Delaware Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1843-1874, 1866-04-30
CRErRAL CITY, COLORADO,


DEAR FRIENp C.--YOu see by the heading
of my letter that have reached my journ ey g
end and am in the Gold Region, aud In ac-
cordance with my promise, am about to give
you some description of it, have been here
now several weeks, and have learned much in
reference to loies, mines, mills and processes
for working ores.
The first thing that surprised me on APP
preaching this place, was the great number oil
mills and the immense amount OF good ma
ohinery erected to assist in extracting the pre-
cious metals. Steam power is used almost
exclusively and the fitting up is Of a superior
character and involve the expenditure OF a
much greater amount of capital than | sup
posed was invested hare.
Not only on the stage road, but for many
miles around these mills abound and more are
in course of erection, most of them by COM
panies formed 10 the eastern states, which is
good evidence That this region is what it is re-
ported to be, for the Yankees are not often
fooled. Central City from which write is a
place OF 2b00 Inhabitants; is in Gilpin County
and is oddly situated, being built against the
approaching sides OF three small mountains,
one forming Tho head of gulch, the other
two forming part OF Its sides. There appears
to be an abundance of gold in the apparently
inexhaustible crevces or lodes OF this region 3,
but the presence Of other metals in the ores,
in the form of oxydes aud sulphurets make IL
exceedingly difficult to get the gold all out.
The process of crushing, washing, and ANAL
gamating, will not extract more than half of
the auriferous c0nteats of the lodesi hence
many OF the mills are now idle, while various
parties are experimenting with view of dis
covering some process of thoroughly contol-
inr the ores. That this will soou be effect
ually done, no one will doubt who knows
anything of the character of the men engaged
in mining pursuits here. Lyons, Atwaters
and others processes and the yield of Lhe va
rious lodes by them per ton of ore, ls the
principal theme of conversation and dscus-
sion. But few years have elapsed since pub.
lie attention was directed to the precious met.
ais in this region, SO that but few OF the mines
are very deep Or extensive yet, but enough
has been done TO satisfy the most skeptcal
that the Central Gold Region is destined to
become ere long the rival OF California in
wealth and preductiveness. Some mighty
throe or convulsiOn in nature seems to have
split the mountains in thousands OF places
and from far below forced up the rich mate
rials that I'LL tie cracks und er verions degrees
OF temperature and in various proportions,
80 that there is a wide difference ia the
Appearance of the ores from different lo6es
New and rich crevices continue to be discoy
cred, aud they vary in width from few inch
from fifty to FIVE hundred dollars worth OF
gold and silver per ton. hundred dollars
a ton pay a large profit over all expenses and
there are few lddes that will not yield more un-
der an effective process, 80 it is easy to see
that capital invested here ia likely to produce
enviable returns.
Since have been here have had several
conversations with Gov. VIM. Gilpin who
proba bly, knows more about Colorado than
lkaN ka 10 ., tsia il in
eronce to its climate, wealth, and future.
He says he ID sorry he ever knew another
country though he has lived in the best por-
tions of Pennsylvauia aud Delaware.
Gold, silver, iron, lead, copper, coal and
petroleum, abound in the mountains in
sufficient quantities to warrant any ones
prophecy that Colorado will be an important
and wealthy State ere long. l expect that
many new min ing companies will be formed in
the States the coming year and my opinion is
that any formed on fair basis to operate here
will be successful
The weather here is several degrees colder
than with you but not near so variable. 1t
is remarkable how little rain or snow fnlls
here; not enough at any time to seriously in
teriere with business or mining.
This region being several thousand feet
above sea level, the air is very thin and dry
and is said to be healthy and pleasant to those
who are ueed to it, but it does not appear 80
10 me as l suffer intensely and continually
with colds in my head and throat, so much su
that it Is probable shall return to the State!
| soon.
am paying $40 week for board that is b,
no means first class, and wages here are from
to dollars day; carpenters, masons, a nj
machinists being most in demand. Mining
claims are cheap and offer splendid chances tC
men who are here and can command little