Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-09-04

save the roaring of the water rs it dane
ed over the rocks, worn smooth by its
action, and darted its spray far overhead
Our explorations were brought to an end
by the discovery of a large cave on the
southern bank of the river 1t looked
like a shaft, sunk probably over hun
dred years ago, by the Aborigines of
Vermont. In this connection | may
state that it is well known TO some of
the Oldest inhabitants hereabouts that
among the last of the Iriquois Indians,
who hunted in the Green Mountains,
was one, long since dead, who said that
within two miles of the site now occu-
pied by the. town of Rutland he knew
place where man could find a cart
load of gold every week. The Indian
died many years ago, but up tp the day
of his death he persisted in his statement
though he positively refused topolnt out
the spot He claimed that this knowl-
edge was the property of his tribe; that
he had been told by his father, shown
the exact spot, and that the secret should
die with him. This cave or shaft may
have been dug by the Indians, and no
one has ever dared to explore it. We
could not enter it, but by throwing stones
down we judged it to be shaft running
obliquely into the very center OF the
mountain. At depth of about thirty
feet it seemed to take southerly course
through the mountain.
rs,-.' THE GOLD WASHING.
On returning TO where we left our
friends, we found that they had contin-
ued using their pans to good advantage,
though they had been prospecting down
the river. The result showed no dimin-
ution in the amount of gold found, but
gave further evidence of its presence all
along the banks of Mill river. | re-
sumed my pan, and we all washed
dirt" until about p. M, when we rest
ed and organized ourselves into a miner
illogical surveying party. We traced,
without any difficulty, the out-croppings
of the blossom rock which indicated the
whereabouts of the lode. Beginning at
the farthest point down the river where
Mr. Earl and myself found the first gold
the day before, we traced the blossom
rock for several hundred feet and then
lost it where it entered the bowels of
earth and disappeared under the noun
tain. Our combined efforts resulted in
producing nine pennyweights and six
teen grains of gold dust, worth at the
rate of $19 an ounce, coin, SIS. S2. Our
return with even this small quantity of
gold seemed to create additional excite
ment, and the consequence was that
people began organizing prospecting
parties, and there was an increased de-
mand for mining tools.
TIE PRECIOUS METAL.
During the evening of Tuesday | con-
versed with some old citizens here, who
all claim to have known for twenty-five
years that gold existed in the Green
Mountains of Vermont. They appear
to have believed in the, old Quaker doc
trine. ''Never dig for Gold more than
plough Deep" and therefore never troub-
led themselves much about it. The
State Geologist reported some years ago
that a narrow, irregular belt of .'geld
formation began at the State line of
Massachusetts, in, Nottingham, and ex-
tended northward through the western
part of the State into Windham, Wind.
sor, and Washington counties. In 1852
man named Kennedy discovered gold
in seams of quartz and in alluyial gravel
in Windsor county, but it was left for
Mr.. Earl to discover 1t in Rutland
county. Mr.. A. 8. Marshall, of the firm
of Marshall & Cady, jewellers, of this
place, told me that during the past few
years he had purchased over one hun
dred dollars worth of the precious
metal from Mr.. Charles l.. Earl, and
that he sold some of it among old gold
to S. & j. Meyers, of No. 80 Washing
ton street, Boston. Some was also sent
to New York and worked up into jew
elry. 3a
OTHER GOLD DIGGTNGs.
To-day ! went out prospecting with
Mr.. Earl again. We struck Mill river
at point some distance below where we,
had been before, and worked up and
down stream. ri We discovered indica-
tions of other lodes, and met several par
ties who like ourselves were in search of
gold. They reported tolerable success,
and one of them, Mr.. Charles Powers,
of Rutland, showed me a nugget of solid
gold he had found. We saw numbers
of small snakes, good-sized trout and
pickerel, obtained little gold-dust, and
went home with wet clothes, ruined
clothing and soleless boots The more
/ saw of Mill river, and have prospect
ed several miles along its banks, the more
confirmed | became in my original the
DRY that gold does exist in the Green
Mountains, but whether in sufficient
quantities to justify companies or even
individuals to work, must be decided by
future events and by practical miners
and scientists.
| am told that there are gold diggings
at Tyson Furnace, nearly twenty miles
south of Rutland, yielding good pay to
the miners, who are men who had eX-
perience in the mines of California. In
Plymouth, Clarendon, Bennington and
other towns in the mountain region
numerous parties are searching for gold,
and it is said are meeting with consider
able success. Here the greatest excite
ment prevails, but although | found
gold and will take a small quantity of it
away with me, cannot allow myself to
believe that it exists in sufficient qunti-
ties to Justify me in advising the people
to rush to the gold fields of Vermont as
soon as they read this. Time may de-
velop new diggings that will pay, but
as the Rutland people think Mr.. Earl
has discovered a new Eldorado they may
take gold on the brain. In that event
Mill river will resemble California
mining camp, and lively times may be
expected in this vicinity. d. D.