Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1864-02-17

Road from some practicable point in Minneso-
Ia to the gold region of Idaho.
The Importance ofsuch route to the couu-
try at large, and TO our city, cannot be over
estimated. 1t has ceas- 4 to be q matter of
doubt that the mineral resources of the re-
gion known as Idaho," are immense. Ac-
cording to the statement of Capt. Fiske, no
less than So, 100000 has been mined within
the past twelve months, and this with the
most imperfect machinery, and in u region
which has been rendered almost utterly mae
cessible by its great distance from the Dor
ders Of civilization and the dangerwhich have
beset travellers from the Indians on both sides
of the Rocky Mountains. Yet, notwithstand-
ing, all these difficulties, the few daring mi
ners who have venturcd to encounter the
dangers and privations of that Wild region,
have realized a sum nearly one-half as great
as the annual product Of California, with all
its hundreds Of thousands Of adventures
from all parts Of the world. As we stated
yesterday, large portion OF this yet remains
at Virginia City and at other points in idaho,
owing to the unprotected condition of the
route from there to the States.
The gold is found in large quantities in the
shape of nuggets, lying loose upon or near the
surface in gulches, &c. but it is also found
deposited in quartz, as in Colorado and Neva-
da. Capt. Fiskc has III his possession large,
rough-loOhing nugget, sent by rough-look-
ing miner to our rough-lO0aIng President,
Abraham Lincoln. 1t weighs about $40. As
the Captain was about leaving the mines an
old fellow drew this nugget from his pocket,
eXclaiming, Here, Captain; I've heern tell
that Old Abe ; the humli-st man in the hui
country, and I'll be olldarned if this amt the
humIiest nugget. Give this to Old Abe for
me- The Captain had attached TO it a small
plate on which is engraved the last sentence
of the miners speech, and on his arrival at
Washington viii present it to the president
The chief part OF the travel to Idaho from
any State except Minnesota has heretofore
been by way of the Overland Route TO Cali
fornia, through Kansas, Colorado, &c, until
after the west side of the mountains was reach
ed, and thence north to the gold mines. This
makes a very long distance after leaving the
limits of civilization, the distance from the
Missouri River to Virginia City by this route
being some l, 100 miles, whereas by the north
ern route it is only about 900 miles from Saint
Paul, on the Mississippi. The fact makes the
northern route much preferable, not only to
the people of the Northwest, but to emigrauts
from all parts of the Union. Hence the open
ing ola route through Minnesota would turn
a Tremendous tide Of travel through our city,
especially as Milwaukee being more northcr-
" than Chicago would naturally be the thor
oughfare for the emigration that came by the
lakes from Canada and the East. Here no
small portion of the hundred thousand emf
grants who would seek this new Ell Dorado
during the first year, after the opening of i
protracted emigrant route, would naturally
procure their outfits trade by no means
small.
As to the feasibility of the proposed route
Captain Fiske, states that it passes through
well watered country with undulating surface
Il, e 10
rivers, &c. The desert plains through which
the Southern route passes, are well known to
the public. Gen. Pope promises to cooper
ate with the enterprise as far as possible, III
his campaign against the Indians, and to make
the route his line of communication whenev-
cr at all consistent with his Instructions and
plans.
The route proposed by Capt. Fiske ; to
leave the Mississippi at some point, say La
Crosse, proceed west to Mankato, thence
northwest to near where the Little Missouri
empties into the Missouri, thence nearly west
up the Valley of the Yellow Stone 10 the gold
fields. This route he hopes to induce the
Government to establish, beth a. q measure
of developing the resources of the country
and as a war measure.--Kasra,skee SattizosL
REBELS PAYING TAxEs.-A Memphis dis
patch to the Chicago Iri5une says:
On the 9th inst, Gen. p G. T. Beauregard,
through his agent, paid his United States
tax, on property in this city, amounting to
over one hundred dollars. This clearly indi-
Gates that, even if he has faith in the estab-
lishment of 4 Southern Confederacy, be has
no hopes that Tennessee viii constitute "a
portion thereof. Over $4,000 have been
paid to collectors of~intcrnaI revenue during
the past sixty days, in Memphis. Such alac-
rity in paying taxes has never before been
Witnessed, and is d matter OF great astonlsh-
ment. especially to the city and county col
Iectors, who assist the United States officers
in the collection. The Memphis Office Is
crowded from 4. VI. to ?, NJ, and when
the Office closes each day, large number are
turned of until the next morning Ostensl-
bly, the tax is paid We. cheertuiiy- although
the officers are well a" are that majority OF
coin Government and its ''hirelings' very
bitterly.
r,,-.-- D. c~,,,.,s- o,,. ,f.;-.,
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