The Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1869-1872, 1870-01-19
THE ELKO INDEPENDENT.
WEDHEsDiY. JhNUAIY rs. Issss


WEDHEsDix. JANUAIY n. IsysS
esss Creek MSsatains-IAsir csurss, sersan.
FnH MIL, Sonoma Co., Cal
EDrroR REvKnLE-Being q stranger to you
md vishing some information I take the lib
cry (mAny people take the liberty of editors)
Of inquinng Of you. Two years ago with
some other parties worked some gold placers
Known In Austin - the Goose Greek
mines-" i sold out and came to California.
I wish to know whether these mines are or
have been worked since.
Yours. A. p. Dl,xr.
We pahlisa the above in order that If any
Of our readers are acquainted With Mr.. Drake,
and can give him the desired information,
they may do 30. The mines known as
Goose Greek" were in Tuscarora district,
the locality Of which is now In EIko county
The brothers Beard erected small mill at
McCann gulch in the district upwards Of q
year ago, for the purpose of working the
collaborating quartz, bat we never learned tho
result of their experiment Each season
few men have worked the piacers of the dis
tnct, but we can not say with what success.
Gold is found in the g1lches and ravines of
that section, for we occasionally hear Of it In
Cope district, which must be in the neighbor-
hood Of the miscalled Goose Greek" dig
gings.-Reee Rirer Rereine.
1t is possible that the locality referred to by
the Reveille is the place inquired after by its
correspondent. II 50, the Reveille is mostly
correct in its reply; but the latitudinarian ap-
plication of this term, Goose Greek noun
tains," has caused a confusion of tongues
worse confounded," which may have led
the Reveille into error.
The mill and gold bearing quartz alluded to,
are located in Independence Valley, in
northwest direction from Elko. gentleman
who visited this mill last Summer, informs us
that he found both mill and mine deserted.
but evidently considerable work had been
done in the vicinity, both on the ledge and at
placer mining in some Of the gulches. This
mill, he was informed, had been stopped by
the crickets, which filed the stream and mill
and were worked up by the machinery in such
extraordinary quantities that it interfered
with the separation of the metal from the rock
1t is possible that these are what Mr. Drake
styles the Goose Greek mountains, but il is
doubtful. He probably refers to what is gen.
orally known as the Goose Creek mines, and
recently alluded to as such by correspondent
Of the White Pine News. Those mines are far
to the east of Elko, being located a few miles
north Of Tacoma, q railroad station twenty
five miles east Of Toano. While those mines
are popularity known as Goose Greek, really
they are not in the Goose Greek mountains,
being on the Raft river range. Much confu-
sion has arisen by the indiscriminate use of
the term. The old emigant road passed
through some mountainous country in the vi
cinity Of one portion of Goose creek, and
those mountains have received their title, and
are generally known by that name, by the
thousands who have transiently passed along
this road; hut, in fact, that portion OF those
mountains in which some work has been done
in former years at placer mining, does not
constitute O portion of the real Goose Creek
range. They are actually connected with the
Raft river ranges pierced by the old road at
City of Rocks. This range extends in a north
east and southwest direction, its waters on
the east side giving rise to Raft river. A. few
small creeks flow down the western declivities
into Goose creek, below the great bend of
thatStrsam. This range extends in south
and southwesterly course until it moderates
into low, red-burnt hills, not far from the
line Of the railroad. 1t is on this southwest
ern extremity Of the Raft river range TINT
these mines are located. Prospectors and
miners have dabbled, at various times, in the
gulches running through and out of these
depressed mountains, but there has been
scarcely work enough done to entitle them TO
the speculation of mines" They arc
neither "placer mines. nor in the Goose
Greek mountains, properly speaking. We
have seen some evidences of gulch mining also
on the eastern side Of the range, in the roll
ing. burnt country, about thirty miles beyond
Raft river, but II was limited and confined to
hat rayiDes, where but little water was attain
able In the Spring and none at all in the Sum.
mer.
Standing on the divide short distance
from the City Of Rocks station, the eye can
perceive in the far west the lofty snow-crowned
peaks Of the real Goose Greek range. Among
those peaks Goose Greek takes its rise, flow.
ing east a considerable distance through q
rolling, sagebrush country, until near the old
emigraut road it suddenly bends sharply Il
the north and flows thence into Snake river
Those lofty peaks constitute the eastern ex.
trsmity of the main Goose Creek range, which
extends thence westerly along near the boun
Diary line of Nevada, throwing out numerous
spurs. and at several points breaking up into
rough, irregular country, pierced by deer
canyons, and watered by large streams. The
n q a.