Charles City intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Floyd County, Iowa) 1864-1866, 1865-03-02

Letter From Montana.
VIRGINIA CRY. NJ. 7


of the prairies, we are weathering tn,
winds and storms of the mountains
] have thought many times that ii
Iowa the winds blew and the snow
drifted )" but there the winds stor
blowing once in while, here it blow.
without cessation.
The snow is now drifted SO thai
travelling is almost impossible it be
ing in many places from four to eight
feet deep but in other places the
ground is almost bare. Travelling
with wagons is outdone, and the sleigh
ing is bioaon oaray.
The secession Legislature of this
Territory will commence their session
next Monday, after which, l suppose
it will try, with its one majority to pass
such resolutions and enact such laws
as will be pleasing in the sight OF
old jeff" The place of meeting is
at Bannock, the temporary capital OF
the Territory.
propose to give your readers a
view of the gOld prospects of this coun,
try, considering this the principal OBJ
Iject with them as well as with us.
This auriferous region is very unlike
California. There, volcanic actions
were more powerful, the heat more in
tense, and of course more of the metal
has been melted from the quartz.
In Montana it is different, and in
many respects, similar both to Colora-
do and Nevada E; although acknowl-
edged to be far richer than the former
in gold, and equal to the latter in sill
yer quartz.
The gulch diggings here are at pres
ent confined to Alder and Biven's
gulches, near Virginia two or three
small gulches at Prickly Pear; the
same number (mostly dry at Deer
Lodge, and Emigrant Gulch on the
Yellow Stone river. The gulch min
ing at Bannock is about worked out.
At that place, as we'll as here, capital
lists are beginning to invest in quartz /;
they having become fully satisfied that
in this is contained the true wealth of
these mountain retreats.
There are lodes enough in the coun-
try to keep thousand mills in opera
ton for centuries there being no linn
it to their depth, so far as we are
able to judge, and they constantly in
crease in richness the deeper they are
opened.
There are, as yet, but very few mills
in operation but next year there will
be good many brought across the
plains ...- -.... .... ..a
Many lodes will not assay anything
short of so or 100 feet down; many
others within 10 feet of the surface as
say from $4,000 to 100000 per ton
of rock
On account of the absence of mills
there is not much sale for claims but
| think within two or three years
claims on good lodes can be sold al
such figures as would almost astonish
a person unacquainted with the histo
ry and hidden wealth of the " mother
of gold"
The immigration to this country
the past season was immense there
being many who could find nothing to
do, and could not pick up huge mug
gets in their daily walks, concluded
this to be no place for them and con
sequently stampeded home with thei,
great expectations left behind.
| 1t is well that they did 60 back, 70,
the country could not sustain 50 great
a population until the resources there
of are we'll developed. Until the mills
arrive, there are people enough here
many more could not find employment
| A great portion of those who came
the past season, expected to make thei
fortunes in day." and return HON,
in the fall with their pockets lined
This is mere Quixotic fancy no per
son need expect to make "haul ant
have "Me dead rood on II" unless h,
stays here from two to five years th'
longer stay the bigger rake he vii
make.
There is plenty of gold here and al
that person need do is to get hold o
good claims and then live through tn,
hard times" until they are brought in
to market.
I Ifa person brings capital to thi
country, money can be made at almos
anything in which he ivests.
] Freighting is very good business
all kinds of freight ON an average
will pay at least twenty-five cents pc
pound in dust.
4 The principal amusements among
the fast young men, and the "greel
cloth gentry" is visiting the I" Hurd,
Gurdy dance houses" where they cal
dance for dollar a set, until thei
money is all gone which many reck
less fellow does.
Many others, who think themselve
lucky, try their hand at Pharo.' whel