, 1863-02-17
MINNESOTA LETTER.
From Our Special Correspondent.
ST. PAUL, MIMI, Feb. II, 1868

l4AE LL6lsAA1Git1.
There has been but little business transacted
in the Legislature this week. On Monday The
committee Of both Houses on the State Prison,
accompanied by many Of the members, made
visit 10 Saltwater to examine the condition
and ascertain the wants and necessities of the
discip1anery institution located ut that city.
The Senate held a short session.
Neither House is in session to-day, the menl-
bers having accepted an Invitation to visit the
Falls Of st. Anthony, and examine the celebr:.-
ted manufactures in successful operation at
that place. Dinner WIS tn be prepared for tho
guests at the Sicealet House, Minneapolis,
and supper at the Winslow House, St. An
tlony, and a train was to he In readiness for
their return at II o'clock.
Both Houses were in session yesterday. 4
petition was presented to the Senate asking
for the re-cstablishlncnt Of the Office Of SUI
pcrintendcnt Of Public Instruction. Mr.
Heaton introduceda a memorial to the Sccre-
tary of War for the establishment Of n military
post at Sauk Center.
Mr.. Kiddcr presented petition to the
House, from citizens of St. Paul, for an act
prohibiting the immigration and settlement
| Of negroes within this State
Mr.. Chamberlain introduced bill for IN
! amendment to the Constitution, limiting the
sessions Of the Legislature to forty days.
| The hill for the appointment Of State Su-
| sidcrcd in Committee Of the Whole, and re-
ported back, with the recommendation that it
| be laid upon the table. The report being con-
sidered by the House, was adopted by a vote
| off to 1G.
THE cAR1Boo GOLD MINES.
| Letters recently received from British Co.
| 1umbia, reprisent the Caribou gold region as
great hnmbug, having no ezistance except
in the imagination of lying letter-writers aud
ere.rlating newspaper editors Of victoria and
British Columbia.
| Gold is sometimes found In great quantities,
but the lucky ones are comparatively few,
while the unlucky ones number thousands,
The mines are deep, ranging from twenty to
eighty, feet, n;:y nivs;'; through blue-elay aud
slatcstonc. The gold is found on ti1G -: 81:
rCck in the old channels Of the creeks, long
since filled up by heavy slides from the noun.
tains. Consequently tue mines must be work
cd by' companies. The expenses Of sluiccs,
| cTibbing. pumps and machinery are ycrr
heavy. The cost Of living is high. Flour,
beans and beef range from S1.00 to st.75 per
pound, and everything else bearing propor-
! tionate PRICE Candles, indispensable while
drifting and working in tunnels, arc cheap at
t $500 per pound, aud were selling last fill for
5000. Transportation to the mines, under
the most favorable circumstances, costs eev-
| cnty-fire cents per pound. The mining season
| il short-rarcJy longer than three months !;
! the weather Is dlsagrceable, raining nearly
every day--and ali who have been there
| describe Il rs the most God d-forsaken country
| in the world. Mr.. E. Payc Davis, writing
from Victoria, Dec. 20th, says such Is certain
II true Of the Frazcr River country, Of which
| hc speaks from personal observation.
| Ofthc 10, coo men who went..to Cariboo last
| sumnlcr, not more than one-fifth came ont
even, not more than Que hundred madc
"strike,'' while not more than twenty made
| "big thing There were three or four claims
which after paying all expenses, divided from
s40 COO to &c, ,000to the share; but these cases
were rare, though heralded by the newspapers
as an every day occurrence. Less gold was
taken from the Cariboo mines in 1863 than in
1861. Wells, Fargo l. Co., of Fictoria, shipped
! two millions Of gold dust ur to the middle Of
November, against three millions during the
corresponding period in 1851: II is expected,
however, that The gold Of 1868, will be much
| larger, the Claims becoming productive which
| were prospected Lust summer.
The yield Of the mines has been greatly cSag-
geratcd By the newspapers Of British ColuRl-
| hia, And the consequence Is that the country.ls
| filled with men reduced to bcggary who
| would gladly get away, ifthcy could do SO.