The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1880-07-14
MINING swIEDLEs IN UTAH.

TRAPS WHICH oWEERS AND PURCHA
ERs FALL INT0-GEN. BUTLEB
sHREWD oBsERvATIoN--ALL SOB
OF TRICKS PLAYED UPON MIN
OWNERS AND MINING ENGINEERS.
Salt Lake City. June 23.-Wht
= Benjamin F. Butler was on his wi
to Salt Lake City few days ago,
occupied q seat in the car with
prominent Mormon. Ben was NAL
ing some inquiries about Utah mine
and the Mormon began expatiatln
on the merits of wonderful mine
Southern Utah. After ne had prC
ceeded at some length, Ben abrupt
asked: "Have you any interest i
this Miner The Mormon evsde
the question, and continued sounGin
the praises of the property. Agau
Ben asked the question, and re
peated it until his companion wa
compelled to admit that he did hav
an interest in the mine. The gen
eral then asked if he wanted to sell 1t
but received an eJa.vie answer a
before, but his questioner persisted
until the Mormon finally said:
mo, OF course l don't want 10 gel
"TheE," said Butler, ~ know its
good mine"
This shreWd remark OF Gen. Butler
is one that mining investors will d.
we'll to treasure up for use when ap
preached by men anxious to sell for {
small sum properties that are Df i'm
mense value. Philanthropy is no
one OF the distinguishing character
istics OF either the mine-oWner or the
mining-sharp.
There have been three properlie:
whose manipulation has cost the Ter
ritory of Utah millions of dollars by
retaTding the development of it's min
ing interests, and their history fur
nishes an illustration of another phase
of mining management that is sure to
end in injury to the interests OF all
concerned. The history of the Emma
Mine and the Flagstaff Mine is now
supplemented by that eff the Old Tele-
graph Mine. The two former were
purchased by English people for sums
far greater than they were worth at
the time, and in both cases the pur-
chasers sent out expensive manage
ment that proceeded at once to de-
velop the properties as though their
yield was unlimited Reckless and
unbusiness-like management. and a
consequent failure to realize, soon
Disguised the owners, and the mines
came back finally into the hands of
the original owners, or to American
lessees. As soon as these properties
passed beyond the control OF the Eng
lish owners, ore once more came in
sight, and to-day, under careful man
large sums OF money are
being realized. In the first instance
the mines were ell right, although
not by any means worth what was
paid for them, and under good man
agement the principal might possibly
have been saved to the purchasers.
But the English managers, unfamiliar
with American methods OF mining,
and unwilling to accept the advice of
those whom they contemptuously
looked upon as provincials, refused to
do any dead work of consequence, and
when the vein was apparently ex-
hausted. neglected the prospecting
which has since developed new
and richer bodies of ore. II they
managed their mines in the business
like way which has enabled the On
tario, with poorer prospects, to pay
nearly 100000 of dividends, they
would net to-day be the cause that
has shut out English capital from
Utah. Ia the case of the Old Tele-
graph Company, the French pur-
chssers paid 81, 100000 for a prop
erty that L. E. Holden, the owner,
had bonded for 81, 800, coo, the differ
ence representing the profit made by
the man who placed it in Paris. The
mine, under good management, was
probably worth 81, 500. 600, but Hol-
den did not sell the brains to work it
with, and to-day the mine is fail.
ure. The French purchasers, after
the usual fashion. sent out one or two
experts to examine The mine, and
they reported, much to the amuse-
ment OF the knowing ones, that there
were 100000 tons of ore in sight,
worth anywhere from $4,000, 600 TO
$50, 100000 They measured the
whole body by the appearance of tie
drifts, which was a method altogether
unique for American miners. But
the Frenchmen took the bait eagerly,
and gladly paid the So. 600. 900 asked.
They st once organized an imposing
the salaries OF which
aggregated nearly $4,000. and sent
cut a lot of German and French op-
orators to take charge of the prop
erty. These men refused to adopt
the American methods OF mining,
and now set up the cry OF fraud,
failing to find the mine equal to their
Those who know say
there is ore there. and good ore, though
perhaps not 100000 worth, and
when the French owners shall have
followed the example OF their Eng
lish brethren, some shrewd American
will probably get possession aad
make it profitable. One thing is GER
tain, however, AMI that is, French
capital will never again seek invest
ment IN Utah.
The reference above to the French
mining experts gives an opportunity
to say something further in regard to
these men as class The eastern
mining expert is never mentioned
among western miners without pro
yokins snnile, aud the Wan who
registers an. E. mining engineer
after bis name is certain, according
to tradition, to be given a warm re-
ception with shot guns. Your mining
expert is generally some young sprig
lust out of college, and his practical
knowledge is usually in converse ratio
with bis prelensions. He is unfamiliar
with the clever trick known as
Eating" and it is the easiest thing
in the world to deceive him, either
by fsttery, or, that failing, trickery,
into making a fAvorably report. Il
all other methods fail. money is
frequently used to good advantage,
for matter OF so, 900 or $50, 900 is
no hing where hundreds of thousands
are involved. There is g class OF
mining experts who make hand
som living working for both parties
IA alag Lie he raal astsia dealer