Elk City mining news. (Elk City, Idaho) 1903-1913, 1912-04-11

undeveloped mine that they own, and
of no more present value, as far as
the production of the precious metals is
concerned, than would be so much
vacant ground on the desert. 1t is
true that good prospect has certain
intrinsic value, and this value will have
fiuctuating tendency. according as it's
merits may impress intending buyers;
but it is not until the claim, or group
of claims. has been developed by means
of shafts, tunnels, drifts, cross-cuts,
wines and upraises, and the ore bodies
exposed and blocked out for measure
ment, that prospect can rightly be
classed as a mine, and its relative
actual value ascertained and demon
.strated. ffr re
Good ground has value, but, unde-
veloped, it is far from having a mine
valuation For this reason, one of the
best avenues for legitimate mine opera
ton is to acquire a good prospect, de-
velop it into regular. producer, when
it can be passed up to heavy mining
syndicates at very handsome profit;
and more money is often made by this
method than could be acquired by the
purchase of mine with the expecta-
ton that it can afterwards be sold at
an advance over the purchase price.
Every mine was once a prospect, and
its development into paying PROPOSE
ton, into mine worth its many thou
sand, and even its millions, has invari-
ably been attended by many hardships,
many Heterogeneous and many set
backs, Perchance, during its develop
ment stage, it has changed hands a
number of times, and it is quite. posi-
BILE that it has lost money for some of
it's various owners. But this cannot
be charged up against the mine, but to
bad management. or lack of experience
and ability. Every prospect will not
make mine. This would be physi-
cal impossibility, even if millions were
spent in its development, and for the
reason that the mineral is not there !;
or, if present, it is in such small guam
tity or it is so low in grade that it is
commercially valueless.
The Mining Review advocates the ac-
QUESTION of prospect rather than the
investment of heavy capital in de-
veloped mine. But, before a purchase
of prospect is made, it should be sub
jected to a most careful examination
and report by competent engineers and
biologists. If these endorse the prop
osition and advise it's purchase, the
! chances are that few thousand dollars
intelligently employed in its develop
ment will work a transformation that
will give to the mining industry a
regular and heavy producer and a gilt
edged dividend payer.
1t is really wonderful the large num-
Der of promising prospects there are in
this western country that are only
awaiting the advent of capital for
their development into bonanza propo-
sitions. The mountains are full of them
and hundreds more are yet to be dis
covered. And yet, if a man lacks pa
tience, perseverance, good, sound judg-
ment, and few thousands in the coin
of the realm, he had better let the
prospect alone and seek some Occupa-
ton where his labor will bring him a
regular income, as it is better he should
steer clear of mining than to engage III
this fascinating and ultimately prof
table pursuit, than he should make g
beginning and not be able to follow the
development of a prospect through its
various stages until money and labor
expended is rewarded by the giving t.
the world of a new wealth producer. =
Salt Lake Mining Review.