The Goodhue volunteer., 1862-12-31
WIN VT WEDN&DAD
Salmon River Gold Mines.

Salmon River Gold Mines. :tst-
We are permitted to publish the following
letter from S. B. Foot Esq to w. w. Swe
ney. 1t probably is the fairest account 0
the gold mining region we have yet heard
WALLA WALLA, W. T., I 3
> November I'd 1852. ! /
} FRIEND sweeney You of course have
been, ere this, informed that the pionee,
gold hunters Of Red Wing, myself among
the rest, had arrived safely in the promised
land. Two months have passed away since
my arrival, and now that the dust of trave
have somewhat worn off and time given me
an opportunity to become somewhat inform
ed as to what this country amounts to,
will embrace the present esemi-monthly go.
ing out Of the mail to indite you few lines
upon the subject, iuasmuch as circumstances
have deprived you Of being my companion
in exile from home and friends, and might
almost add, from country, for 6 Secesh" and
"Union" are (which and tother' in this
vicinity.
| Of the general features of the country l
need say nothing to you, as you no doubt
have them from abler pens than mine,
therefore, shall confine myself mainly to
the cause Of my being here at the present,
to wit the gold discoveries-I presume you
have already read or heard that they were
a notorious hutnbug on an enlarged scale,
but it is my province to undeceve you in
that respect. The mines here are no Aum-
bug, and the almost fabulous accounts VIC
read in the papers last spring were true and
more than true the only difficulty concern
ing them were that they only spoke of the
few lucky ones and said nothing Of the thou.
sands who did not make grub. believe
that up to the present moment that every
dollar taken out of the mines here has cost
one dollar and a quarter, but this fact must
be taken with the allowance that the cost
commenced when the minor left his home
The first mines visited were the Big Hole,
which are in gulch at the head waters OF
The Missouri. l then travelled north and
west from there, distance two hundred
miles, and arrived at Elk City; here are the
first mines worthy ofany consideration; the
discoveries thus far extend over section Of
country about twenty or thirty miles square
upon the tributaries of the Clear Water or
I<oos- Koosky River, and is all claimed. The
gold here is Of a good quality and the best
claims will pay from one to two ounces per
day. The difficulty is that there is a scar
city Of water to work them, as the gold de-.
posits arc in the hills and dry gulches, the
rivers not paying over from three to len
dollars per day. Eighty or ninety miles
northwest from there are the Ora Fine
Mines of about the same quality. One hun
dred miles south west is the Florence or
Salmon D,sgings-this is the place that was
50 rich, where as high as sixty pounds ol
gold was actually taken out by ono man in
day. But these mines are limited in ex-
tent, covering an area Of only aboat three
miles square, and have long since beea work
cd down to about ounce diggings, and in that
vicinity other diggings have been found,
paying from three dollars to thirty dollars
per day, bat are not extensive at all. The
most extensive and best pay ing mines have
been found on Powder and John Days Riv.
ers, and at Auburn, the town Of Powder
River, there is already a population Of three
thousand to four thousand, accumulated
there during the past six months. From
all can learn in reference to that section
am led to believe that they are the best pay
ing and surest mines here, and will be q
permanent institution. During The past
month GOLD has been discovered on Boise
River, near Fort Boise, in large quantities
which has created sensation among tke
mining population. As for myself, 7 have
not become excited npon the subject, sss]
have learned enough already in regard to
mining to know positively that the miner
as class, are the men who work hard and
dont make the money; true they dig it on
Of mother earth, but the merchants, traders
&c, git it all for grub, &C., and besides :
man to make anything mining must BE- ont
of two things, either 4 fool or an old ex
: perienced miner. As l do not profess 10 b
: either the one or other shall not try IN,
hand At the business during my short sta,
here. ~ - S.@.' 80 sS~' 'fStE@
This city is the great central point fo
nearly oil the mines, and here they buy mos
of their supplies, SO that you may readil.
Infer that this IS smart Business place
and although the bona fide population her
lis ne. orer three thousand yet bc;ev
there is three times the business done her
that there IS ia St. Paul. Rents are high
as ~ell as everything else There IS qal:
J. 4 number Of Ninnesotians here.
i The train Of one hundred ard thirty per