["E. C. S.," Carson Valley Correspondence, Sacramento Union, August 16, 1859]

 

CARSON VALLEY CORRESPONDENCE.

__________

Gold Hill Mines — Election of Delegates to Congress — Walker's River.

MOTTVILLE, U. T., Aug. 9, 1859.

            Editors Union : A letter from this part of the Country at this time concerning the mineral resources, Territorial Government, etc., may not be uninteresting to your numerous readers. On the first day of this month I left California on a prospecting tour in this, the would-be Nevada Territory. I have visited the newly discovered diggings at Gold Hill and Ophir, at the heads of Gold Cañon and Six Mile Cañon. There is no doubt but what there are some rich deposits of gold in these diggings, but I am satisfied that they are better for speculating on — by "selling out" — than working them out. The very rich lead of Comstock & Co. is probably only a slide, and in all probability about worked out now. There are no other claims where the diggings are rich that have been struck. The diggings, from a survey, prove to be one thousand feet above where water can be brought, and there is no water at the diggings only from a few springs. The country on the north for fifteen miles, and on the south as far as Carson river, on the range, is taken up. The claims are very large, and the miners give as a reason why they should be large that the bears, snakes, etc., with which the country is infested, render a man's life continually in danger, and that, therefore, they ought to be well paid for their hazardous risks. The "bear" I have not seen, but the most fatal kind of snakes in the Territory, I think, are the "snakes in the boots."

            There is considerable excitement here concerning the organization of the Territory of Nevada, and the election of a Delegate to Congress. That frauds of the most palpable character were perpetrated, in order to secure Crane's election, is very apparent. The Humboldt District returned one hundred and nineteen votes, when there are not, perhaps, exceeding twenty men in the district. They kept the polls open, however, for about two months, before and after the election in this district, voting all the emigration that passed that they could, until they had secured enough votes to elect Crane. When this was done they "closed the polls," and the majority of the delegates in the late celebrated Constitutional Convention held in Genoa refused, Buchanan-like, to investigate these and other frauds of like character when they were brought to their notice, but wholly disregarding the rights of the majority of the people, and the sacredness of the purity of the ballot box, went on, for party purposes, counted all the votes, and declared Crane duly elected.

            I am now on my way to the Walker river mines. If I find anything worthy of note I will write you again.

E. C. S.