The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-02-14

While nature has been prodigal OF
her choicest gifts, as far as Utah is
concerned, and in every mountain
range has stored her wealth galore to
which every mining man and pros
pector has the open sesame. it IS stu
too true that the mining interests of
the state are retarded and cursed by
small army OF backcappers and black
mailers.
Every mining state in the west is IN
ficted by this coyote, this obstacle IN
the way of progress, but SAT- Lake
seems to have more than its share OF
them. and many are the legitimate
mining deals that are blocked because
of the insidious, libelOGS and coWardly
remarks made by men who, through
jealousy. or other sinister motives,
cannot bear to see others successful
unless they, themselves, have q hnSer
in the pie" the result being that II IS
safe TO say that not more than one out
of ten mining deals is ever carried TO
q successful contamination, in conse-
quence of which the mining industry IS
injured and capital. ever timld is
scared away. and properties OF known
merit and promise are allowed to re-
main idle when it would require but
little development and the expenditure
of but little money to make them pay
ing mines.
This condition is deplorable, and
more. it should meet with the disap-
proval and condemnation Of every
honest mining man in the state, and
the backcapper should be given the
hint that he must either cease his call
ing or be ostracised by reputable men.
1t is easy for some men to say, on,
that mine is no good, or Ihls prop
erty is possessed of but little merit,
Gin inf lla
minds of prospective buyers; and from
that time on the properties mentioned
are looked upon much in the same light
as people at large would look upon
girl whose reputation for chastity had
been questioned In fact, good mine
or a promising prospect is just as easily
injured by sighting and scurrilous re-
marks as is the character of an inno-
cent girl when the fOrked tongue of
SANDER is launched against her, and
the damage done is almost as far
reaching.
How much better, then, would it be
to say good things regarding your
neighbours property! What a change
for the better there would be if all
mining men would stand together, the
same as is done in nearly all the min
ing camps OF Colorado, and if they
could not conScienuOusly speak well OF
any property, then say nothing at all
II = IAl sale VI WISE " COIQEIllA q
mine or g prospect that has never been
inspected; and. even where a person is
familiar with the property, a stroke of
the pick, the firing of a single shot may
disclose untold riches. But if the mine
is backcapped and slandered until
capital is afraid 10 touch it, the pick
viii never be used, the shot never
fired, and thus the individual, the COM
pany and the country at large will lose
what would have been a great wealth
producer but fer the backcapper, the
blackmaiier and his tribe.
= The backcapper is not confined to
any class Of men. Ee is found in rags
on the street, and for the price of
drink he viii break up a mining deal.
He thrives in the Hobbies, where his
semi-respectable appearance gives him
entree and the privilege of holding down
a chair from morning till night. He
is found in the banks, the counting
rooms and the swell clubs of the city;
and even on the floor of the stock ex-
change he is heard making sighting
remarks regarding this or that prop
erty. much to the disguest of reputable
men who detest a backcapper as they
would a rattle snake.