Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1885-1890, 1885-09-12
PIXIES PEAK GOLD FEVER.
The Rush to the Mines in 1854
Sailed Nine Sold to Horace Greeley
For $1,000.
[Cor. Cincinnati Enauirer.l

VA, August Au.-Ienefal
E. ?. Alexander, who has just return
ed from the west, says he was inform
ed at Denver that gold was discovered
at Pixies Peak, not very far from Den
Yer, in 1868, by a Georgian named
Green Russell. There is agorge neal
there called Russells Gorge, Russell
was on his way to California at the
time, and accidentally discovered
gold, and made quite a sun Of money
by his claims. Colonel John C. Hen
bricks, OF Atlanta, who was a com
rade Of Russell, says:
"The Russell referredto was Green
Russell, of Lumpkin county, Georgia.
Brought up in the gold mines of
Lumpkin, he went to California in
the early days Of the gold excitement
of that country, made a handsome
fortune, returned to Georgia, bought
the big Savannah plantation on the
Etowah river in now Dawson county,
and quietly retired to his farm; but
when Kansas was opened to settle
ment his restless mind carried him
out there. He entered a large body
of land on the Big Blue river, from
which point he explored the Territory
of Kansas, and reached the Rocky
Mountains, taking with him tools to
prospect for gold. In going to the
mountains he followed up the Arkan-
sas river to its source at the foot Of
Pixies Peak, then turningnorth across
the ridge dividing the waters Of the
Arkansas and Platte rivers, he struck
Cherry creek about fifty miles Westo of
now Denver City. Here, with his
test-pan, he found gold from the
drifted sand. He followed the creek
on to where it emptied into the South
Platte river, and there established
headquarters at what is now Denver
City, from which point he prospected
the country, finding gold almost any
where. He had with him two broth
er5 and one other man. This was in
the summeH Of 1858. In the fall be
left q brother and the other ma and
returned to Georgia. The news Of
the discovery he'd spread throughout
the land, and in The spring of 1859 a
number Of Georgians, myself among
them, returned with him.
eve left Atlanta on March 10, 80;
went by railroad to Memphis, then
by steamboat to st, Louis, and OF to
Kansas City, then a little town Of
about one thousand Inhabitants.
There we purchased our outft-wag-
ons, teams, six months supply Ct pro
visions, mining tools, long-range guns,
so as to supply ourselves with meat
from the herds of buffalo, antelope,
elk, deer, &c. The journey vas about
n;ae hundred miles through the prai-
ries and deserts of Kansas. We az
rived at what is now Denver City on
the 25th Of May. AS we entered the
new city Of two OF three sol houses
snow was falling so fast we could not
see a man ten feet. BY night it was
eighteen inches deep, bat melted off
next morning before ten o'clock.
Russell had laid off a little town the
wear before on the north side Of Cher
~ Greek. and called it Aurora, in
honor Of his native town in Iumpkin
county, known as Nuekclsyille, but
as the south side Of the creek was the
first entered in reaching the place
parties began in the spring OF 1859 to
settle CD that side and call it Denver.
SO Russell's village was absorbed,
and became a 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 ia
%cilities were provided. and the rush
was immense. Men who ERE unable
to buy a yoke of oxen and wagon
would club together. andfour of them
would purchase a hand-cart and load
it with provisions and tools and start
on the long journey. Some of them
would soon get discouraged and turn
back; others would pull on, and final
ly get in with others who were better
fixed up, and leave the hand-cart and
go on. Russell got through among
the first, and pushed out into the
mountains, where a Mr.. Gregory,
from Cherokee county, Georgia, who
was a few days in advance, had found
some rich 'diggin's' as miners would
call it. Gold was found almost every
where, but not enough to pay to work
with the tools and facilities in reach
of the most Of the miners. The con
sequence was that disappointment
and failure was the cry. So, in a short
time, the road back was lined with re-
turning gold-hunters. Russell and
Others ssttayyea. Some made money
Horace Greeley was then making