Wadsworth semi-weekly dispatch. [volume] (Wadsworth, Nev.) 1899-1904, 1901-11-26
SILVER AIMING WILL PAY.
Cost of Supplies and Economy
in Work.

win oNfSi iiiAAho Pei
often asked and ii is to be admitted
that v valuable mining properties are
condemned simply because they are
silver mines and for lack Of a satisfac-
tory answer to this important question.
The purpose Of this article is to dem
onstrate- that silver mining will pay
with the same economy now practiced
in successful gold mining attending
and with greater returns on a like in
vestment, Notwithstanding the ex-
tremely low price of silver.
Within a radius Of fifteen miles of
this town are several famous mines
noted for their past records as silver
producers. They are now lying idle
merely because there is an existing
prejudice against silver mines in the
minds Of capitalists who without due
investigation, have formed an impress
sion that is an one and one
that facts and figures will not substan-
tlate. And 1t is for these same capt
talists that this article is particularly
intended.
The silver mines above referred to
were operated more than thirty years
ago when everything in the mining
and milling line was necessarily high,
particularly so when compared with
the ruling prices Of the present day.
Silver, however, was then worth from
81 to $t.29 per ounce. This made It
possible for silver mines to pay hand
somely, regardless Of the remoteness
from civilization and the high prices
Of the commodities incident to their
operation. While silver was then worth
in the neighborhood Of twice as much
as it is today, we find more than a
counter balance in the fact that all the
commodities used in silver mining
and milling are procurable today for
less than half what they were thirty
wears ago. 1t Is self-eyident then that
while price Of silver produced now
would be one-half what it formerly was
the relative cost OF its production IS
reduced more than one-half and that If
silver mining paid in times past, which
fact cannot be gainsaid, that those
same mines will pay today.
Fer the sake of convincing the more
skeptical we will make a few COMPARE
sons of the prices of the principal COM
modlties used in silver mining then
and now. These figures are taken from
authentic records. furnished from re-
liable sources and represent cost de-
livered at the mines:
Powder. former price, 35c per
pound, now l5c; Fuse, formerly $3.50
e 100 feet, now Csc; Caps, formerly
$3.50 per 100, now Csc; Candles, for
merly $3.50 per box, now $3.50;
Picks. formerly $3.50. now ST.; Show
els, formerly 81 each. now 85c; Ham
mers, formerly $3.50. 10Y o5c; Pick
and drill steel formerly Csc per pound,
now lie; Track iron. formerly 5000
per ton, now $50; Mine timbers, for
merly SIPS per M, now $35; Black
smith coal, formerly loc per pound,
now &C.
Water and air pipe are now procur-
able at about twenty-five per cent OF
their former cost.
The only item that has not been cor
r~espondingiy reduced is that OF min
ers' wages. However. the old scale Of
wages could be we'll maintained and
the same mines pay handsomely for
with the modern machinery the miner
can do twice the amount of work he
formerly did in the same time.
The machine drill In itself and alone
considered is convincing evidence of
this last fact. Now we will make a
faw comparisons Of the relative cost