The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1909-08-13
A COLD TURNING DOWN


ors is ineXplicable, and leaves that
body open to unfavorable criticism.
The local manager seems to be desir-
Gus of being fair in this matter, and
had he known that private cores
pondence was to be used he could have
advanced stronger arguments why the
work should go on. There is no in
tention to awaken false hopes among
stockholders, but it is evident the
manager is not so certain that the tun-
mel is hardly as black as painted by
biased experts.)
Some space has been given the ex-
pert reports on the Palmer mountain
tunnel. The subject is of sufficient inn
portance to notice. 1t turns back the
hands of progress in that district many
years. The only way the public can
be satisfied that there is any merit in
Palmer mountain is by the making of
a producing mine. These reports add
to the difficulty of such an undertake
ing. So far as the writer is concerned
his faith in the district is not shaken,
nor does he doubt that the time will
come when mining will be carried on
protitably on Palmer mountain, al
though he may not live to see the pre-
diction verified. So far as the tunnel
is concerned, if the directors really
place any faith in the expert reports
they are more culpable and more to be
condemned than the old management
if they continue work of exploitation
The old manager believed he had some
thing to work for, while the directors,
believing these reports, must feel that
over dollar expended is just SO much
money thrown away. The honorable
course to pursue, under such circum-
stances, would be to take the cash on
hand and reimburse as far as possibl
those poor, unfortunate stockholders
who invested all they had in the propo-
sition. TO sum up the situation to
these experts, and those who believe
in them, it looks like case of heads
| win tails you lose, and to those who
have lived long in the vicinity of the
property it looks as though there was
a niger in the wood pile, but why or
wherefore is beyond their understand
ing.
Through the kindness of Dell Hart
this office received letter circular,
just before going to press, signed by
John Boyd, the former manager of the
Palmer mountain tunnel, giving his
views relative to the expert reports,
set down briefly and mil lily, which is
entitled to some consideration before a
final verdict is reached. He maintains
that the tunnel is legitimate and
meritorious undertaking, and as he is
more familiar with every foot of the
tunnel and Palmer mountain than any
other man his statements should have
some influence. One of the best points
he makes is the query why; with the
report of Hewitt before them in Sep
tember last the managers of the com
pany should have touched the stock
holders for more money in January,
for if that report is correct then furth-
err expenditure was unjustifable. Mr..
Boyd put In many weary and trying
years in his efforts to make a mine of
the tunnel property, and those who
know him best believe he was sincere
and did his work In good faith. From
all outward and visible signs he did
well and masterfully, for even the ex-
perts found nothing on that score to
criticise. If Mr., Boyd will only show
the stockholders wherein the experts
are at fault in findings and conclusions
he will be doing the country he lived
in for so long time inestimahle bene-
fit, relieve the apprehension of those
who have CHANGED their means in the
project, and bring confusion those who
have inquired his motives and con-
la1nnp1 tho antapr,i..,