The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-08-28
Dividend Paying and Invest
ment Mining Stocks.
w. E. HUBBARD & CO.,
TEL. sos. is w. I'd So. ST.
RoMANCR OF A MINE.
A True Story That Is Founded On
Well-known Facts. -


Well-known Facts. =
The HeraId's Mercur correspondent
sends in the following story, in the
perusal of which the reader will have
no difficulty in placing characters and
localities, viz:
In small town on the middle west
dwelt two Dutchmen, whom we will
call John and Hans, not because that
was their name, but for an entirely
different reason. They were known
throughout the neighborhood as careful
and thrifty farmers, who, by hard Ia
Dor and a thorough understanding of
their business, had laid away a COM
Portable surplus for the proverbial
rainy day. They were contented with
their lot, and no one would ever dream
that they would ever have been reck-
less enough to risk their hard-earned
means in the gambling business of a
mine investment; but appearances are
deceitful, as the sequel will show.
Two of their more adventurous neigh
borS had been out west and returned
with the gold fever. 1t may not have
occurred TO some that this disease is
more contagious than smallpox and Of
ten more disastrous in its consequences,
but such is the case. AS John and
Hans listened to the descriptions of the
fortunes locked away in that far west
ern region, they began to be interested,
and, finding that all this wealth could
be obtained for the small sum of S10,
900, and that the two enthusiasts were
willing to put in their own money, they
finally concluded to risk a little and
take chance.
The ground was purchased, and the
samples showed that the gold was
locked up in it all right, and they were
leo to believe that it could be taken
out all right. So, when a further drain
was made on their resources, they put
up their share; but the experiment
was
a MISERABLE FAILURE.
Instead of becoming disguised with
the business, the natural obstinacy of
the Teutonic race caused them to try
again, and another assessment was
levied.
1t would be painful to the readers to
dwell on the many trials that awaited
the partners in the venture. Suffice it
to say that the investment had craWled
up dangerously close TO the hundred
thousand mark; the originators had
put in their all, and the business of
raising money to continues further Ia
Dor rested on John and Hans. Just
how they felt can be better imagined
than described, but it is safe TO say
they looked back with regret to the
time when their only care was the sue
cess of the farm, and when dreams of
gold TO be dug out of the hill, or large
bills of expenses to be met were I'M
known. Still they had no idea OF Civ
ing up. They stayed heroically with
their original intention and decided to
see the matter through to finish.
About this time one of the partners,
who can answer to the name of George
Loo 1a6 r. Of
ore. He was quite a reader of scientific
literature, and in the course of his re-
searches read about the method of eX-
tracing gold by a solution of cyanide
of potassium. The more he learned of
the matter the more he was convinced
that the solution OF the difficulty was
along those lines. He began to tell
his partners What he had read, and
they listened to his arguments. They
were then $4,000 in the hole, and could
see but little chance of playing even.
Partly because the plan seemed feas-
ible, and partly because something had
to be done, it was decided that George
should take a small carload of the ore
TO Denver and see what could be done
in the matter. If it proved a failure,
they would foot the bill and consider
the next move later on.
The carload was shipped and the re-
suit was astonishing. Enough gold
was taken out TO pay all expenses, and
George put
$36 IN THE TREASURY,
the first that came from the mine.
Thirty-SiX dollars is not much toward
paying back 500, 600, but it was the rift
in the cloud, and the partners were
Jubilant. John and Hans returned to
their ranches and hustled the money
to continue the work, leaving the other
boys to work out the problem.
After some time spent in trying the
new method, and failures on account
of too fine crushing, or too much cya-
hide, and such other features of ex-
perimental work, a message reached
john and Hans inviting them to come
out and see the first cleanup. Of
course, they came and looked wonder
ingly at the mass of dirty looking stuff,
but as George assured them it con-
tanned gold. they Were willing to be-
lieve him, particularly as they had
never found him deceitful in the DAYS
gone past. To clinch the argument,
however, George took some of the
product, and, although his apparatus
was crude. he succeeded in making
A SMALL GOLD BRICK.
From that moment Hans ceased to
worry about the matter. Indeed, he
took an option on a large block of
stock, which had become the property
of a man who had little faith in the
new-fangled notions.
With their cyanides in gunnysacks, |
they rode in a rickety wagon to the
nearest depot and proceeded to Omaha, |
where they took the stuff to the re-
finery.
On their arrival at that place they
inquired for the manager, but as he
was not in, an obliging employee Of
fered to attend to their business. They
declined all offers, however, and
waited for the head man.
The manager looked at the stuff and |
shook his head. They showed him the |
gold brick, but he was still uncon-