Los Angeles herald., 1908-03-24
MINER DESCRIBES
THE REAL RAWHLDE
SAYS IDLE MEN ROAM THE
STREETS
Much Money Is Being Sunk in the New
Camp, but Prospects Are Not
as Good as at First
Supposed

oh. F. P. Bowen, accompanied by his
brother and G.. b. keenan,. all well
known Nevada mining men living at
khyolite, arrived in Los Angeles yester-
day from tour of the principal mining
camps of NeN ada, including the new
camp at Rawhide. The party is making
a brief visit l.. Los Angeles, and has
headquarters at the Angelus hotel.
DR.. Bowen is a practicing physician
of Rhyolite and is interested in mines
or prospects in nearly every camp in
Nevada. He also has two claims at
Rawhide. The tour which he has just
completed is but one or many similar
expeditions which he has made into
the numerous Nevada camps, and he
returns from his l.test trip with sew
eral pronounced views.
The talk about the Rawhide boom
seriously affecting Rhyolite and Vest
ern Nacada camps" said DIR. Bowen
yesterday, lis nonsense Rhyolite and
nearly all other Nevada camps possess
ing material foundation are today en-
joying their full quota of prosperity.
Perhaps their surplus population of
prospectors is somewhat depleted, but
this in no wise has affected the mining
interests there, and industrially the
various mining towns, especially Rhyo-
lite, Tonopah and Goldfield, are on a
stable basis of independence, so far as
outside mining fluctuations are con-
cerned.
Most Camps Sane
Before the influx to Rawhide most of
these camps had resolved to sane, prac-
tical municipalities, with business in
terests involved of such varied extent
that their legitimate enterprises are not
jeopardized. They have actual mines
undergoing actual development and
q n 81 nf "
means Dermanence. The real miners in
these camps are too busy to be worried
by the departure of a few idle pros
pectors, many of whom in their flight
to other 'diggings are overlooking good
undeveloped territory.
"I have just returned from Rawhide.
1 have two claims there, which I have
Just prospected. The camp, so far as
its mineral possibilities and discoveries
are concerned, has been grossly exag-
gerated. The place is filled UP with
idle men. Hundreds of them have little
visible means of support The one
street of the town is crowded, a num-
ber of men are sinking money in busi-
ness enterprises, an some are pros
pering; but the actual production of
gold is very limited, and but a very
small per cent of the hundreds of leases
and so-called bonanza claims will ever
prove to be desirable properties.
I'm one respect the miners at Raw
hide are up against new mineralogical
freak which for a time to come will
prove confusing. The geological forma-
tion of the new camp Is such that in
early days it would have heen entirely
overlooked by pioneer prospectors. Min
ers who have been in nearly all the big
camps of the west admit they are puz-
zled.
1.-THE fact is, gold at Rawhide is not
found in quartz, but in old-fashioned
porphyry-the kind that constitutes
most hanging walls in the big Nevada
gold producers. 1t is very seldom that
porphyry has been known to carry
gold, or other valuable mineral, and in
so doing it is making fun, as 1t were.
of the well established rules and opin-
ions of experienced miners.
There is very little quartz in Raw
hide. What gold has been found is al
most invariably taken from mineralized
porphyry, and with this unusual per-
version the miners there must become
familiar before the real worth of the
camp can be decided. am afraid, how
ever, there will not be enough gold
bearing porphyry or other rock in Raw
hide to Justify the present big inrush of
prospectors, and the boom there l be-
lieve will be short-lived. 1t is also quite
evident to anyone who has investigated
that region that certain interests, ex-
elusive OF mining. are behind the boom.
What these interests are will be obvious
to thinking persons, so 1t is needless to
designate them.
"As an indication of the hard times at
Rawhide, / observed that while the
streets at night are crowded and places
of business are attractively conducted,
the crowds walk up and down amilessly
and spend but little money. dance
going on the other evening proved big
attraction. The door was jammed with
spectators, so I looked in. The crowd
was all on the outside. There were only
two couples dancing. That is but one
example of conditions there, but it illus
trates the real Rawhide.'