Gilpin observer., 1913-09-04
+ s..s.+..s.- \
! THE PRosPEcToRE N (:
(salt Lake Mining Review

you really looked as if you had
a grin on your classic countenance,'
said the prospector to his burro,
land, if a donkey could laugh, you
were certainly doing SO when a
strange dog chased our old tomcat
up tree a few minutes ago. But,
perhaps the expression on your face
Wis caused by twinge of indiges-
'tion, as 1 noticed, this morning, that
you were trying to masticate that
old sock that the ancient hermit
under the cliff had been wearing for
six months before he discarded it;
and you know that he never washes
his feet; and such diet, l am sure,
swould disturb the Internal arrange
men. of even a steam boiler. But,
whether it was the dog and the cat
scene, or the old sock that caused
such an unusual change in your fac
ial expression, it makes no differ
ence, for you looked very amusing
to me; which causes me to remem-
Der that we see many very funny
things out here in the hills, Incidents
that are true to life and which are
often adorned with moral that
would be of benefit to the thinking
man. 1t is funny, for instance, when
mining company builds mill when
there is not enough ore in sight TO
stand two months run. That is,
causes great hilarity among the few
real mining men of the district. The
moral is as easy to find as a dead
rat in a mulligan stew, and general
ly is a hint that it would be we'll to
have plenty of ore on the dump and
in the mine before the subject of
mill building is even considered. OF
course You can see nothing funny
about that, for you think that it
makes no difference in the long run,
whether man is driving a hole in
the ground or puts in his time build
ing great houses which are filled
with >contrivances that are perpleXing
to a burro and to almost every one
else, and even the builder don't know
what to do with the shebang after
it is finished. A burro, however, is
not supposed to know much about
mining or mill building, and should
not cri-icise those who are higher
up; and the fact that you insist on
doing SO is about as amusing as are
the criticisms of raft of men in
mining camps who can see nothing
good when a new milling process is
evolved, and who still insist that
whim hoist is all that is needed in
mining operations when steam plant
will do four times the work.
You say" continued the prospec-
tor, 'that you cannot see what l am
driving at, and that this thing of
slurring your faithful burro and talk
ing about the funny things connected
with mining and milling is beginning
to get ON your nerves. Also, that
If | have story to tell you wish
would get it out of my system ,as
you are anxious to investigate that
old garbage pile at the rear end OF
the Banner mine kitchen. This will
sound funny, too, but to relieve you
of all doubts as to my sincerity, !
will relate the incident. had in my
mind VIXEN | first alluded to the grin
l thought i saw on your face when
the dog and cat melee was in full
action. Some two or three years ago.
when in Bullhead city, l was engag-
ed by mining company to make an
examination of it's property, which
was located in side gulch near the
head OF Whippoorwill canyon. The
property was not being worked at the
time and no one was at the mine.
The region was strange to me, but
my Instructions were to cross the
stream a the Hepworth bridge and
follow the road until another road
came in from the south. Then |
was to keep the r.ght-hand road UNI
til | arrived at the mine. follow
ed Instructions and, after a walk Of
about two or three miles, found
myself at the camp of the Dream
Mining company, in another gulch
| had ridden on the stage
up to Hepworth bridge, and had hoof-
ed 1t to the Eream mine, and was
a little weary, as well as hungry. AT
the mine | was generously supplied
with an appetizing meal about two
In the afternoon and was told to so
back to the bridge. and that about
n stones throw from the can
yon stream, | would find a little trail
leading to the right and that If I
followed this 1t would soon widen to