Tonopah bonanza. [volume] (Butler City [i.e. Butler], Nev.) 1901-1909, 1905-05-13
NEYADA'S ARMY
OF PROSPECTORS
They Present a Heterogeneous
Mass of Many Sided, Contra
dIctOry and IneXplicable
Natures.

Prospecting for the precious
metals is at once interesting, fasci.
mating, aud too often pathetic. OF
the millions who are directly aud in
directly interested in mining there
are but few who know anything Of
how the work is done, by whom or in
what kinds OF localities, says the
Salt Lake Mining Review.
No other class of people on the
earth presents such a heterogeneous
mass Of many-sided, contradictory
and inexplicable natures as are
found in the small army OF pros
pectors scattered over this western
land and now converging into south
ern Nevada. where the intoXication
that accompanies the prospect Of
immediate wealth invests that
country with a halo of golden mys
terry and expectation that has not
been equaled since ''the days Of 40.
Into that region Of feverish ex
pectatious thousands Of old time
prospectors and thousands OF tender
foot neophytes are now en- route.
There is the old and grizzled veteran
with his single jack mo reference to
a three-and a half pound mining ham
mer is intended packed with (per-
haps) a months grub consisting
principally Of -four, bacon and a can
Of baking powder; two well worn
quilts or blankets, a prospecting
pick, gold pan or horn; several can
teens, and the necessary tools for
cooking and eating. Then, there is
the man, or men, with several burros
well provided in every way for a long
and perhaps successful campaign.
Add TO the foregoing type Of old
timers, the men, veterans and other-
wise, who 90 with teams, taking
with them a light set Of mining tools,
u small assay furnace and other
equipment for a long and, very
likely, successful seige Of the hills.
Bringing up the rear Of the
picturesque procession Of goldseek
ers is the rag tag and bob tail Of all
creation, single and in gangs, always
afoot except when cumming a ride
with freighters; always hungry. foot
sore and weary, but impelled for
ward by the hope of sudden wealth.
The presence in Nevada. this sea-
son, Of those un~fortunates will be a
serious problem for the camps and
for those who 20 with an abundance
for their own use; but whose larders
will be unexpectedly and often taxed
by hobo ''prospectors,' and others
whose lack Of information of the re-
quirements Of the trip and the coun-
try, will become stranded in a land
where spring and streams and habi.
tatlons are few and far between.
No man should 90 to Southern Ne
vada without being amply provided
with funds, and he will require at
least twice the amount of money
that would be needed il any part OF
the west.
The over sanguine temperament Of
the average p~rospectof. who is il
the habit Of eXaggerating the size
and values Of his finds, has become SC
conspicuous that the definition of a
prospect is "a six foot hole and q
liar on the dump For that reason
many truthful, cool-headed men rai
10 get grub stakes from those who
otherwise would cheerfully back the
~prospectors to any reasonable
amount As a rule, the prospectol
is honest and intends to be truthful
but, n the absence Of apparatus fot
making comparatively correct guam.
titative tests for gold and silver, hi.
Imagination 100 leads him astray.