New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-09-22

be packed into region of its area, and yet there
is very little concentration of the ores in certain
and specific spots. You cannot dig up cart
load of earth anywhere without finding color. but
the problem is to-day, as it has ever been since
the discovery of gold here, how TO process
cheap enough and thorough enough TO save the
minerals. Little by little the Ilomestale Com
pany is solving this question Its losses in gold
carried off in the taings, although enormous, are
less to-day than ever before, and little appliances
are continually being added here and there in It's
vast machinery by which the gold is being more
thoroughly caught. But there are many mines
containing ores that carry as much as SD or sZo
to the ton which cannot be worked at all Inc
gold is found in such peculiar combinations that
any effort TO extract it upon large scale Is ut
terly futile There is certainly no field in which
the practical inventor of mining machinery can
work 10 better advantage than in the Black HIS
Comparatvely nothing has been done toward tax
ing out the minerals Of the region. An output oil
50 600 600 year is all that can be claimed
whereas if they only knew just how to do 1t, II
they only had the chemical combinations or the
mechanical appliances which would efectualy
take hold Of the minerals and save them, the
output might very easily reach Sl5.00O,OOO. and
might 90 on for scores of years at that vast agge
gate. 49,,
II cannot be said that the experiments which
have been made here with the peculiar materials
furnished by this soil have been in the highest
sense practical A great many very wise sclen-
tific persons have done great many wise ana
scientific things Some of these have proved
utter failures and none is substantial success.
Processes have been invented which do well
enough when operated in crucible, but whlch
have proved utter failures when adapted to large
machines The practical mining men of the west
have not yet invaded the Hills. They are sui
working in California Nevada, Colorado ana
Montana Mr. Hearst and Mr. Ilaggin are the
only ones who have come into this country, ana
their mine is the only one that has proved 10 De
an unqualified success There is vast difference
between the way in which Eastern men anu
Western men 90 into mining adventures. The
Western man undertakes it slowly. lie studies MS
mine He digs here and bores there. lie makes
cntries running wherever he sees the vein. ana
when he finally unde rtakes the work of develop
ment he is so well satisfied of what his mine con-
tans that he is prepared to put into it the neces-
sary thousands or millions as the case may De
and as the case often is, to get its contents out
Rut the Eastern man always wants to take away
ten dollars for every one he invests and TO take
II immediately He does not come out.and make
a careful study of the country, going INTO us
geological history, examining 1t everywhere
studying the geological structure of similar por-
tons of the country studying other mlneS win
view to the institution of proper geoioglcH com
parisons lie is unwilling to spend the time ana
the money necessary to accomplish tins primary
work Instead, he sends out Il mining engineer
who knows but little except what the DOCKS nave
told him and upon the report of this usually IN
competent person he makes his Investment IL
usually spends what money he does spend as lool
isblv as possible, and when he has sunk slo'VoV
or $50 600 to no avail he becomes disguised curses
wildcat mines. and wherever he goes he dahlhH
the country generally There are thousands Oh
cases in which mines thus abandoned by Eastern
men and sold for a song after they have SUNK III
them q moderate fortune have been bought py
Western men, men who understand the country
and who have made mining life-wofk, ana
proftably developed So soon as the time comes
and il soon will come when the practical western
miner takes hold of the Black Hills their immense
mineral resources will respond quickly 10 MS
knowing touch and their output Will be qnad-
rupled. H. - '<'