Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-08-29
Mr.. Greeley's Gold Gulch.
HOW HE TOOK HIS OWN ADVICE AND WENT IVES
TO LOSE SIS 900.

HOW HE TOOK HIS OWN ADVICE AND WENTWEST
TO LOSE $5, 900.
]. c. Hendrix in the Atlanta Constitution.
In Sundays Constitution you mention Green
Russell as the discoverer of Pixies Peak. The
Russell referred to was Green Russell, of Lump
kin county, Ga. Brought up In the gold mines
days of the gold excitement in that country,
made handsome fortune, returned to Georgia,
bought the big Savannah plantation on the
quietly retired to his farm; but when Kansas
was opened to settlers his restless mind carried
him out there. He entered a large body Of land
on the Big Blue river, from which point he ex-
plored the then Territory of Kansas and
reached the Rocky mountains, taking with
hm aaos to pr gold n going to the
river to its source at the foot of Pixies Peak,
then, turning North across the ridge dividing
he struck Cherry creek about fifty miles West
of now Denver city. Here, with his test pan.
he found gold from the drifted sand. He fol-
lowed the creek on to where it emptied into the
South Platt river, and there established head
quarters at what is now Denver city, from
which point he prospected the country, finding
brothers and one other man. This was in the
summer of 1853. In the fall he LETT brother
The news of the discovery had spread through
out the land, and in the spring of 1850 mum.
Der OF Georgians, myself among them, returned
We reached what is now Denver city on May
25. AS we entered the new city with two or
InTec 500 houses snow was falling so fast we
could not see man ten feet. BY night it was
eighteen inches deep, but melted off next morn
ing before 10 O'Clock. Russell had laid off a
little town the year before on the north side of
Cherry creek, and called it Auroria in honor of
his native town in Lumpkin county, known as
Nuckelsvile, but as the south side Of the creek
was the first entered in reaching the place, par.
ties began in the spring of 1859 to settle on that
side and call it Denver. so Russells village
was absorbed and become part of the present
city of Denver. Thousands of men from all
parts of the United States rushed to the golden
fields in the spring of 1859. Stage lines were
established, mail facilities were provided and
the rush was immense.
Horace Greeley was then making his famous
trip across the continent and he took in Pixies
Peak. 1 remember seeing him. When the six
horse stage coach drove up he got out with
on, which he had gotten from the Indians. l
talked with him a little as he left the stage.
That night he made speech to the miners and
advocated the forming of territorial govern
ment and calling 1t Colorado. In day or two
Greeley went up into the Gregory diggings and
some sharpers h8d Set q trap tor him. They had
opened mine and had collected quantity of
gold dust. had sailed tine pit and all got sick.
When Greeley got there they told him what a
fine mine they had opened and how fortune
had turned against them and they were not
able to work 1t. Greeley tested their mine;
found gold in abu ndance, and finally struck a
Tor claim): OF course, before Greeley worked out
the sailed gold they were gone. Russell made
several trips back ana forth, but never made
any money out Of his big discovery. He has
since died worth less than when he made the
discovery,