, 1862-06-07
From our Special Correspondent.
LETTERS FROM THE MINES.
Ninth Letter.
FLORENCE, w. T., May 27, 1862.

Ninth Letter.
FLORENCE w. T., May 27, 1862.
EDS. STATESMAN Since my last the popula-
ton hereabouts have been to a considerable ex-
tent effected by feverish belief that new dggings
OF great richness existed up Salmon river at
point not definitely or generally known. In con-
.equence "a rush" commenced over week ago,
"up Salmon" and have continued until the pres
ent time. Within the last few hours, however.
some returning prospectors have brought reports
calculated to dampen the ardor of the Salmon
bound class Following up that remarkable
stream over 1875 miles the prospectors found new
liggings of character to entice men away from
this district Gold is found on ali the bars of the
river, which will pay far above the average OF
California and Frazer river but nothing compare
bic to the remarkable yield of Florence and its
surroundings But this does not prove that north
and south of here, on elevated ground, there are
not similar mining localities.
THE THEORY OF THE PLAcFRs
Often in my own mind have striven to build
some theory to account for the absence of rich
pIdcers on the river, and their existence in the
mountains in the Bitter Root range, and have at
last arrived at satisfactory conclusion, as far as
l am concerned.
1t appears that the average of the richness of
river placers, is to be determined by considering
the amount of decomposed matter which has been
swept into and down its channel-a river being
nothing but gigantic "ground sluice.' The gold
found in the river channel is that which is dis
lodged from its own canyon, or swept into it by
tributaries flowing out of the gold range, and in
proportion to the size of these tributaries and the
amount of gold bearing area drained by them
must be the amount of gold deposited in the bars
in the river canyon. Taking this view, we find
that the tributaries of Salmon running out of the
gold range, small, and the canTo ons not deeply
mdented. Besides, the stream has but four
places where accessible gold deposits can be made,
until we descend below the mouth of Slate creek,
and here the deposit of gold is in large gravel
bars, forming mining district like the leuth-n-
poote of which my friend Jack Hamilton said,
the disproportion between the size of the holes
and the amount of gold obtained, is such that it
will not pay; unless extremes meet. That is to
say: that if man can find no gold at all, he can
make money by staying away"
SOMETHING AUTHENTIC FROM THE UPPER SALMON.
Since commencing this letter, have had talk
with Walter Davis, OF your place, who has re-
turned from a protracted tour up Salmon river
reaching to the head of the Fifteen Mile Canyon.
l3O miles from Florence. Mr.. Davis states that
the party obtained gold the entire distance up the
river but found no prospects to pay. The party
took boat along part of the distance, but found
great difficulty in getting it up stream on account
OF the distractions on the banks-the water being
high, the trees and brush were submerged, and
the summer trails covered. Some distance up the
river two men who left Fort Owen this spring
were encountered, who were on the verge of star
vation. They came by the Mormon settlement,
ont bah hao Col-. r IL 4
ferings were well-nigh insane. They had lashed
logs together and were floating down the river,
and were in the way to be carried over the first
rapids, but for their fortunate meeting with Mr..
Davis party.
The Forks of Salmon are about half way to the
highest point reached and the country in that vi
cnty, admits of horseback travel; but on this
side of them, and the other, it will be found i'm
practicable for animals. In order to supply the
upper SalT Ton trail must be found between the
South Clearwater and Salmon, or on the south
side of Salmon. II
Mr.. Davis describes the dangers attending the
ascent Of the river as very great both on account
of falls and rapids and the awful precipices over
hanging it. One man by the name of Rice made
an incaut tious step day or two since, near the
mouth of Meadow creek, and fell some three hun.
dred feet. In answer to my question, Did it
hadn't a whole bone left in his body" So anoth-
er has gone to join "the innumerable caravan of
gold hunters, who, since the Gold Lake excite
ment in 1850 have left their bones on the noun
tain ranges from the Amazon to Carboo.
LOCAL MATTERS.
In and about Florence times are brisk, and
money plenty. The paying mining ground is
pretty well claimed up, and new discoveries un-
frequent There is not supply of merchandise
adequate to the wants of miners, and prices are
going down slowly.
SOMETHING ABOUT NAMES.
Recently you saw fit to apply the funny sobrii-
quet of "web-feet" upon the people Of Oregon and
that leads me to take up the subject ard try 10
cast little light on what has heretofore been the
nickname of Oregonians, which the people of
Washington Territory at one time bore in COM
mon with them. The word "oregon" isderived
from the Spanish, and was formerly spelled /" or
gon and "oriOn" indifferently. Now, 'orija" is
Spanish for ear, and for "bg ear'' they would in
fleet it to "orejon," whence all Oregonians- Wash
ington included-were at one time called "hop-
ears" which should be the nickname for Oregon
There can be no good cause for Oregonians to re-
fuse to adopt for the "big ear" is token of quail
tiles on which l will not dilate, but they will be
found fully set forth in Swift's "Tale of Tub"
where he says that the Calvns,ic preachers shaved
their heads and wore brimless steeple-crowned
hats to show the great size of the ears, and in ex-
act proportion to the size of the ears was the pop
uarity of the preacher-especally among the vis-
itorS. So if the Oregonians are "hop-ears," they
will have the ladies with them, and if they are with
them, who will dare be against them
l look on "hop-ear' as an enyiable sobriquet,
and if Washington Territory do not hasten to
adopt it the Oregonians will be ahead They
have claim on it in common with Oregon, and
one above it. The "fop-eared" Indians at one
time inhabited the two Territories in common, but
Washington now contains the last remnant of
them--the Pen d'Oreilles.
1t is to be understood that nothing herein con-
tanned is said out of spite to Mr.. ORegan, who
was so much pleased at furnishing name to the
steamer Oregon on a six weeks residence in
Ameriky. Yours, HIM.
DIsoRDERLY CoNDUCT.-We learn that dis
turbance occurred in Col. Cornelius command on
the way up to this post, in the following manner:
private by the name Of Rot inson, having i'm
bibed somewhat of the ardent" became dsor-
derly, and contrary to orders persisted in falling
out of the ranks. He drew revolver and made
some threats, whereupon Sergeant Clark under
took to disarm him, when he fired upon Clark