, 1891-04-29
AN HONEST CAMP
An Experts Good Opinion of Gold
Hill Methods.
No GOphering or Hippodroming in
the Camp.
Placer Claims are Beginning to At
tract Attention.

IOmAhA Bee.l
What the promising new Wyoming
mining district of Gold Hill most needs
Just now is fair play.
1t is time that some of the popular
misconceptions regarding the district
should be corrected, and that speedily.
Everything that has been written about
Gold Hill by those who have taken pains
to personally investigate the reports of
the finds made there has been from a
conservative standpoint. No attempt has
been made to boom the district. In short,
no possible benefit could be derived BY
anybody, at this time, by an exaggeration
OF the Importance of the mineral discov-
cries which lave occasioned such a furry
of excitement in mining circles.
At the outset it ought to be rcmem-
bered that in speaking of the prospects of
Gold Hill those who have any familiarity
with that section do not refer especially
to the cluster of little camps lying under
the shadow of the Snowy range. 1t does
not seem to be generally understood that
a mining district has been established,
of which the various groups of claims
located late last season formed the
nucleus. Fortunate ~locators were so i'm
pressed by the favorable indications of
ground in the ~neiRhborhood Of the noun
tain where they staked off claims that
they early took steps to include the ad-
jAcent territory within the limits of a dis
trict. Most of that had either not been
prospected at all, or hastily and ip per-
fectly explored for indications of mineral
deposits.
WORTH HUNTING FOR.
Talk with any man who has borne the
hardships of a rough winter on the summit
OF the mountain now known as Gold Hin,
close up TO the edge of the timber line,
and he will frankly confess that he does
not regard his claims as the saving power
of the present camp or the motive for
building up another big one there. All
are free to admit that the possibilities Of
the district, as to future strikes, are so
great that the good fortune of early
~locators may be eclpsed.
These pioneers were satisfied in their
own minds that rich prospects had been
found. They were willing to stand by
them. Their faith had been demonstrated
not alone by their voluntary exile or an
entire winter on a mountain top, and the
devotion, not to say heroism, with which
they nave guarded their own claims and
those of absent ones. Nor was the
protracted stormy season, with its unusual
rigors, passed in idleness. Honest work
has been done towards the development
of claims, under circumstances that would
test the grit and endurance OF any man.
Nobody would take chances such as these
plucky miners and prospectors-for the
winter contingent OF the district has been
made up of these two distinctive classes
unless they were convinced hat they had
found something worthy of development.
If they wanted to boom the district,
the character of the work done
would have been of an entirely different
sort from that which was prosecuted.
When a bunko game in a mineral section
section is attempted, it is impossible for a
man OF experience to be totally deceived.
Some traces of such a plot are certain to
be detected when he sets out deliberately
to satisfy himself whether or not there is
anything in a district. A skeptical in
vestigator must needs have good and
abundant proof before he would hazard
an opinion unqualiiedly favorable to the
locality and its importance as a probable
mineral producer. 1t doesn't take an ex-
pert to size up q camp. The opinion of a
practical mining man. who has had ex-
perlence there or elsewhere sufficient to
back his ju lRment with an investment Of
his owl money, is a safe guide. There
have been visitors to Gold Hill who fill
this bill. They have come back convinced
that somebody will make money out OF
the camp. More than that, they are
satisfied that the circle Of those who are
to be enriched will be enlarged and
recruited from among those who take up
the hunt for mineral when the conditions
are favorable.
NO HIPPoDRoMING.
No such thing as gophering has been
tired on any of the Gold Hill claims. Men
have gone down on the leads and tunnels
have been driven with but one end in
view. All have been trying to find out
the extent of the ore bodies to satisfy
themselves, not to add a commercial value
to their discoveries. Claims haven't been
hawked about for sale. Where strikes
have been made or an improved condI-
ton shown il the progress of development
work, owners of the properties refuse to
entertain propositions to sell out, Small
interests in some claims lave been parted
with but that was because the sellers had
to make a raise of money, since most OF
the prospectors are either poor or are
possessed of limited means.
The only advantage to be gained from a
rush of people to the present scene OF
operations would be from the booming Of
one of four townsltes already laid off. At
present, though. the snow is so deep that
building operations would be difficult, If
not a sheer impossibility. Whatever may
be done by the owners of these townsites
to attract people thither will be of general
benefit to the public. The projectors are
planning the construction OF new roads
into the district, which will necessitate the
outlay of much labor and not a little
capital. They of course will be assisted
by the people OF Saratoga and even of