The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1899-03-01
Mining by AstrOlogy.


mining town has chance to see hui
man nature in all its phases. There is
no place where the superstition and the
passions of men are so fully revealed.
"You have probably never heard of
the Epsilon Gold Mining Company,
Limited; indeed, there is no particular
reason why you should. Up to few
weeks ago the Epsilon Gold Mining
Company consisted almost entirely of
John Robinson as president and of my
sell as secretary and treasurer. There
were 2OO, 900 shares of stock equally di-
vided between us two, for which up to
that time we had been unable to find
purchaser at any price. The assets of
the company consisted entirely of
barren tract of land several miles from
the gold-producing mines OF Cripple
Greek. We had bought the property
for practically nothing and had incor-
porated our company according to law.
Up to that time it's stock was worth
nothing a share. There was small
amount of money in the treasury, but
we had not felt ourselves sufficiently
encouraged to work the mine; had long
ago given it up as bad job aud turned
our attention TO more profitable fields
of investment In fact, had almost
forgotten the existence of the Epsilon
mine, when one morning tall, lank
funereal person marched into my Office
unannounced and planked himself in
chair directly opposite me. had
never seen him before, but he was well
dressed and from all appearances well
provided with this worlds goods.
"Pardon me-" he said by way of in
NrNInnttnn th,t I houn
mentioned in connection with the Ep-
sion mine. believe you are the Sec
retary and Urea surer of the company
81 thought for few moments, and
then suddenly remembering my aban-
doned claim, nodded polite acquies-
cence.
81 wonder where 1 can buy any of
the stock of that mine?' inquired my
visitor.
CAS- matter of fact there were 200,-
600 shares of stock gracefully reposlDg
iu our safe awaiting purchaser. How
ever, thought 1t best to be just little
bit wary, 80 informed him that there
was 80 far as l knew no stock for sale;
that it had already been taken up and
was in safe hands; but that if he was
anxious to buy would look around and
see if l couldn't pick up few shares
here and there.
"Oh, yes; would like to buy quite
a good block he said: that is, if
could get it at a moderate price.
would buy as much as $1,000 shares if
everything was salts actory."
II asked him TO call around in the
afternoon, as might be able to accom-
modate him by that time. He agreed
to that proposition and retired. or
course, l began at once to smell rat.
/ called in my partner and informed
him that an apparently sane man wish
ed to buy 100 900 shares of the Epsilon.
He at once grew suspicious. OF course
we thought that this man had some in
side information concerning the prop
erty which we did not possess, and we
at once began rigid investigation.
We had not finished by the time my
friend punctually returned in the after
noon, so asked him if he could not
come back the first thing in the morn
ing, when thought 1 would be pre-
pared to deliver the stock. He at once
agreed and we continued our investi-
cation. So far as we could learn there
was absolutely nothing new about the
Epsilon. No strike had been made on
that or any claim within several miles
of it. 1t was just as barren tract as
it had ever been. My partner, how
ever, was not satisfied and did not
want to sell. l thought it was the
chance of our lives and l finally per-
suaded him to dispose of fifty thousand
of his shares at five cents a share, l
agreeing to dispose of the same amount
for the like sum. 1t was just like pick
ing up money in the street, for there
was no stock broker in Colorado who
would have accepted the Epsilon as
gift. My friend turned up promptly
the next morning.
81 have succeeded in raising the
hundred thousand shares,' said, 'but
find that cannot get it for less than
five cents share. Would you be will
ing 10 give that much?'
Certainly he replied promptly,
pulling out his check book. He at once
wrote out a check on a responsible
bank in Colorado Springs for So 200
and handed it over to me. made an
excuse to retire to the next room and
while there called up the bank. They
replied that the check was all right;
that it only represented small amount
OF the strangers deposit More mys-
titled than ever, l made out the stock
certificates and handed them over to
him, he accepted them apparently with
relish.
CSC suppose have no right to ask
the question: said at the conclusion
of he transaction, but l would really
like to know why you have bought this
stock and paid S. 900 for it. You must
have information which we do not pos
sess.'
"'Yes, I suppose you think l am
very foolish to take up this apparently
worthless mine replied my visitor.
Il know the whole history of it and am
perfectly well acquainted with its rat
ing on the Stock Exchange. Neverthe-
less / am bound to take it up. The
reason why is this: am an astrologer
and direct all my life and all my BUSH
ness transactions by the stars. Some
days ago ] was looking over list of
the Cripple Creek mines, and that ne