, 1865-11-17
Items from the pIaclfoot oonnt,v

Mr. W W. johnson, who has just returned
nom the country east Of the Bitter Root noun
tains, furnishes us with the following items con-
eerning the mines, &C., of that section:
The following officers were elected for Mis-
soqla county, Montana Territory Probate Judge,
Es 8. Miller County Commissioners, G. @.
o'Keefe, H. W. Miller; Sheriff, H. Larrabee !
County Clerk, ChHs. Shaft; Sup't of Schools,
A.P Hillman; Treasurer, David Pattee; Sur
veyor, S. NJ. Minesinger Assessor, Robert KeI-
ley Coroner, Geo. p White.
AtHell Gate the crops are as good as usual,
and the prices for produce are high. Oats, lOc
per pound, wheat Sc per pound, potatoes, g centsJ
onions, zoe per pound. A new town is being
built near the mouth of Rattlesnake creek, Eve
miles above the site of He'll Gate, and will pro-
badly be the town of the He'll Gate valley. A
grjst and saw mill are in course of completion
at that place. The improvements in the mills
at He'll Gate aud Fort Owens will enable the
He'll Caters to supply as good an article of -four
IS that furnished by Salt Lake, which commands
at present rs cents per pound in Helena and
BlackfoOt City.
LOCATION o. TIE MtSISG CAMPS.
Mcclellan Gulch is situated ive miles above
the mouth Of creek which flows north into the
Big BlackfOOt river, and empties about twenty
FIVE miles west of Cadottsa Pass in the Rocky
mountains. Crevice Gulch is a tributary of
Mcclellan. jefferson GUieh is about twelve
miles southwest ofMcClellaD, and Buffalo, Mad
ison, Washington and Nevada gulches are in its
immediate vicinity. These gplches flow south
erly, and the main stream of which they are the
tributaries flows west and northwest into the
Big Blackfoot.
0phir, or B!ackfoot City, is situated on gulch
which empties into the Little Blackfoot river,
some ten or twelve miles above its junction with
Deer Lodge creek. In its vicinity are the "Prai-
rie diggings," DeadwOod, Snow Shoe and Car
penter gulches.
Helena City IS the largest town in Montana,
about four times the size of Walla Wala0 and
is located thirty-6ve miles east of northeast of
OPhii by the trail. 1t is seven miles north of
the Big Prickly Pear creek, and is the centre of
the mining district.
Confederate Guch is thirty miles east of Hell
ena, on the east side of the Missouri, and is
about the limit of the discoveries yet made.
THE MINES.
Mcclellan and Crevice gulehes are paying
we'll, and yield up the gold in Jumps which run
from fifty cents up to hundreds of dollars in
valve. The mines there are deep, from fifteen
to thirty-6ve fee:, but the pay is good on the
bedrock.
Jefferson, Madison, Washington, Buffalo and
Nevada gulches were worked nearly all the sea-
son, but the mines there as a general thing have
not been successful2only one of the above
gulches being worked at the close of the min
ing season.
Ophir and its vicinity has turned ont well,
the " Prairie dggiugs" and Carpenters gulch
having panned out from $500 to 5000 a day to
set of sluices, as a regular thing Deadwood
and Snow Shoe gulches are rich in coarse gold,
the former being near the summit of the noun
tain yielded lump weighing fifteen pounds and
eight ounces, and smother valued at $780, They
haul the dirt a mile to wash it, and it pays from
forty to sixty dollars to a wagon load.
Confederate Gulch is also reported rich, but
the amounts yielded are not known.
NEW DIGGINGs
Were found about the middle of Octobe. on a
tributary of the Big Blackfoot, heading about
eight miles north of point on the He'll Gate
river, three miles below the mouth of Flint creek
The creek-Elk creek-had not been prospected
when Mr.. Johnson left but Days gulch and
Jonathans gulcb, two of the western tributaries,
had afforded excellent prospects, viz: from one
dollar and half to five dollars. Neither Of
them had yet been worked, owing to the lateness
Of the season.
Deep gulch, stream supposed to flow into
the Big Blackfoot, was also discovered, and
prospects from five to eight cents to the pan for
from eight to twelve feet deep. With water in
the Spring this gulch will pay we'll
SUPPLIES
Are apparently abundant and are afforded at
reasonable prices, Flour, 25 to 80 cents per
pound bacon, IS cents coffee, IS cents, sugar,
60 cents; oats, Is cents potatoes, 25 cents
cabbage, 30 cents. Clothing is high. 1t is
supposed that there will be sufficient produce in
the market to last until the trails are open in
the Spring; but as there are at least Is, 900 men
in the region referred to, it is probable that ar
ticles will be scarce and prices high until the
roads are open for travel. The Muan road is
still in places only pack-trail. Although an
empty wagon was gotten over it this summer, It
will take about $4,000 to make it passable for
teams. The snow was only two inches deep on
the summit November 7th, but the road was very
icy for some twelve miles. 10 is now about
closed for the season. Park-trains having al
ready turned off to 60 by the Pen f0reille Route.
~~~~~~-~~~---soS--~>~~~~--~-~-
TIE Orizabd, on her last trip to Portland,
stuck fast on the bar" AS a result, our mer-
chants will find the item of Ighterage 4"
added to their freight bills. Without wishing
in any way to detract from the metropolis, :"
we have this to sRy: The merchants of Portland
should take such measures as will enable sea-
going vessels to reach their wharves or, failing