Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1876-02-18
Mining no Speculation.

Mining no speculation.
The enormous returns which have
al wardcd the successful adventures in
N gold and silver mines of the far VIZ
is are calculated to give false idea of I
h nature OF that industry. Mining for
le precious metals, SO called, as well as 1
}, their equally valuable and equally co
y vcrtible kindred; iron, copper, and t
# like, need be Of character no more SD
a culative than wool growing or cott'
Il raising. In fact, under proper scienti
+ management. there is greater assur
K certainty in given time, of the retur
Il from mining property than from al
: industry dependent in any great degr
: upon the conditions Of wind, weather al
I other flactu.ting elements eff natur
phenom nj.
? This is perhaps better appreciated b
English capitalists than by Americans,
!, 1t is matter of fact that some of IL
richest properties in the West have bee
purchased by Europeans, after hayin
been hawked about frultlessly in scare
of purchasers in New York and othc
monied centres Of the States.
The Virgil Consolidated mlres are
brilliant exception to the fate of most G
The very productive aiming properties o
America.
This wonderfully successful untlcrtak
ing, formed by the agglomcration of sew
Ieral original claims Oh the same 10 e. i
practically in the hands of some three .
four San Francisco men, who hold four
|li:ths Of the shares of the company work
ing it. The net returns for the year jus
ended is close on eleven millions of iol
lars, he most Of which goes to enricl
the country frGm whence it is drawn, in
stead Of being consumed by absentee!
without qny equivalent ;e,arn, as is IT,.
case with the bulk CT the gold snd silYel
productions Of the United States.
The essence Of spt tculation is uncertain
ty. How little OF that clement there il
in this model mine IS proved ok the fac
that every ton Of ore before beipg shed
is known 70 contain an almost unyarying
amount of metal, Which can be extracted
At known cost. So mlnY tons raised
give SO much prcnt, ana the net returns
are in Il direct ratio TO the gross outlay.
When lode is worked out, then the
nine stops, and any fresh exploration
must be regarded in the light of a new
but it is ALWAYS possible to
.scertain if suffi ient amount of ore is
within working reach to make it worth
while to raise and reduce it.
This beirg SO, we cannot but regret
ecing 50 much Of our undeyclopei riches
icing alicnated by foreign buyers, While
he same money which they use to pur
i'ase it can be obtained by cur people on
DAD, if they only had as much faith in
he soil they live on as the English and
icrman capitalists manifest.
Evidences of the perseverance with
Which the English people keep hold Of
ood mining property when they get it,
re plentiful enough, and the sure aud
way in which they work 1t out
J well worthy Of oul imitation. We note
his III the case of sn alluvial mining pro-
erty held by a company of London mer-
hants, which is located on the foot hills
Northwest IN California. THIS prop
rty was purchased by them about two
ears ago. The washings were tolerably
aging, but the necessity Of purchasing
a!er ate up all their profit. They then
opel washing. and began the construc-
on of canal from river in the hills
ear Emigrant's Gap, about 81 miles
stant from their grounds. This they
ave just completed at cost of two hun
red THOUSAND dollars. It is cut through
IDS of solid lava, aud passes over valleys
I'd streams in its course. It carries 3
,lume Of water as great as that which l.
pplied all London thirty years ago, and
yes an overplus which they sell at
oft on the whole cost, to their neigh !;
RS Ola adjoining claims. Ws give this
an instance of the spirit In working :,
hich is certain to achieve success. We .
ust needs admire its dogged resolution
It nevertheless regret that its fruits are ;
drain on our undeveloped patrimony !.
stead OF b,ing an accession to our mer- :,
antile vltality.-[Tl South. II
Among the resolutions adopted by the b
A 4 |