Bisbee daily review., 1906-07-29
INTERESTING FACTS
 ABOUT COBALT
Dunbar Scott Gives Mining Ga zette Interview Following
 Visit to Camp.


 Geographically, mineralogicaliy and Geographically. the Nipissing dis tricts of Ontario is one of the most interesting sections of the Dominion of Canada. It seems to be entitled to more substantial investigation and less of the frenzied speculation than is yet observable.
 The center of the Cobalt -Nickle-Sil- yer area of Coleman township is tru- ly wonderful. but. upon its reputation. surrounding country circumscribed by a radius of, say five miles, has been greatly overestimated. Until so many exceptions were brought into prominence, it was a fairly well estab. nshed theory that these fabulous de- pcsits were to be sought only in the Lower Huronian series, consisting or the conglomerates, the gray wacke states and the impure quartzites: but very promising discoveries have been made in the intrusive diabase and gab- bras. which, as a rule, have contained more silver and less cobalt than those of the older formations.
 Indiscriminate prospecting has been carried on all over the surround ing country between the Montreal riv. CT and Lake Temiscamingue, even iii the kewatin rocks, which, next to the Laurentian, are the oldest. hardest and most uncompromising in the coun- try. These rocks are nearly always associated with white iron, which appears like silver to the inexperi- enced eye, and nothing better than pyrrhotite has ever been found in the formation of this age.
 There is a prevalent dissatisfaction with the mining law as revised, and in force, since May IA. It is supposed to discriminate against the capitalist as in favor of the poor investor, but the almost unlimited right to explore an other mans claim, the process of gov ernment inspection and the uncer- tainty of procuring titles certainly de feat and hold up to ridicule the pater- nal instincts of the government
 The sublime object of the kings ministers to prevent the acquisition of title upon which spurious stock may be sold to a gullible public, places an almost monarchial responsibility in the hands of the political factotem called the inspector, and does not by any means accomplish the laudible aims of the farmer parliamantarians Hhe Cobalt brokers entertain their clients accounting the companies that have been hurriedly formed upon op- tons, secured of prospectors who ney- CT had any hopes of perfecting title. and in estimating the amount of stock that has been dumped in the States before the expiration of the option.
 Twenty or more different location stakes may be counted at the corners Of numerous claims in the district The first man stalking must accompa- ny his record with an affidavit that he has made discovery of valuable mineral in place (not a valuable dis coyery of mineraD and all those sue ceeding must do the same thing be. side attesting to the fact that no one had done so previously. The law thus makes it incumbent upon every claim ant to question the veracity of all athers, and this part of it, at least, is a saving clause, for every man in the camp ought to be recorded as a shark until he can furnish evidence to the contrary,
 This particular part of the ragula- tlons, too, has clever commercial significance. The more prospectors' license at S10 and the more records at $5, $7 or S10 the commissioner may dispense the better will he be entitled to the distinction of having properly conducted "land-office business"
 Now comes the inspector with dig rified stride and carefully-worked-up imitation of sagacity. He enters your shaft upon which you have spent one to two thousand dollars looking for slightly better values, picks off few fragments of the lead. brushes the dirt from his clothes and passes on by the bated breath of the fish in the lakes and the obsequious bows on the trees. He is to busy to notify you personally. In two or three weeks batch of perhaps a dozen reflections are got together, and placarded in the front window of the land office After the poor prospector has spent his last dollar on a claim he has considered valuable. he reads from the sidewalk the decree pronouncing 1t worthless.
 The first appeal from the inspector is before the minister of mines at Sudbury, who cannot consistently re- verse the findings of his subordinate
 Fraudulent procedure, contention and litigation follow closely, and. whatever may have been the intent the operations of the present law are working a distince preference for the politician, the grafter and the mar who can afford to spend the most money in development and lawsuits
 The hardships. deprivations and dis arrangements offered to any pros pector entitle him to inc best consid- erarions. and when we consider that over 9 per cent of claims filed are thrown out as worthless, to the poor prospector at least other fields seem more inviting.
 Compared with the mining laws of British Columbia or Quebec, Ih On- taric code is utterly crude.
 In Quebec we may lesa any number of square miles, in unsuryeyed terri tcry, for exploration at s5 per year Fer sction- In surveyed districts the