Dubious Reports

FROM MONTANA – DUBIOUS REPORTS. – A correspondent of the Sacramento Union, writing from Nevada City, Montana, gives a somewhat discouraging account of affairs in that territory.  He is of opinion that the mines are not near as good as those of California.  He says:

            Many have made fortunes here, but it has cost at least 75 cents for every $1 obtained, owing to the depth of stripping being from 8 to 15 feet, and much of the diggings on the low bars and toward the head of the gulch are still deeper, being from 20 to 50 feet, and have to be drifted and timbered, which is quite expensive.  Taking all things into consideration, such a gulch in California at any time prior to 1856 would have created no unusual excitement; and I will hazard the assertion that nine out of every ten gulches, of corresponding length, in California have paid more per diem for all the labor expended than this has ever done or ever will do.  There have been many new gulches discovered in the past year, among which may be mentioned last Chance, Blackfoot, Confederate, McClellan and Montana as the richest.   *   *   *

            There are two great drawbacks to successful mining in this Territory.  First is the long cold winters, in which all mining operations are suspended, except prospecting; and, in the second place, the enormous prices of living.  Merchants here are like the negro who said if he bought anything for one dollar and sold it for two he was sure he made 1 per cent., and was satisfied.  But the negro’s one per cent. does not satisfy the “Shylocks” of Montana, but two and three hundred per cent. is often charged for any article that may chance to be scarce in the market.  A few items I will note, that are on the rampage just now:  Tobacco comes first (I am out) and sells at from $3 to $8 per pound; tea from $3.50 to $5; coffee $1.25; salt, 75 cents; matches, 50 cents per box; axe and pick handles, $3 each; California whisky and brandy from $8 to $15 per gallon.  Now, whenever miners think of such extortions, by a combination of heartless merchants, we exclaim with one voice, ‘that if Montana merchants do not ……