Gilpin observer., 1910-01-13
THE PRoePEcToR
AND HIS BURRO.
(Saft Lake Mining Review.)

prOSpeCCOr 10 MS DurrO, III mas peer
mighty dull out in these hills since
the panic Of nearly two years ago
and US prospectors have had mighty
slim picking since good times were
so good as to bring on a period OF
financial depression. Queer, isn't it
that good times make bad times; the
bad times being due to oyer-produc-
'tion, initiation Of values, and gener-
ally buoyant feeling on the part OF
the people Of the country; but such
seems to be the case. There Is les
son in this, and, when good times
come again, we should not be SO Gag
er to go the limit, so anxious to get
to the end of a good thing. In other
words, when prosperous times come
again, we should nail it down at the
corners and then lay back and see
how the critter looks. We should give
it diamond hitch, such as we make
when we fasten the pack on your
back; and then, when we start out
along the road of prosperity, we
should take things slow and easy, at
the pace that the burro makes, so
that will not weary ourselves and
fall by the wayside,' and finally ar
rive at our destination in better
shape, physically and financially than
when we started cut.
1.-THE great trouble with those en-
gaging in mining pursuits in this
country continued the prospector,
"is that miners and prospectors are
too much in a hurry to get rich, too
anxious to spend the money when
they make it, the result being that
the whole country is monumented
with dismals failures. The people who
buy mining stocks are anxious for
dividend payments before the shaft
has reached a depth of fifty or
hundred feet or before the tunnel
has been driven to the ledge, little
dreaming that it generally takes from
five to six years to develop a really
good prospect into a producing and
dividend-paying mine. Of course there
are exceptions to this rule, just as
one will occasionally find good sad
die animal in a bunch of burros; but
the exception proves the rule.
THE stockholder, however, rarely
makes note of the exception, except to
imagine that it is the rule, and he
usually gets discouraged within a
year, and let's his stock go for a
song, and does the singing himself.
Later on he is surprised, and much
to hear that the com
pany, in which he was interested, had
made success and is paying regular
dividends. He was in too much of
hurry, and was not content to let his
stock remain in the strong box while
the company was engaged in mine
and equipment. This
man should have played the roulette
wheel, for he would have gotten
quicker action, even if he lost in the
end, for it is just as certain that he
will quit dead broke if he continuous
ly plays the wheel, as it is that you
will always believe that your voice
is rival of PATHS.
MANY mining men are impatient,
too anxious for quick results. And
this reminds me of a story l heard
the other day in which miner lost
a small fortune because of a bad at
tack of cold feet But, this loss on
his part resulted in bringing happi-
ness to two fond and devoted young
people, and established them in a
fine little home. You want to hear
the story? Well, if you will only look
a little more intelligent and come a
little nearer, l will tell it to you.
Does the story refer to sack of
barley? No, none whatever. But it is
a good one all the same, and illus
trates the oft-repeated statement that
1t generally pays to be patient, and
not to pull your canteloupes before
they are ripe. This miner | speak of
was working for a mining company in
q district not far from here, taking
his pay in stock. He was poor man,
and in due time was out OF grub and
his credit at the store had been ex-
hausteA. so he quit.
There was no market value for
the stock of the company, at that
time; and he was going away. He
of the stock he held for twenty
dollar plunk, but could find no buy
ers. for the whole camp held stock
in the company. and .its future out
look was not of the best. Finally the
miner went to the store in which n
t,a