The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-09-11

@ HERE has recently arrived in @ London an American gentleman
 charged with the task of placing the shares of no less a concern than King solomon's Mines The property is eight miles north of Ainsworth, in the Black Eagle district of Arizona. Up to the present the shares have been mainly held in Southern California; but the absence of dividends has rather shaken local faith in the concern. In consequence or this the Californian market has shown tendency to flag, and 1t has been im- agined that London might offer more promising field of operation. The title Of King Solomon's Mines is merely a fancy one, and we are semi-officially informed that there is no suggestion that King Solomon was ever interested in the prop ertv, or ever operated in the shares.
 The most remarkable feature Of the mine, however, which gives it unique position among the mining enterprises of the world, is the alleged fact that its affairs are directed by spirits. This Is the excuse for patience which is made to the numerous stockholders in the ven ture, who have become weary of the long wait for dividends Lately, for instance, several Los Angeles people and some members of the Soldiers Home have an- nounced that they would gladly sell their stock which they have paid for by monthly instalments, saved from their pitifully small means A personal letter from the president of the company Games B. Townsend) to a member of the Soldiers Home admits that Tit is now 19 years since the initial steps were taken, and the first open work was asfinaugurated by their (the spirits) direction in the early part of the year 1899, and from that time until now the work of organizing and de- veloping its properties has gone on in- cessanty" 19-year wait for divi- dends is somewhat discouraging to stockholder, especially as there is no inn mediate chance of a declaration.
 Under these circumstances, and to calm down those who have weakened in their faith in the richness of King Solomon's Mines. one of the company's chief pro motors CWillard J. HulD has made an announcement about the property.
 ..It is true" said MT. Hull that the affairs of this company are aided by messages from the spirit-land. The de- sign is to set up before the world an altruistic object-lesson, and King Solo, mons Mines belong to group of enter prises which are a creation of the invis- bles, with the intent of demonstrating how spirits and mortals may cooperate in harmonious action. The plans for the working of the mine and the site of the mine itself were revealed through spirit messages. We keep a medium at the mines all the time, and work is directed through messages received by him. have received the most encouraging word 1 from there, and ore is now being taken out of the shaft By next January there will be rich ore on the dump, ready to send to the smelter. I made personal visit to the mine two years ago, and I consider it very promising, Did you want to buy some stock? Well, now, the last I heard, this stock was selling for 50 cents share, and-really, now, don't believe you can get hold of any. No; don't think our people want to sell any more" It seems that the last message MT. Hull got was hint that the company should operate in British Columbia as we'll as in Arizona.
 '.In the absence of more authentic in- formation than Is at present available about the actual state of the mine" seri- ously proceeds the Chronicle. 'it would be premature to condemn this enterprise. Doubtless, the gentleman who has just arrived in London will in due course is- sue properly guaranteed statements on the subject of the mines prospects. and in dicate at what figure the interest par ties are willing to place the shares But this much may be said at the outset-the claim of occult assistance in the affairs of the mine has absolutely no foundation.
 By this time everybody knows that there is such thing as occult science, and that men of the first rank in the scientific world are convinced of the ex- istence of supermundane intelligences who can communicate with human beings But. whatever may be the nature of these alleged intelligences, every cautious and critical investigator of what are claimed to be their communications is