Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1860-04-20
The Gold Fields and the Pacific Railroad

The Gold Fields and the Pacific Railroad
The gold discoveries of the great West arc
fast settling the question as to the route on
which the railroad to the Pacific coast must
be built. The value of the gold deposits in
] Western Kansas is now fully established,
and there will be a community of at least
hundred thousand people in that region be-
fore another winter, furnishing the nucleus
about which great golden State is to grow
up with rapidity rivaling the settlements of
California. A railroad from the Missouri
river. either up the valley Of the Platte or Of
] the K ,nsas and Arkansas rivers, would very
soon be selfsustaining, taking as it would.
all the overland travel to Utah and New Mex.
leo and the entire Pacific coast. It is re-
markable fact also that the Washoe mines Of
gold, silver and copper in northeastern CAL
ilornia, about which there is SO much excite
ment and towards which thousands are rush.
Jug from California and Oregon, are in tho
same latitude with the Pixies Peak diggings,
although nearly a thousand miles West of
them, and as much Of the intervening country
gives indicationso of rich mineral Deposits
| This central route for the Pacific railroad
/ would touch the Pixies Peak region, the Salt
Lake settlements and the Washoe region, and ]
so connects the locations most rapidly filing
up, and with the facilities offered by rail-
road, it would require but a few years to con-
meets the Pacific coast with the East by
continuous line of Settlements great high
way of commerce and wealth directly across
the heart of the continent The distractions
to be overcome ON this route are not greater
than on the other routes proposed, and it has
the advantage over the other routes of plenty
of wood and water for the entire. distance.
and a territory almost every. where habitable
and likely very soon to be filed up with
thriving population. This route is also indi-
Gated as connecting with the established lines
of direct western travel. A glance on the,
map will show that the great cities and Lead
ing Statc,s Of the, co..lncht, and all the great
routes of travel across tarc embraced between
the 9th and AID degrees Of North latitude.
The most rapid western expansion is upon
this belt and all events indicate that on this;
line the settlements of the East and West are
to meet and embrace each other.
In regard to the character and prospects of
the Pixies. Peak gold region, we find some
careful statements in communication of Mr..
A. d. Richardson, an intelligent journalist,
who. has travelled extensively through all that
region, to several eastern papers. The geology
/
and Australia as to deceive many of the old
miners. Quartz mining must take the lead,
requiring capital and heavy machinery, large,
amounts of which are going West this spring.
Only two steam quartz mills have yet been
put in operation, but their yields cxdeed very
much any quartz mining in California The
quartz is more loose and composed, and the
metal is found in larger Jumps as general
thing. The yield of the Pixies Peak mines
up to the present time is believed to be
million and half of dollars, the mint value
OF the gold being S Is per ounce. The largest,
nuggets taken out last season were valued at
$40 to $3.50, but this season there are already
accouts of Jumps valued as high as $l2OO,.
which must be taken with some grains of al
lowance, we suppose. The extent of the gold.
deposited is unknown, but parties who have
mined and prospected extensively in the
South Park, and on the headwaters of the .
Blue and Colorado rivers, Immediately west
of it, express the opinion that in those l0caQ
ties alone embracing but small portion Of
the known gold region paying diggings Have
already been found, sufficiently extensve>to
employ a hundred thousand miners during
the present season. Mr.. Richardson explored /.
most OF the country for a thousand, miles,
north and south. in Nebraska, Kansas, anctl
New Mexico, last season, and his belief il
that the whole mountain ranges from Salt
Lake to Mexico abound at intervals-not only
in gold, but also in silver and the bassrr met
ais, and will ultimately prove the richest and !
most extensive mineral region in the world.
The agricultural resources Of the gold
country are not very promising Very little
rain falls during the summer. The soil how
ever is similar to that of New Mexico, where,
! OH l,ru e
CATION. The miners will however deper
mainly on supplies from the cast for the pre(
ent and market will thus be afforded for.
| the produce of eastern Kansas, Nebraska,
Iowa and Missouri, which will be of great
advantage to the farmers Of those regions
VI the climate Mr.. Richardson SAYS -
The climate of the great plains and alf
the Rocky Mountain region is one Of the
healthicst in the world. The air is SO dry
and pure that fresh meat, cnt in strips in
summer, and in quarters in winter, and hung
up out of doors, will cure so perfectly with
out sailing or smoking that it may be carried
to any quarter Of the globe. A trip across
the plains is one of the most invigorating
and health-inspiring that can be taken, In
many cases Of general debility, dyspepsia,
bronchial affections, and incipient pulmonary
complaints, it effects permanent c,sre, and
persons apparently far gone in consumption,
have experienced great relief from il Among
the mountains the bilious diseases Of the
West and the complaints of the digestive or
gans common through the south-w west are un-
known Last SUMMER a disease csllcd
mountain fever was for time prevalent in
in the mines; but with the general introduc.
ton of vegetables and the comforts Of life.
it is believed that its form will be mild, and
its prevalence by no means common. Tho
nights, even during the summer months, arc
cool and sometimes cold. The fall and win
ter have proved much more open than an
ticipatcd; and though for short intervals
the weather has been extremely severe and
the snow deep, some Of the miners have been
able to work during the greater part Of the
time"
Timber abounds among tho mountaina
some of the pines rising straight as an arrow