The weekly Ottumwa courier., 1861-05-22
Lctter fror, the Gold Wines.
GOLD HILL, March 90, 1861.

OoLD I'LL, Marcn 70, lool.
JostPn GossAGE, Esq.,-Ottumwa
l believe have never given you much of
a description. Of this country, and. may inter-
est you to know more about its resources
and developments at the present time. This
place is situated about midway between Sill.
verCity and Virginia, towns of Western Utah.
The population of all together at the present
time is probably about 6,0C) or 5000. This
is the population that has wint tered here, and
dur e the next three months we expect an
add ion of not less than 10000. This state
Of afairs will, perhaps, remind you of early
day5tin California. Silver City and Gold
Hill are situated in a steep and deep kenyon,
lwhie Virginia is at the head, and has more
rOon to expand and spread out. Silver City
fas the advantage at present over this place,
taving the majority Of the mills. Virginia,
though, is head quarters, and will probably
continue so for some time. There is the cei-
etrated Comstock silver mine, and many
,thers Of nearly if not quite as great richness.
There is now about thirty quartz mills in op-
eration in the several districts. A great
many more are on the way and to come the
coming season. There are now three quartz
mills here and several more are in process of
erection. The richness of this country is
only just beginning to be felt and known /;
and the time is not far distant when even the
most skeptical will be made to believe that
this country possesses more valuable min
eral deposites than any yet discovered. The
amount of gold and silver now being sent
over the mountains to San Francisco, is an
argument calculated to carry conviction to
all of the soundness of the mines. These
conclusions have come to after careful OBJ
servation. More rich discoveries have been
made within the last three months, than at
any time of the same length before This is
partly owing to shafts and tunnels being
sunk to sufficient depth to reach pay rock,
and which have been started some time
This country having all quartz mineral re-
quires time, labor, and much more means to
develop them than the Placer mines of Cali
fornia, so that it requires more patience and
a will to hold on to realize from claims that
we have with increased crushing facilities,
lower prices for crushing and more capital
invested, money will be more plenty and
more generally distributed among us ALL
The mills now charge from $25 to $50 per
ton, while in some parts of California the
same work is done for from two to ten dol
lars. Crushing will always be higher here
than there, from the increased expense of
wood, machinery, &c. now hold interests
in claims that think much of, and will in
time be saleable and valuable. How much
time win be required, cannot now tell, but
| am in hopes to be able 10 close up every
thing here and return by fall.
The stock of goods which l traded for, I
am selling at good profits, and think to
those that will pay that credit at all. When
you take into account that at the time I
passed through here on my way across the
plains, this whole country was without in
hlhitants, barren, desolate, leak locking
hills, covered with large brush and Pines,
and see the contrast now, it is almost incred-
ible. We now have large stores well filed,
some fine and substantial houses, some
school houses and occasionally meeting
house, and regularly graded road from;
Virginia to California, with scarcely stone
in the way, with daily stage which in sum.
mer time makes the trip from Placerville in
one day. This all shows that the country
is no humbug, but that men Of means have
investigated the subject, weighed it in the
balance, and not found it wanting.
Carson City, I had forgotten to mention
is situated about Is miles below, at the head
of Carson Valley. 1t is large and hand
some town, watered by streams from The
Sierra just above, and is the county-seat O
this county.
Jerome is coming on again soon, will bring
a team. He writes that times are very hare
in California--no money. Potatoes selling
for $40 per sack; wheat and other grain low
| am very anxious to get home and see my
family, but duty to myself and them compe
pei me to stay here until can realize on my
mining claims and make up my losses ii
coming here. now think that by fall car
accomplish what desire. With my bes
regards to all inquiring friends, remain
Your affectionate brother,
JOHN GOSSAGE.
The Comstock company are now taking
out rock that assays from $1,000 to s2,7ol
per ton, in silver. The Mexican the same