The Sumpter miner. [volume] (Sumpter, Or.) 1899-1905, 1900-04-04
TIPS TO PROSPECTORS.
Not . Bad Plan to Use Good Common
Hone Sense.

tunnels OH mlneIallZeu StIlnScIS u pOiut
of "innocuouS deSuetude," and In sinking
shafts down on small pockets Of ore to
depths Of desperation. There are thou.
sands of location notices posted on just
such kind of mineral showings in the
western Cascade mountains and, as a
rule, they are poverty stricken-or rather
poverty strcking propositions. Mining Is
like gambling, in that 1t is alIuring and
exciting; and some men follow It with
about the same lack Of judgment and self.
abandon that is manifested in bucking the
tiger or taking turn at the roulette
wheel.
Mining Is a trade, and so surrounded
with hazardous and speculative conditions,
compared to the ordinary branches of
business, that In the absence OF any direct
knowledge of the mining business itself,
or prospecting, II is a pretty good idea to
just use good, common horse sense. For
instance, If an expert or mining engineer
tells you that the small strnger will widen
out by going in on it, or that the pocket
Of ore will increase in bulk by going down
on 1t, and that either or both Of them will
give higher values In the precious metals
by going In or down, as the case may be,
don't you believe him. In refusing do.
ing so you will show your good horse
sense, II you will pardon the expression;
for no one can see any farther into the
earth than you can.
OF course miners and prospectors will
continue to work these small strngers
and pockets in the hope that they will
lead to something big, but the experience
of all mining camps has been that the
"strike" Is never made once in hundreds
of times. There is only one pardonable
excuse for hanging onto small PROPOSE
tons of this kind, and that Is in case
where free gold and other of the precious
native metals are present. But where the
ore Is all base and rebellious there Is not
one chance in thousand for the miner or
prospector who whittles his time and
money away on stringer or small
pocket Of ore.
Now, the mining capitalist isn't going
to buy any of these stringers or small
pockets Of ore. He Is looking for large
or average bodies Of mineral and not ne
cessarily high grade; and when these men
who sometimes buy mines send their ex.
perts to examine properties they lthe ex.
perts) 20 instructed to report on how
much ore there Is In sight; to make an
average sampling Of the mineralized body
as a whole; to report on timber, water
power and accessibility Of transportation
that's what the moneyed man wants to
know, and that's about all. OF course,
country rock, walls Of the lode, dip Of the
vein and its trend, gouge, etc., may be Of
interest to him, but they are no longer
matters Of detail that enter into the pur'
chase Of mining properties, and especially
average or big mines.
What mean by ore in sight Is any big
body Of mineral that may crop on the sur
face or where by DEVELOPMENT work the
ore has been blocked out by a systematic
drive Of tunnels or shafts.
Two weeks ago, In the mining depart
ment Of the Times, gave to its many
readers an article on "A Few Pointed
Suggestions on Prospecting" and In this
sketch have been telling you what the
man who buys mines want. J will ad
nit that there Is some money made out Of
stlingers and small pockets Of ore. u
isn't much of a trick to "wildcat" them