The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1913-09-25
PROSPECTING. 1.-THE SCHEME DOES
NOT seem PRACTICAL. ..0THER PLAN PROPOSED
SEVERAL GOOD REASONS ADVANCED
PECroRS--oUR MINERAL LAWS LlBERAL-orHER
ATTRACTIVE FIELDS


The recent communication by Al
bert Burch touches upon the most i'm
lportant subject relating TO the futur
lof mining AS prospecting is essen
TALLY work upon the ground and no
at the office desk, it may be easy T.
overdo the subject in print. but a few
remarks seem in order, especially a
the first writer invites criticism Tn,
question Of government land, especial
| ly In the west, Is one which has af
forded opportunity for consderabl,
discussion by politicians and others
New suggestions come 50 fast that /
| y remarkable person who can MAJ
out course on the subject and ad
here to 1t in all details The educa
tors who approve of study simply fol
mental gymnastics should certain,
admire the subject with its recen
turns.
Two Glasses Of Government Work.
After listening to the heated argu.
ments about our eastern brothers wht
have 'squandered their birthright 81
resources and now wish to share i,
those Of the 'undeveloped West, a
proposal for government prospecting
lcomes as relief. Ordinarily 1t has
been thought that the federal govern
ment should be called upon to dc
work falling in two classes first, that
which was so large or upon which re
turns would be so long delayed that
private enterprise could not well en-
bark second, work which so intimate
ly affected the common welfare that
private enterprise could not be trust
ed to do it. Any new proposal for
government activity should fall in one
of these classes to receive popular ap-
prevail. Let us examine the subject
of prospecting for the more valuable
metals and see if it will fall into srnl
classificat ion.
Scarcity Of Prospeetors.
That prospectors are more rare thaa
formerly, there can be no question
gradually become more difficult tt
find a deposit of value. The subject
is frequently dropped with no further
attempt at explanation However
there may be many other reasons
The prospector, to whose descripti ~
no greater inaccuracy can be applied
than the continued use of the wore
old, is an ordinary man with some
knowledge of minerals and possess,
Of the spirit of adventure. Any pro
posal as to his work should rest upor
such an assumption. During the de
velopment of the west many fields o
activity besides mining have opened
and If the business of prospecting /
being abandoned, it is partly due t.
competition or opportunities offere,
by other industries because the mer
fit for prospecting have disappeared
other lines of en,]eavor better or a
least equal opportunities for gain
must be presented. Now, certainly
the chance for gain in prospecting 4
arbitrarily fixed by nature; that is
prospector can only find what al,
ready exists. and his chances
has been steadily reduced as eacl
find has taken place in the past
Therefore, an effort to meet competi
ton cannot be made along the line o
increased probable reward
One Plan Worthy Of Attention.
However, an effort can be made q
the other end; that is, by decreasing
the probability of loss. Nearly ever!
western metal mine working a ere"
of as many as fifty men has probabl,
a dozen men who possess the three
prime requisites Of prospectof
namely, a good physique, spirit Of adj
venture, and common sense, supple
mented with some knowledge of min
erals. These men are fairly sure o
saving a certa in amount of none,
every day that they work steadily
and many of them have famili4'
which makes it absolutely necessary
that they take what appears to be
sure profit. Nearly all the mining
companies working such crew o
men regularly are making yearly pro
fits Would II not seem most reason
able to ask those who are direct!