The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1864-01-27

DEAN Cola long time ago (it seen
to me,) / used to live, move, and have my
being in and around the narrow precincts
Of your thriving little city. Therein, as is
the manner of men, had some friends.
Alter leaving, when I ,uld want to cha,
with those friends as body, used to
avail myself Of your lcniency and "bore"
them through the column of your TrMcs.
Perhaps you will allow me the privilege
again.
You have heard Of the Appian Way,
and other ancient thoroughfares - also,
doubtless, have experienced the uphill bust
nsss Of travelling that macadamized tow.
path across the pellucid stream with the
Biblical aprelation, but the way" Of all
ways" is that travelled BY the weary,
homesick pilgrim as he journeys from the
region of the setting sun toward the
spot were the great luminary first shows
his blushing face in the morning. The
beauties are more plainly seen when the
time is mid winter. All this as an intro.
duction.
arrived here from Denver about Christ.
mas-ragged, dirty, footsore and "strap
ped" A rather unpleasant predcament
for young man who has been used to the
Injuries of civilization, but nothing when
he had been made accustomed to it by four
years among the aurifro (but very fin.
tyl rocks Of Colorado.
You know that went to Colorado in the
spring Of go. A great many others did
just As l did, in that respect I did no,
make my fortune; there's another striking
similarity between the and others who Wis.
tied that Ell Dorado. A good many have
gone to 'Bannock." There's where the
likeness stops. hav'nt.
Gold mining and your correspondent
have dissolved co-partnership and though
l may be allowed realistically to remark
that am certain am possessed of sufi.
cicnt talent to carry on the business, nv
peculiar temperament disinclnes towards
the cares attendant thereon
Colorado is the richest mining country
ever discovered. Beer that in mind. l
have lived there four years. Have myself
mined, and been in other positions where I
possessed advantages for gaining informa-
ton, and am fully satisfied as to the wealth
Of that county. Within the past year they
have just begun to realize the richness Of
the mines, and Stock Companies having
the ready capital furnished in Wall Street,
are taking the place Of the "hardy miners
of former days. In some of my former
letters have urged the necessity of this
change, and the advantages that would &C.
crue to the country when such change was
made.
Colorado Is no place for a poor man.
None but capitalists can operate there to
any advantage whatever. Laboring men
and mechanics get fair wages, much larger
than they can get in the East, but their
expenses are proportionally greater. When
left there board per week, without lodg.
ing, ranged from 81 to 50, and has proba.
bly, gone higher before this. Farming, or
as they say, "Ranching,"i is the best bust.
ness out there. The time will never be
when there will no necessity for freiehting
produce from the River to Denver, because
there is not enough arabic land in the Ter.
ritory to produce the needed supplies.
Farm products will therefore, always bring
q good price.
There will, from all present appearances,
be large emigration in the spring to tho
Hammock City or Idaho gold mines, and
venture the assertion that the next winter
in that far of country will be as productive
OF suffering as is the Libby Prison down,
at Richmond. Start the report of newly
discovered gold mine, and people run wild.
They pack their traps and start, thinking
that if they can only reach the scene of CD.
erations their fortunes made, "dead sure"
Men going to Bannock should take into
consideration that it is a long and tedious
trip, and If attempted to be made with cat.
tie, they must make an early start to get
through there in time to get enough to
"grub" them through the coming winter.
II you 70, don't make your calculations on
being back next fall and bringing with you
more than two or three hundred pounds of
gold. The Beaver Head mines may be rich:
they are so reported by some, while others
say they are no better than the Colorado
mines, and not so extensive. Talk as you
will, gold mining is a lottery if you
"strike it rich" and it don't leap over" on
you, you are all right, and the reports
from the smines are always of the lucky
ones. If sixty thousand people go to Ban
mock City next spring, not more than ten
thousand will make anything, and one.
tenth only, of that number, will get rich.
That's about the way the thing runs.
Now I've written you rambling letter
don't know what I've said or how I've
said it-but sat down for little chat and
have had it. Have l interested you?
Yours, joe V. BAucH.