Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1868-09-21
Correspondence of the Clerpont Sun ] .
Gold. ~
BATAVIA, CLERMoNT County, O.,

BATAVIA, CLERMoNT COUNTY, o., !
ra 4AsTad September 14,y 1858
EDITOR SUN-Dear Sir Permit me
through the columns of your paper to
answer some of the many questions
asked by hundreds of our people, resi-
dents of this immediate vicinity and
elsewhere, such questions as the follow
ing: as there gold in Clermont coun-
ty ~ "Will it pay ~ > "How much
will it pay?" and "What is the qnali-
tyr ~ ~ ..,g. - .s. :. =, ,..,l- {. 4
First. as there gold in Clermont
county ?" to which reply, decidedly,
yes; there is gold in this county, and it
may be found from the summit of the
highest hills down to the lowest valleys.
OF course, in the gulches and ravines,
the prospects are better. The reason
of this is that the rains for centuries
have been beating against our hill-sides,
washing the soil. gravel and gold down
into the low places. Hence we find the
gold deposit richer in the gulches and
rayines than we do in the hills. Never
thelss, 1 believe that were We supplied
with an abundance of water for hy-
draulic purposes, our hills would pay
equally as well as those of California.
Second, "Will it paySfor working ?"
to which answer, if worked properly,
yes, improperly, no. By working with
a rocker from fifty to seventy-fve cents
per day, to the hand can be made. If
worked with sluices, from FIVE to seven
dollars per hand per day. With hy-
draulic pressure, from twelve to fifteen
dollars per day. But in order, to make
the goll diggings pay in this county, it
will require much labor and considerable
money. Reservoirs must be constructed
large enough to hold three weeks water
for sluicing, as we will be obliged to
depend altogether upon the rains to sup
ply water for mining purposes, at least
for the present; or until such times as
water may be conveyed over our hills,
in bitches. from the source of some
never-failing stream.
The Clermont county gold ranges
from twenty to twenty-five carats fine.
Where this gold came from, or what
agent has been used to bring it to this
place, is hard to tell. We may safely
say, however, that hisdeposit has been
made either by an ocean current or by
icebergs; most probably by the former.
find, however, many signs of icebergs
having passed over our hills. / have
discovered in numerous places, upon our
native limestone, grooves cut across the
surface; also similar grooves upon field
spar grauite. gneiss, and other rocks
which have been held fast in those noun
tains of ice, which have many cers
turtles since passed over our land In all
probability following the current that de-
posted the gold for which We dig, and
about which of late there has. been so
much excitement, the excitement will
die out when we become used to the
glittering dust; but the gold is yeritable
fact; it will not die out; but in the time
to ccme will be taken in such quantities
as to enrich our country and assist in
paying the interest on the Government
bonds, and connect Batavia with Milford
by railroad. 'a57 20 -'ais .'.'.' -5lL-.f.
And now to all whom it may con
cern, | have given my candid opinion
las far as my Investigations have gomez
in regard to the gold mines of Clermont
county. j. w. GLASS.