The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1908-04-23
WARNS OF WILD
CAT MINE SCHEMES
MAN POSING AS u. S. GEOL-
OGIST PUBLISHES A
FALSE STATEMENT
OF GOLD STRIKE
SEEK TO SELL
STOCK.

Recent publications of an alleg-
ed gold strike, asserted to rival
the famous HomeStake deposits,
directs attention to the practice
occasionally INDUCED in by pro-
meters and others to invite public
notice to questionable projects
and at the same time inspire pub
lie confidence in the reports by
giving an official or Government
title to alleged experts. In this
particular instance it is stated
that Theodore Tobish, the emf
nent mining engineer and geolo-
gist, we'll known as the chief of
the Geological Survey of the
United States Government, has
Just returned to Goldheld after a
two months sojourn i'll Death
valley"
Mr.. Tobish, who, it must be
first stated. has no connection
whatever with the Geological sur
vev. and never had, makes as
founding claims as the result of
his trip. in which he discusses
lodges that ARE practically noun
tains OF quart" of low grade ore,
running from 81 to S1f ton on
the surface. with the prospects OF
richer ore below, and states that
the ore bodies of the company
downing the properties far exceed
the combined ore bodies of Alas
ka.
An incident to the scheme is
the location by the owner of fifty
three springs, from part of the
flow of which has been developed
5O.OOO.0O0 gallons of water a day,
and the discovery of the existence
of an underground river only
thirtv-fve feet below the surface,
which flows at the rate of eight
miles Jan hour. From this it is
proposed to make of Death valley
garden spot by irrigation. The
report presents various other fas-
cinating attributes OF the local
ity.
Inquiry of one of the officials
of the United States Geological
| Survey. who has the widest. of in
formation concerning the mineral
and water resources of the West,
develops the fact that no such
person as Theodore Tobish was
ever employed in the Geological
| Survey, much less as its chief; ;
that none of the biologists of the
survey ever heard of him as a
mining engineer or geologist or
otherwise. and that most If not
all of the statements are fabr:-
Gated out of whole cloth.
This statement" said this
member of the Geological Survey
"is one of the most fantastic tales
Of new FL Dorado combined
with a future Garden of the Hes
perides which has recently foun
its way into print. Its purpose
doubtless will be disclosed Later
lin some choice wildcat mining CT
irrigation literature. Without go
inc into the merits of the story
Iof what would amount TO the dis
covcrv by Mr.. Tobish OF vas;
mining property which he ends
already developed on gigantic
scale. but the very existence OF
which has for some unaccount-
able reason never before been
brought to the public attention
or to the development Of a mag
ni6cient underground water sup
ply in a region where death tom
thirst is the most usua, at TRACE
dies because the water IS ex-
tremelv limited in quantity ard d
large proportion of the few exist
ing :.nrings are poisonous with
alka1i. alike to man an Negeta
ton. or of an underground river
flowing at the rate of eight miles
an hour. whereas the undcr-
ground waters of the region do
not exist as rivers AMI 10 not
travel as far in a year as rhls I'M
aginative correspondent claims
they flow in an hour-leay'n,g ali
these little matters out OF he
ouestion-it is suficienf~so say
that reputable and well inf med
travellers and workers in this. re-
gion will not confess to al &C
quaintanceship with or that icy
have ever even heard of MIR. To-
Dish. and it may be said, further
more. that it is not the practice
of "chiefs" or of members of the
survey to discuss their geologic q
investigations except through The
medium Of official publications.
"1'he statement in question has
every earmark OF a complete fake
and shows no apparent evidence
of foundation in fact. 1t may not
be out of place to remark that tbs
public can not too closely scru-
tinize any statements of mining
strikes or gold finds which ar
made TO appear to emanate from
officials of the United States Geo
logical Survey"