Elk City mining news. (Elk City, Idaho) 1903-1913, 1906-01-06

orps of biologists, to enable them to
discriminate valuable mineral lands
rom agricultural lands. And if pri-
rate corporation like the Southern Pa
life railway finds it profitable to follow
such policy, it would seem at least
expedient for the State of California to
follow suit, and to establish and main
tain geological survey for similar
purpose.
Bnt one of the finest Illustrations of
the cooperative helpfulness of geology
towards mining is seen in the investiga-
ton which is being conducted at the
present time by the United States Geo
logical Survey under the direction of G.
K. Gilbert, into the vexed problem OF
the reconciliation of hydraulic mining
and agricultural interests. Mr.. Gilbert
is one of the most eminent biologists at
the present time living. He has been
concerned throughout his life IN the in
vestigation of problems in pure geology.
Yet, at the call of the miners of Cali
fornia, he gives his great talents to the
study of this most important problem.
One of the most curious things in the
relationship between miners and geolo-
gists is the "odium geplogicum. The
cause of this is difficult to fathom. In
manG camps biologists are ridiculed,
not as experts, but as>inexperts. The
probable reason for this is two-fold. In
the first instance, there are, beside the
real biologists who understand their
science, vast number Of so-called ex-
perts who impose upon mining COM
munities, and who by their ignorance
and mistakes, bring the science of ge-
ology into disrepute. The second prob
able cause Of this prejudice againat
biologists ON the part of miners is to
be found in the natural and wholesome
suspicion of theories, but theories are
a symptom of thinking. Some thinking
is weak and ineffective, so some theo-
ries are pernicious in their tendencies.
Science makes Roadway only by the
erecting of hypothesis and their critical
examination. Theories are not an evil
in scientific hands. There they are
understood. The trouble is that many
miners take them for gospel. Miners
the 3 selves are not wholly free from
theories, Such theories as fronts the
mother of all metals" is theory which
is pretty commonly entertained in Corn
wall and among Cornish miners, is q
theory which it would be difficult to
parallel in the science Of geology: the
theory that values always increase
with depth" is almost universally en-
tertained by the prospectors. When a
miner runs crosscut tunnel he INDUCES
in a theory. The mine owner in putting
up money to develop mine INDUCES in
theory. How often his theory is in
error l leave you to judge. There are
20, 900 mining claims in this state.
Every one represents theory. How
true they are ] leave you to Judge.
From what have said it is apparent
that the chief feature of relationship
between geology and mining is one of
mutual benefit. This should be the
keynote of all efforts in the develop
ment of the mining resources of the
country. There should be a spirit of
cooperation helpfulness on the part of
the art of mining and on the part of
the science of geology. The miners
should not be suspicious of the natural
ambition OF geology to do as much as it
possibly can in its own way to bring
about the full development of the
country's resources. And geology. on
the other hand, should remember its
deep obligations Is mining, and pursue
with still more enthusiasm and with
greater energy the problems Of econo-
mic geology with which the mining in
dustry is concerned. mining and
Scientific Press.