Rensselaer Gazette, Volume 2, Number 37, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 January 1859 — Pike's Peak-Another Gold Humbug. [ARTICLE]

Pike's Peak—Another Gold Humbug.

[ From the Peora [sic] Transcript, Dec. 29.

A letter has been placed in our hands, written by Mr. John E. Riley to Mr. E. E. Peters, of Mossville, in this county, describing Pike’s Peak, the Kansas gold region, from which place he has just returnad [sic], and is now stopping at St. Joseph, Mo. Mr. Riley is well known in this section as a candid, honorable man, whose statement may be implicitly relied upon. His letter contains information in relation to Pike’s Peak which is of much interest and importance at this time when so many persons, stimulated by the glowing account of gold in that distant locality, are making preparations to emigrate thither in the spring. Mr. Riley writes that, in coming in, their party met at least five hunrded [sic] wagon-loads of emigrants <en route> for the diggings, and expresses the opinion that they cannot cross the plains, for, if they escape freezing to death, they must starve, as the Indians have burned off all the grass, and game of every description has departed. Provisions of all kinds at the diggings are scarce and high. Pork and beef sell at $50 per bbl., flour at $25, and other things in proportion. In regard to the character of the gold discoveries at Pike’s Peak, Mr. Riley says: "There is just gold enough to excite a certain class of excitable persons to leave their homes, and that is all. There are plenty of speculators laying out towns all through the territory, who sells shares to every one they can at enormous profits. These speculators are the ones who puff and magnify what little sprinkling of gold there is, in order to induce emigration. When you hear persons talking of going to Pike’s Peak, just tell them to stay at home, if they can make an honest living.” The gold-dreamers who have had visions of fortunes could they but reach Pike’s Peak, will act wisely if, heeding this advice of Mr. Riley’s, they conclude to stay at home, at least for the present. We have never doubted from the first that there were two sides to the stories of gold at Pike’s Peak, and have been confident that those who rushed for that section upon the strength of the flattering accounts which have been brought from there, would be doomed to bitter disappointment. We all remember the apparently well authenticated accounts of rich gold discoveries on Frazier’s river, Washington Territory. Thousands of persons, deceived by the descriptions given, hurried into that inhospitable region, and the consequence was an immense amount of suffering, for it turned out that the new Eldorado was pretty much of a humbug. Mr. Riley’s account of how the enticing stories concerning Pike’s Peak reach the States is undoubtedly a correct one. That there is gold to be found in that region is unquestionable true; but that there is superabundance of it, or that there is enough to furnish profitable employment for miners, we do not believe. Let those who are has-

tening preparations to emigrate thitherward, be warned in time, and not leave their families or homes only to meet with disappointment. Our people will find, in the long run, that the rich soil of an Illinois prairie is the best gold mine in which they can labor. Let them stick to their farms and families, work industrously, live virtuously, and in the end they will find reasons for rejoicing that they have not tried a more ventursome course. ---<>---