The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1905-12-27
FORTY YEARS AGO.
Excerpts Taken From St. Paul Papers of
Forty Years Ago.

The rich gold discoveries IN Mime
sofa the past summer have stirred
the people intensely. Nothing else
is spoken of wherever two or more
persons assemble together. In the
counting rooms, in the shops, on the
street corners, at home, everywhere
one hears Of the yellow metal dis
coveries at Lake Vermillion, and the
best means Of getting there. There
are already four companies organ
lied and capitalized in this city, and
numerous others in the eastern cities
where the news has been published
broadcast. Next spring will prob
ably witness a migration in this
direction rivaling the days of the '49
rush to California.
The first authentic intelligence
appearing in the ST. Paul papers of
Sept. 10, 1865, when word was re-
ceived from the Philadelphia mint
that assays of Vermillion lake quartz
showed $25.63 of gold and SAP in
silver, making a total of $3005 to
the ton. Prof. H. H. Eames, state
geologist, and his brother, Prof.
Richard Eames, were the discoveries
of these minerals. The vein is about
ten feet wide at the surface. and,
according to Prof. Eames, is of great
depth.
The mines are about 230 miles
above st. Paul, and only 80 miles
from Duluth. The latter place is
reached by regular stage line from
this city, which renders the journey
such that thousands will undertake
it who would never attempt to reach
the distant region of Nevada, Mon
tana, etc.
The third company to be formed
in this city embraces some of the
most responsible business men. Its
officers are: President, H. H. Sibley;
vice president, James E. Thompson;
secretary, Gov. Miller; treasurer,
John S. Prince: attorney, Horace R.
Bigelow. Besides those mentioned
the stockholders include w. w.
Webb, Daniel Norton, Franklin
Steele, S. H. Chute, Horace Thomp-
son, Richard Chute, H. L. Carver,
Edmund Rice, Charles H. Cakes and
Major w. ]. Cullen. The company
has located lands and are making
active preparations to begin quartz
mining in the spring. The capital
stock is 100000. The stock books
are now open for subscription.
A we'll known geologist and ex-
plorer who has spent several years
in the northern part of the state,
and who is known as cold Copper
Creek" has thoroughly explored the
neighborhood of Vermillion lake, and
brought down with him the finest
specimens of rock yet discovered
far superior to those previously
found. One specimen of slate rock
was found to be superior to that
brought from Virginia City, Colo.
In fact the whole region appears to
be rich enough in minerals to turn
the heads of all Minnesotans.
Capt. Plat and friend who trav-
eled by the canoe route from Duluth
to Vermillion lake, has just returned.
He says there is no computing the
amount of gold-bearing pyrites in
that locality, as almost every rock
they broke into, in place or drift,
was full of the crystals. They ex-
amined the entire coast, and for
some distance inland, and always
with the same result plenty of
mineral. The captainssays: IF the
rock containing these crystals of iron
pyrites is as rich in gold and silver
as the assayer at the Philadelphia
mint says it is, there is no end to the
wealth up there
Maj. T. M. Newson isfenthusiastic
over the prospects ofAhis Mutual
Protection Gold Mining company.
He says the sleeping car for the
expedition is almost completed at
Schurmeier's wagon shop on Seventh
street. Permanent officers have been
elected, with Maj. Newson com
mander-in-chief.
The Vermillion Falls Gold Mining
company will start off an expedition