Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1868-10-08
,For the Rutland HERNtDl
Gold. and Gold i'm Vermont.

The metal and mineral resources of
Vermont are beginning to be better I'M
derstood, and 10 attract more and more
interest of miners ana scientific men.
We have limestone, marble and slate in
abundance, and gold, silver, copper, lead
and iron, in more or less quantities, very
generally ditfused throughout the State.
Gold may be regarded as the king of
metals, As the diamond is the first of min
eral gems, consequently gold hunting and
gold digging in Vermont is recognized
fact, and is rewarded with success
worthy of notice. We were called upon
20 visit two different sections of this State
where gold had been 3::.S;cc-c-ea, and IL
one of them where it had been successful
ly mined. In the town Of Bethel, along
the bed and sides of Loci ust creek, not far
from the Locust Creek Hotel, gold has
been taken out in considerable quantity
with but little expense and labor. On
our recent visit we found a section of this
creek was mined by two men, Nutting and
Howard With q large and small hume
they are washing the gold from the sand,
gravel and rocky accumulations of ages,
along the bed and sides Of the stream
This is called pltcer dtggi,sgs, and most OF
the gold of the world is obtained by
washing from snch diggings.
The original quartz veins here are
abundant in the old metamorphic talcose
sehist and slate, but with few exceptions
the working of these quart have not
proved remuneratiye i'll any gold region
Nature has done the work Of extracting
it from the veins of these flinty rocks
and invites man to an easier task and richer
reward 10y working over the loose mate.
rials only Of her more difficult and stu.
pendous excavations. The gold, obtained
here is very pure, and the miners have
only saved such particles as they could
easily pick out with their fingers, while
they have let 90 to waste as much as they
have saved, in fine dust, particles, for
the want Of the facilities Of malgamating
it with mercury. With magnifying
glass We could see the yellow dust giving
color to the large quantity Of sand failing.
left from their washing This is prodi
gal way Of mining. Nutting and How.
ard, as the result of half days washing
took ont about six dollars worth, and had
they saved the fine gold dust they would
have had double that amount. 1t is not
extrayagant or beyond the truth, to
say that the placer diggings Of this creek
are as rich in the precious metal as most
Of those in California that have been
worked as first class diggings. What we
saw with our own eyes, and what we
learnt Of the history of this mining locali.
ty, we have confidence in what we state
as the truth. If this creek could be mined
by company that had the capital ncces-
sary to do it as it ought to be done, il
would pay richly for the investment and
labor.
The gold obtained, was in round grains
fiat plates or spangles, very thin, and some.
times small nuggets. The creek has been
prospected for about two miles from it,
confluence with White river and found tc
be equally as rich as where they are now
mining. This is characteristic of every
god producing region. The gold found
IN Virginia, North and South Carolini
ane Georgia, are in very similar streams
ana reok material, and geological age. W.
ma mere as in l.other gold bearing local
lties' iron' p,rites, or bisulphuret of iron
or aurlierous pyrites, as it is called, wher
gold is found with * This sulphuret o.
iron has deceived the ignorant and led
minerilogists to denominato to it fools
gold, and no mineral substance hos fooled
more persons. This is found in great alum
dance in tbs region as almost every
where, but it s of but little value to tn,
: gold miner.
}, We next visited gold locality on tn,
farm of Mr. Howard, in Wsst Rochester
The pan was brought into use .nd from
, number of places there was presentation
of gold, and in some instances a very -icl
quality from every pan washing. Moth
ing, as yet. has been done here, but W
D consider the prospecting furnished evi
dence of an extensive and rich dt
posit. With the use Of money and lii
D tie out lay of outftting the place, dig
g ging will yield a rich reward We are cor
< fident that this locality should not, an
will not remain long without bGng devel
\ oped and worked with profit by an ente,
5 prising company.