Nebraska advertiser., 1861-03-07
dime in The States. can now count over

dime IN the States can now count over
their thousands; and this not the result
Of superior business qualities but simply
the turn of Dame Fortunes wheel.
You will probably remember a tall,
slim and %extreenly handsome young man,
familiarly known as Ad Riley, who re-
sided in Rockport, and used frequently to
visit Brownville and who, ever when on
a spree. was very quiet and genllemanly
in his department. It is with sorrow that
I chronicle his violent and bloody death.
Since coming to this country he had es-
tablished for himself a character as a
reckless and desperate man, and when
under the influence Of liquor was cons;da-
cred dangerous. A few weeks ago, while
on a drunken f.S.ic al Central City, he
came 20 a public house. near the door of
which, a msie by the name of Loon
ey had blocked a couple of wagons, loaded
with hay, which he was taking up into
the mountains. Some devil prompted
Riley to knock the blocks from under the
wheels, which he did, and the freed wag-
on rushed with tremendous velocity down
the side of the mountain, breaking it to
pieces and scattering the hay far and
wide. Looney hearing the noise, ran out
Of the house just as Riley was performing
a similar service for the remaining one.
Riley was armed with 9 eight-inch Colts
revolver and a double-barreled shot gun.
Looney took the gun from him, and Riley
drew his pistol, firing at him twice, when
the teamster shot him with his W gun,
lodging three buckshot in the region of
the heart. Riley fell Instantly, but turn
ed upon his face and clutching the pistol
with both hands, fired again. That was
the last acl of his life, as he instantly ex-
pred, and when picked up a few minutes
later, his hand still gripped the pistol with
the grip of death.
Mining news are very scarce Just at
present, from the fact that little has been
done at it at present. But few mills are
running, and they are scarcely able to
pay expenses. There are some few gulch
claims worked in the different districts
where ii is possible, but only in such Ca
ses where it is a question of bread and
butter, ] was going to say, but bacon will
be more to the mark. None are working
in the mines that can possibly avoid it,
The fabulous reports which were current
with regard to the San Juan mines have
turned out a humbug, and many who were
preparing to visit them in the spring have
been sadly disappointed.
a hard living can be made here by
mining almost anywhere in the mountains
by extreme toll, and but comparatively
few make more than that. Some few
diggings have paid well, and nuggets of
considerable value have been taken out;
bul as generalIhingA abe gold is extreme
~ fine andsuary hard TO save one
making two dollars a day in tie States,
is a fool to come out here. The future
may and undoubtedly will deveIope the
resources of this country, and when its
standard is fixed will be time enough to
try The chances of this far western land.
l cannot say much in favor of the agri-
cultural prospects Of this country, though.
what arabic land there is produces equal
to any l have ever seen; but it is not re-
markable in quantity. Take it aItogeth-
er, / have not much faith that any great
future is in store for US.
About a mile from Golden City, and
lust at the mouth of the canon, whence
Clear Creek comes foaming down from
The mountains, are the ruins of an ancient
work, whether of religious character, or
a f~ortiication against the invasion Of 9TH
err tribes, / am not well enough yersed in
the lore of antiquity TO determine. II
consists of two circles of large stones one
within the other. The outer circle is $50
feet in diameter, and the inner some So
feet. In the centre of the smaller n is
a small mound, which some curious indi-
vidual has prOspected, but l Judge. with
out any material result. The walls are
now level with the ground, and how high
it originally was, how long it has been
built, who built it, and for what object, l
leave to the speculations of others better
able to determine such questions than N.Y.
self.
But the greatest curiosity yet found in
this country, was the skeleton of a human
boing. discovered npon. South Clear Creek
by a couple of miners while working their
claims at a depth Of o. feet. 1t was w.
ing upon its face on the bed rock, and
close by were found the roots of a red
pIp2 tree, deeply imbedded in the rock,
and ia a wonderful state of preservation.
Unon exposure 10 the air, however, it
soon crumbled into dust. The miners not
being of a speculative turn of mind tooi
no pains to preserve the skeiston, and the