Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1864-05-27
MINES AND MINING REPORTERS.

The one great, leading business Of Nevada
Territory is mining; upon the mines Of the
Territory all other business depends, and but
for them the country would be but an unin-
habited desert. Upon them the interests Oh
every inhabitant of the Territory, and OF
thousands elsewhere upon the earth.s sur
face, depends; and it is as to the current de-
velopment, prospects and other Information
regarding the mines, that the most earnest
attention of the people IS directed and the
5eepsst interest manifested. To obtain and
Law before the public this character OF lnfor-
nation, the newspaper press are at heavy
expense, care and labor. In order to obtain
extensive and accurate information, they en-
pIoy reporters who are kept upon daily and
constant round Of observation and inquiry
Each, DESTROYS Of maintaining the character
of the paper upon which he is employed,
applies to the sources from whence the in
formation is most, likely TO be correctly de-
rived, and, when permitted so to do, de-
scends shafts, explores tunnels, examines
machinery, and supplies himself with such
facts and statistics as enable him to furnish
those interested with the fullest possible in
formation upon the subject uppermost in the
public mind. In giving to the world the re-
suits Of his investigations, the reporter has
no aim or end in view to lead him into mis-
representation of the facts concerning any Of
the mines which he visits in his ordinary
routine Of duty. The truth plain intelli-
gible statements concerning the mines Of
the Territory is what the public desire and
what it is the policy as well as the desire OF
the publisher to furnish. We have not yet
heard of an attempt TO afhx the stigma OF
black-mal upon any of the Territorial press,
or of bSibed puffery or defamation. 1t occa-
sionally happens that at the precise period
of the reporters visit, the condition Of affairs
at a mine may be such that, a statement Of
matters as they exist would have tendency
to create an unfavorable impression as to its
prospects. In such case, all that is necessa-
~ to insure the reporters silence is simple
request. A refusal to admit him to an in
spection of the mine sometimes, although
rarely occurs: and, if couched in anything
like civil terms, gives no otfense. The re-
porter is not paid TO spy out the imperfec-
tons or other secrets of a mining company
and has no craving desire to find out that
which miners are disposed to withhold. The
general treatment with which he is greeted is
that Of courtesy, and those in charge Of
well conducted and prosperous or promising
mine are almost invariably well pleased to
have their mine noticed in the papers. In,
perhaps, 4 majority of instances his visits
are by special invitation and particular
pains are taken to facilitate his means
Of observation. The reporter is bound, in
in good faith to his employer to furnish
truthful statement OF the result Of his inves-
LEGATIONS. He is not supposed to puff inor-
dinately mines Of 10 merit, nor to detract
from the just merits Of the work that he may
inspect. His duty as Journalist is to avoid
misleading the public, or giving them an i'm
proper appreciation of the value or prospects
Of any mine. He is not supposed to be en-
dowed with the attribute Of infallibility, and
that he NAV occasionally err in his estimate
of things, is case readily supposable. That
he will disagree with the sanguine eIpecta-
tons of the confident miner is an almost
every day occurrence. In such case he gen.
orally confines his observations to hard facts
and permits the public to draw its own in
ferences. That he should occasionally give
offense is not to be wondered at. Such is
particularly the case when he makes state
ments of unfavorable facts, incautiously re-
yealed without hint that his silence upon
the subject would be preferred. In such
instance he calls down upon his unlucky
head the anathemas and maledictions Of the
ineensed stockholders, in whose eyes his
ofFense is the objectionable sin /; when in
reality tie fault is not his own, but that Of
the miner himself. Thus far we have spoken
of the matter from our own knowledge and
experience in the business and from what
we know of the affairs Of our contemporaries,
we are satisfied that it is the aim and inten-
ton of all to furnish the public with interest
ing and reliable information upon the subject
of the mines and mining operations, unin-
fuenced BY the mere hope of paltry fayors, or
deferred BY the fear of the frowns of those to
whom the truth, incautiously told, might
prove detrimental.