Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1880-01-16
SAN FRANCISCO CORREsPOND.
ENCE.
Baxter, ON Mines and Mining.
SAN F~RANcrsco. January 10. 1880.

"Baxter' ON Mines and Mining.
SAN Francisco, January 10, 1880.
EDITOR SENTIxEL-The greatest Of all
the industrial pursuits Of this coast is
that OF mining, and the stream of wealth
which has flowed into the National reser-
voirs from your mines loudly proclaim
| that fact. But much Of tho success which
attends it, and no small share Of the re-
suits arising from it, are largely due to the
ability Of those who direct its operations.
An efficient and honest administration
will. In most cases. promote the welfare Of
associated effort, impart q stimulus to new
enterprises and evolve prosperity out Of
their manifold operations. From what
| other branch of business than mining have
there been such extraordinarily large profits
derived2 Or what other industry would
have thrived amidst the sterile wastes and
verdureless hills of your State, as have
caused few Of its most favored localities
to wear the bloom of civilization. and be-
come the centers of busy labor, specula-
ton, fashion and shoddy display? Moreover,
mining is moi an ephemeral pursuit, subject,
as are commercial and other ventures Of
like nature, to the whims and capricious
tendencies Of trade, nor is it dependent
upon the contradictions Of capital and
population for its chief support, as are. in
a measure, the former. OF all metallic
mines silver are the most permanent; all
mining literature SO attests. The Ph9ni-
clans, Carthagenians and Romans succe S.
fully worked the silver mines of Spain
the former old chaps six centuries before
the Infant Redeemer was Graded in Bethle-
hem. and the latter ct . later period found
them as rich and productive IS ever. And
Notwithstanding the fabulous wealth borne
from them at different times by those an
cient Argonauts to their respective capitals,
to enrich and adern them, the Roman SOL
diery and camp followers left more silver
behind them in the mines Of Asturia than
had been extracted from them during Me
long period intervening between the arrival
Of the Ph9nicians and the departure u
the Romans. The former, Aristotle tells
us, found silver so plentiful in that land
that to bear away with them all Of it that
was offered in barter for their merchandise
and naval commodities. they ballasted
their ships with it, made their anchors out
Of it, and fashioned many other maritime
implements ont Of the abundance offered
them Of the same precious material. Even
the ancient Austurians obtained it in such
vast quantities that they converted it into
managers for their horses, and devoted it to
other equally degrading domestic uses.
With the diminution of much Of the
PRESTIGE AND GLAMOUR
| Which have for years back distinguished
the Comstoek, confidence will again be re-
vived in and directed, as it is now, to mer-
~itorious outside districts. Already has this
fact become apparent, but to good proper
ties only is it applicable. There is no use
in mine owners, and those who VIGOROUSLY
vend them, deluding themselves into the
belief that elaborate reports and fanciful
maps will longer avail them in this mar
ket, which is at present glutted to reple-
ton with properties OF every conceivable
character. Here, as in New York. Boston,
and other centers east, a property possess
ing merit will always sell, and then the
terms must be 30 arranged as to, in most
cases, suit the purchasers. The period Of
exorbitant prices is also long Since num-
bered with the things that were. Once in
awhile we, of course, hear Of q big price
having been paid for a mine, but these are
exceptional rather than prevalent cases,
and should not mislead any one. One bad
property sold abroad, or a crooked trans
action connected Herewith ON the part Of
vicarious promoters, will in the future in
fict irreparable injury upon the interests
Of the district owning it. Confidence is
rarely won without q struggle; it is a plant
slow Of growth, and requires tender nurs-
ing to preserve it in perennial bloom. a
fact which will rebound to the benefit OF
Base Rangers, If they make an effort to re-
member it when tempted to bond a num-
or Captain that, to take East with them for
sale. Eureka is not quite so barren Of
good properties that her mine owners
should be 50 intent upon doing that which,
sooner or later, must inure to their disad-
vantage aud the regret Of BAXTER.