The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1862-04-18
MINING IN JUNE.

The first news Of operations in June ex~
ceeded the glowing accounts, of May. The
melting of the snow kept many miners idle,
and the country was covered with mud
and slush, which made travelling almost i'm.
poeslble.s However, those who could work
earned largely, one "rocker" washing out
SO ounces of forenoon, and three men
washing out" 100 ounces from fume in
a week. Omitting these big strikes"
which fell to the lot of the favoured few,
we find that the tickle goddess was more
sparing in her gifts to others. $50 to 800,
and as low as $40 day, are quoted as in
dividual earnings. A person on the spot
wrote, what seems to have been the truth,
judging from what one knows of the tenn
per and habits of the miner,-"Those who
have claims are making piles. Those who
have not are making nothing and have
rothing. These were the unlucky ones,
who would not choose to work or hire, and
who we're waiting on Providence for some
thing to turn up and for good weather to
set out on prospecting tour, from which
many of them would return footsore and
strapped viz. dead broke.'"
In June intelligence reached Cariboo
that gold had been discovered on the east
side of the Rocky mountains in British
territory. This news, End the return to
Antler Greek Of exploring parties with a
report that they had found Favourable in
dications of gold and plenty of rich quartz
veins, 80 miles of, added intensity to an
excitement already at fever heat, Many of
the miners wandered about the painless
wilderness prospecting" for rich and yet
richer claims which contain the philos-
Opher's stone, and lost their time and their
strength and health in their restless vans
behring's, and earned nothing.
Presently the weather improved, provis-
ions became abundant, new discoveries were
being made at great distances apart, and
success attended the efforts of all who work
ed steadily and stuck to one spot. On
Keithley's Greek party of five divided "
81 500 from one days labor, and their dali
ly average was pound weight of gold a
day.
Several "sluices were set to work on
the creek, and the results were 500 to $50
per man per day. There were 200 men on
this creek, of whom IS were at work about
the middle of June. The gold found was
in small nuggets, of the value cd. to 81.
sterling each piece.
THE CLIMATE.
We had from the first discovery OF this
gold district heard most unfavorable re-
ports of the severity of the winter season,
which was said to render the country unin
habitable. The matter was set at rest by
some Canadians who wintered 10 Cariboo
last year. The found they intensity Of the
cold SO much less than in the Canadas, that
they represented the climate as mild CON-
pared with that of their native country.
1t is inhospitable from the altituds and
the abundance of mountains, the level land
being about 5000 feet and the mountains
5000 more above the level OF the sea. The
spring is wet, and the summer subject to
frequent rains The snow falls in October;
and, when the winter is fairly set in, the
weather continues cold, clear, and dry. The
mining season continues from May to Oc-
tober at present; but when accommoda
tions increase, and the miners begin to tun
mel the banks and hills for gold, as they
soon will do, the winter will present no OBJ
stacles to continuous work, under cover of
adits, during the whole season. A mining
claim is a (parallelogram) piece of ground
100 feet wide, running from bank to bank
of creek. The depth is indefinite, vary
ing, of course, with the width of the creek.
Each miner is entitled to one of these
"claims," and there may be several miners
associated together to work "claim." 10
case OF such an association amounting to
five miners, the company" would be en-.
titled to 500 feet of ground in with, and
running from bank to bank. At first, many
miners "took up" claims in simulated
names, and thus caused moaopoly-an
evil which was remedied by the Government
Gold Commissioner wien be visited the
country in the summer.
THE MINES IN JULY.
July opened with increased exertions and
prOpOrtionate results, in consequence of the
disappearance of the SNOW Six miles from
Antler, 81 ounces were "cleaned out" 10 one
day in hole only two feet under the sur
face The bottom was composed of ''rotten
sate,"-a favorable formation, indicative
of gold. $4,000 had previously been taken
out of the same claim. Another spot was
discovered where the pay dirt was two feet
thick and full OF nuggety gold. 81 900 was
paid for claim, which the purchaser re-
sold shortly afterwards at profit of $780,.
Wages now lose to $40 day. Quartz
leads 1.-THE matrix of gold) of considerable
breadth were discovered near Keithley's.
Some claims began to pay as high as 81 900
day, and several from 20 to rs ounces
-Four days work yielded man lO4 ounces,
and some men from Victoria were making
two aud three ounces each day. The
town of AntIer growing "like magic. 10
stead of 10 houses, as it contained last
month, it now boasts of "20 substantial
stores, whiskey shops, and other ediices,
surrounded by any number of tents. Pro
visions still rather dear in consequence of
the scarcity caused by increased consump
tiop; meals, So; flour, zoe. per pound beef,
SOC. (2s); beans 90c per pound; and liquor
MIME rife and tangle leg, warranted to
kill at any distance was snapped up at SOC.
(2s) a glass" The prosperity OF the town
was in part indebted to an evil influence.
Professional gamblers track the successful
miner as the carriOn crow scents the dead