, 1904-12-31
W. A. Stoddard.
Laramie, Wyo., Dec. 80, 100.

To the Editor of The Republican.
During the year just past consid-
cradle progress has been accomplished
in the development of the mineral re-
sources of the state. A careful survey
of the situation shows that, while there
has in no part of the state been what
might be called a boom" yet there
has been more substantial develop.
ment work done in the principal min
eral localities than in any one pre-
vious year. In proof of this statement,
| might mention that heretofore in no
camp in southern Wyoming have the
workings in any property reached a
depth of more than $50 feet. Work
has beer progressing steadily during
the year on the Albany claim, in the
Douglas creek district. the Doane and
Ferris Haggarty of the ~Encampment
district, the Strong in the Horse creek
district, all of which have reached a
depth of $50 feet or more. Those in
terested in mining are learning that
what is needed to develop the ores of
often the eastern investor is misled by
representations of large bodies of min
eral to be found near the surface, but
such bodies of ore are the exception,
rather than the rule, and if more of our
mining companies were organized with
the understanding that thousands in
stead of hundreds of dollars were to
be expended in development work,
there would be fewer disappointed in.
vestors and fewer enterprises would
fail.
Owing to the conditions of the min
ing stock market in the east and the
fact of this being a presidential year,
there was lite activity in mining lines
until within the past two months, dur
ing which time a large number of
properties have Resumed operations
and inquiries for stocks and mining
properties have improved greatly.
Our state is almost entirely sur
rounded by five of the great mineral
producing states of the union, and this
is abundant evidence. together with
local conditions, that, with develop
ment, we will equal any of our sister
states as a wealth producer. Natural
conditions have tended to retard this
development-we are without a Den
yer. a Salt Lake, a Butte; our railroad
facilities are limited and not conducive
to extensive development, as freight
and passenger traffic is expensive. All
interests in the state are now seeking
a remedy for this condition and a
change may be looked for in the near
future-a change which will result in
the development of the state by leaps
and bounds.
We need. also, action by our state
legislature looking to the protection of
both miners and investors against un-
scrupulous promoters. The past year
has witnessed the floating Of au least
ne~companv, unuer an incompetent
and INSCRIPTIONS management, the re-
suit being financial loss to its en-
ployes, to business houses and to in
vestors. We should have laws looking
to the speedy punishment of those re-
sponsible for the existence and man
agement Of such concerns.
AS a state, We can produce conclu-
sive evidence of rich mineral deposits.
We have larger bodies of high grade
copper ore than any other state. What
We need now is what each of our sister
states have had-'money and brains"
coupled with honesty-and we can
guarantee to produce as good returns
for these as can be secured in any
mining region of the United States or
in the world. Our mineral resources
are open to inspection by those look
ing for conservative investments in
line.
We repeat: Wyoming has the
goods" and will before many years
be one of the great mineral producing
states of the west. Yours,
w. A. STODDARD.