The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1913-10-18
MINING INJURED BY
FALSE REPORTS

"heH We iooh at tHt ldTgt nsL Oi
dividends paid by metal mining COM
panies, when we chronicle the great
fortunes that have been made by men
who have made investments in mining
properties and when we take cogniz-
anee of the many splendid opportuni-
ties almost daily offered throughout
the mining districts of the west, we
wonder that any well informed indi-
vidual could and would make the as
sertion that thinning is extra hazard
ous," says the Mining Review
Some people are outspoken in their
statement that mining is risky, while
Others merely imply, by innuendo, that
other occupations are safer and more
certain. Even big mining companies
and great syndicates, whose incomes
from the mines pile up into the mil
lions, are guilty of knocking mining
by the last-named method. Possibly
not Intentionally, but yet most forci-
bly, because of the verv position they
occpy in the mining, comermcial and
financial world.
For instance, big syndicate, COM
posed of mining men, which is in the
market for the purchase of mining
properties, makes statements which
are sent broadcast over the world, to
the effect that during a certain period,
year, for instance, its experts have
examined 700 mining properties, out
OF which large list only one or two
Rave been accepted. Such statement
is credited to a Canadian syndicate
seeking properties in Canada and the
United States. The statement is prob
ably true, as far as it goes, but the
inference is given out that all of the
700, with the exception of the one or
two, were valueless; and, perhaps un-
intel tionally, the impression conveyed
t, the investing public is that mining
is especially hazardous, when, if the
tire facts were generally known the
syndicate got what it really wanted
although the majority of the mines ex-
aiained by its experts were probably
possessed of real value and merit. and
r. ght be just what were wanted bv
other companies or individuals operat-
ing along different lines
Put. because of the statement made
Z -dlttH2 IHt tVV mines examined
with only one or two purchased, the
public is given to understand that the
two taken over were the only good
ones in the whole bunch, and that the
rest were worthless.
And vet such is not the case, and
mining history can be quoted to show
many instances where mines have been
turned down by experts, MANY of them
possessed of national regulations, and
that these same mines have since
been examined and accepted by other
experts. other companies, and have
made fortunes for their owners. For
corroboration of this assertion, look
at Tonopah, Goldfield, Yerington and
even grand old Bingham. Throughout
this intermountain region there are
hundreds of mines which have at one
time been turned down bv experts,
but which, today are producing and
paving mines; and there are hundreds
of properties which could be trans
formed into breadwinners and divid-
end-payers If capital were forthcom-
ing for their development and opera
tion. But, because perchance, they
have been turned down by an expert,
possibly by one who is so afraid of
his reputation that he dare not rely on
his own good Judgment, the general
public is led to believe they are worth
less.
There are hundreds of good reasons
why a company or syndicate will not
take over properties they have exam
ined. The purchase price may be con-
sidered too high; it may be considered
that ore enough is not in sight to sat
isfv the intended purchaser;the char
aeter of the ore may not be just as
desired; the ore NAV be too high or too
low in grade for the purpose of the
would-be purchasers; physical sur
roundings may not please the expert,
and transportation facilities may be
lacking; and vet, in nine cases out of
tes. the properties examined may be
possessed of real anu intrinsic value.
and worth the price asked for them !;
and to give out the impression that
/ they were worthless because they were
turned down would be erroneous.
| AS a matter of fact, it is safe to
say that many of the 700 mines exam
ined by the Canadian syndicate could
be profitably worked and operated if
placed in the right hands. But, the i'm
preston resulting because they were
not acceptable to the syndicate has
undoubtedly been that mining was ex-
ceedingly hazardous, when, as a mat
ter of fact, only one side of the ques-
tion has been presented, the other be-
ing left to an inexperienced public to
answer; and an injury is being done
to the mining industry that it will be
difficult to overcome.