The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1867-12-07
Correspondence Of Tho Cecil Whig
Letter from the Gold Country,
HELENA, Montana, Territory,
Nnr 18th 1867

Nov. 10th, 1867.
E. f. EwIsG-Editor Cecil Rhio -.
Eighteen years ago | used occasionally 10
give the readers Of The Whig q few items
OF California news. | wonder if there ore
yet living in Cecil persons who would core
to know what l think of this, the newes,
and greatest portion of our gold and silver
producing country?
Within my recollections, trip from the
''Sta!es' to this part Of the Rocky Noun.
tains, and back, was looked upon as On aw.
fui undertaking, requiring the greater part
OF short'htetime; Now person can step
into the cars at Elkton, and in sixteen days,
by rail and coach, be in Helena, the princi.
That trip will cost $500. II one has but
half that amount to invest in getting here,
he must step on board q steamboat Of st.
Louis, and take short ride mp the Missouri
say three thousand miles. After battling
with high winds, strong currents, sand bars,
high water and low water, suass, savers,
and Indians; and living good part OF the
time on buffalo or beaver "shousht'-
sometime between 80 and 100 days-I was
She will reach Fort Benton. A fine
Concord coach will bring him from Benton
to Helena in twenty six hours, Substance l4O
miles.
Although Helena is pretty high up in the
world. we hear every day what you people
down in the low country are about. We
heard OF Garibaldis failure before the walls
of Rome, in twenty.four hours after it. oc.
Cured In reply to message sent to Paris.
inquiring the price of skinned frogs and
mule sirloiu, the answer, according to date,
was received six honrs before the question
was sent.
The Placer mines of Montana have been,
and still are, very productive, though they
bear no comparison, either in extent or
richness, to those Of California in carly days.
Still, even in this brsnch Of mining, few
bigger strikes have been made than was
ever made anywhere else in the world. A
party of four men working claim on Con.
fcderate Gulch- discovered and named by an
admiror of Andy and JEFF "Lost Cause
in one season, took gu. az much pure gold
as a ionr.horse mnle team could have drawn
to navigation. From Alder Gulch, four
miles long, eight millions Of dollars we're
taken out in ono season of seven months. -
But the great and enduring source of Mon.
tanas wealth and fame, lies In her innumer.
able gold and silver bearing quartz lodes and
veins. But few of these ere yet being work
ed-and those fo~ are yielding i,nmensc for.
tunes to their owners, Their Development
requires time, machinery, mills. and heaps
Of capital-all OF which is surely forthcom.
;ng-and then, not many years hence either
tho yield of tho precious metals from Mon.
tana will be wonderful. Une silver mill
commenced operations October 18th; in
ten days it turned ont sixteen thousand dol.
lars Of bullion. In it's v;ciui.y--a radius of
twelve miles-there are I'll we'll. defined sil.
yer leads, many Of which ARE held To be rich
here is more gold and silver quartz within
$50 miles Of Helena, than ono hundred ships
the size Of the Dundorbcrs could nuat--ihat
is my honest opinion.
There are just two classes Of men wanted
inehis ceuntry,--mcn with plenty of cash,
and men with broad shoulders, stout arms
and horny hauds-Hll snch will ind some.
thing here to their advantage. OF clerks,
lawyers, doctors, loatnrs, gamblers, bar.
keepers, pimps and lcwd women. the market
is g|nttcd. lis the paradise of laborine
men. Wood choppers make SIS to 81 per
day miners, 81 to 50, Bal! whackers and
farm hands, 500 10 $50 per month and
board. All kinds Of mechanics, s. to So
per day. Clerks, very many, work for their
board--and difficult to find employment, at
that. A ,practlcal knowledge Of the Use of
pick and shovel is far more advantageous
than that Of yardstick and scissors.
Clothing, boots and shoes, and many OF
the necrssaries Of life, sell hore cheaper
than in the States-tLis OF course is ov;sn
to an over.sopry. Luxnries command biz
prices. have seen apples sell ,his fall at
50 per pound peatS and grapos, So FER
pound whisky is two bits drink ordinary
cigars, do; newspapers 80 cents apiece.
One of the monied men of Helena is
Cecil county man-now on visit to his ma.
tive sod. Wherever have gone TO IN this
world, have found some Cecil county chap
there ahead of me: they are generally in.
dustrious and prosperous, and al,cays lib.
eral, hearted and friendly.
Yours, Il. t.. NJ,