Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1864-12-03

From Idaho.
The journey 10 Ldaho-Gen. S,aty's E1fedl-
aon-Anotter Story about ne Betasz<sssh,
tie Indians VirglRiG CITY Y 'g'salsee eSo''4-
naittee- Wages-Noney Matters fos'ssesy1
Ocrrespcndencs Of the State Journal.
vIReISrA CIrr, MoSTANA TKR'Y, Oct. IA, '64. /
1gnless YOU have salreadyi been crammed
eith Idaho, my, few remarks concerning a
Journey here may not be quite without inter-
est / left Madison about the middle q Nay.
and spent about two months IN travelling up
the Missouri to a point thereon now csHea
Font Rice. This led me through .Nebraska
and Dakotah, the former containing, along
the shores, plenty of excellent meadow land,
but the latter nearly all dry and barren anu
as we passed through looked in vain for the
fertile soil which some Governor of Dakotah
had pretended to find there. We saw no
land in DakOtah worth having. :
I Joined the military under Gen. SuIy,
finding with them a train of 100 wagons from
Minnesota for Idaho. The General made a
speech to the emigraEt train, garnished well
with his usual explosives, but which was I'M
derstood to mean that he would rather they
had not come, but as they had, he would try
toescort them TO the mouth of Powder river
or some other point high enough up the Vel
lowstone TO beEsafe for them to go through, if
they kept together, and if not they would
+" go to heIl.n We all started, but Sully sim
ply led us through the notorious Dad
|. Lands,n and after another month, LEFT US IN
| the neighborhood of Fort Union. / know it
is said he fought Indians in those Bad
Lands" and killed 200, but that story is not
believed by those who were there. There
were but two soldiers killed in battle, aud
these were shot on picket guard, and the In
dians followed Sally on his retreat. There
was much government property lost in the
shape of mules, horses and cattle in the march
through these bad Lands; ," and although
left away from the route we wanted to go, we
were glad finally to bid good bye to Sully.
There will always be Indian troubles, so long
as attempts of this kind are made to kill them
off. / could say much more of the expedi-
ton of this gallant brigadier, but refrain from
taking up your space. -
7 We took the old beaten road from Fort
Union, by Fort Benton TO this place, passing
through the Prickly Pear gulch, which is
now causing considerable talk. l decided
after staying there a few days, that there
might be ' gulch digging" there, but there
was no proof of gold, in any abundance, in
the soil. but. probably some in the quartz
leads. about the upper part of the creek.
Many of the Minnesota train, however, de-
cided to winter there, and proceeded to build
cabins. A few days more brought me to
Virginia, a very lively village or town, stu
ated on the bank of a stream called Alder or
Elder Creek, and consisting of a few streets
mostly of log houses, but with quite num-
Der of frame and a few good stone buildings.
There are several towns on the Greek, but
Virginiais the leading one. The population
of these towns within four, or five miles
is about 1000. Diggings extend all up and
down the creek, and it is difficult, in most
nlaces, to see where the original channel is
%, mas been, and sometimes the mining Ope-
ratiens are carried right under the houses in
Virginia. There are no sidewalks, of course.
The city government, if any, do not yet
understand, but know there is "vigilance
committee," which is apt to take care of
criminals, consequently hanging and Danish
ing have not been uncommon No doubt
that committee has the credit of preserving
order among the naturally reckless and profit
gate people, and indeed il seems as safe to
walk the streets, or even visit the houses of
amusement here as it is in any Of the eastern
cities.
Money is pretty abundant here Miners
and mechanics wages have been high, but APP
pear to be falling-a good many of the latter
failing for while to get work. The winter
will presently interfere somewhat with mining
operations, and the expectations of the work
men will turn on the prospects for the spring.
Nv impression is that unless new discoveries
occur, It would not be advisable for many
more emigrants to come in here in the spring.
If they do, they may bring down the price of
labor nearly an par with that of the East,
and they cannot for while have Eastern
comforts. AT present wages for miners and
mechanics are $500 to 800 per day, prices
of the staples of life being very much higher
than East. Farming, or keeping "ranche,"
as it is called, pays enormously, but of course
is not Immediately productive. Perhaps,
however, have not been long enough here
to form reliable opinion on these things
Capitalists and money lenders will do we'll if
they get their pay always-the interest on
money being ten per cent. per month. The
currency is Idaho dust at $500 per troy o.,
and greenbaeks are; worth about 60 cents on
the dollar.
There arc two political parties here, as in
the States, Union League, and do not know
but secret Society or the other side. t
do not remember any other matter of
which to inform you. Z. K. +.