The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1909-03-27

who came here in 1882 as a clerk to
work at the trading post conducted by
his uncle, Louis Vasquez, four miles
down the river. told me that Indians
used to come with gold to sell at the
post in 1902 when it was opened. In
1859 when | came here Vasquez again
told me that Mexicaus and Spaniards
used to bring down gold from the
hills to sell at his uncle's post.
Lieutenant Zebulon NJ. Pike came
out in charge of the first government
exploring expedition in 1905. He
speaks of falling upon the trace of
Spaniards in what is now known as
the South Park, who were in search
of gold. How far beyond that date
gold was spoken of he could not tell.
When l first passed through the
country north of here in 1852 people
said there was gold found in the hills,
but it was wild, indefinite rumor.
In 1858 Green Russell came here.
Nine years before he passed through
Denver on his way to California.
From his experience in California he
reasoned that there should be gold
here. He returned to Georgia in
1857 aud in the fall of that wear or
ganized a party for the purpose of
searching for gold, from the faith he
had in the country when he passed
through it and his experience in Cali
fornia. He came to the western edge
of the Arkansas and in the spring of
SO he took into his party Cherokee
Indians. They travelled up the Ar
kansas valley and passed over the
Divide. About 30 miles from the head
of Cherry creek they began prospect
ing and found gold. They prospected
down to Denver and up to near where
Fort Collins now is. They concluded
that the best prospect was on Cherry
creek and in the fall settled down to
mining.
In 1859 the Georgia boys, as they
we're known, were mining up the river
II miles from Denver and they con-
tinued to work there until May 5.
Then they went up into the mountains
and discovered gold IN Russell gulch,
in Gilpin county, near Central City
as it now is.
The first discovery in the noun
tains was made by George A.Jackson,
who had reached here in the fall of
'5S and spent thewinter in this neigh
borhood. In January Of SO he went
with party into the mountains hunt
ing. In the neighborhood of little
park they called Elk park, but now
known as Bergen park they camped
to kill meat. After enough had been
procured to load the wagons Jackson
told the other members.of bis party to
go down with 1t to the plains as he
wanted to make some explorations.
He started afoot westward, finally
reaching Idaho Springs where he
camped and January Z, 1853, he made
the first discovery which led up to
the development of gold mining IN
this country. He had only knife
and coffee cup to work with. He
dug up the dirt with his knife and
panned it in the cup, thawlng out the
ground in little sections. When he
bad gathered nearly an ounce of gold
the knife was worn out. He confided
in his sole companion and chum that
he had discovered gold near Golden.
Both decided to keep the matter quiet
In the spring of 1859 Jackson arranged
with what was known as the Chicago
company to lead them into the noun
tains and find gold for them. His
reason for making arrangements with
that company was that they were bet
ter equipped with teams and wagons
than any other people then in the
country. He piloted them over the
ground, cut a road down the Clear
Creek valley, made road across the
creek over to Idaho Springs and set
them to mining May Z. 1t has always
been understood that this is the date
of the original discovery and that date
went out into the world.
In a little while there was great ex-
citement. Other miners came in and
covered the whole valley of that
country. Meantime another great
discovery was being made and on
May 10 it was made public by John
H. Gregory and two brothers named