The Montana post. [volume] (Virginia City, Montana Territory [i.e. Mont.]) 1864-1869, 1867-10-12
HOW TITS MANAGED.

III fnlne-tentlS OF the mining companies
Of Montana, composed of Eastern capital
ists. were complete failures, it would be
but the legitimate result of the policy
they pursue. There is nothing more
systematic or better begun and followed
up than the usual system pursued to &C.
complish that object. The first consid-
Grafton should be to secure good lead
property whose value is vouched for by
practical, experienced and reliable men,
familiar with the character of the ores,
and their adaptation for reduction.
Next, if undeveloPed, their thorough
development. Last, the erection ofprop-
e. machinery and the crushing of ore.
This requires time, patience, money and
Eff cient management, and should be en-
trusted only to practical men. No such
companies have made failures here. On
the contrary, the usual history of min
ing company commences with the ex-
hibition of a few choice specimens of
quartz. showing free gold, TO some
wealthy person in the East, and il is a
we'll known fact that quartz not showing
free gold abundantly is rejected hastily,
even though the best rock for reduction,
and Il few hundred feet, with interven-
ing claims, will be greedily snapped up
al big figures, and company is at once
organized, every man expecting to
Je Crgsus in a twelvemonth. In
such cases there is almost invariably
some mill maker on hand, with a lot Of
clap trap machinery, willing to take a
large proportion Of stock if his mill is
taken by the company. 1t looks well in
a cOloTed engraving, works delightfully."-
in the model, and is accepted. 1t is
shipped, and before IL reaches the Terri
tory the company expects dividends.
Too frequently inexperienced men are
sent to superintend the development and
reduction The mill is erected before
the leads are developed, and when both
are accomplished the mill osentimes
proves a failure and the lead caps over
or proves Improbable because the ma
chinery is not suited to it's reduction.
4 heavy expense has been incurred, the
company grows restless, the superinten
dent is annoyed, his acquired knowledge
is just giving him true ideas of mining
when he is superseded. A Professor is
sent ont to examine the property. He ID
full of theories. talks proper, has never
seen a quartz ledge, gapes at the Indians
and not less wonderful buckskin-clad
miners, looks at the prospect holes
through eyeglasses, hunts and fishes &
few days, thinks it strange the people
out here don't carry umbrellas when il
rains, gathers up a few specimens o.
Petrifed wood, gets out of the country
as quickly as possible. and safely bach
in New York, writes up an elaborate
report. he condemns everything
stockholders put implicit reliance on hii
twaddle, shares go down, work is sus
pended, and people here wonder why
such a company has ceased operating
We know two of these gentlemen whC
have recently visited Montana and have
since made their reports. One of them
was beardless boy of twenty, had never
seen mine before, and was sent here tC
report upon a company having excel
lent property. He was thirty days in
the Territory. He says the company
has no leads. and that there are no pay
ing leads in the Rattlesnake District
The other pronounced Judgment before
Visiting any mines, and said they were
mere segregations; etc. After visiting q
developed lead he wondered why peo
pie would talk so when there were such
mines as that" The opinion of one
practical man is more trustworthy than