Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1903-08-20
LEDGES DON'T PINCH OUT
And Mining Is Surest Business on
Earth. Says MIR. Keizur,

remarks of Mr.. Keizur concerning the
"pinching out" of lodges are par
ticularly in point and apply with
equal force to the mines of Southern
Oregon as to the districts which lie
mentions:
"Gold is the only product of the
earth having stable value. Mining
for this metal is no more a gamble
than any other business, with honors
all on the side of mining. Speaking
of mining, the well-known. newspaper
correspondent, Frank G, Carpenter,
says he believes it to be more profit
able than four-fifths of all the other
businesses of the United States.
Statistics show" he goes on to
say, that 90 per cent of the mer-
chants and manufacturers fail at some
time in their careers, while fully 10
per cent of those engaged in mining
succeed when the enterprise is con-
ducted on strict business principles. -
In other words, we find that but one
person in 20 succeeds in business, at
least in their earlier attempts, while
10 in 20 of those who stick to the bush
make complete success of mining.
1t is a well know fact, however,
that the few who fail in mining,
either through ignorance or ill-advised
speculation, complain more loudly
than the entire 10 in 90 who suffer
through business failure. But does
the man who once fails in business,
and, by the way, his name is legion,
give up all further effort, and sit nim-
self to warn everyone he sees that
there is nothing in it? On the con-
trary, we think you will find that
sensible people really profit by tenn
porary failure, and as a consequence
of business reverses are in "a pos ition
to proceed with more certainty of
success in their later efforts Tell
me, if you can, why this rule should
not apply as we'll to the business of
mining, particularly mining for gold,
as to any other BUSINESS.
1t is really strange that so much
prejudice exists against mining, when
so many of the greatest fortunes Uf the
earth were made by this means.
During the past 60 years the worlds
production of gold has been fully
$40, 900, 600, 600, which was presumably
mined out by men of at least average
intelligence. Would it then, be even
passing fair to assume that any appre-
ciate part of all this enormous mass Of
wealth was mined at a dead loss? |
take the position that in business
sense gold is the only real wealth and
it appears to me that the reason of
this is very plain:
1t was part of the grand design in
the beginning. and there is no getting
around it. Dreamers may suggest all
sorts of ephemeral substitutes, but
gold is reality. Its value is fixed
and immovable without regard for the
law of any land The value of real
estate and city property is, in a GER
tain measure, fictitious and imaginary,
while the value of all products except
gold, is subject TO the varying
law Of supply and demand, but the
value of gold is beyond the power of
legislation.
Hence, the government stamp on the
500 piece is of no consequence what
ever except AS a convenient and
trustworthy guarantee that the piece
is full weight and genuine.
There is one great difference. how
ever, between "bus siness" and mining
for gold, which is all on the side OF
mining; you must first secure com.
mensurate funds to establish yourself
in any business that is worthy the
name you must then diligently and
persistently solicit the cooperation
patronage if you like of the public
in order to dispose of your wares II
is also, of course, absolutely neces.
sary to secure commensurate funds for
successful gold mining, but then, Is
not the product funds" itselfy
Fortune has many yotaries, many
deyotees, requires much courting and
is not going to run after you solely on
your good looks To make long
story short, in order to gain the favor
Of Fortune, she must be courted per.
sistently, and it goes without argu.
ment that mining for gold is the most
direct road to that end
The assertion that mining is any
more a gamble than any other business
is rarely made by a fair.minded man,
never by a woll-inforrned one. But in
taking up with mining proposition
one should use care that IL is the real
thing, and not merely an imitation.
The first essential requisite IN min,
is permanence the next is values
Wall movement, which Is essential tC
the life Of any permanent true fssur'
vein, brings about selvage, or the
so-called decomposed matter, which
occurring between the walls Of th'
ledge and the ledge proper tells il
own story. The next thing 10 consider
is have the values Of the entire ledge
OF at least all contiguous portions
become concentrated in some certain
chute, or zone, or streak, where thel
may be got at with the least possible
expense In other words, has Natur,
performed her foil share in providing
a paying proposition? II this is th,
case, then all that is required is t.
mine and mill the ores on up-to. dat
lines.
All this talk about ledge" pinch
ing out is rankest nonlense. Their
never was a ledge. that ever waI