, 1863-02-14
Auburn Corresnondence.

JOHN MULLAN, u. 5. Army.
Auburn Correspondence.
AUBURN, Ogn. Jan. 81, 1868.
EDS. STATESMAN Again find time to drop
you line, and unlike those correspondents who
preface their epistes with ''nothing new / am
compelled to acknowledge as an excuse for not
writing ofener that so much of Importance trans
pires almost every day that feeling unable to
write all, neglect to write any Millions of
wealth are discovered in the vicinity of us between
each of my notes to you. And so rapid do these
developments follow each other that they become
a matter of small importance to us who live in
the midst Of such a vast region of wealth.
Since winter set in the miners here have turn
ed their attention more to drifting and many
very rich leads have been struck in the bills here
abous, which men were too busy TO prospect
while there was water in the gulches. Many fine
shafts have been sunk, some Of which lead to
valuable discoveries while others have been a
loss to the energetic miners who labOred to sink
them. Most Of the shaft sinking has been done
on speculative motives. But the drifting that is
done universally leads to valuable discoveries
The wealth Of this region is to my mind yet
undiscovered. Some of our most enterprising
miners have got out large amounts ofquartz ready
to grind as soon as mills can be brought in, in the
Spring. Among these ! will mention our old
friend G. c. Robbins, whose lead at the head of
"Rich Flat" is surely very valuable. Placer dig
gings are very extensive and are, So to speak,
only prospected yet, as not one foot in one
thousand Of the known rich diggings has been
worked out.
The Auburn Canal Co.. have in process of con-
structon two large bitches designed to supply
these mines with water The entire length of
these works, not including their distributing
ditches is over ~ miles. And upon arriving in
these mines they are at an elevation Of about 25OO
feet above the city Of Auburn.
Winter in the mountains to those who have
been accustomed to life in Walla Walla valley, Is
rather tedious, and but for the many and varied
ADJUSTMENTS would pass upleasantly We have
had, so far much pleasant pastime, the most
prominent Of which is the system of dances and
ourpGze parties which Me Of nightly occurrence.
We have had and are having system or course
of lectures, delivered by various lecturers, among
whom l will mention, the Rev. Chas. Crawford
DIR. Grant and DR. Ironsides. late of Washington
City. We also have a very Interesting dancing
school, which affords amusement as well as insrIc-
ton to those who have taste for tripping the
light fantastic toe"
But one thing new which can really boast of
is school. taught by Mrs. Stafford, a very eN-
cellent teacher, from the States. The public ex-
hloltoh OF tue schoot on Ntohuay evening @.Iei
CHRISTMAS was an aHa'F Seiuom equaiieu III CiT-
goh' MS Scnool Is largely aIlehoeo ana tD!lA
ifom 'ne humoer OF JuVehueS constantly S'iu"l9
down the NILS IN the vicimIy that there IS plenty
Of material for several others Of the same
kind
The snow now IN Auburn is TWO feet deep ana
no prospect of a thaw.
have late letters from Boise which speak very
tavorably OF those mines, and am compelled 10
believe that that country Is IMMENSELY rch and
as yet unprospected Several very rich quartz
leads have been discovered there specimens OF
which we have here indicating that as one OF the
weathiest regions IN the world. The trall IRON
here to Boise Is well broken many are leaving and
passing every day, among whom are several fam
Ihes lhe snow from here 10 Burnt river IS
about twenty inches IN depth after getting out ot
the place Down Burnt river It is eighteen inches,
until near Snake river, where 1t is not over six or
seven inches deep. Up Payeue valley, until very
recently there was no snow, but the very latest
accounts make three inches IN places while some
spots are bare A road has been very recently
opened down MooreS creek, so that pack trans
go in and out Of the mines at their pleasure
Two new express lines have lately been cstab-
from here TO Boise, and the prospects are that we
will have regular communication all winter
My latest letter from Bannock city states that
the water is beginning to run in tie gulches and
miners were expecting soon to be able to work
so look out for the dust to come in soon.
| wish could say that Of this camp.
Many new towns are IN process OF err ctlon IN
various parts Of the country, hereabouis, and in
Boise. A friend OF m'ne suggests lhat' IN accor-
dance with the rapidly with winch towns are m
corporated or chartered IN oregon ina! 1t woulu .
he good PlaH loI 'he present session 0l Tue
Legislature OF Washington territory to grant
few dozen plank Gnaf.erS' G 20 oe HAeu out " 'ne
Secretary Of the Territory as the exl genc'es OF