The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1854-07-07
For the Post.


made in your paper 20 the extraordinary
Copper Developments in this part of the
world; and other papers at distance quote
with n good deal of eclat There is no
questioning the fact that the markets of the
Eastern cities and of England are greatly
moved, and large capitalists are making in
vestments slowly, prudently, cautiously
Some of our own citizens have become
wealthy, and many more we hope will
acquire fortunes; but there is limit to
this business, as well as to the gold business
in California. Itnever was designed that all
men should be rich. "The poor We always
have with you,"i is reflection of more than
human wisdom. Whilst it is certain that the
country is to be greatly benefited by the
discovery of these mineral resources, sti!l it
remains and will remain true, that number
less men are to be greatly injured. The ag-
gregate of individual happiness cannot by
possibility be promoted by these immense
treasures. They have been absorbed by
capitalists as rapidly as discovered. The citi-
zens of Polk county do not own the fortieth
part of the true Copper interest, lying within
their borders. The object of our citizens is
to sink a shaft, or sell an interest. Scarcely
any of them intend working a mine. Per-
haps it is well enough. Very few are capa-
BILE. To hear our citizens talk one would
think we had ten thousand accomplished
mineralogists in East Tennessee, to say moth
ing of very large classes of scholars coming
on in Virginia, Georgia and Alabama. The
stimulus of prospecting drives up the min
eralogy class with ten fold more rapidly than
all the college incentives that have ever been
brought to bear upon the blooming genius of
the nation. Let the most ignorant man learn
that by the kindness of friend he has an
interest in lease, and before Saturday night
can possibly arrive, he is amply qualified to
spend the Sabbath in dispositions upon goz-
zen, red shear, slate mica and slate curly; as
to quartz, metaliferous appearances, and
fluken, he is an adept, and would maintain
his opinion against the united voice of the
Sanhedrin. After this redoubtable knight
has fought his way through every good sign
that Caldwell or Congdon ever saw, and after
having remained within three feet Of Copper
for the space of as many months, it is very
mournful to hear him announce on decidedly
minor key, that the water came in on him
'just as was about to get it," AS soon,
however, as he can hire enough hands to
keep the water out it is his solemn intention
to work that same shaft again.
The hope of suddenly acquiring fortune
has blinded our people, and their zeal is
making them the miserable dupes of shrewd
and designing men. Already have we heard
the cry from burnt fingers Some men have
staked so much money and property upon
n single venture, that a failure must bring
bankruptcy. The most heartless schemes
are devised to entrap the unwary and the ex-
cited; and it will be strange if attempts are
not made to enforce the law against obtain
ing goods under false pretenses. Some men
sell their land twice, in fee simple, and lease
it to as many as will paSS small bonus
Companies organize, take few leases, with
out enquiring as to title, aud without regis.
tering single lease; then they go into mar
ket; they stand on the corners of the street,
like the woman that Solomon speaks of, and
beckon to every young man, and to the old
ones, too. The say their beds of Copper are
decked, not with spice, myrrh and roses, but
that they can shew specimens which would
sell mine-that they have outcrop gozzen,
veins, leads, the finest ridges, and the most
beautiful place for sinking shaft; and that
for little sure money they will stake you in"
This is the harlotry of Copper mining
There is so much ignorance and cupidity on
one hand and so much fraud upon the other,
that the mining business will foot up loss
to about nineteen twentieths of all who en-
gage in it. Il. F.