Bisbee daily review., 1903-05-06
CAUSE OF MANY FAILURES


 The Nogales Oasis, whose editor is perhaps one of the best posted mining men in Arizona, having kept close ob- servation of the progress of the indus try in the southwest for almost 2 gen eration of time, has this to say in an editorial under the heading of Mining Failures ".
 One of the Tucson newspapers has been publishing a series of articles from the pen of mining man touch ing upon the numerous mining failures in Arizona, laying the fault in most part to poor judgment of experts in selecting mines. The burden of the entire series is the fool expert who does not know what he is about. Before now the Oasis has had occa- sion to discuss this very proposition, and it now reiterates what it has several times heretofore asserted, that for every worthless mine in Ari- zcna which has been foisted upon de ceived purchasers through recommen- dations by incompetent or dishonest experts, twenty really good mines have proved failures through incompetent management. We can name many mines which have more high salaried officials than they have miners pound ing drills underground. That is the kind of management which soon eats ur the working capital of a mining company, causes its bankruptcy and final abandonment of the property.
 Several years ago there was de scribed in these columns such a min ing enterprise which had proved a failure. A general manager was paid s4, 900 per annum and expenses. He passed most of the time in the east, came out to the mine twice year, and charged up to expense account big and it is now reiterates what it has bils for railway fare, hotel bills, etc. There was, besides secretary in the east who drew a regular salary of s1 800 per annum. the general super intenden5 was paid s1 800 per year and expenses. Then there was foreman at the mine who was paid four dollars a. day There was a salary list of more than $S,000 per annum, and the expenses of the general manager and general superintendent raised the an nual cost of mismanagement to S1O,- 000 There were just six men em- ployed in the mine at a daily wage of s1.5O per day for each, or s9 for all, an aggregate of $2,717 for 313 working days in a year With that kind of management it took but about three years to absorb the working capital of $40 900 with which the company started operations. and there was TO showing of any consequence for the money. Yet the mine Is one of the best in the southwest. All that was necessary was to have surveys made by competent engineer. let contracts for work by the foot, and develop the mine A competent man to look out for the same could have been secured for four dollars per day the man en- ployed as foreman could and would have done it. Then the balance of the s10 900 expended upon mismanage- ment could have been devoted to de velopment work. and it would have put the property in the list Of dividend payers.
 The amusing feature of the matter was that within a month after the above outlined article appeared more than a dozen different men came to the editor and asked: How did you get on to the Gold Glory Mining com pany ?".-and each one of them put in different name for the company
 But it is a positive truth that the majority of mining failures proceed from mismanagement-no from n.is- judgment of experts. .-Nogales oasis
 
 ASBESTOS IN CHA COUNTY.