Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1909-05-11
The Prospector and His Burro

S.aa"Sopest time ago" said the prospector
to his bnrro. 1--WE were i, talking of ex-
perts and mining engineers, and now
you seem to think you know all about
them, for your interest is more centered
in, that empty, tomato can than in what
Tam saying But 1 want to tellyou that
your knowledge of mining engineers is
about the size of a penny ante, for I
never allowed you to keep much com
pany with that class. see that you
think am only knocking from force of
habit, but that is because your belly is
full and you feel more peaceful than
you will in the morning when we start
to hike up that steep canyon.
Just us there are .burros and burros,
SO are there engineers and engineers.
And the number of good ones among
the engineers is far less than among the
burros. But this is not compliment
to you, none whatever, for the engineer
of today is not in the same class as the
one we saw down by the river some 12
years ago. The majority of modern
experts are too much afraid of making
mistakes and hurting their regulations,
and so, many good property has been
turned down because the metal was not
coined on the dump and ready for ship
ment to the bank. Then, again, there
are some who will give rosy report on
any proposition if they are paid enough
for the job, and this class is far worse
than those who want little mint with
Il fence around it. -. -"
But l want to tell you, Old Long
Ears, that the aforesaid specimens are
archangels compared to some I know
Of. I see you sitting up and taking
notice, thinking am going to describe
blood and thunder villain. But nothing
dJing i'll the dime novel line; none
whatever. What had in mind was
the double standard engineer-the kind
of fellow who will let you write your
own report and then sign it. 1t makes
me blush, and it would make you, too,
if your brains were located in the right
place, to see what confidence people
place in these so-called engineers re-
ports. ] know some parties, who, by
ne way, would look we'll OH the inside
# penitentiary, who sent out high
priced engineer to look over a certain
mining property. Before writing his
opinion he asked whether they wished
a buying or selling report. An'honest
bunch would have cut him out right
there, but this outfit told him to 20 as
far as he liked, for they figured on
selling to II bunch of suckers. The
report, which was q masterpiece of
imagination, was fixed up in a leather
bound prospectus about the size of a
full-grown ham. This work of art was
used to separate many''a hard dollar
from the easy mark, who had far
better put his money up tn q game of
three-card monte. n @&S'H s..
However, you Missouri hooking
bird. you must not think that there is
no value in a good engineers report;
and that all of them are looking for the
coin, regardless But what you want
is the straight dope, and sure it's none of
the engineer : business what you want
it for When Won pay Il man twenty
five, fifty aud sometimes II hundred dol
lars or more day for an expect opinion,
you naturally expect to get something
for your money. Unless you are very
sure of your man, an engineers report
is Just like SO much hard mazuma SINK
IN the river, and there you are."--Salt
Lake Mining Review. w.. ~