Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1896-08-04
MINING AND BIG SALARIES.
Places with High Pay Awaiting Com
petent Mine Managers.

petent Mine Managers.
The general statement sometimes
made among men interested in
mines and mining, or in The
branches Of work open to the young
graduates Of the colleges, that there
are not enough competent mine
managers to supply the demand, has
led at times to the extension OF that
remark into an assertion that every
graduating class in the technical
schools is snapped up at once AS
English capital, operating mines in
this country and in Africa, is per-
haps the most in evidence in the
mining industry, it is commonly said
that the Englishmen are doing this
or doing that, and the. statement
has been made that the British min
ing companies are grabbing off
everybody in sight tits added that
the pay is big, as the field is great,
and q ready instance Ct the band
some Remuneration awaiting these
fortunate graduates is found in the
experience of John Hays Hammond,
who it is said, receives 100000 .
year. .-..,,.4r~sr.- 49,
Such statements are misleading.
1t Is unquestionably true that there
are not enough competent mine
managers to supply the demand.
But authorities controvert the as
sertion that the graduates OF the
technical schools Immediately find
tempting places. waiting for their APP
pearance in the fields of practical
work 1t is true that men of the
ability of John Hays Hammond can
command very large salaries for
their services in managing mines,
but Mr.. Hammond, when he went to
Africa for $50, 900, had already shown
his capability and won a high repu-
tation in the United States. He is
graduate of Yale, but he did not
step from the university into the
$50, 200 place.
The graduate of mining school is
not ready to take the direction of a
mine. 1t is accepted among mine
owners in these days of scientific
mining that book knowledge is es-
sential to the satisfactory operation
of mine, but it has to be supple
mented by an actual, practical work
ing knowledge of the mining indus
try, which can only be obtained by
active, persistent and intelligent la
Dor in the fields and under ground.
So the graduate has something to do
before he is prepared to offer himself
as competent mine manager. Some
graduates seek work in Offices or
with other engineers, some in the
mines. After this they are on the
plane, if they have been diligent and
have natural ability, where they
are likely to receive big offers to go
and take charge of mining proper
ties. There are good mine man
ayers who are not college graduates,
but those of them who are not ma
bobs, the product of an earlier and
less utilitarian day, are not the ones
who are making $4,000 a year to
start in on, although sometimes they
may have good salaries. And they
are not the ones who are making
their million or million and half of
dollars. HRS ##.
The graduate who goes out to a
mine is likely to be looked on at first
as something of a dollhouse growth
and has got to bring the stores of
2 his intellect to bear upon the prac-
teal problems of the days task and
play one against the other to equip
himself for the place Of master. His
technical knowledge of formations
must enable him, as an observer
among the mines of two continents
says, to make a good guess at the
lay of vein, and his experience
must enable him to make surveys
under ground as well as upon the
surface. If he is to be manager, he
must be able to do a given piece of
work as well as the best of his work
men, and this implies strength as
well as skill, and he must be equal
to the task of managing men, too
TO become successful mine
manager, !" the same observer says,
three qualities are requisite: First,
there must be endurance, and an &C
curate Judgment OF human nature
must accompany scientific ability. y
N. Y. Sun.