The Washington herald., 1908-05-31

who has made many millions out Of his
Colorado gold mines. delivered the COM
mencement address before the graduating
class OF the Colorado School OF Mines, at
Golden, Colo, recently In his address.
Mr.. Walsh recited some details OF his
own experiences tending to show that his
requirement OF wealth from mining
operations was not through chance, but
by careful Investigations of mineral indi-
cations, and he insisted that equal or
greater opportunities than he had enjoyed
still lie in the pathway OF the skilled
mining engineer and prospector.
Some OF the advice given the graduates
by Mr.. Walsh and the personal expert
ences related by him are as follows:
IN the sphere of your profession don't
be too Anal and positive in your ideas
concerning the limitations of nature In
depositing her minerals or her precious
stones. To Illustrate my meaning, will
tell you of an experience l had in my
career. In 1875 went TO the Black HIS
with a party OF men from Central City.
who were looked upon as being the ablest
mine operators in Gilpin County. In the
fall and winter OF 1878 1 was engaged
In house building at Deadwood.
Meets smoky Jones.
"One day, Smoky Jones, the discoverer
OF the great Homestake Mine, came 10
Iny shop and asked me 70 do some trifiing
Job for him His clothes were old and
worn. his hair and long beard uncombed
and fraEzled, his face and head were
strangers TO soap and water: in fact he
looked rather seedy all around. I liked
him from the first. for I felt that beneath
this outer garb OF shabbiness there dwelt
charming and lovely personality. 1t
was about lunch time. / asked him TO
come and take lunch with me. and al
though 1 knew he was hungry, he ac-
cepted with reluctance. We became quite
well acquainted during the meal, and
upon his leaving I told him TO come and
see me whenever he came to town.
He came often and / saw to II that
he never Hit the back trail. as the boys
used 10 say. without first having had a
good meal He brought me specimens
from his prospect. told me all about it.
partner and help him develop H. 1 told
him I knew nothing OF mining, but that
1 would consult my friends from Colo
RADIO, which I did a short time after.
told them OF Smoky's offer and asked
them 10 advise me.
They told me TO have nothing TO dc
with II, that II was In a slate formation
and was only a freak; that no mine
could be worth fooling with that was not
true fissure vein IN granite. A true
fissure vein in granite-how we'll do
remember with what oracular wisdom
those words were spoken, they cling tC
my memory TO this very day. They went
and described how II should have a quartz
pay streak with a porphyry and quartz
filling; they limited the dip and. angle II
should have; they GRATED on how Il was
made how the gold was put into II. and
ended by saying that no mine could be a
mine that was not built on the exact
lines OF those IN Gilpin County.
Gets Advice in Plenty.
Having no experience. I looked upon
them as oracles. and wondered wherC
they got all the learning I wondered
and still the wonder grew how heads
like theirs could carry all they knew.
Keenly disappointed. ! told my friend
Smoky. how my compatriots advised m,
not 10 accept his generous offer. The
false. narrow. and positive ideas thai
were generally entertained at that tim,
/ by Colorado mining men In matters re-
lating 70 mining kept them from acqulr
ing a single one Of the great Black Hill.
mines. although numbers OF them wer,
among the first on the ground. and KEEP
me from being the half owner OF III,
HOmestake, one OF the worlds Creates
gold mines.
The moral I wish to convey is. don't
/ even with your technically trained minds
place any limitations upon the possibili
| ties OF nature in depositing the preciou,
metals. or the precious stones, in any
unlooked-for place. or in any formation
she pleases, for she did not consult US ir
/ doing IT,
Nature. despite her precious minerals
/ in very small areas and in unexpected
/ places so look for them everywhere
Apropos OF this. l must tell you anothe
| OF my experiences: Did you ever hear o
a mine being discovered on the roof of
| house? No. well. l once discovered on
on the roof OF log cabin, and Will tel
| you about Il. In 1850 l was interested II
properties In the Frying Pan District
west OF Leadville. 1 was stopping owe
1 for & few days at our mine; desiring {,
/ take a look over a nearby hill that
had not previously examined, l startc,
out one morning with my prospecting
pick and a gun.
Finds Deserted Cabin.
why 1 carried the gun cannot nov
recall. for had long before realized tn,
brutality Of slaughtering inoffensive bird
and animals. However, had the gul
and II played It's part in what followed
! Along about 10 o'clock was near
miners log cabin that had been nban
dOned, and thinking II about time I,
have smoke l went over TO the cabll
and set the gun between the poles tha
covered the roof. II had not the gun
would not have gone near enough TO Sc
what l did.
"As I looked at the dirt covered roof
after lighting my cigar. saw that I
had particles Of quartz all through !
and that It was lively vein matter.
looked around to find the vein from
which It came. but could see no trac
OF II. / found nearby 4 shaft sunk fl
decomposed granite absolutely barren
the hole at the end OF the cabin iron
which the dirt was taken was covere
over with debris, and there was no quart
or indications 70 be seen anywhere
/ Finally IN my eaarch inside th