Cleveland Morning Leader

Pike's Peak Profitable!

There must be some gold in Western Kansas or there would not be so much noise about it.— The accounts vary much, and on the whole are about equally balanced between humbug and profit. Parties along the Missouri continue to leave for the diggings, some proposing to winter on the route so as to be ready to rush in early in the spring, many will winter in the mines and vicinity, and others have returned home with the intention of embarking more largely in mining next season. A Lawrence Company has returned bringing a favorable report, and will go out again in the Spring. The Topeka Tribune publishes a letter from the son of Mr. Hastings to his father, which contains intelligence quite as favorable as any yet received, and is of such a character the Tribune says as to command full credence. Young Hastings went out to the Peak about the middle of July, and he writes:

"After an unsuccessful search of six days for gold, our company divided into two parties, myself and five others in company. On the second day of prospecting we found indications of gold sufficient to induce us to go to work. We accordingly went to digging, each in his own way, as no one was used to the business; but considering the distance we were obliged to carry dirt for washing, we were well satisfied with the first three days' work, which by the best means we had of judging, yielded about nine dollars per day to each man. Since that time, each man has been working "on his own hook." I have averaged about fifteen dollars per day, the last two weeks.

"The climate is very healthy. I have heard of no sickness since coming here, although the comforts of life are somewhat limited, and fare hard.