Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1901-10-05
TINE PRoSPfCVOR'S COLUMN.

y
them until cross-questioned, then it
will be found that they know very
little, accurately. There are three
kinds of prospectors:
I. Those who are lazy.
2. Those who want to know their
claims but on account of lack OF
knowledge are unable to ascertain.
g. The prospector, par excellence,
who knows how to do the work and
does it.
The first kind is public nuisance.
The other two are splendid fellows
WI hom we would like to help. This
column is for that purpose.
Now, what are the questions
usually asked by prospective pur-
chaser of the claims? They are es-
sentially as follows:
I. What is the nature of the ore?
q. How wide is the vein and the
width of the pay streak?
a. What is the value of the ore,
in dollars, per ton.
a. How many ore chutes exist and
what amount of development work
has been done?
&. Is there timber or water enough
for mining purposes in the immedi-
ate vicinity.
How many prospectors can ans
wer these Questions with any ac-
curacyp The lazy fellow will lie.
the ignorant prospector cannot ans
wer and our real prospector, who
can answer these questions, will
either sell his claim or make friend.
Nothing is more provoking to pros
pective purchaser than to make
trip to a prospect, often expensive
and generally uncomfortable, and
then to find that he has been deceived.
He will certainly never go to visit
another claim owned by the same
party; once bit, twice shy. There is,
moreover, no real reason why the
prospector cannot ascertain sufficient
about his claim to know one or two
things Q) either that the claim is no
good, or (2) that it has a value. If
he finds the first to be the case, let it
be dropped ; if the claim has a value
there is no reason why it should not
be displayed to the best advantage.
Let any prospector show a mining
man that he has a vein running right
Through his claim or group of claims,
let him see the width OF the vein and
lthe pay streak, let him be satisfied
with the values in the pay streak
and it will not be a difficult thing to
make some sort of trade. After
quite little experience with pros
poets we may say that very few
claims are opened up to even half
show these things. The claim is
generally in the condition it was as
when first found. A first rate and
very successful prospector, during
the course of conversation, laid down
the following rules:
L. Never hold more claims than
the prospeCtor can develop. The
most he ever held at one time was
three.
2. Develop the claims you have
and when satisfied that a claim is
worthless pack up your tools and
get out. 1t it shows up well, develop
it and try to sell or to raise money
enough to work it.
In order to find out whether the
claim is really worth holding the fol-
lowing work should be done, after
the claim is monumented and the
ten-foot hole is dug: Carefully ex-
anime the surface of the claim so as
to trace the vein clear through.
Wherever covered, or even indis-
tinct, cross trench and expose. At
least six cross trenches on a claim
should be made so as to show as
many cross sections of the vein. BY
testing the exposed vein in these
trenches the value in width of the
pay streak can be ascertained, as
well as the richest chute of ore.
Search persistently until you are
sure that you have found the richest
ore; then confne your work to that
spot, for time at least, or until you
are satisfied as to length of this ore
chute on surface. 1t is then time
enough to begin to talk of reaching
depth. Sink prospect hole on the
ore chute, say thirty feet with a
1 mindlass and then If the ore still