The Montana post. [volume] (Virginia City, Montana Territory [i.e. Mont.]) 1864-1869, 1865-03-11

SILVER Bow. M. T.. Feb. 90. 1Ss.

x
very startling to communicate. There are
no murders, no hangings, or aught else to
create wonder, unless people wonder how
we can survive after the publication in the
Posi- OF that letter over the signature of
&C. II. 81" which, to say the least, was
written under a wrong impression, or in
tentionally falsifed. I nust take upon
myself to correct the gentliman in several
instaqces, where, were his. statements un-
denied, great injustice would be done.
In speaking of our quartz lodes, he refers
to only ttoo lodes out of the three hundred
that are on record, neither of which are
rated as high as he would lead people to
believe. They are, it is true, as far as
proved, both good leads; but the Mollie
Grey, Ophir No. 2, Grey Eagle, Chicago,
Overland, Tuscarora, Sherman, Butte, Pc
dee, Wild Pat, Tarpeian Rock, and scores
OF others, are considered equally as good,
the Mollie Grey bearing off the palm.
In speaking of the gulch, he again is in
error in almost every particular. He makes
the gulch SO fiat that it is a wonder the
water manages to escape in the direction it
does, running contrary to the laws Of ma
ture. There is an average fall of six inches
until the canon is reached, where the fall is
very considerable. &C. II. S." has it, too,
that the bedrock is supposed to be about
twelve feet. Perhaps he is unaware that
"supposes " "guess so," &c., are all left
on the Missouri river, as not being necessa-
ry in the mountains. The truth of the mat
ter is, that the bedrock can be found al
most anywhere in the gulch at depth of
eight feet, and in some places it is not over
fve-nowhere over nine. The expense of
opening claims will not be so large as it is
in Alder gulch, by at least one-hdf. The
guleh has been pretty well prospected,
Notwithstanding the assertion of GO. H.
s." that "two or three shafts have been
sunk" There has been as high as 81 25
obtained to the pan, and out of the q,lch,
too. Last fall, some work was done, and as
high as two ounces per day to the hand was
taken out. There were several claims
worked on in differentportions of the gulch,
and none paid less than $l2 per day to the
hand. MIR. sc. H. ST." l fear, will be
" greatly disappointed y in our mines, for
We have both rich and extensive digoings.
There has been some work done with rock
ers, and in no instance has less than FIVE
dollars per day been taken out.
Respecting business matters, it is true
that our place, like every mountain town at
this season is very dull, not even the
"whisky shops" doing much, for we of
Silver Bow, unlike our Virginia friends, are
not very partial to institutions of this order.
! do not think, however, that there is
house in Virginia whose sales are larger
than those of Mr.. Graves, who is winning
the goodwill of the community by his very
liberal and fair dealings, and accommodate
ing and gentlemanly manner.
The few sanguine ones" who were so
"perseveringly at work on the drains, :" had
&C. II. s." counted correctly, he would
have numbered over one hundred and fifty,
and men with as much energy, herhaps, as
the "Summit miners of year ago." In
concluding my remarks concerning &c. II.
SIS" statements, l would say, that if his
ideas were not as slow as his ox-team, and
his mind not quite so prejudiced, or if,
perhaps he had not charter for toll road, ,
or bridge, or ferry, or something of the sort
on the Last Chance road, he would hardly
advise people not to come here.
There has been considerable excitement
concerning charter for. this place, granted
to certain parties by our Territorial Legis-
lature. A meeting of the citizens was held
on Saturday last, to take measures in oppo-
sition thereto, and resolutions of protest
were passed and committee appointed to
wait upon the Governor to lay the matter
before him. Great indignation is manifest
ed by few, because they have been out
witted, and they are using every endeavor
to break the charter, if possible, which
think will hardly be the case. I|r.
German gulch yet commands good deal
of attention, and claimholders are very
sanguine of its proving immensely rich. 1
hope they will not be disappointed.
Our whole town is on the qui vipe in ex-
pectation of a stampede to some new gulch,
of which extravagant stories are ahoat.
As soon as possible, Twill give you the par
ticulars. Yours, LEAD PENCIL.
SILVER Bow Cry, Feb. 25IIS65,