Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-07-18

zpediaEou--Erery Z Ran.Kull of Dirt
Shsws Color Of GoId-The Precious
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ICorrespondenee Cineinnati Commerciall
so1Es ~ ACINcNNATf, July Is. 1867.
. Having seen specimens Of gold said <to
land county, Ohio. curiosity induced me to
.nfafSe a visit to the locality and satisfy my
self as to the fact. 5AccordiBely LEFT CiIi-
cinnasi on last Saturday, by the z o,eloek
morning train on the Little Miami rail-
road, for Newark, and there getting upon
the SandHsky, Mansfield and Newark rail-
road, arrived at Bellevile aboutf O'Clock
p. Nj. Beiteyifie I found to- be,a pleasant
village, wen built, and beautifully located
ina valley, and Surrounded BY hillsfn all
directions. Through the valley aud at the
edgelof The stowh-Ninds Clehr Greek, a
steeamgof some magnitude. which is dotted
here and there with-nills, forming alto
,gether avery picturesque places The town
is said to haYela pepulationbofi nearly one
thousand, which, from appearances Il think
is ratherlan over than uuuder-estimate. has
> The appearance of the country, after
leaving Mount Vernon, some twelve miles
south of heresas You eRproaehs Belleville,
beautiful rolling surface to that of a more
abrupt aud billy ctaracter, the hills hav-
ing Considerable elevation, the soil, at the
same time, both on the hiil-sides and val
4eys, becoming poorer in qttaiitv. There is
occasionally to be seen an out-croppfug of
sandstone roeElalong the railroad banks
and in the beds of the streams, and at Fred
erick, six miles Mount Vernon, a
very bold mass of rock presents of the
same character. Decentralization along
the whole distance TO Belleville presents a
very uniform character and dip, and there
Is no evidence of disruption Of the same,
by volcanic or other force. = woa s2a 'oiIo q
n fhfc lnoalitrr
by DIR. j. j. Austin, of Bellevflle,5 "a re-
Earned Californian,) who from his experi-
ehce inthe gold fields there, upon his re-
turn home was struck with the similarity
they presented to. the guleh mines of Cali
fornia; and acting upon his impressions
simply, he pIospected the locality and ver-
lied his opinions Since thin gold has
been found almost every where in the inni
mediate vicinity. both in the ravines or
gulehes, of the hills, and on top of them,
and in the level plain of the valley 1t was
q happy conjecture for the doctor, as he
had nothing else to basehis opinions upon,
and a singular verification, as upon exam
Development efthe locality that. to a prac-
tical geologist,- would warrant such a sup
position. Theioniyrockvisible b the sand
stone rock MENTIONED eontaining a few
fossils, and seeeasionalIy showing a
coarse congiomerate, and no evidence
of any jutting through this formation OF
metalifferous rock by Volcanic actions ap-
pears. - The stratifcationN is perfect and
dips two or three degrees TO thezsouth.
Consequently there is 40 rock hereo of a
gold d-bearing character TO- deposit its metal
by gradual disintegfation. (TbezqHery,
whence cameTit?i must be answered, then,
by other causes. Upon going over the To-
cality the question is solved. 'Driitn is
every where present. Bowlders of gran
ite, quartz &c, of all sizes;2 some tuns
in. weight are scattered on the hill
sides, and in the, valleys, and the bulk of
the loose soil is q mass OF drift, a mixture
of bowlders, gravel and sand, covered with
a thin, light Soil, and not very productive
agriculturally. = This drift extends from a
northwest to- southeast direction, along
and across tie hills, and in this drift, and
with IL, was the gold here found deposited.
Having made the necessary preparations
for prospeetiRg,t such as pans, spade and
pick, a party of us took an early start in
the morning after my arrival, and made.
ourIwaytup q small branch emptying into
Clear Creek. aino- .osEFiHis iA3rfsfrl SO 'eI9
Our FIRST essay was near its month. A
few shoyeisfuI OF dirt were taken from the
bed of the creeka and Planned out in the
stream The result was satisfactory, and
ten or fifteen pieces of fine gold were found.
This operation " as repeated two or
three times near the same place.a In every
instance. to use the miners phrase, e it
showed color.51su siilffssiz7I anTf1 Z bns sfl
We proceeded oou about one hundred
yards on the road along the creek. A
spade full, of dirt from the surfaces (wheel
track, swasa taken and panned out; the
oleY here, too, was found. en 24. s
We next proceeded about mile fu, ,ther
I'D the creek to- a locality known as the
Moody farm. This point is said to be one
of the best yet prospected. The creek runs
along the base of a hill of some magnitude.
- = LII sH 1c 5..c
Bowlders of all sizes and descriptions are
visible along the banks of the small stream
and hill-sides. The creek, at present, is
almost dry, and scarcely affords water suf-
ficient to pan out the dirt. but, by making
an excavation. we succeeded in collecting
enough water for the ex periment. Several
pans of dirt were tried, from different places,
at tthis point, and, in every instance, gold
showed color. At this point sluice- box
has been in operation, and worked when
water sufficient could be had IN the stream,
which, aata certain seasons of the year, is
abundant, and gold to the value of eleven
hundred dollars. has Sobtaiued from
about seEentyrfive yards of dirt washed.
Pieces .Valueda sat from two dollars and q
half to fourgdoiiars and a half have
beenssh found eShere. 20 Several other
points, a mile or so further, were pros
pected, and in every instance, gold was
found. 4 had seen sufficientto cwarrantme
in saying that gold is found here tn paying
q1tdsGittes, and good ,cdges could be made By
thgcruds operation of panai,ag out. All that
is needed TO make it pay largely are facili-
ties for extensive working, particularly
water supply which is locally deficient
Its, however, available, by cutting sluice
from Clear creek to the head. of the gulch.
A canal, or sluiee,Sa mile and a. half in
leBgth, easily reconstructed, will supply all
thewater needed, Snd it is the intention OF
company that has leased the property to
construct it st an early day. The property
was originally leased by j .SaF. Jackson.
Esa.,of Newark, Ohio, who, few weeks
since, sold a a'portion of his lease to stock
company for SIG, 600. The company have
secured the services of Colonel Alexander
Short. practical miner of several years
experience in California, under whose SUI
peFEision the work will hereafter be pros
ecuted. E.. S. w.
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