The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1860-04-28

Duvsa err, April Sd 1850.

DRxvH1 CTr1, April 5o4 lcoOs
Fr1rxp NAsSARD:-Yoa may think il
strange IA hare not written something
| IN favor II the route frsa Counsel Bluffs 20
Denver and this gold region ere this. Ivouid
hare dose %, bad net known, and veil to,
that others had written false representation
Of the route from Council Bluffs and Omaha.
Nov, Ihsve proof suikeisss - warrant me-
| in saying that the North Platte Route y q
least ten days shorter than from Kanssl
CITY, E.avenuorth or 81. JssepA. A. yet,
the longest time made from Couneil Bluff
By any Ct tbe teams 70 this ctr, M, twenty
seven days, with hsasy loads; and tie
shortest made from any Of the starting
points dawn the river, Was thirty-eigh,
days. Gregory vas on the way from St.
Joseph fsrsy-sso days, and Ky Harrison
forty days from Leaveauorth. Bu. The
strongest proof in favor Of the route from
the Bluffs, i that teams that crossed tie
/ Missouri % the 2llh Of February, met thoss
that crossed the river 1t Lsavsnxorsh on
the 2n,i Of the same month At Fort Ksarney;
and after travelling with them for three OF
four days. the L.avenwo.th train came to the
conclusion that the North Platte boys we're
too slow motioned for them, 30 they left the
Bluff tram behind and got here two days
ahead Of them. II this 10 net proof enough
that the North Platte route is the shortest
and the best, don't know what kind Of
proof men want.
/ If emigrauss want to idle away their time
on the plains for eight or ten days, and
undergo the hsrdships Of trip to this
country for that much longer time, 60 by
Leavenwor,h, Kansas City or St. Joseph /;
andif those that have come here do not lie
they can do so BY coming that way; bat, il
they want to save time, take the North
Platte Route, and they will accomplish what
they desire. .--..
would not advise those on their way to
this country to take route that would not
be for their benefit, for we'll know that
ten days saved is worth looking At, ever in
. journey Of six hundred milss.
There is at the present time, good OPP
portunity for farmers to take claims on the
Platte within ono hundred miles Of here,
where they can grow all kinks of vegetables,
for which they can get good prices in this
market. The Platte bottom is the only
farming country We have: and, on it the
population Of this city and the gold region
depend for vegetables, so that it will only
be a few years before all the farming land.
to be found through this country will be
occupied, and very valuable. Already,
nearly every claim is taken for seventy. FIVE
miles down the river.
Gold can be found in almost every part
OF the country, bu. not in paying quantities,
as yot. have no doubt that the ground
upon which this city is built, will be washed
in the course Of three or four years. Gold
is found in paying quaint les over a stretch
OF country two hundred miles long, and as
many wide. Iron ore is sticking out of the
ground in every direction. A black smith
told me he had seen ore so pure that it could
be heated in a common blacksmith FIRE and
forged on an anvil. Copper will pay to
nine for in the space of year or two
Lead has be>n taken from some of the mines
with gold, but is not ciued for. am told
that there is lead on Clear creek, from
which hunters have run bullets. Sill
yer is found mixed with the quartz in
Gregory's diggings. Machines are being
set to work of almost every kind, and mono
but what pays we'll.
Quartz mills are very scarce, there being
only some six or seven at work now where
one hundred could be prof.ably employed.
The mills at work, crush on an average four
cords Of quartz in twenty four hours, yield.
ing about two hundred and fifty dollars to
the cord, (mills Of twelve stamper.,) being
one thousand to the mill. Mr.. Defrees told
me that enough quartz is now out to keep
one hundred mile running for the next
tSA's NV f"Sioo'hh "uat VIII oe taken out
for the year to come. Counting this at the
average yield of $3.50 per cord for one hun.
hundred mills for "a year, and We have
$3l 300, 900, counting the working days
but. rs they run Sundays, it would amount
to S36,50o,oO0. This estimate may be
high, # it is, the information tina. have
received is alone to blame.
Persons are leaving for the mines every
day. Some are going to the Gregory dis
tTiet, and some to the Blue River digsings. |
In both districts the miners arc doing we'll. !
l don't think that fortune. will be realized
so readily as in the early days Of California !;
but he chances for the miners are better, as
the gold is more equally distributed, so that
persons who are steady and work with de- 7
termination. will, in the course Of time,
realize an ample amount to pay them well
Tor coming here.
The mines here are reported by some
much better than they really are, so that
some will be disappointed that expect to re-
slize fortune in a few days-it takes time
here as we'll as in other places, to make a
fortune.
Some OF those tina. have crossed the
plans this Spring, act as If they expected
to End gold growing en- trees, aud are a,
oncs disappointed because they find they
have to work, and hard too, 10 order to &c;
the precious dust; and are at once dicour-
aged, and strike the mammouth lead-not
The one in Gsegory's digsings, but the one
That takes them to the States. i
EVERYBODY is busy here now-wages are
'''sA = so to S. Per day for carpenters,
AID eomf"~a laborsrs get two dau,,.
and, in ten day. from now. xars.x;u !,
much higher, as all asv suing n ,ha
that can get an outfit. Flour Is ..,l;ny f-on
$40 per hundred, to SO; butter, III. ;,
to IS cents bacon. at rhirsy-hye eants n.srs