The Ketchikan miner., 1909-03-13
Mining Securities
 as a Safe Investment

The majority of inventors, says the London Daily Report, are apt to re- gard mining securities as far too risky for safety. But mining has now reached such scientific stage that its opera tions can be calculated as closely as those of any industrial enterprise. Hundreds of splendid properties arc to day yielding big, steady returns to inventors who have acquired their shares at bargain prices. Moreover, they possess the additional attraction of possi bilities of further rich discov- cries destined to prove veritable prizes for the lucky shar reholders. It is in these times of dullness that clever in- ventors will pick up promising shares. If they wait for boom their chances of big profits must necessarily disap- pear. While millions have already been made in mining, it is certain that further millions will be made by shrewd shareholders, for there are vast, rich gold-bearing areas which still remain unexploited. How many people quite realize what splendi i'd profits and even fortunes have been and can still be made by patient men who pluckily hang on to mining ana other investments which weaker and more impatient operators foolishly abandon because they do not get inn mediate results? There is an old say
 ing that mining never dies, and it night be added that miners never de- spair, so we'll do they know that for
 its ardent votaries mining reserves glorious surprises and prizes This explains their persistency In the face of the most tremendous difficulties, the reward being sufficiently brilliant to encourage the most strenuous efforts and justify the widest hopes, even that of becoming rich beyond dreams of avarice. Many of our modern mill lionaires are men who have made their piles in mining, and the stories of their lives would form fascinating volume, rich in romance, strong in human interest. A splendid illustra- tion of the surprise of mining is afford ed by the De Beers Diamond Mining Company. There was moment when the late Cecil Rhodes and c D. Rudd could have bought De Beers for $50, = 900. They walked about all day, fev- erishly discussing the deal, but could not raise the money to finance it, and
 were thus compelled to allow the chance to escape them. However, as erybody knows, later on circum- stances changed, they became richer and finally succeeded with powerful tinanciers, in consolidating all the Kim berly mining interests in one colossal concern-De Beers Consolidated. The property formerly acquirable tor S30. GOO ultimately developed into a proposition worth $20, 900. GOO, with the certainty that the mine would pro- duce $25, GOO, 900 of diamonds yearly for the next hundred years.
 Probably the richest copper mine in the world is the Calumet x Hecla, located in northern Michigan. In 1865 it was discovered by pig roofing around in the dry leaves of a hole in the ground. It cost it's owner about S1, 250 GOO to develop this mine, equip it and bring it to dividend stage. Since that time he has paid it's lucky shareholders about $70, GOO, GOO in divi- dends, and is still going strong. One of the most remarkable mining pro- positions in the world is the Courri- eres County Mining Company, in France, which was organized in 1852 with capital of $l20, 000 in }, GOO shares of S60. On each of these shares the dividend was for many years $330, and sometimes even more than that. AL together, the company has paid 1,00C per cent. in dividends, and the origi.- nal $60 share is worth $700,