The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1885-06-27
SUCCESS IN MINING.

SUCCESS m MINING.
Al Butte correspondent to the New York
Engineering and Mining Journal has the iol-
lowing in reference to 1.-THE elements OF sue
cess in mining" az applied to ordereloped
in Butte: Few people either individually
or collectively are rightly constituted TO
manage the affairs of mining in all it's ram
iications. A mining enterprise, to be
brought up to a paying basis. requires skill
in selection, economy in the development
and general management, ample capital,
and q due amount of patience on the part
OF the investors. Often we find the reverse
Of this. Poor selections, reckless manage
ment, lack of capital and impatience-coi-
lapse; then wholesale condemnation OF the
entire business, and legitimate. ably con-
Quoted enterprises checked. The would-be
promoters OF a veritable bonanza, who had
Ennk1dna hut an umbrella and walking-cane
to gin with, howl about their
immen losses and denounce mining as a
donbtf business to embark in, and make
long. ed ri to their creditors for board,
and beg fbea1d more board until they
recover iNe Il something they never lost.
Had Buy djkith it's millions-of tons oil
Interchangeable ore, fallen into the hands of
such so-called mining companies, there
would have been no renowned Butte to-day.
| The hawk and the maybe would yet perch
| upon the outcrop of the untold millions OF
wealth beneath, where now mammoth
machinery and great dumps of ore loom up
as monuments of patient enterprise; the
age cock and prairie chicken would be
quietly nestled in the grasses where now
stand the finest red~uction-works in the land,
from whose stacks whirl volumes OF smoke
like those from active volcanoes. Hun
dreds of stamps keep up their continual
roar where Il few years ago the deer stalked
in safety and peace. All OF these great
works are near domes that are traversed
by veins OF only Interchangeable ore, and are
evidences OF skill, economy. capital,
patience. This combination is now receive
ing it's reward. This letter is already too
long to enter upon a description OF any par
ticular district or property. Butte itself
affords ample material for several letters
that may interest a few OF your readers, |
and it is here hat we shall begin the cam
paign. Suffice it for the present to say,
that Montana is an extensive mining region.
The interest will grow and expand as the
years roll by. To-day, OF the almost count
less discoveries that are made throughout
the Territory, the best only are operated.
The Territory is as yet sparsely popu-
lated, though miners in the larger
camps are seemingly plenty. and wages
keep up to a good standard. Only those
mines that are capable of yielding ores OF
good quality, and in quantity sufficient to
meet the demand of current wages. and
leave a fair profit to their owners, are OPP
Grated. With the partial exhaustion OF the
zones of higher grade ores, and with a
denser population, which will bring labor
.squarely in competition with itself, and
tend to educe wages to the normal stand
ard required by the general condition OF
things, ores that are now unavailable will
be mined with as much vigor as the rich
ones are mined to-day. and in and on the
same old districts and mines. Thus will
mining keep pace and hold it's position with
the development OF other resources and
the settlement Of the empire, for which it
does more, and holds greater possibilities, |
and Yields more interest, than politician,
Congress, or any other power, save that Of
agriculture. Together, their influence is all.
Yet how sorely are the people grieved at
times by threatened legislation, which, if
carried into effect, can but work injury
upon them. A few bankers of the far East,
: r no other assignable reason than per-
.-onal gain, are constantly working to push
legislation that will precipitate a state
of things that will demora1ize the
entire West, and check the steps Of the
West-bound settler. Legislation to encour-
age the settlement OF the great West would
lave a tendency to free the choked-up aven-
ues of the Eastern cities of their burden,
instead of forcing starvation upon the
already poor. But humanity, nobility,
patriotism and manhood are all neutral
lied by inordinate avidity for gaining that
wealth and power that belong to the peo-
pie. while you'-the people-'are al
lowed to dig and coin your metal unmo-
Tested, and have it distributed among you,
you are as powerful us ourselves. But
stop short the coinage of silver and let us
the bankers-furnish you with our pri-
waite notes, and then the country n you
are ours. If we desire to p~recipitate a
panic and temporarily destroy the credit
of the nation, w can do SO, getting mil
lions in our vaults through the operation,
you cannot check us. But while you
have your coins Of silver, you can tip the
beam and hold u up to the gaze OF the
mob That issthe position OF the avar-
money nfngs. Will they succeed?
We in the West tast in the good sense OF
Congress, and believe that no checks on the
Of mining will be imposed
upon us. Excuse this conglomerate."