The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1909-08-13
A COLD TURNING down
Experts Examine and Report
Adversely on an Old and
Well-known Property.
But IS ITAS BAOAS PAINTED :?
A Question that Divides Both Ex-
pefienced Miners and Accredit-
ed Mining Engineers.

Some of the papers of the state have
made mention of recent expert reports
on the Palmer mountain tunnel. Those
reports are adverse to degree of
shocking plainness denunciatory to a
degree of vitriolic violence. No mining
property in this, or any other, state
ever received such sweeping turning
down. According to the experts there
is not single redeeming feature upon
which to base hope of future better
ment, and a much vaunted enterprise,
to which many looked longingly for
future benefits, is but as dead sea fruit.
If what has been set down by these ex-
perts is absolutely true it dashes the
hopes of those who invested in the
stock in good faith, and is a set back
to the district from which it can never
recover for years to come, although
there may be other properties of merit
In the locality The writer is especi-
ally previously disappointed, for he
builded high upon the expectation that
the project would be crowned with
preeminent success, that it would con-
tribute to the building up of mining
camp that would rival the largest cities
founded by and upon the wealth of pro-
ducing mines. He believed. His be-
lief was as firm and honest as that of
the Christian in the book of Holy Writ
While others gave of their means that
can be replaced, he gave ten of the
best years of his life in aid and support
OF the enterprise. If the report of these
experts is to be accepted he is left to
feel that he must have IN an unguarded
moment been made a captive by the
sense-benumbing genii of the poppy,
and wakes to find the decade past but
an iridescent dream. However he has
no protest to enter, as he took the
chance always present in the game,
for mining is gamble pure and siln-
pie, and he who takes part without
weighing we'll the chances, and is not
willing to face failure with equanimity
is squeeler, deserving no sympathy
or consideration.
Only those within the inner circle
received copies of the reports. They
were issued to and for the stockholders,
and few of the stockholders will eX-
anime the circular closely. They are
too hard hit to care to analyze and
search for flaws. Yet there is some
thing queer about this discrediting at
this late day work of years. To the
reader who halts to think these docu-
ments are hardly so much expert re-
ports as expert denunciations. One Is
at a loss to discover what these men
were paid for. If they were employed
only to present expert reports on a
mining property the company has good
cause for action on the ground OF OBJ
tanning money on false pretenses II
they were engaged because OF theif
capacity for vituperation, they fully
earned the largess doled out to them
From the tone of these reports 1T wouio
seem that the Writer'S knew what was
expected of them, not so much as 10
shocking adverse finding as retlection
on the former management, ana Vieu
with each other to win the prize ol
appreciation from their patrons. lhi'
Is not written for the purpose OF denS'
ing what has been set down relatlVe u
the big tunnel, nor to awaken 1aiSe
hopes among the unfortunate s'och'
holders They are duly skinned wheth
er the property be good or bad' lor IL
the face of these reports the future Vi
the mine is hopeless and they are uo"l
and out. No more money can be raise'
to carry on development, and II the
directors believe the reports 1t Is thell
honest duty to suspend work ana ols
tribute the cash on hand pro ratio to the
stockholders. Among many HVlng Il
the vicinity of the tunnel the truthiui
ness of these reports in their entifl'S
may be doubted, but the doubters are
not mining experts and their douo''
will carry no weight with the investor
nor furnish even a peg for the hoioe'
of the stock to hang hope on
And still one cannot get away IRON
the facinating popularity OF the re
ports in spots. The first to damn th'
tunnel to perdition was one Ieofg'
Henry Hewitt. Probably George hen