Gilpin County CO Archives History - Books .....Miner's Meeting At Gregory Diggings 1920
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Robert Sanchez http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00027.html#0006574 August 8, 2009, 10:49 pm

Book Title: Early Records Of Gilpin County, Colorado

MINERS' MEETING AT GREGORY DIGGINGS. [1]

     [1] Rocky Mountain News, November 10, 1859, p. 4

    Pursuant to previous notice a mass meeting of the miners of Mountain City,
Gregory diggings and vicinity, was held in front of Kehler & Patten's store, on
Saturday evening, Oct 29th, A. D. 1859, to consult and advise relative to the
course to be prescribed by the miners of the mountains in relation to the
efforts being made by the citizens of Denver and Auraria to reduce the price of
gold dust from the rates for which it has hitherto been received.

    The meeting was called to order by Dr. C. R Bissell, and the call for said
meeting was read

    Upon motion T. T. Prosser was elected President and Winton Smith, Secretary.

    A motion was then made that a Committee of Three be appointed to draft
resolutions expressive of the sense of this meeting relative to the efforts of
certain persons in Denver and Auraria to reduce the price of gold dust, from its
value as heretofore established, whereupon Geo. W. Bruce, Col. Sam'l McLean, and
C. R Bissell were chosen to act upon said Committee.

    The meeting was then addressed by Messrs. Flanegan, Prosser, Patten, Rariden
and Dr. Stone; after which the Chairman of the Committee on Resolutions
announced that said Committee were ready to make their report, and introduced
the following to wit:—

    "We, the people of the mining district, having been informed that an effort
has been made by the citizens of Denver and Auraria, to reduce the price of Gold
dust from the rates for which it has formerly been received, and as we believe
from the schedules which we are well aware have been received from the United
States Mint, it is of much greater value than the price for which they propose
to receive it. Therefore:—

    1.—"Resolved, That the action of the Merchants and Traders of Denver and
Auraria Cities regarding the late reduction on the rates of gold dust meets with
our most hearty disapprobation and disapproval.

    2.—"Resolved, That we will let no means fail of expressing our
disapprobation of this measure, both by will and by act, and we hereby cordially
agree, as miners, to support each other in this resolution.

    3.—"Resolved, That we duly appreciate the action of our Mountain Traders in
the aid and comfort they have extended to us in receiving our gold dust at the
usual prices while they themselves are suffering from the changes lately affected.

    4.—"Resolved, That in our efforts to render null and void the self
constituted action of the Merchants and Traders of Denver and Auraria, relating
to the value of gold dust, we will in no case lose sight of our own Mountain
Traders who have, and still are, standing by us arm to arm and shoulder to
shoulder in all our endeavors to put down an effort not cnly mean and unjust but
derogatory to the dearest interests of every working man in the Rocky Mountains.

    5.—"Resolved, That we believe, and are well assured in our belief, that
certain speculators in Denver and Auraria, have sent some of the poorest
specimens of retorted gold mixed with quartz to the mint to be coined, which
they could by any possibility obtain for the purpose of swindling mountain men
and miners, and that we will use our every effort to direct trade from the
points before named to such as will receive our gold at its intrinsic value, and
where goods can be purchased at the lowest rates."

    The foregoing resolutions, after being read, were adopted by the meeting
without a dissenting voice, after the meeting was addressed by Mr. McIntire and
Mr. Clark.

    Col. McLean then addressed the meeting who stated that he had been a miner
in California; that the gold dust there was of inferior quality to that obtained
here, for which over nineteen dollars per ounce was realized at the mint, upon
an average.

    Geo. W. Brizee then addressed the meeting; he stated, during the course of
his remarks, that the valleys were dependent upon the mountains but the
mountains were not dependent upon Denver and Auraria. If we can purchase our
goods at the same prices in Golden City, and they will receive our gold at the
usual rates, we had better patronize them, or if we should send a train of
thirty or forty wagons to the States through Denver and Auraria, to supply our
wants, they may be soon convinced as to whether the mountains were dependant
upon the valleys.

    The Chairman, T. T. Prosser, then addressed the meeting; he stated among
other good things, that the evidences given us by nature were conclusive that
there is no more difficulty in wintering in the mountains than on the plains, so
far as the inclemency of the weather is concerned, for we find the bulb cactus
growing here in abundance in connection with other tender plants never found in
the regions of the north. These facts in connection with others have induced us
to make an attempt to winter in these mountains, notwithstanding the fabulous
stories of Denver and Auraria, and the time is not far distant when it will be
evident, not only to the capitalist, but to the business man, that the source of
wealth is the mountains, and all efforts made to depreciate their true value is
against the miner's interest directly, and indirectly against all connected
therewith. Therefore, it becomes all that are interested in these mines to guard
with a jealous care our mountain interests.

    Mr. Rariden was then called upon who stated that he had no further remarks
to make relative to the objects of the meeting, but announced several meetings
to be held in various districts, and among others that a meeting would be held
in Russell's district where various certificates will be exhibited, showing the
true value of the gold taken from the leads and gulches in said district, after
which the meeting, upon motion, was adjourned until Saturday evening next.

    Winton Smith, Secretary.        T. T. Prosser, President.


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