St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1864-05-26
FROM IDAHO.

Inducements not very Bonnoek
and Virginia Nines-Exploring parties-A
.tesr hMts-Pleasant condition Of society.
VIRGINIA CRY. IDAHO IT,, !
March Goth, 1864.
EDITOR DEMocnAr.-As a duty to my
self and to my friends, many of whom have
written me for information regarding Ida
no and its mines, would wish to reply
through your paper. "All is not gold that
glitters," is an old adags and very true
one. As yet but little, very little, is known
about the extent Of the mineral resources
of Idaho. Thus far nothing has been found
outside Of the two camps already known,
viz, Virginia and Bannock, that would
justify any man to come here, ard should
nothing more be found in short time,
long trains of emi,rants who are now here
and out of employment will be seen
stretching along over the trails either to
Salt Lake or Fort Benton.
The mines at Bannock Excepting lode
mining) are nearly exhausted or will not
pay more than $3.50 or $500 per day,
which would be equivalent to about seven.
ty. five or one hundred cents IN Minnesota
There are lodes ut Bannock which are sup
posed to he enormously rich in gold, but
nothing is known positively as to the true
extent or richness of any.
The Dakota opens very encouragingly
experienced in lode mining are yet in DOUBT
about the lode having any defined crevicc.
Should it prove so there are many who will
not be disappointed. As high as $500
have been taken out Of No. per cord, and
it is thought that one third was lost. AS
yet the machinery used at Bannock is not
adapted in saving the gold, being deficient
in plates. chemicals, and ingredients suita-
BILE tor destroying the baser metals.
Virginia mines arc all gulch and placer
disgicgs. The extent Of this gulch is fl
teen miles in length, which l will here add
all pays. The claims on this gulch are
each 100 feet on either side, and extending
back from the centre or channel of the riv-
er to the base Of the mountains, thereby
making some CLAIMS half mile in length,
while others will be very small. As the
base Of the mountains approaches near the
river, so each claim must be governed by
their formation. Now giving each man
100 feet on the river, lin order to state the
whole number of claims at Virginia. would
be allowing 50 claims to the mile, 1860 in
the Is miles Of mining country. Then al
lowing four men to each claim, which is a
large estimate, it would give employ ment
to 6,240 laborers, thereby throwing sur
plus of nearly 1000 men out of employ.
ment ut the present time. These 1000 idle
men will be engaged in developing new
and unknown gold fields the coming sea-
son. Large organizations are now being
formed to explore the lsng talked of Yellow
Stone and Wind rivers, with their tributa-
ries. Two hundred we'll armed men left
Virginia City on the 18th inst, led by a
man fully competent to protect himself and
party against tie hostile Grow Indians who
hold the. country. A prosperous voyage
and thorough explorations are looked for
with great Interests by our community. A
large town, t. be the San Francisco of the
eastern slope of the Rocky mountains, is
expected to spring up. Should rich and
extensive mines be found in that vicinity,
these with its agricultural resources will,
I think, render it a desirable country
Miners at Virginia are commencing
work, aud everything is assuming q look
of busy times and plenty of the needful.
would say to those who think of trying
their fortune in the Idaho mines to come
early and to come via steam to Fort Ben
ton. Bring nothing more than light
carpet bag, and change or two of clothes.
All kinds of clothing can DO had at low
rates.. Trunks and large boxes are worth
nothing, and are great inconvenience in
case OF travelling with pack animals. II
you come overland the season will be 70,
advanced before you will be able to gel
here, and consequently will leave you be.
hind the greater flood Of emigration which
will start early from the Missouri river t.
come the Southern route. .-.
Our society has been for the past eight
months Of . rather complex nature. A
certain class styled gentlemen, or rather
the upper tendon, has suddenly fallen off
and to such degree, that in the last thir
ty days some forty Of this nobility hav,
had presented to them hcmpcn cravat
Eight Of these notorious highwaymen hav,
teen publicly executed in Virginia City
BY confessions from members Of the law
less gang, they have killed one hundre'
men between this point and Great Sal
Lake City. l think that there has bee
already an effectual cleaning out Of thes
despcradocs. When civil authority lose
its virtue, vigilance or safety committee
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