New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-05-25
MINING ON TIIE PACIFIC COAST.

/ To me Editor n The n. T. T,ibrHe
SIR: As each steamer which, for the last two years,
has arrived from the Pacific Coast has brought greater or
less number Of adven,uer who continually hrone the Offices
aud business marts and other Eastern cities with
socaed mines oT sale underssncd the benefit Of
capitalists and interested beg leave to submit she fol
lowing facts derived from experience and observation
al the thoroughly trustworthy men
/ whom We have Of the Rocky Mountains
We viii first give brief statement showing how it hap
pened that The OF these aycnurers first directed
to this market.
probably well known 70 most OF your readers that from
about ls63 intense excitement on the subject OF
mines and mining possessed entire population OF
Pacific Coast from the most conservative capitalist and
business men, down the ignorant aylaborer and
kitchen girl
Tie discovery Of rich different points The
great lode Nevada the immediate cause Of
this undue excitement interruptions took advantage Of
this state public mind bring market and dispose
Of a very large number of wild mines many Of which
had any real location the fertile brain
worthless scrip Of these swindefs Everybody bought
feet" because everybody had the fever
the this Of things could
long Tie excitement reached its hight and began
20 sabsde and with down break neck speed the
value Of these nominal mines. Tie natural result
followed Everybody lost their money and with their
fdence in swinders who finding their occupation
gone the Pacific slope with haste came swarming
search Of fields to devasiate. The
time propoas large amounts Of money had been made
IN and other business transactions IN the East and
every had something which be ready 10 invest
IN "A rich gold silver mine"
The which these parties proceed 20 dispose Of
their socalled mines various Sometimes they bring With
them rich specimens which they call samples Of the
ore 10 tie ledge Trey are anxious 20 sell. bui
which in fact bear resemblance to It than
rich ore does 90 barren quartz Their specimens pro
cured from Of the rich mines the coast and iu ~
cases out 100 their ledge be properly
anined and tested 10 viii be found to be planted mining
parance sailed with the
they show spec from theif ledge
which contain large Of base metals with scarcs
trace Of either gold silver. but which they loudly claim 10
be very both In these they speak very hppani
Of the folly o, getting made asserting truly that % ~
not safe 20 investment until satisfactory result s
obtained from the ledge and worked by the
ordinary nil process They thus seize upon generally well
known truth and by prevacaor make the vehicle Of false
hood and deception for while that rock may ASSAY
largely and vet tue ordinary mill process m 70 ret enough
Of pay expense yet 10 is net ue that rock shown TO
be by assay yielded rich return when run through
a mill To carry the deception through, they trust 20 their
own or their shrewdne.s rascay 20 enable them
TO deceive and the purchasers their agent BY salt
ing or mixing rch ore or amaglm with the test sample as
is reduced in the mill.
In almost every instance they mstae the size and oharac
ter Of their LEDGE. and the feasibility OF working the
regards wood and water and other conveniencies
Another dodge which sometimes adopt Is
TO strictly represent and dispose OF their
80 cale' property the East lie Is either man who has
never the lodges himself having them. is no
Judge Of their value lie receives HE specimens and state
ments from others acting perfect good faith he starts
to promugae a series Of fasehoods which would put to
/ blush the most inyeefatc liar upon record
To inspire confidence, they will generally recommend the
sending ont agent examine the soeaed mining prop
erv before making the purchase, trusting have said
above 70 their skill In vilainy either u deceive or buy him
so a. 10 secure "A report favorable This IL
the easily accomplished the agent honest more
the made % him on the ground by
interested parties represent themselves practical
miners than unaded Judgment particularly H.
he has had little experience IN the bust
Of mining and has vet to learn that he Is dealing WIN
men. majority Of whom destitute OF the principles OF
common honesty. ~
Their plan usually 70 require from $1,000 TO sOOooo
down completing q trade (Which amount they very mod
esy call nominal SUM mngnanimousy consenng to
receive the largest part OF their paw IN STOCK Wich ey
are careful to impress upon minds Of the purchasers IL
more importance TO them than the paltry sum Of
Ths Undersigned have spent Of the past wear fam
iaTN9g tIemse'es a. Ar ~ posf h ",,n az Ieard Ssb
through Of the mining operations IN other
portions Pacific coast and they safely state that so
far as their experience and information has extended not one
ledge which has been sold in the Atlantic states has proved
Most Of these men bring with them commendaory letters
which readily accounted for by the fact that such letters are
much easily Obtained FROM certain class OF prominent
resident on the Pachc Coast IMAM IRON any olnr pses'
the continent.
"A
n there Of gold or silver IN the oucrop
png there no certainty that these metals will be found IN
having quantities below certain depth As II II Impossible
ground the best agents mining engineers ahu
biologists may IN Judgment ard ultimately Ia 9
Parties who have legitimate mining property or SAFE 90 nor
usually object cOmpany Prospecting the same tliHe ny
skiuQ shafts running tunnels as may Dc most advantage
/ Gus before deciding To make the purchase $1,000.
II NAV inquired how good mine ought 10 De oD
We answer that in our opinion company should select an
.geuf NhOm confidence such agent
10 understand his business be strictly honest ana nave s'uhu
practical Judgment lie should also have carte blanche u use
Al
nroney, or moi ~ he NAV deem best company have no
agent whom thew can trust this extent then they sh0uu
break M their organization and let mining alone ~
This agent should proceed To- the mining districts OF ,e
cihc; mines and mills and fanllafHe bIni's win
their workings Then II he cannot pufcha ue'e"peu
mine him seek ont ds6ned ledge which has rich ore ~
payH 9Hqnfies surface top ana MAKE
with purchase or abhhuoh ho
after lie shall have completed BIZ eaaInnhuohs NJ ssou
then sink shaft 80 the ledge aH run eI Vi
tunnels either wav from The bottom o tie shaft Several tuns
Of being average IN richness OF al the rock hsn ron
the ledge should he worked by tho ordinary mh Wot's
the yield j. saiisiacory, the ledge oil sticlent ~
there plenty OF wood and water AZ ny anu az JIM
cumstances propitos the contract may theh w
mated and the purchase money paid over Win cohpAae'
little risk 20 the company
VThere large capital San Francisco seeAlf
Investment. Agents examine tie different m4hhs us
they discovered aud tie best mines are W ~
.eeured and worked By capital the Pacific side g.,
y Neither there trouble getting the fOnulefles ~ @
quartz mills poor men, known be- honest PROVIDED thi
have good mne-tle mine lt.ef BE- considered 'ADien'
/
Tbe former superintendent Of the Gould 4 Curry niue r.
marked 10 one the undc signed that the capitalists III me
East must think fools this side To- send our COCO
mines 20 them for sale We have travelling eohsH"'
TO secure the best tins Kind u property ourselves
In orr opinion onlT for Eastern succeed III
mining To adOpt afrtf