Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1900-12-27
The Mining Exhibit.


two months since the Mining & Com
mercial Club here was organized, and |
know OF no better way to reach the pub
lie ear regarding the work it has already
accomplished and proposes to accom-
plish than through the press. Ths club
is now in working order, the organiza-
teon is practically complete, the books
and stationery are purchased, and the
committees are all appointed. The
membership is now over sixty, but by a
little effort that number could be in
creased to one hundred or more. A
large membership however is OF no par
ticular advantage. Better have fewer
and those be willing TO do something.
The club levied small assessment on
each number two months ago and that
has been nearly expended, but the busi-
ness men and mining men OF Grants
Pass are not close-fisted, and when
more money is needed it can easily be
raised, provided the expenditures are
judicious. Four hundred circular let
tors have been sent out relative 10 min
ing matters, and quite number Of let
ters written by the secretary. The
mining exhibit is meeting with sncour-
agement but two hundred or more cir
cular letters will needs be sent out soon
to supplement the first ones. II we had
about 500 on hand and could send
someone out for couple Of months to
visit every mine in this district, to write
it up and bring in the ore samples, take
the photographs etc, and we could have
fine complete exhibit soon, and of the
very best possible to obtain. But as
there is not anything like that amount
of money in the treasury or obtainable
just now the idea is not practical. Last
year a fine mineral exhibit was sent
from Grants Pass to New Orleans at q
cost Of about 800. 1t did not represent
half the mines Of Southern Oregon. 1t
was placed on exhibition in only one
city. Tho exhibit that the Mining &
Commercial Club here will prepare will
be permanent one. 1t will be in three
or four sections and can be exhibited at
one time in Grants Pass, Portland, San
Francisco, and II necessary Buffalo,
N, Y, at the Pan-American exposition.
The mining men take hold Of the mat
ter of an exhibit from the standpoint
that Grants Pass is vitality dependent
upon the success OF this mining district,
while the miners care nothing about the
success OF Grants Pass on the business
interests and therefore think the burden
OF this exhibit should fall on the busi-
ness interests of the town. They do not
object to the small fee charged to help
pay expenses, but they do not want to
bother with the rest OF the details and
some of our mining men will not bother
themselves either The Mining 4 Com
mercial Club will finally complete its
exhibit by personally writing up the
mines, collecting samples, and collecting
the fee. 1t may be possible to get the
first section together through CORE
spondence, which is by far the cheapest
plan, but the way to get up the complete
collection is to send some one out among
the miners at work.
Only three committees, out Of the ten
standing committees, have yet been cal
led together, and there is an abundance
of work mapped out for each one. But
II is best not to get too much work on
hand at once.
The principal items Of expense OF the
NJ. & c. Club so far are as follows
Postage, s3,65; printing & books, sl2,25
miscellaneous expenses, including fce'
Of secretary, 1920; total s22.05. Nearly
all the expenses incurred so far are OF &
permanent nature, 80 that the working
expenses from now forward will be light
! hope something will occur soon Ia
make our business men see the grea
benefits which can be secured TO Grant
Pass by a united effort. Every mombe
of the club should be in attendance a
the quarterly meeting on Tuesday, Jan
uary, 7, 1901. At that time some actor
should be taken towards pushing tb'
work Of the organization more rapidly
Il. G.. PRNTLASD,
Secy. Mining & Commercial Club.