Joseph Conway Hemingray

The Kansas Gold Question — The Pike Peak

Excitement.

We had yesterday an interview with Mr. J. C. Hemingray of the firm of J. C. Hemingray & Co., Bankers of Leavenworth City, Kansas Territory. This gentleman arrived en route for the city of New York, on the steamer Alonzo Child, at 11 A. M. He courteously puts us in possession of some deeply interesting information relative to the rumored Gold region of Kansas.

Mr. E. Y. King, of Dayton, Ohio, arrived at Leavenworth City on the 10th inst., with a party from the Western Kansas border. He left Cherry Creek, near Pike's Peak, on the 27th of July, having satisfactorily "prospected" a rich gold region extending from the tributaries of the South Platte River to the head quarters of the Arkansas. The party traveled freely over a belt of the country two hundred miles long. Several parties were in this region, and they at length connected their forces, numbering one hundred and fifty-three persons. They join in report that they found gold in all the places they "prospected" yielding from five to twenty cents to the panful of soil. They also found every where plenty of water and an abundance of pine timber. A specimen of the gold was shown us by Mr. Hemingray. It is in small particles, resembling the quartz soil washings of California.

A company of one hundred persons left Kansas City on Monday, the 13th inst., for the newly discovered gold region.

Another company of fifty persons will leave Leavenworth City on the first . . . [illegible text] . . ..

Thus it is rendered certain that the Eastern as well as the Western slope of the Rocky Mountains is richly treasured with gold. A new gold fever may be predicted as plainly at hand. — Further and more detailed accounts from Mr. King will be awaited with great interest. But his testimony is given as direct and positive, and corroborated by the entire party to the statements above made.

More About the Gold Excitement. — In addition to the above we learn from the officers of the steamer Alonzo Child, from the Missouri river, that the excitement is rapidly growing along the river. Companies of young men are going forward daily to the gold region, while others are forming for the same purpose. Several persons were passengers on the boat, who bring with them specimens of the rich ore.

Mr. Isaac Eaton, of the Kansas stage line, is also a passenger on the boat, for the purpose of buying two hundred mules, so as to run his line from fort Riley direct to Pike's Peak, which is seven hundred miles due West from that point. There is no longer any doubt of the existence of the auriferous region and its wonderful wealth.

The officers of the Alonzo Child conversed with parties who are positive that Pike's Peak will rival California in its yield of the precious metals. — St. Louis Dispatch, Sept. 15.