Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1880-11-03

Some Of the Pros and Cons of
Emigration 20 tue Mining
Camps.

z. l.. White, In the Providence Press.l
1t is a good rule for every Young
man who is doing moderately well al
home to make no change without the
most careful consideration. But it is
true that there are wider fields for en-
terprise and more abundant opportu-
mites for making money in some parts
Of the far west, especially for PERSONS
who possess only a limited capital.
than in most Of the cities and towns
ON the Atlantic coast. The risks arc
greater; the expense of conducting
every kind Of business is increased,
and Of necessity the profits are, as
they ought to be, larger.
In the first place, no young nan
should think Of going to the mining
regions Of the Rocky mountains to
engage in any kind of business unless
he is content to rough it," | do not
wish to be understood by this remark
to convey the idea that the people who
live in mining camps have few of the
comforts and none of the Injuries Of
life. | have seen elegant furniture.
expensive musical instruments, books.
paintings and bric-a-brac in the log
cabin of a successful miner at the foot
ofsome rugged mountain and far from
the centers Of trade and population Of
the gold and silver country. But the
man who goes into the mountains ex-
pecting to find these thingsis in great.
danger Of being disappointed. He is
much moro likely to have to live in a
tent OF a rude log cabin, to cook hi:
own food and to engage in kinds of la
Dor he would scorn to do in the east.
The west is no place for drones OF
namby PANTY people.
Again, no young man should go to
the mining regions without capital
unless he is sure of employment,
Every thriving mining camp Of the
west is thronged with men who have
nothing to do, and who have followed
the crowd of excited fortune seekers,
expecting to pick up gold nuggets q
silver bricks in the gulches or on the
hillsides, only to be disappointed,
The cost Of living in frontier towns is
very great, and the expense of travel.
ing except on foot, even greater. A
stage driver on the Leadville road,
not two years ago, told two passengers
who complained hat they could not
get outside seats to view the
scenery, that they would have ample
opportunity to view the scenery when
they walked back. Mining is the last
thing that eastern people should un
dertake to engage in until they have
learned something about the business
Of, living some months in mining CAM {
and carefully study the subject. There
are 800 mining claims located and re.
corded for every one that ever pays q
dollar to the discoyerer or purchaser
of them, and yet it would be difficult
to find a p%rospcctor in the west who
would not make a stranger believe,
if he could, that every one ofhispros.
pect holes was a bonanza.
| would advise no young man to 90
to the Rocky mountains with a stock
Of goods purchased in the east, expect.
ing to become a merchant there. Tho
classes Of goods sold in mining camps
are very different from those for which
there is a demand in eastern cities anC
towns-not cheaper and poorer, but
different, often better and more ex-
pensive. If any one thinks of going
into trade in the west he should place
his money where he can command
it at any moment he wishes, and ther
go to some good center and there be-
come a clerk in a store if he can get q
situation. This will not only Civ,
him an opportunity to learn wha.
classes Of goods are most sold, but he
will also be on the ground ready Il
take advantage of any excitement tina
may arise, 1t often happens that a
rich strike is made in a small CAM
of half a dozen tents or cabins, and
that in two or three weeks Thousand
men will be upon the ground and .
large town will be established.