, 1866-08-31
From Montana.

| The country is overdone in everything, ant
has not ouly been greatly over-estimated, bu
people have grossly and wilfully lied, and, il
fact there seems to be a strong rivalry between
| the papers here as to which can publish thG
greatest amount of impudent, humbugginl
falsehoods. There are few rich claims in thi.
country, but they are monopoGzed by few
| persons, to the exclusion of many others.
Now, let us take professor Matthews Rreor
and make flying trip to the mines; Starting
! from the center of the town. (this is not city,
though we have a New York, Brooklyn, and
other cities here) we proceed down Last Chance
| Gulch which is a continuation of Grizzly
| Gulch, commencing at the point where Grizzly
leaves the mountains and debouches into sor
of table fiat, which gradually descends fol
aboEt two miles to the valley Of the Prickly
Pear, Ten Mile, Seven Mile and other creeks
Tais LAST Chance) gulch, as whole, has pro-
duced as much gold and paid as regularly as
any in the Territory, except, perhaps, Alder,
near Virginia City, and Is still paying good wa
ges, though nearly worked out. The claims
extend from summit to some unknown locality
near the Missouri river, but holding least three
or four miles of ground, a considerable portion
of which, it is claimed, will pay when plenty OF
water can be had which Will be the case by the
LIST Of September, as a company of Californians,
headed by Capt. BLASTED, has taken the matter
in hand.
Above the town, and running into the hill, are
Grizzly, Dry, Orc Fino, Tucker and other
gulches, which are pretty generally worked out
and abandoned, though here and there claim
still pays wages.
Confederate, across the Missouri, has a very
few rich claims, held by monOpolists who made
their own liberal laws, which have until recent
ly been respected, but the California element of
the mining population is restless and cha6ng
under the wholesale hoggishness, and lately the
brother of Dennis Sheahey was killed in a shoot
ing affair growing out of jumping claim, and
the presumption is that there will be more
trouble, though case is now pending in court
by which the legality of their mining laws will
be tested. This is doubtless the richest camp
in the Territory, but it is worked by hydraulic
power, aud but little Of the gold which is taken
out passes into circulation.
From here we go to Oregon and New York
Gulches which have been opened this season
and prospect well-in spots.
New York City and her less pretentiOus rival
across Trout creek base their expectations on
quartz. In fact, the people have a severe at
tack of quartz on the brain Some the quartz
assays very well, and Messrs. CASTOR 4 Thomp-
son, of Helena, have thirty-stam mill on the
ground which will be set up soon as possible.
Some five or six arastras are being put up, there
being good wRter-pOWer and in a short time
we will probably know more about the richness
of the lodes, which, however, will not bear
favorable comparison with Owyhee, or South
Boise, if appearances to be relied upon.
Let recross the Missouri aud take start
westerly, towards home. Before we reach the
summit we come to St. Louis and Greenhorn
Clutches, the first Of which has paid quite well
and will probably pay good wages for the pres,
ent season. Our old acquaintance, B. A. Town
send, has brought in q ditch and taken up bed
rock aume right, which will, l hope, recompense
him handsomely for his outlay and enterprise
Here we strike the Mullan road, and following
it few miles we suddenly find the water run
ming westerly and thus become aware that we
have crossed the Rocky Mountains and are again
on the Pacific slope. Here we.leave the Mullan
road which goes down the little Blackfoot, and
and take the old Nez Perces trail which has
been improved into good wagon road, for pass
ing over which you are invited to "weigh out, :"
though the proprietor has no charter, yet will
doubtless get one as soon as the legislature con-
venes, unless Congress should either amend the
Organic act so as to take the power out of their
hands, or transact the business herself giving
sixty feet right of way, as in the case of the
Cascade railway company. Ten miles from
here is Blackfoot City, considerable town,
which, as compared with nearly all mining
towus-which are usually built on mining
ground, SO that the streets may be dug up-has
no visible means of support, being pleasantly
located along little stream which fails to res
pond to the searching efforts that are or have
been made for the precious orc. But be-
fore we reach Blackioot We strike Carpenters
Bar, looking S much like bar as any other
gradual hillside slope, but paying well from the
grass roots down to a depth of three to FIVE feet
and covering some ten or fifteen acres Of ground.
Here, again, longitude is ignored, and in conse-
quence each claim holder has a ''good thing"
From here we 20 to Nevada Greek, new
camp, not extensive, but believed to be toleraS
bly, good. Thence to Washington, Jefferson,
Mcclellan, Lincoln and Keep Cool gulches, all
of which are pretty well exhausted. The third
one named has been very rich, and the last two
have been considered unhealthy places for the
capillary covering of ye honest miners during
the present summer, as the article in question
has been in considerable demand among the
Blackfeet who inhabit that portion of country.
This season will about finish mining operations
in these camps
Returning to Jefferson, or Rhea City, let US
chat a moment with Dick Dwelle, and, we are
off for Elk Greek, the scene of blasted hopes,
unlucky speculatiOns, and once rich ~ claims
which ''pe,ered out" soon after being opened.
A few OF them have no doubt paid, but lin the
opinion of some of those who have gone through
the mill, every dollar that was taken out cost in
the aggregate two hundred cents. Reynolds
City was place of "great expectations" and
many air castles, and possibly some heir hopes
also, were built by those crusading Stampeders
who were lucky enough to follow in the wake
Of Keenan, Co., aud secure claims in this new
El Dorado. But alas the holders of claims
as well as owners of houses in the great metrop-
oils were as a whole doomed to bitter disaP-
pointment.
At first there was too much snow for prospect
ing, and then, as old Sol gradually approached
the summer solstice and the SHOWS departed
there was too much water, and then as the wa
ter slowly svaporated their hopes also began
sort Of dissolviug-View rstrocession, growing
"small by degrees and beautifully less, until,
in most cases they "dissolyed into thin air and
faded into sombre disappointment, and the de-
luded 4" eusses' struck outProspecting for some
other locality, which in due course OF time will
doubtless be discovered and in tufH pronounced
q "steambeatR and a-"bilk."
Bat there are several gulches in this vicinity
which pay quite well, among which. are Deep
and Bear, which are both deep ,diggings, run
ming as low as rs feet in places, though some>
what less in others; but SO deep that as rule