The Elk Mountain pilot., 1881-10-27
MINING As A BUSINESS.

MINING As A BUSINESS.
"How long has mining for precious
metals been business in the United
States?" asked an old miner of
party of well-informed men, who were
discussing leads and placess. Ever
since gold was found in Georgia and
North Carolina said one. "Since
1t was discovered in California" said
another. 50 Do you call placer mining
permanent business ?" asked the
veteran; " don't they play out, and
havn't they played out in California,
Australia, Montana and everywhere
else?" There was no denying these
facts: A little research proved that
regular scientific mining as a perma-
nent business has existed but few
years in this country, and many of
the ventures were mere experiments,
made only with that view. Twenty
five years ago Nevada, Montana, Col
orado Dakota, Utah and New Mexico
were absolutely unknown as gold and
silver countries. Leads were known
to exist in Arizona, but the parched
soil and savage Indians inpeded pro-
gress. 1t is only within ten years that
this rich country has commanded the
attention it deserves. Quartz mills
have been In operation in Colorado
scarcely twenty-five years, and in Ne
|vada but little longer. Business men
did natsserloy,sllJy t',rn, their aRtien
to mining with the determination Of
remaining In itas they would in any
other legitimate occupation until a
few years ago. The time has been
within comparatively short period
when mining was regarded as specu-
lation, or gambling venture, where
the chances of a great reward were
neutralized by the great probability of
failure. To-day this is changed. Min
ing for precious metals is stable, le-
gitimate business, founded on solid,
economical principles, far more GER
tain in its results than the majority of
recognized legitimate commercial en-
terprises. The only questions to be
considered in mining are the quantity
and cost of production the market
is never glutted, the prices of the
precious metals are almost invariable,
the thousand and one financial troubles
which disturb and PROSTATE other in
dustries do not affect it. Without the
!
elements of success any business must
be failure. The banker must have
capital, the merchant goods and the
miner a mine. In years past men
without experience, devoid of practi
cal knowledge, had to take chances on
mi,.es. To-day We have experts who
make the business a specially, and are
qualified for it by practice and educa-
ton to pronounce on the value Of a
mine. The day of going 1t blind on
property is past there must be de-
velopment and something in sight,
the value of which can be made appar-
ent by mathematical demonstration.
A developed property will sell for a
mine, but a prospect hole will bring
only what it is worth as speculation.
Miners are beginingIto recognize this
fact, and find it more profitable to de-,
vote their energies to one good mine
than fritter away labor and money on
a dozen. Since the business has at
last found solid basis, mining is GER
tam to be an increasing and profitable
industry. The years past have been
mainly devoted to experiments. Ex-
perience has shown the true principals
Of the business, and the future must be
encouraging.-Black Hills Times.
Its said that the reason why bigamy
is of SO rare occurance in Hungary Is
that once on time man who was
convicted of this crime was sentenced
by the court to live for two years with
both wives. The punishment was
81 A 1>,,t - b,J %ha Iorir