The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1868-03-19
A Mild Misunderstanding Matterr-Tight
Times-N1arIkets-lnd Outragcs-A
AIinnosotian killed under strange
ctrcumstanccs-nIou ain Scenery.

aOL, anu inc SnO" ~ al Soue. l uCV"
er saw so pleasant winter north of St.
Louis.
The business prospects for the COM
ing season arc quite encouraging. A
large number Of gulches will have bed
rock fumes ready for the spring run,
which will greatly facilitate t'strippins"
and "sluicing," and will yield golden
rewards for the trouble and expense
they have cost, besides making claims
that would not otherwise pay bring in
handsome returns. There are authen-
tic reports in circulation here of several
rich discoveries, the Sweetwater mines
creating the greatest excitement. I
have no doubt but that thore will be
an immense stampede to that locality,
as soon as spring fairly opens. The
probability is that the mines in this Vi
cinity will be briskly worked this sea-
son, and will, in the aggregate, yield as
much gold dust as during any previous
year. Quarts lodes aud new discover
les are so numerous l hardly know
where to commence to cnumerate them.
One can scarcely look at \ mountain
without seeing some one prospecting or
sinking shafts to strike lode in a new
place. The rumbling sounds and regu-
lar whistles Of the numerous quartz
mills make it seem more as though We
were in some manufacturing city rath-
er than off in the Rocky Mountains. do
not know what a weeks run generally
yields, at any except Hodges, . twen-
ty stamp mill, which cleans up about
$4,000. The quartz, ground by this
mill, is taken from the Whitlach Un-
ion Lode. There will be a number of
new mills brought in and ready for
work BY next winter, which will make
times better during this usually dull
season Of the year.
Money has been pretty close since
the holidays, and Will be no better uu-
til after work commences in the spring.
There is an overstock of men here
during the winter, 50 work is scarce and
wages low, ranging all the way from
s25 to s65 per month in currency (be-
sides board) for common laborera. A
great many have been chorpiug wood
and selling it as they had opportunity
and have made from $50 to SIS pc,
month at least I have been informed
that this is the fact by those who have
been thus engaged all winter. Ranch.
ing pays we'll any where in tho coun.
try.
The retail market prices are at pres.
ent, about as follows: Wheat, per h.,
6 cts. !; barley, Z cts. oats, 8 cts. white
beans, 40 cts., (they were worth Is cts.
per ID. all the fall J onions, 20 to 25
cts; potatoes, 5 cents; butter, fresh
ranch, 81; eggs, ditto, 1926 per doz. ;
hay, $50 per ton ; flour, from $40 to
s13 per owt. sugar, all grades, go ets.
star candles, IS cts, (sugar and candles
were sold at 80 cts. per ID. in the fall J
coffee, 40 cents; teas, gunpowder, ST..
so; imperial, $500; fresh beef, BY
the DR., II and IA Cts; mutton, all
round, Is cents; venison, ditto, l23
cts.; pork, best cut, 373 ots.; dried
peaches, not pared, 40 cts.; cu,rants
90 cts.; cherries, with pits, so cts.
without pits, IS Cts; syrup, IS pc,
gallon; kerosene, SO per gal. The
above prices ara for gold greenbscks
arc worth 80 cts. Common horses are
very cheap-fron $50 to $50 in the
fall, and from $50 20 $50 in the spring
All kinds Of stock have done we'll &C
far this winter, running at large in The
valleys.
The Blackfeet Indians have beer
committing some depredations recently
A number Of men have been vantool,
murdered, and large number Of hor.
ses driven off. I am informed that as.
sistance has been refused by the com
handing officer at Fort Shaw, he say.
ing that 1t 'cas bad time no,c to 6gh'
Indians.
A pilgrim named Peterson, from
Maotorville, MIMI, not long since was
killed, under peculiar circumstances.
He was going down divide between
two gulches, on long Norwegian snow.
shoes, probably with great velocity,
"nen they clogged and threw him
about one hundred and fifty feet down
the mountain He Was found one week
afterwards frozen through. He had
not moved after the fall.
Tho mountain scenery is most beau.
tful; some views Of which surpass any
thing that I ever saw, elsewhere; fo1
instance, the canyons of the Little
Prickley Pear and Missouri rivers. The
former passes twelve miles through q
spur Of the Rocky Mountains, in which
tho varied scenery battles description
In some places the rocks rise distanc.
Of one thousand feet, almost perpendic.
ularly, above the wagon road. The
Missouri splits, as it were, one Of The
highest 10 sight Of Helena.
A few words in describing Helena,
and then I must clore my already too
lengthy communication. It is situated
at the foot of the mountains, on the