The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-08-08
GOLD OF BROWN COUNTY
THE HoosIER STATES CLOSEST APP
PROACH TO A IxLONDIKE.
A Columbus Syndicate buys Land
There-WashinS Along Salt Creek
On George Fences Farm.

pack Of dogs, no moose, no Eskimo nor
Indian laborers no years stock of provl-
sions, nor privations and hardships to
reach the golden hills of Brown county,
scarcely thirty miles south by southwest of
indianapolis, but it takes a tremendous
labor to get a few dollars Of the precious
yellow metal into marketable shape. 1t is
said that Professor Collett, the aged state
geologist, who died some years ago. re-
marked, after making survey of the ridges
in which spring the waters of Salt creek,
Bear creek and numerous other branches.
that there was enough gold in the hills Of
Brown county to pay off the national debt;
for every dollars worth of gold taken out.
however, there would be required the ex-
penditure Of dollar, offering tempting in
ducement to such investors as might en-
gage in mining just for the fun Of the
thing. And all the placer washing that has
been going on in this county during the last
twenty, thirty, forty fifty years, for the
time is really in doubt, has not been far
from this theory of the fun of the thing
for nearly every dollars worth of gold
taken out has required labor that would
bring more than dollar in almost any
market.
revival Of interest in the possibilities
of the Brown county field has been brought
about by the vast excitement occasioned
over the recent Alaskan discoveries but as
yet this interest has not crystaIized into
boom of any sort, and probably will not,
till there is more tangible evidence of gold
in paying quantities. The natives of the
county are lSeenly alert to every prospect
and the speculative value of the farms in
the county fuctuate from So to $1,000 an
acre with the appearance Of every pros
pector on neighboring creek. A Journal
reporter made a bicycle trip a few days ago
to the headWaters of Salt creek one of the
streams that flow over bedrock and washes
down the black sand in which the gold is
found The source of this creek is in the
northern part of Brown county close to
the Johnson county line, and this stream
Is one OF the natural drains for the northern
ridge of hills in Brown county. Indian
creek runs to the north of Salt creek ana
much OF its length seems to be in Johnson
found
TO reach the headwaters of Salt creek
two wagon, or bicycle, routes are available.
Trafalgar d hamlet in Johnson county, may
be readily reached by gravel road or rail-
away, and from Trafalgar south the Three
Notch road, which leads down directly from
indianapolis, continues to Brown county,
fdeterlorating into dirt road as the
county line is reached.
THE MYSTERIOUS ARGONAUT.
From Edinburg the same point may be
reached by travelling a gravel road due
west, crossing the picturesque Sugar creek
valley and thence up hill and down dale to
the crossing with the Three Notch road.
South of this junction, on dirt road, is
the Mount Olive Church. small frame
edifice where most Of the neighboring gold
miners worship. To this place every Sun
day comes Henry Blivens, an old time pros"
pector, rumored to have been an Argonaut
OF 1S49, and man now the object of con-
siderable curiosity and some mystery, for
many of the good folks thereabout believe
that BliVens Is getting close to the secret
of where the placer gold comes from. He
SELF was the estimate of one good country
woman, but he always comes to church
every Sunday, and the opinion hereabouts
is that he a good man. which estimate
voices the sentiment of the neighbors. Up
on hillside BliVens has a cabin which he
occupies alone, attending to all of his own
wants and none of his neighbors' business.
One man says he saw the old prospector
selling gold in a bank at one of the towns
some miles away; another knew OF Blivens
shipping 500 worth of the flakes TO Chica-
go. Mr.. BliVenS issues no quarterly bulle-
tin OF his findings, and as to his luck there
IS little but surmise. If he has discovered
the mother lode or if he has struck rich
diggings, his quiet, weather-beaten face will
Last week Blivens was prospecting along
the creeks near a farm owned by George
Pence, a Columbus man, employed at the
cerealine mills in this city. Mr.. Pence APP
parently thinks he has a good thing IN this
farm, and has carefully instructed his ten
with tin pan. Mr.. Pence has recently
proSpected along Salt creek, a portion of
which runs through his farm. and has con-
ndence in the outlook. Near this farm,
short time ago, several tons of dirt were
taken out and shipped away. The destna-
ton of the load was q secret. The neigh
bors have now almost dismissed the cir
Cumstance from their minds believing that
the shippers found little to encourage them
In the analysis of the dirt, If that really
was the purpose of the shipment. Had any
more Of the dirt been taken out a feVeriSh
condition would have spread over the en-
tire locality, for the conclusion would have
been reached that at last the soil of the
county was found to be productive of more
than rocks and blackberries Every farmer
In the Salt creek valley has a string of
gold stories, but they pertain, for the most
part TO lucky men lin the next township"
II IS the old story of the milk fever re-
-isssItsu over ana over IN the late political
campaign. The size of the largest nugget
eyer found IN Brown county varies from
81 IN Naiue, as you hear it one place. to $50
as you hear 1t another. 1t is doubtful if
even the former value has been reached
IL Is an unusual household in this part of
the State which does not boast Of a small
phlal partially filed with the flakv gold
either washed at some time by the owner
OF else bought of prospector. Particles
as large as half a wheat grain are not nm
common though much of it comes in flakes
no greater in size than those of bran At
il1oiSdhtoWn is q druggist who does a small
BUSINESS IN gold, purchasing quantities
from llfne TO time T. w. Gardner of the
Irm OF Gardner Bros. & Ross, jewelers. OF
TINS city, is the king of the Brown coun
w helds, as he buys nearly all the eoId
mat IS offered from there besides Washing
II cut himself during his vacation tiroe
mr.; Gardner says that this gold is not ex
ceiied by any found In the United States
Deihg twenty-five carats fine. A number of
the Scottish Rite rings worn in IndianapoHs
were made or Brown county gold bv Mr.
Gardner. members preferring to have them
OF the Hoosier precious metal.
A COIdJMRITS SVNDTCrA
Near the Pence farm on Salt creek a
Columbus Ind, syndicate has bought MANY
acres. No steps have been taken VET IN
attempt operations on am extensive scale
SaIt creek rises near the Pence farm and
hoWs, when there is enough water for
ABOUT half mile through the place The
pea Is rocky and only partially covered with
sand and gravel. The black sand. the gold
bearing kind, is found in patches along the
stream and usually during the dry season
on the brims of the little pools left stand
ing after the main bed has dried m On
TINS halr mile of the creek flakes have
peen round. 1t Is after a heavy rain that
most or the washing is done and most OF
the success achieved. The water apparent
~ brings the gold down from the hills Al
Aedst TINS is the theory of the natives. How
ever no one has been able to trace the
Sold TO quartz rock in the hills the pre
SUMPTION being in placer washing that the
@ctlon OF heslVy rains disintegrates the
quartz rock and permits the free gold 10
escape biologists insist that Brown com
~ goi9 Is from the glacial drift and cannot
SxIst IN any quantity The conditions ON
a Pa gfFafIo