The copper era., 1901-08-01

The Homestake mine has now 90
 stamps at work with q crushing capac-
 ity of $500 tons per day. The average
 daily output is about Sl4 ,000 and since
 1877 the mine has produced S65, ,0O0, 900.
 The HOmestake is consolidation Of
 the old Homestake, the Highland, |,
 Deadwood, Tena, Caledonia and Father
 De Smet The total dividends paid by
 the consolidated companies is about
 S14, 100000. Since starting the old
 Homestake has levied assessments of
 only $250, ,0O0 and has paid dividends
 annually ever since. amounting to B.
 GOO, ,000, before the consolidation. The
 only mine that can rival the achieve
 ments of the HomeStake, from financ-
 ial standpoint, is the Mount Morgan,
 in Queensland, Australia. In the lat
 ter case, however the ore was phcnom-
 enally rich, running better than five
 ounces in gold for years; whereas last
 year the Homestake ore only milled
 S4.31 per ton, or one-fifth of an ounce
 of gold.-Denver Record.
 Poor old Smokey Jones was the dis
 most prospectors, saw many years of
 hard living after disposing of bis in-
 terests in the great producer. Smokey
 has long since crossed over the divide,
 his energy as prospector enriched the world 65,000,000, and the mine is now only fairly well developed. No class of people work harder than the prospector, nor live rcugher, and yet but very few of them ever make any thing above bare living. They are the pioneers in the great business of mining. Without them many of the best producing mines of the west would not have been discovered. The open ing up of the mines not only puts millions of dollars in circulation throughout the country. but it also gives employment to thousands of strudy miners at top wages. Yet very few of the nabobs who roll in luxury as the direct result of the energy and intelli- gence of the prospector, appreciate the hardships, the trials. and bitter of the poor below who spent his life in the hills that prosperity might come to others. He always looks forward with brightest hope, yet is satisfied with small grub stake, with which to pursue his lonely through the hills. The is not appreciated. He is regarded by many as an idler and a drone, but he is usually a hard working man, aud as honest as the day is long. He may be given to romancing some times in describing his latest strike, but that is because he is enthusiastic. Without that enthusiasm he would cease to be a prospector. It is part of his business and as essential as his buiro and camp outfit. In the hills he water but when in town he has an un- quenchable thirst which refuses to be satiated. When he makes a sale he is a prince while his money lasts, and is considered legitimate prey by the hu- man vultures of the camp. When his money is gone he cheerfully packs his burros and is of again to the hills, where be is supremely happy. He is a simple child ot nature, without a care in the world. But he has a habit of growing old. and his declining years are full of trouble. A home should be provided for the superanuated pros pector where his last days could be spent in peace and quiet. It is won- der that none of the many multi-mil- lionaires whose money came through the mines, have not thought of this, and provided home for few hundred old time prospectors. He deserves it, and what joy it would be to the donor to see the old boys sitting around, smoking their pipes and spinning yarns of their prospecting days. The writer may never be rich, but if the fickle Goddess of Fortune ever smiles on him, his first investment will be in home for the prospector, and boys, there will be a little something hid away in a corner to tickle the palate, and to re- Iresh the memory of by-gone days.