The Marble times and Crystal silver lance., 1901-08-16
The Evolution of a M;-ing
District.


1t is ever source of surprise, the
average individuals conception of
what mining is. The idea that it is
one of the most exactly organized of
| industries, that it's business is one of
the most perfect expressions of the
modern commercial idea, seems to be
appreciated only by comparatively few
of the people most intimately concern
ed in carrying it on. By the great
majority it seems as if it would always
be considered a great game of chance.
In considering it, the business of min
ing is always subordinated to the
ch ances of mining. Promises and
hopes seem to rate higher with the
mass of people than existing perform
ance. The successes in the business
of mining are the attractions which
induce investment, not to imitation of
them, but to chance. A mine that has
been developed and its earning power
determined becomes an investment pro-
position for income, and measurably
has it's value fixed by the amount of
anticipated profits. There is no specu-
lation in it. There is no chance by
which a development of metal value
will make the mine so much more de-
slrable to another person that the
speculative investor will be enabled
to take profit at once out of that per-
sons pocket, instead of waiting for
the mine to produce it.
Naturally, mining to people who in
stinctively regard it as form of le-
gitimate gambling, is largely a game
of follow the crowds. A mine in new
district is made commercial success
by the application to its development
of business principles, judgment, tech
nical skill, thrift and honesty. The
extensions and the district become at
once the scene of mining gambling
activities. The mine future, built and
paid for as described by the mine max
ing the initial success, is discounted
and sold for other mines while they
are in the prospect stage from which
they may never emerge. The crowd
who follow, in reality buy what it was
their hope to sell. In time-more or
less, it may be years, or lesser num-
ber of mon .hs-the buyers of the future
know they cannot realize it. That it
was a game that they played at and
lost, and not business that failed, is
rarely realized. Usually it is the mine
and mining that is blamed, when in
reality there was neither mine or min
ing A mining district is set back in
genuine development and it's real value
ceases to be recognized with the wip-
ing out of the speculative interest.
All mining districts have at one time
or other passed through this stage of
evolution. 1t seems as if waste and
mistakes in miniag are inevitable ac-
compartments of mining progress.
True causes are rarely generally real
lied. 1t is easier to ascribe the effects
to symptoms. Unwise legisl lation, high
taxes, extravagant and incompetent
management, swindling in sales of
mines, inefficient labor, and labor and
capital conflicts, are all charged as
the fault from which has come a fail
ure of mining in district which at
the beginning seemed inevitably de-
stined to be success of mining. These
things may be all true, but they are
not the causes of failure. They are
the failure itself-the unclean things
that breed in corruption. The cause
was deeper-it was in the considering
of the mines and mining as mere count
ers in a gamble, in the desire to get
something for nothing or very little,
in the mental constitution which would
not regard mining as commercial
business.
After all, though, the district still
has the real mines. The business
sense, honesty and commercial instinct
which leads to success still exists and
ever seeks its own. The reaction after
speculative fever is not death-it is
step in advance towards fortune
Min. and Sc. Press.