The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1896-03-19

London and Paris upon the strength Of
sweeping and unguarded statements made
by the notable mining engineers who have
visited the camp and have been infected
by the general gold madness.
There are plenty of good mines In Grip
pie Greek. I can bear witness to that. A.
L. Dickerman, the mining engineer upon
whose reports Mr.. Rockefeller recently in
vested in the northwest iron mines, told
me just after coming out of the main shaft
of the Independence mine in Cripple Greek
that he had seen veins of gold ore SO rich
and extensive that If 1t had been iron in
stead of gold he would consider the mine
q very valuable property. Hamilton Smith,
the renowned English expert who investi-
gated the South African goldfelds for the
Rothschilds, made a very thorough exam
nation of the Independence few days
ago and then offered Mr.. Stratton So, 000,-
900 on basis of the ore actually In sight.
Clarence King, who is perhaps the high
est authority upon such subject in this
country, made a trip down the Independ-
enoe shaft last week and fully confirmed
the opinion of the other experts. This
Judgment is also confirmed by Charles ].
Moore and A. T. Hathaway, both experts
of very high rank in the west and practi-
cal mine managers. Besides all Of which
miner representing The World, secretly in
spected every part Of the mine three days
ago, and simply repeated what the others
had said The Independence mine is not
the property Of a stock company. 1t Is
owned entirely by Mr Stratton, who re-
fuses to sell it at any price.
There can be no doubt in the mind of
any man who has visited this country
within the last few days, and who Is
aware Of the character Of the letters and
kilograms that have been pouring in from
New York, Chicago, Boston, London,
Paris and Stuttgart, not to speak OF the
thousands of messages from the towns and
villages all over the country, that the Grip
pie Creek craze Is spreading and that there
is danger in sight which may everwhelm
thousands of men and women who have
been foolish enough to believe that it Is
possible to become suddenly rich by ex-
pending a few dollars on the strength of
the stories of newspapers or stockholders
can say from personal knowledge that
there are no properties, except those which
involve high gambling, for sale at price
that a conservative man would care to pay
for them. There are hundreds of millions
of dollars In the hands of Colorado men
seeking good Investments. Mr.. David H.
Moffatt, for instance, president of the
First National bank of Denver, principal
owner of the Victor mine, and one of the
most extensive proprietors in the Cripple
Creek camp, could furnish, on ten days
notice, $25, 600, 900 II 1t were necessary for
the purchase of property that would justi-
fy such an expenditure. There are no "bo-
nanzas'' kicking around the camp for lack
Of purchasers; that might as we'll be un-
derstood But there Is a good chance to
invest money in substantial mines that
are paying and will continue to pay 10,
12 and sometimes IL per cent, or even
higher. The Portland, for instance, which
is on the southeastern slope Of Battle
mountain and within q stones throw of
the Independence, is paying $50, 900 a
month in dividends on capital stock Of
So, 900, 900, and has expended within the
year, outside of its dividends at least
81, 500, 900 in mining equipment and the
acquisition of new properties. have seen
the dividend checks.
1t would make me miserable to be an
idle, useless fellow. have an active, rest
less, energetic temperament. must work.
Now, II my mine is worth 5000, 600 or
$40, 600, 900 or even $15, 600, 900 to any one
else, it is worth just as much to me. don't
know any better business than mining.
love 1t; it suits my mechanical taste and
habits. 1t enables me to get my living and
the livings Of great many other people,
while adding to the wealth Of the world
and without taking penny that belongs
to any one else. Then there Is an element
of adventure in gold mining, the tracing
out of new veins and the discovery Of new
chutes of ore, the study of the hiding
places of nature. 1t is all very delightful
and very satisfying to mechanic, espe-
cially to one who values his wealth a thou
sand times more because it is not taken
from the pockets of other men.-James
Graalman in New York World.