The Sumpter miner. [volume] (Sumpter, Or.) 1899-1905, 1900-05-09
THE GENTLEMAN
FROM COLORADO.
Han An Idea Or Two On
Prospectors and Brokers.

"Over in the agricultural states, during
election time, the granger Is spoken Of as
the honest farmer," said the gentleman
from Colorado. "ln all mining regions,
II Is the prospector who gets that descrip.
tive adjective attached to his calling per.
sonified. think you newspaper men are
TO blame tor this practice In both cases, as
you are to blame for SO many Of the er.
roneous IDEAS lodged In the public mind.
don't know much about farmers, but, on
general principles, I will gamble that they
are not a whole lot more honest than their
opportu permit. In the case Of pros.
pectors, I'm more or less well posted-but
III never tell more than about half know
on that subject. merely desire to re.
mark. In general way, that they are as
honest as the average horse trader, before
the bicycle forced that noble animal into
the back number class with silver and
steam power; when there was chance TO
make dollar In the business. And, just
10 let you know that have read the book,
guess I had better make some reference
TO David Harum. IN this connection,
though. this is merely to impress point
and adorn these reflections.
son the other hand, the world over,
the broker is considered the antithisis OF
unsophisticated honesty. He Is supposed
to be Shrewd aud unscrupulous, daring and
dangerous. tie Is known as the real es.
tate shark. the mining sharper, the
wheat pit manipulator, the stock board
thimblerigger,' and so on; all suggestive
Of u character long on intelligence and
short on moral qualities. Let me condde
a professional secret TO your keeping
am sure can trust you. Sympathy for
the prospector. so far as his dealings with
the broker are concerned. is WASTED. he
can take care OF himself IN all such trans.
actions.
sin speaking OF the broker In this con.
nection, | don't mean the man whose lite
has been devoted to promoting big mining
deals. The professional prospettor recog.
niies such an operator at the first meeting
and attempts 10 spring none OF the tricks
OF his trade on him. Hut II is with the
AMI whom he uses tor spending money
those ambitious farmer bows and dry
goods clerks who come to mining camps
and invest their capital In office furniture,
gilt signs and bulletin boards. Some Of
them will win out IN the long run, but .
they have to serve IN apprenticeship in .
this, aS IN other calings.
"As | said before, I'm no, going to tell
all know about the prosrector's system
In PLAYING this game, but to illustrate my
point, will relate a true story OF a little
| witnessed here in Sumpter,
last week, The typical honest pros.
pettor' sauntered into the office OF Mr..
Broker aud showed some tair looking
rock. Ot course, the latter was instantly
tie wanted to get the prospect
,n his list. tie asked dozen stereotyped
questions. winding W with: 'how much
ioes il goi' The man with the pick
iidnt know exactly. Said he had panned
, dozen samples and rs near rs he could
udge, il went all the way from $40 or $50
o three or tour times that amount. II
vas good enough 10 suit him and he
lidn't have the price OF an assay. This
,artitular broker is not sucker by about
thousand miles; but he swallowed that
,ait without a suspicion that the cruel
,ook was concealed therein. tie had tive
ssays madc-wanted 10 play Il safe.
They ran from trace to ST.. That was