The Elk Mountain pilot., 1881-11-03
of as many colors as the wings of Iris

SOAo % ehS "iiiSS Vi 1IIS,
heavy with its own precious value
and sparkling with many crystal of
ruby, galena and quartz. Or to gaze
into the white heat of the assay fur
mace, when first in the scorifer and
then In the tiny bone-ash cupell, the
pulverlzed sample fumes and melts,
flashes and blicks," f" till earthly mat
ter and flux alike disappear, and leave
only the glittering silver button I"
not larger than PIN head. The fate
Iof mine may be resting on the size
OF that button, and the fond hopes of
many miner have there disappeared
in the fumes of litherage, leaving no
trace behind. There is nothing more
deceptive as to the real value of mine
than an assay. But man has to come
West to learn that high assays and
good specimens do not make mine,
though they have sold thousands. The
size of a vein and the ease with which
It can be worked are fully as impor-
tant for consideration as the richness
of the mineral. The Comstock, with
ore averaging only IS ounces 10 the
ton, has yielded the largest private
fortunes on the Pacific coast while
a one-half interest in mine in this
camp which had produced a specimen
assaylng $4,000 ounces to the ton
(the highest of which I have ever
heard), was bonded last week for
81, 900! 1t was amusing to read the
other day in a Portland paper that the
vein of tine Forest Queen was some 80
feet in width Such avein of the rich
ness Of the one in question would
nearly pay the national debt and
necessitate new bi4metallic confer
ence.
The cheapest article in the camp
and the most important element in a
miners character is faith, No system
Of religion ever demanded Of its votary
sch prodigal expenditure Of this arti-
ceas Goddess Fortune in the Rocky
nsomtains. There may be nothing
in his hole in the ground which shows
the first sign of mineral-Nmbor1e.
He will knock the ashes out of his
blackened pipe, thrust his begrimed
hands into the depths of his ragged
pockets and assure you that he IS a
millionaire in disguise, and will one
day prove it. l have met here a man
who three years ago owned Il of the
Robert E. Lee mine in Leadville.
Becoming discouraged he sold out his
interest for $50, In one day the fol-
lowing year that mine yielded $780,
900 worth of mineral, the largest
days output Of any mine in the coun-
try outside of Nevada. He is here, a
melancholy example of man who
lost faith in his chance.
The first furry of early snow is fall
ing as write and marks the approach
ing end OF the mining season of 1881.
1t has been a dull one, indeed, to
Colorado, while at the same time her
output of ore is greater than ever be-
fore. Even Leadville, while produc-
ing more mineral than at any previous
period Of her existence, has felt the
serious depression in mining and busl-
ness circles. The dullness and depres-
sion are largely due to the inevitable
reaction after the feverlsh excitement
of the first strikes in newly discovered
mining regions. The artificial and
unhealthy economic state is but tenn
porary and business once more settles
down to a solid and substantial basis.
Thus far the cause is internal and
natural.
Not less influential, however, is the
shyness of eastern capital, ever ready
to be deceived, but duped once too
often. The sharp manipulators of
mining stocks are beginning to find
out that they have killed the goose that
laid the golden egg. The Boston
merchant thinks wrathtully Of the 10, :
900 shares that he purchased in some
Aladdin OF Gel Dorado" which
turned out on inspection to be only a
demned, dark; moist, unpleasant
passage and when next approached
remarks with dignity that he has
been there before" But, in faith,