The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-09-09

taken from Dr. Thompson's letters and
made up the rest of the story.
MINDLEMEN IN EEADVILLE.
How strangers Are Taken In at the
Carbonate Camp.
[Leadville Letter.
One of the first things that attracts the
attention of the stranger on arriving in
this camp is the number of middlemen or
brokers engaged in negotiating transfers
in mining properties. The streets and TO-
tundas of the hotels are swarming with
people, who appear to have no other bus
iness than the securing of a share of the
liberal commissions that are paid to mid
dlemen when ever a piece ofmining prop
erty changes hands. 1t would seem, at
first blush, that the number of sales made
would not be sufficient t. afford all these
people living, but the difference between
what owners actually receive and the
prices that are demanded from purchasers
are so great that there is very handsome
dividend provided for quite number of
people.
For instance, giving the writer inform
alton of certain piece OF pr pc ~ be-
ing quietly placed upon the market,
friend informed him confidentially and
in an almost inaudible whisper, "1ts
bound to 60, there is 100000 init for the
middleman." OF course it will go; the
chief manipulators of the scheme will set
apart certain sum for their own profit,
which in no possible contingency will be
disturbed or periled. But they can not
be too liberal with themselves, because
they need the cooperation of others.
Their allies and assistants are selected
on all sides, embracing those regarded as
likely to be of the most service, and out
of the general profit they are promised a
certain sum if the mine is sold, say with
in certain time.
Each of these men take in others, prom
ising to divide with them in case sale
is negotiated through them or to parties
introduced by them. BY the time the
latter class is reached the circle has be-
come wide one, embracing nearly the
professionals, and as their compensation
depends entirely upon personal effort and
success, it is soon quite evident that each
and all have "enlisted for the war" The
ingenuity they display to neulralize each
Others efforts to be the first to bring a
prospective purchaser to the notice of
their immediate principals, without dis
paraging the property, are often quite
amusing. When sale OF prominent
property is effected there is a grand di-
vide, and sometimes considerable of a
row, when parties who have promised to
divide a certain proportion of what they
themselves receive are discovered to be
receiving much more than they had dis
closed to their lieutenants.
Undoubtedly, a certain number of
middemen can be of great service to
owners and purchasers, in the matter of
facilitating and Fastening the transfer of
property. But their number has grown
to such proportions in Colorado, and their
operations are conducted in such a man
ner that in many cases they are a serious
hindrance to legitimate business. When
an effort is made to negotiate sale mid
dlemen not in the ''scheme" immedi-
ately ply owners with offers and opinions
looking to much higher prices, and likely
in this way the sale can be embarrassed
or prevented until they are taken in. An
important piece of property, therefore,
can scarcely be successfully negotiated
without the principal ones being taken in,
and prices in consequence are marked up
to such point as will pay this tax. And
in many cases this increase in price is
sufficient to defeat sales
Purchasers are willing to buy the prop
critics at their real value, estimated on q
liberal basis, but are unwilling TO pay the
additional stake" +" with which they have
been burdencd. A capitalist coming in
from abroad is scarcely permitted TO make
liis own rounds of the camp and his owr
BARGAINS with owners. Some one is Ger
tain to make his acquaintance in some
way and to introduce him to others, anc
straightway the stranger is regarded a
"their man." If he turns up unattended
at any mine there is certain to be somt
one waiting to introduce him to the pro
prietors, 50 as to be in position to claim
commission from one or both side
! should business result. Instances coulC
be named where this sort of work ha
driven parties out of the camp in disgust
Probably at no place, outside of Wal
: street, is there so much scheming an,
. figuring, SO much ingenuity in planning
so much daring in speculation, or 81
much of the win-at-any- disposition
as in the Carbonate camp of the mount
. aims.
Mr.. Furness, the Shakspearean scholar