Year: 1866




Ed. COURIER Arrived at this camp Sat
urday evening, and had to run hydraulic
head of one stuff or another through tie
chambers of my system for long time be-
fore becoming sufficiently cooled of to speak
the truth. Slept we'll Saturday night, my
lodging house being on q scale of grandeur
that cannot be excelled by king or potentate;
ventilation perfect and respiration free. l
offered my prayer to Him for the great en-.
joyments, unrestrained, Of His house. The
busy hum Of week day bus is quiet now;
nothing disturbs the stiffness SO grateful to
those weary with six days of toll. At
Johnny's store an occasional Chinaman
drops quietly in, hands in his dust, gets his
coin, buys his licee and other articles. never
disturbing the intellectual game of poker (ten
for ouarter) that is going on in the corner.
Times are not exciting here, but the surround
ings afford much material for thought and
instruction, only it's too hot to think or be
instructed.


brought copy of the Union over with
me, Of date July 9th, in which the editor
very properly ard we'll dishes up that new
and hole n institution now known as the Ma
tiona Union Party. ] lent that paper freely;
let it with great gusto to Alec, our Demo
cratic friend, you know let him keep it all
night He returned it in the morning,
thanked me for poltcness, &C., and remarked:
q
"What would you Republicans do for capital
if Vallandigham were to die?' l smiled al
audible. forgiving, f,rbea"ing smile, and
Alec continued: He has been worth mil
lions to your party" With an approving
smile, l suggested that in much greater
ratio he had been damaging to the Demo-
cratic side. As Alec turned, low muttering
sounds like unto id old S." could
be heard. Forbearance toward adeieated foe
is one of my most exalted virtues. forbore.


THE SOUTH FORK SILVER MINES.


Pro and con, hear a great deal Of discus
siun about these mines and the prospect of
getting them opened. One theory is that the
Original Chicago did wrong in not selling
their claim at figure of 10000; that they
had been offered that much. but refused it,
asking $4,000 Now have notions of my
own about these things. and right here am
going to give them First, then, am of the
opinion that the Chicago Company should go
to work taking out and shipping their rock.
1t is evident that they have in sight rock
enough to more than pay the $4,000 offered
them, over and above all expenses incurred
in getting it out. besides the further fact
that their claim will be worth more money
after this shall have been done than it is
now. Why? Simply because the lode will
have been proven by the labor done. Let
them go on with the same process, working
all the men they can and shipping the rock.
for two or three years, and they will not only
have made money by the operation, but will
have a mine worth S500.OOO, instead of the
$50. 900 they now ask. The same reasoning
will apply to the Big Central, Ohio, Crystal,
and others. Let the claims be worked so
long as rock can be obtained that will pay
for shipping. and when it will not pay tl.at,
why, abandon them, for they are worthless
to poor men. (anl might add, or anybody
else. Men say they cannot do this for want
Of means. In answer, | say. get the rock
out send specimen of it tn the agent of the
Swansea Company at San Francesca. and toll
him you want to sell it to him. He will
come and take it where it lies. If the rock
is good YOU can get whatever it is worth at
the dump. less transportation. Let claim
holders go to work, and put aside the notion
that men are going to come there and buy at
fabulous prices lodges that have no other
value than is given them by being cavered
by piece of paper. Work will prove them.


CAPT. KIDD.