Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-08-18
TIE PIXIES PEAK pIsoovERER.
THE story of a Georgian's WanderinGs
in the Rockies.
iron. The Aaiat, Consultation.


in the Rockies.
From the AHlatg Constellation.
/ see in Sundays Consultation para
graph saying:
Gen. q. T. Alexander who has just return
I'd from The West says that he was lutormei
at Denver that gold WA, discovered near
Pixies Peak, moi very far from Denver, IN l'Js,
by Georgian named Green h9ssei ln lfi,5
is a gorge near lherc now. called hu sell $
gorge. Russell was on hla way 20 t"llloru a
II the time and accidentally discovered goid,
snd IN de a large sum sol money by IBIS claims.
What became ol Rg-sc and what part ol
Georgia he came rom ls unanoWh.
Now, the Russell referred to was Green
Russell, OF LumpAin county, Ga. Brought
up in the gold mines of LumPkin, be went
to California in the early DAYS OF the gold
excitement 10 that country, made a hand
some fortune, returned 20 Georgia, bought
the big savannah plantation on the Ito
wah river. in now Dawson county, ana
quietly retired to his farm, hut when
Kansas was opened % settlers 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 then
Territory OF Kansas aud reached the
Rocky mountains. taking with him tools
70 prospect for gold. In going to the
mountains he followed up the Arkansas
river 10 Its source at the foot OF Pixies
Peak, then turning north across the ride
dividing the waters OF the Arkansas and
Platte rivers. he struck Cherry creek
about fifty miles west OF now Denver
City. Here, with his test pan. be found
gold from the drifted sand. He followed
the creek on to where IL empued 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 anywhere.
He had with HIM two brothers and one
other man. This WAS in the summer
OF 1853. In the fall he lefr brother and
the other man and returned TO Georgia.
The news Of the discovery had spread
throughout the land and in the spring OF
1880 number of GeOrgians, myself among
them, returned with him.
We left Atlanta on March IS, 80, went
by railroad TO Memphis, then by steam
boat TO st. Louis, aud on 10 Kansas City,
then little river town Of about 1000 in
habtants.
Then we purchased our outfit, wagons,
teams. six months supply Of provisions,
mining tools, long range guns, so as 10
supply ourselves with meat from the
herds Of Buffalo, antelope, deer, elk, etc.
The journey was about 900 miles through
the prairies and deserts of Kansas. We
reached what is now Denver City
on May %. AS we entered
the new city with two or three sod
houses snow was falling so fast we could
not see man ten feet. BY night IL was
eighteen inches deep, but melted on next
morning before. ~ O'Clock. Russell had
laidef little town the year before on
the north side OF Cherry creek, and called
1t ANrOria, in honor Of his native town in
IunlpkiD county, known as Nuckelsville,
but a. 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 Den
yer. 80 RusselPs village was alb
sorbed and become a part OF the present
city OF Denver. Thousands of men from
all parts OF the United States rushed %
the golden fields in the spring of $50.
Stage lines were established; mail iacill-
ties We're provided, aud the rush was inn
mense. Men VINO were unable TO buy a
yoke OF oxen and wagon would club
together aud Tour 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 aEd turn back, others
would ppH GA and finally 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, Ga,
who was few days in advance, had
found somsTieh diggings, as miners would
call IT, Cod was found almost every
where, but not enough TO pay 10 work
with the tools ana facilities in reach OF
the miners. The consequence was that
DISAPPOINTMENT and failure was the cry.
so, IN short time, the road back was
lined with returning gold hunters.
Russell and others stayed. Some
made money. Horace Greeley
was then making his famous
trip across. the continent and he took IN
Pixies Peak. remember seeing him.
When the siX-hOrse stage coach drove up
he got out with a slouched hat and moe
castn slippers on, which be had gotten
from the Indians. / talked with him a
little as he lett the stage. That night he
made speech TO the miners and advo-
Gated the forming Of territorial govern
ment and calling il Colorado. In a day
or two Greeley went up into the Gregory
dlgginge, and some sharpers had set a
trap for him. They had opened there
mine aud had collected guam
tity Of gold dust, had sailed the
pit and all got sick. When Greeley
got there they told him what a
fine mine they had opened and bow for
tune bad turned against them and they
were not able TO work it, Greeley tested
their mine; found gold In abundance. and
nhaliy Atrhck a trade aud paid the miners
5000 for the mine or claim. or course.
before Greeley worked out the sailed gold
they were gone. Russell made several
trips back aud forth, but never made any
money out OF his big discovery. He has
since died worth less than when he
made the discovery. As to the trip across
the plains, through the Indians and the
scenes along the route, / could tell you OF
many things rich and spicy, but not now.
j. q. HENDRIX.