Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 20.pdf/131

 CORRESPONDENCE

Oregon

123

City,

Aug.

2d, 1855.

Rev. Benjamin M. Hill, Cor. Sec. Am. Bap. Home Mission Society. Dear Brother: Yours of May 25th was duly received. With this

I

shall

send you the minutes of our Association. The new gold excitement in our territory at the present time calls for a com-

The gold region is on the large north fork of the Columbia River, about thirty miles above Fort It has now become quite certain that the mines are Colville.

munication from me.

and they are supposed to be extensive. But nothing can be relied upon except that most of the French the Willamette Valley have either been and returned and

rich

definite in

gone the second time or are preparing to go. Already about 1000 of the American population of the Willamette Valley are on their way to these new mines. Many more are preparing to go; others are anxiously awaiting the information.

The most extravagant rumors

first reliable

are in circulation

respecting the richness of the mines and the facilities of acIt is pretty satisfactorily asquiring the golden treasures. certained that the Roman priest at Colville has known of these

mines for years and has enjoined secrecy upon the Indians.

Rumors

reliable say the chiefs forbid the

French and half-breeds, to dig

till

Oregonians, except they have treated with the

Indian agent for their lands. this valley and, if there is

Money much gold

is

extremely scarce in

to be had, our citizens

have their proportion of it, even at the price of blood. will not stand by, by the thousands, and see French Catholics, half-breeds and Indians monopolize the best of

will

They

the diggings. Some reports say that the gold has been found on only two small bars of the river others say that the region

300 miles in extent. I have been waiting for the last two weeks to get at facts before writing you, but this is safe at the present. Nearly all the lands between the Cascade Mountains and these mines, on both sides of the Columbia

of gold

is