Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1896-04-03
BEWARE OF THE MIDDLEMAN.

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Major John F. Jones Gives Valuable Points
to Owners of Mining Prospects.
Editor of the Yorkville Enquirer.
Your article in yesterdays issue refer
ring to our Reduction works suggests to
me the need, or rather the advisability, of
making known to farmers, and to others
in our county who own mines. real or
prospective, how they crn best protect
their interests.
AS suggested in your article, the plant
erected by myself and friends has
awakened new interest and perhaps
given new value to the mining properties
in this section. refer especially to such
properties as contain refractory ores. for
we know that the ores can be successfully
treated by our process. Had we not
known it, we would not have spent
80 much money as we have.
Now that the ice has been broken,
have every confidence in the proposition
that sooner or later every mine in York
county, and, indeed, in this whole section,
will acquire value that it has not hereto
fore possessed, and the knowledge that,
under the circumstances, it Is not reasona-
BILE to presume that the average mine
owner understands how to best get the
benefit of his property, prompts this
letter. think am in position to say
something that will be Of value to the
people.
It is often the case that the first people
to approach the owners Of good mining
prospects are not tn ose who actually
propose to develop the properties; but
brokers, agents or middlemen. 1t is
usually their object to secure an option or
contract that will enable them to eventu-
ally sell the property to actual developers
at higher price and to pocket the differ
ence. While this is legitimate business,
it is not al ways to the best interest Of the
owner Of the property. Often, by an
apparently innocent, but cleverly worded
contract, the middleman speculator refer
red to is nabled to get an advantage that
the owner does not suspect until 1t is too
late, and sometimes he finds it to his
interest to tie up the property for an
indefinite period to the great detriment
and perhaps loss Of the owner.
Now it is understood by persons with
experience in the business, that pros
pect," is not "mine." There may be
every promise of rich ore in paying guam
titles; but the mine must be actually de-
veloped and the vein exposed to sight In
such a manner as warrant reasonably
correct conclusion as to its extent before it
can be sold to the best advantage.
Suppose some farmer happened to own
valuable prospect. If he gives such an
option as has been referred to on it, he is in
the hands of speculator. A better way
than this is for him to do the developing
himself. He can pick his own time, when
the crops are laid by, for instance, and
work on his prospect. AS his ore
accumulates, if he is able to see profit In
it, he can have it treated, and with the
returns may proceed to sink shafts, drive
tunnels, make open cuts, and In this way
fully determine the value Of his possess
sion. Then if he has good mine, sus-.
ceptible of profitable treatment, either by
the caloric or other process, he is In
position to enlarge bis operations by an
increased output, to put in machinery, to
lease on the royalty plan, or to sell, which,
ever course he may see fit to adopt. If he
has good mine, he need have no fear OF
being unable to find purchaser. The
purchaser will find him.
Then there is another thing. 1t is not
well for the inexperienced to take too
much risk. This is easily avoided. AS
says can be secured in various places. A
piece of ore small enough to be sent
through the mail will serve as test.
The owner can easily select an average OF
bis ores, or his best, as he sees fit, and
after securing an assay, can tell about
how much inducement he has to continue
his developments. TO facilitate informa-
ton of this kind we have opened an assay
Office at our works, and undertake to
assay and report on gold bearing ores for
the nominal sum of $1.5O for each sample.
Not only this, we will take pleasure in
advising with intending developers Of
their own property as to the best methods
of procedure in different cases, and will
give them such other information as we
think may be of value to them.
In conclusion, please allow me to say
that know that good ores and splendid
mining prospects are scattered in every
direction over the length and breadth OF
York county. Had I not known this, 1t
is not reasonable to suppose that myself
and friends would have gone into the
establishment of our plant here on such
tremendous scale. Notwithstanding what
we have done, I can but feel that we have
just started, and I hope there will be no
misunderstanding as to the occasion OF
this letter. Besides entertaining feeling
of gratitude to our people for their uni
form kindness and consideration in af-
fording all reasonable assistance to our
efforts, realize that individual success
and profit in the development Of the
numerous prospects everywhere abound
ing, will just to that extent indirectly
help us. Then again, satisfied that there /
must necessarily be almost unlimited
developments in gold mining properties
in this section, and that with very little
more delay, want our own people, who
at present own most of the property to be
developed, to be in position to realize the
advantage and appreciation of values that
will belong to them.
Very respectfully,
JOHN F. JONES.
Blacksburg, S. c., April 2, 1896.