The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-11-08
FACTOR Of TRUTH IN
ENGINEERS REPORTS
Defects in Properties Should
BE Told in Justice to
Purchasers.

\ promoter or seller OF a property Ger
taiuly needs ard should have competent
engineers report, else how is he going
to promote or sell his property, but an
engineer who is hired TO make this re-
port. If an honest one. is considerably
handicapped. and. to use common
phrase. up against it, says Mining
Science. The seller or promoter may be
honest enough not 90 wish him TO OK
agCerate or misstate what he finds, but
the moment he begins to state some Of
the defects or common difficulties of the
property. the seller requests him TO cut
thai out and let the buyer find out those
things for himself, or else he is tempted
TO so modify his statements that they
have neither force nor meaning. so the
engineer has TO make a one-sloed rather
than truthful report because there is
not mine in existence that has not its
weak as we'll as its strong side. "A lie
that is only half truth is ever the worst
of Hes and a one-sided report is almost
as misleading as a willGully false or e%-
aSGcrated one. But says the promoter.
III YOU state those defects, despite the
OF the property. my clients wouldn't look
at IT, They viii argue that mentioning
any defect at all is so unusual in pros
UcCtus that matters must he very bad
indeed and that there must be a very
large woodchucl somewhere in the wood
pile.
Moreover" the seller or promoter ar
CUES. ''tbe investor ON receiving the pros
pectus is a liberty TO send his own enci-
neer to Investigate" and this is true.
The engineer, on the other hand, re"
porting for the buyer. Is not handicapped.
He goes TO work ConscientiouSly as II he
was himself going 10 buy the property.
and gives his client the worst as we'll as
the best points balancing ono against
another: the result is an honest report.
1t is no discredit sometimes 10 mine
or district FOR a competent engineer
to find IN il many things TO its dis5dyan-
t9Ge, whilst OH the whole he may con-
slider the property d very desira BILE one
and. the district a very promising one.
Euskin. the great art critic. once visited
an exhibition OF pictures, and on one pic
criticism. and finally wound up by say
ing that ION tho whole il was the hest
picture in the collection" the others were
mediocre and unworthy OF his steel To
state the exact truth about mining
property or mining district mentioning
IFS defects as well as its worthlness, Is
not knocking, but simply honest. knock
ing !s to dispar9gc real merit. and VIII
revert some time on the Knockers shoul-
dcrs. client should know Goth
many mines, so many prospects favor
ably reported OH have turned out badly
| that an engineer has reason 10 exercise
! the greatest caution. by avoiding TOO
much optimism on ono side and pesSim-
| snl on the other. To boom a mine or
district that does not deserve it will re-
vert some day on the boomers head and
| reputation. Whilst every district has its
! faults il has also its merits, and Il IS
| only right 10 give these the prominence
1T Of a charitable doubt. y straight
forward, truthful fair account OF a mine
J or a district whilst IL NAV incur for a
| time censurc and unpopularity from some.
! will in the end he respected by those
whose respect is worth having.