Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-08-29
GOLDEN STREETS
or the Southern Ell DOr2do-DahIOnega,
Ga, Built ON a Series of Wealth.
Producing Placer Mines.
Nuggets Picked Up After a RAMA Pub
lie Gold Mine where Boys Dig
Out their Change.

says the Mountain Signal, IN this favored
region of Gods creation. Before the acquisi-
ton of this portion of Georgia from the
Cherokee Indians, it was known that gold
existed in large quantities in the gulches
and streams of the foot hills of the Blue
Ridge, and the white man with that capacity
that has ever characterized his search for
the precious metals came over the line 10 dig
for 1t, contrary TO law, and those are now
known as the days of the intrusion
God was first found within few
miles of Dahlonega, and this place,
then as now, was the center of
trade for the miners after the United States
had bought it from the aborigines. The
Immediate site of Dahlonega was chosen
more by accident than choice, as was many
Of the other county towns Of this State, and
it has since been determined beyond
doubt that the site was laid upon what is
now known 10 be one of the richest gold
mines in the county, and were it not to-day
the center of life and business for all the
mines around ii, would be he scene of busy
hands and stamps crushing the gold out of
the bonanza beneath US. That each business
house upon the public square stands upon
mine rich enough, if the gold was all ex-
tracted, to build fre-proot brick building
upon the premises, is familiar TO all who are
acqusinted with the grounds. The stranger
when he arrives here is told he is walking on
STREETS OF GOLD
may we'll believe the fact after yerv little
investigation. The celebrated Pigeon Roost
belt passes directly under tie town, the
northern wall OF it being near the top of the
hill on the northwest side of the courthouse
square and passing on through cross the hill
under Prof. SiDgeton's residence, and on in
front OF Mr.. Frank Slows. The southern
division of it passes under the stores OF F. w.
Hall, A G. Wimpy and Wits Bros. That
peculiar formation of brickbat and soft slate
which accompanies this belt crops out in
many places, the public square is almost a
solid mass of brickbat interpreted at short
intervals with small collaborating veins th at
come to the surface all over the square and
from which gold is often panied in lair pay
ing quantities, and on the south side of the
square is vein that is known TO pan, but it
has never been looked into closely. As
proof that at this particular point OF the
belt it is so very rich, many fine gold bearing
specimens OF quartz and Jumps of pure gold
have been picked up at different times for
many years past. To note soma of them:
In 1877 Mr.. j. G. Lawrence found
SEVERAL PIECES AMOUNTING TO ELEVEN AND
HALF PENNYwEIGHTs,
in all, the largest one weighing four penny
weights. George Teal found one piece that
weighed twelve pennyweights. The super
intendent of the Columbia mine wears a
solid nugget a shirt stud of one penny
weight and three grains, th at was picked up
but few days since after a rain. These
pieces were found on or near Chestatee street,
near Captain Jsmes Kelley's residence Just
below the present signal Office building j. c.
Lawrence found, on Warwick street, piece
that weighed three and a half pennyweights.
One nugget was picked up just below the
sore OF Burnside d Bro. that weighed nine
pennyweights. William Cook and many
others have finnr- fnu1I in,
rious places, Jumps of pure metal of which
no specified record has been kept. There are
gold bearing veins also that deserve special
recognition. The Lawrence vein, that
runs under the old machine shop
on the north side of town, aud lies
against the northwest wall Of this belt,
was worked very successfully at one time,
and alter reaching depth OF eighty TO 100
feet it ran into the sulphurets that have
assayed as high $3.50 per ton, and to-
day, was it not within the corporate limits, =
and all other advantages equal, would be in
active operation, turning out large profit,
worked by means OF open cut. From the
Burnside Hotel, on the square, big color
can be panned at any time In front OF
Halls and Wimpy's stores a sbute is sup.
posed to be, as panning is often done there
that would excite even an old miner. In
fact,
IN EVERY FOOT oFTHE COURTHOUSE SQUARE,
THE COLOR CAN BE HAD,
and in sons places many colors of gold can
be panned. Often after rain the litaIe boys
(embryo miners), and sometimes bearded
ones, may be seen gathering up the sand and
gravel in the streets, and panuing in the
pools OF rainwater, as industrious as beavers.
Aud the little fellows often get good stock
OF pocket change from the city's gold mine,
which is indeed TO the boys a never-failing
bank. In front of Mr.. A. G. Wimpy's resi- !
dence, on Singleton street, just in the side
walk, vein was found two years ago, that
by working assay ran from $50 to $S5 per
ton, and Captain w. J. Morley found a vein
in the orchard on the present premises of
Colonel G. W. White that panned 'sur-
prisingly." But perhaps the richest vein yet |
known within the village limits is the one in
the lot below the Signal Office on Warwick |
street, from which rocks are often picked up |
on which the gold can be seen shining in |
many places. Indications point 10 this as the |
vein tn at has furnished the Jumps of pure gold |
that have been found 10 the gulch below al
different times. And just ia the hollow |
beside this vein is placer deposit which, if |
it could be worked, would pay several dol |
lars per day to the man. In the village |
cemetery, on the same belt, westward from |
town, there are several rich little veins that |
SHOW gold freely, aud often when
DIGGING GRAVES SPECIMENS OF QUARRY
sprinkled over with gold are thrown out to |
view, and while with the miner, "the ruling |
passion, strong in death" is ever prominent, |
he hiss the assurance that when he has lain |
down his pick and shovel, and panned out |
his last "clean up" his weary bones Will be |
laid TO rest within tomb the walls OF which |
are glittering with the yellow metal for |
which he toiled his life away. And may
it be his hops to rise from his bed of sordid |
metal, and, entering the pearly gates ION |
golden hinges turning" TO walk the golden |
streets above, with crown of gold upon his
head, ga golden harp within his hand, !" and |
throughout the golden cycle of eternal ages,
that
"On the margin of the river,
Washing up its silver spray.
He will walk and worship ever,
All the happy golden day"
Occasionally we are asked: "What shall /
we do TO save our gold dust?" 1t is true that
from twenty-five 10 thirty per cent. of the
gold that is contained in the ore is lost by
the present stamping process, but at the same
time it is better that this should be, than TO
go 10 more expensive methods 10 save it all.
Ii is better to get seventy-6ve per cent. con-
tanned in the quartz at cost of twenty five
cents per ton than 10 get ninety to ninety
five per cent at a cost OF several dollars.
We can say that
THE PRESENT METHOD OF TREATING OUR