold and sill
yer are almost always found in the same
vein or or lead. In California the per cent
Of silver is very small In the middle and
northern counties, but increases as we &
south, till from being worth SIS, SIS 81
and SIC per ounce, it is in the middle and
northern mines, we find on reaching tn,