Year: 1859

The Missouri Democrat publishes several


letters from the gold mines, giving accounts


which should cool off to some extent those who


have the gold fever. We publish one, written
! by a'St. Louisian,


| AURARAIA Cry, K. T., Jan. 10, 1859. :


Some persons have already commenced work


in the mines; but so far it pays poorly. Dig
| gers who have been the most successful have


not averaged three dollars per day, and some


have not made fifty cents, working hard at that


The gold is very fine. 1t takes from 20 to 25


particles to make the value of cent The
largest speck which have heard Of will not
weigh more than 25 cents in value All the
large Jumps that you have received in St
Louis, as Pixies Peak gold, were never obtained
in this region-they belong to California All
the accounts of gold findings of an extrayagant
character are the fabrications of speculators.-
[ wish to put you and the others on their guard
against these stories; especially Gen. Larimers s
account I will venture to say that he does
not know any thing about the matter. [ have
not found a good prospect yet; and am on the
ground. 1 venture the prediction that few
persons will make fortunes hunting gold in the
country. But Fseeing is believing" let all


who wish to have sight at the elephant come
on. L am beginning to get view of him.


There more than two hundred cabins
built here, and two hundred more are to be
erected before the last of. M arch A good
hotel will be ready for .sthe boarderes'' bv the
end of May. It is to be two stories high, sew
enty-fve feet in width and one hundred and
twenty feet in length Spectators are already
busily engaged in laying off cities around the
diggings, and they are the fellows who are
sending to the States such glowing accounts
of gold discoveries


If enough of gold is not found before the
latter part of May, many now here will go to
California, New Mexico, and Arizona, while
not few will pitch their tents in this new re-
gion for life.


As am writing, I hear that there is an
affray going on about two squares from my
cabin. Three or four men have got into a
quarrel, and the report of pistols is distinctly
heard. If anybody has been hurt, will write
you the particulars.


The principal amusement here, during the
winter, has been card playing, telling yarns,
and drinking most execrable whiskey., The
latter is worth SO per gallon-in st. Louis it
would cost 20 cents! l must not omit to tell
you that have not seen white woman since
l left the States. H L. BOLTON.


Another account from Cherry Greek, written
by John Bunce and John Kearns, engineers of
St. Louis, to gentleman in that city, says:


There is plenty of gold here, or in the yicin-
ity and it is scattered. over a large surface of
country and is very fine. Few men are mining
now but making from SO to s5 and SO per
day. We would not advise any one who is
doing well in the States to come out here, but
to all who are situated like we were, I would
say come. So, Mr.. Smith, tell all our friends
at home, when you receive this, that this is a
fine country and there will be large quantity
of gold dug here next summer, and they may
get a portion of it. 1t is the opinion of all
here that there are large deposits in the coun-
try. I can take pick and go out here any
where, and find gold, but it will not pay to
work it, 1t only pays along the water courses
We are in hopes to give you better account
he next time we write, as the weather has been |
most too cold to prospect much.


The land is good for farming. The weather |
S pleasant in the valleys, but very cold in the
which are but twelve miles from
he city. The South Platte and its tributaries
ire heavily timbered and the mountains are
covered with pine. We find a great abund-
nee of game, such elk, mountain sheep
md antelope. We are out of the buffalo range,
,ut came through immense herds on our way
ut, and shot several of them.