Weekly Calaveras chronicle., 1868-11-07
SYSTEM.

SAINT ioic hoiUs SoOu IN reidtlOn 10 tic al
fairs of everyday life. Business of all kinds
IN order to be successful, must be system
atically conducted. No practical man. about
to engage in any particular branch OF trade,
would for moment entertain the idea of
starting in business without first arranging
his affairs in a manner that would enable
him to devote his energies and talents to the
prosecution of his undertaking, and system
izing matters SO as to bring his transactions
under his immediate supervision and control.
The farmer adopts regular method of pro-
cedure in the cultivation of his land and
raising crops, without which the soil would
soon be worn out and become barren and
unproductive. Mechanics, members of pro-
fessions, and in fact persons who are engag-
ed in the most ordinary avocations, generally
endeavor to maintain some show of regular
ity and system in their business pursuits.
The only occupation in which men appear
to engage without the least preparation or
forethousht, is mining. The opinion is uni
versally prevalent that this, our most i'm
portant branch of industry does not require
the exercise ofjudgment or the possession of
any business qualifications whatever, 10 en-
able person to become successful miner.
Trust to luck" " is the MOTTO and leaving
ell in the hands of the tickle goddess. men
embark blindly in mining speculations and
enterprises, without any regard to the loca-
ton of the claims they are purchasing or as
sisting to prospect. and with no practical
knowledge of the business in which they are
engaging. In early times. when every gulch
contained gold, and all that was necessary
to constitute successful miner was to know
how to handle pick and shovel. and the
possession of energy enough to induce men
to use them, combined with sufficient dis
elimination to distinguish between gold and
mica. perhaps this loose way of prospecting
was as good as any other. But times have
changed greatly within the past few years.
Placer diggings are among the things that
were, and gravel mining is confined to hy-
draulic and tunnel claims, which require, as
general thing, years of labor and the ex-
penditure of large amount of capital to de-
velop them. Miners, as ass, are poor
and unable to meet the heavy expenses in
CURED in operations of this character, and,
as natural sequence, their attention has
been attracted to the more feasible and less
costly task of prospecting the numerous
quartz leads which traverse the State in cv-
cry direction. While we cannot help ad-
mirirg the spirit, energy and perseverance
which have been exhibited by all classes of
our citizens in the prosecution of this branch
of mining, We think that bad judgment has
been shown in the application of the money
expended and lamentable lack of system
displayed in the direction of the labor per-
formed upon quartz leads in this vicinity.
Too many companies have been formed, and
the range of operations has been too extend
ed. Prospecting in order to be effective,
must be thorough. If instead of endeavor-
ing to prospect twenty different lodges at the
same time, the various companies had con-
solidated and confined their efforts to two
or three, we think the result would have
been far more beneficial to the community,
and the expense incurred by each individual
not so great. 1t would have been an ad-
vantage to US in another way. We would
have known to certainty by this time
whether the lodges in this section are really
valuable or not. and if the question were set
tied in the affirmative mills would be i'm
mediately erected and dividends declared
instead of assessments levied. One good
paying claim would do more to give our
mines standing and character than fifty
half-prospected, undeveloped ledges, no
matter how promising they may appear to
their owners. That we have as rich quartz
lodes in this district as can be found in the
State, we sincerely believe; but the fact has
yet to be satisfactorily demonstrated. There
is one thing certain. men cannot afford to
prospect forever, and the sooner we deter
mine the truth in regard to our quartz leads,
the better it will be for all concerned. Quartz
mining. in our opinion, is just as legitimate
a business as underwriting. merchandising
or farming, and should be conducted as sys-
teInatcally and methodically. and requires
| the same careful attention and direction to
be successful. Experience has taught US
that the development of quartz lode is not
the work of day, and that capital is needed.
If such of our citizens as are engaged in
mining at the present time, would combine
themselves into one company. and bring
their united energies to bear upon one OF
two claims, we do not believe any difficulty
would be experienced in proving their rich
ness. As soon as this is accomplished the
attention of capitalists will be directed to
this locality. and no trouble found in obtain
ing the necessary means to prosecute further
developments. Our mining interests are toe
important to be allowed to decline for the
want of a little sagacity and foresight in
their proper management.
THE funeral of Abraham Strouse. say
the Virginia Enterprise of October 9th
which took place in this city on Sunday last
was one of the largest ever seen here. The
procession extended along Cstreet from Tay.
lor street to the foot of Cedar Hill, distance
of nearly one mile. There was strong turr
out of the various fire companies and also O
Masons, all of whom were on foot, and tht
hearse was followed by large number o
carsiages-all procurable in this city-whil'