Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1864-04-29
NO. s.

NO. 5.
blasting, as the rocks through which the quartz
has been forced up are calcinated by the in
tense heat to which they have been subjected.
The lode, as it descends, runs into pyrites of
iron. The cap rock is not yet pierced.
In addition to the above lode, they have al
ready discovered over fifty others-W Waddam g,
Cherokee, Phillips, Minnesota, Ladies', Grass
hopper, Mammoth, Cynthia, &c., g.,
| Lodes have also been opened mile or two
from Bannock City, on the Virginia City
road, and l think it probable that they will
be found through the whole of this part of the
mountain range.
| With the exception of the Dakota, the mi
ners are not working the quartz lodeS to any
great extent, as they need capital and mills
They have, however, sunk shafts and tested
the ore. Some of the lodes promise to be as
rich as the Dakota, and the yield VARIES as
previously stated, from $500 to $4,000 per
cord.
In almost all the pieces of ore that picked
up near the mouths of the shafts the gold was
distinctly visible. A fragment of about two
inches in diamater, taken from the Ladies'
lode, contained about So worth of gold.
am assured by Mr.. Langford that miners
taking sack full Of ore down to their cabins
have pounded out in a mortar from $50 to
$75 worth of gold, and $I,lOO0 have been
panned out of wagon load. tar.
Gold quartz mining requires capital and
machinery, and can only be proitably con-
Quoted by companies or associations. Doubt
less many such will be 10 operation next year;
and / am confident that when the quartz lodes
of Bannock are properly worked the yield of
gold will be permanently greater than that
of the Virginia City mines.
should not be surprised, however, if SINH
lar lodes are discovered in other portions of
this chain of mountains. . .it za-.... =aa
During my stay at Banuock City i learned
that the valleys of the Jefferson, Madison and
Gallatin forks of the Missouri were good ag
ricultural districts. Grain and vegetables can
be raised here. Grass and water are good, and
there is abundance of pine timber on the
mountains. -....-ft ......
intended to proceed from this place to
Walla-W Walla, there to dispose Of my remain
ing stock, wagons, &C., as directed, but u nited
| States Marshal Paine arriving from the latter
place, brought intelligence that the road was
| impossible from snow, he having got through
with the greatest difficulty.
VIRGINIA CITY AND THE NEW MINES.
1 determined to sell everything either at
Banuock or Virginia cities, and return from
thence; accordingly, leaving matters in charge
/ Of Lieut.. Johpstop at Bannock, started for
Virginia City. s
4 w. L,,k g.. fo
Virginia City, which is situated near the 18th
parallel of latitude, longitude II114 west
The city is divided into Virginia and Nevada
lcities, joining one another, and consisting of a
llong street of stores aud cabins with side
street branching off at right angles. The gen.
! eral appearance is the same as at Bannock
City. -.....
} The population is about four thousand.
The mines are on Elder creek, a small stream
flowing into the Sinking Water at apoiDt
about 20 miles from its confluence with the
Jefferson fork of the Missouri.
The Sinking Water, or Virginia City
mines are about sixty-fve miles from Bannock
City, in an easternly direction, and are said tc
be as rich as any mines ever worked.
n These mines were discovered by party oi
miners returning from prospecting tour to
a the Yellowstone river.
} The Sinking Water takes its name from
: the sulphur springs that run into it.
: The "diggfhgs," or paying claims, extend
nearly Is miles, add while o few claims do mol
l pay well, the majority are very rich. 5
YIELD OF THE MINES
D The average pay throughout the whole ex.
? tent of this guleh is probably 500 per day tc
the man some claims yielding as high al
$50, SIS, and $lO0 to the man daily.
In many places the bed rock is 25 feet be
: low the surface, involving an'expense Of from
: 5000 to 81 500 in opening claim, but, when
a once opened, the claims have invariably paid
e well. The inhabitants of this gulch number
y some 1000 or 5000, and it is estimated thai
the average yield of gold per week has beef
e 100000.
: Bevan's gulch is about Is miles north o
= Virginia City, in the same range of mountains
l. ON a stream which flows into the Sinking Wa
e ter. The diggings in this guIch are about
o six miles in extent, and are very easily work
2 ed, having but about three feet of stripping
J. and below this four feet of "pay dirt" abOv
the bed rock, and are paying $40 to $I5 pc
b day to the man. There are nearly LOO
), miners in this place. ..--
h Two new "diggings" were discovered whiIt
" Twas in Virginia City: "lHarris' gulch," be
le tween Bevanss and Virginia City, ant
,e browns guleh." en- q branch of Elder creek
Ie The claims Of these guIches were all talkei
,e up, and miners were doing well; the yield wa
h about the same as BeVanss gulch, and owe
re l 1000 men were at work in the two gulches.
ID should have mentioned that the claims il
D. Virginia City mines have 100 feet front, run
N ming on both sides of the creek from base (
n base of the mountains.
re POPULATION.
< The population of the Virginia and Bar
mock City miues was estimated by the Unite
II States. Marshal at $4,000, but it has bee
N largely added to since then, from Colorad
y and elsewhere.
er I have seen myself what the mines are yielC
ing, and the figures l have given can be relic
G on as truthful and moderate. The data wei
70 kindly furnished to me by Hon. n. P. LAM
X ford, now a member of the Idaho LegislatuI
ri for the mining districts.
lp This gentleman has carefully watched Il