The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1913-10-16
PROSPECTING BY THE
j. S. GOVERNMENT
MUCH INTERESTING COMMENT
BROUGHT OUT BY BuRCH'S
LETTER.

Press. written by Albert Burch, fay
oring some sort of system Of govern
ment prospecting The article has
caused considerable comment IN the
mining papers. Mr.. Burch is now the
manager of the Goldheld CONSOLIDATE
ed, the largest gold producer in the
United States He was at one time
manager of the Bunker Hill & Sull-
van mine at Wardner and the fact
Of his wide personal acpua intancc
here, gives his views and the com
ment brought out more or less addl-
tional interest.
The following is written by Mar
shall Boyd of Seattle:
! Mr. Albert Burch's recent sugges-
ton for government aided prospecting
was read by me with much interest
and must say with as much trep-
dalton as interest. for Mr.. Burchs
commanding position in the minn,,
world gives to his conclusions a force
that makes such socialistic sugges
tions the more to be feared To Mr.
Burchs invitation for criticism | was
glad to see that the first response
that of Mr.. R. r McLaughlin--tooi
the individualistic standpoint.
Mr. Burch's argument in brief Is
that the easy mines have been found
and that prospecting, through con-
tinually lesseping Likelihood of re
ward, seems in danger of being aban.
doned as an occupation unless stimu-
lated by the certainty of salary
and this he would have the govern
ment pay.
| Theoretically Mr. Burchs assump-
ton of lessening likelihood of reward
seems to be true: for by Just the
number of mines discovered in the
last 40 years there are so many de
posts eliminated from the possibility
| of discovery. But this Is offset In a
great measure by the constantly in
creasing factors which rebound to
the prospector's advantage. \ monE
them, security from Indian attacks,
greater and quicker facilities for
| transportation, supplies comparative
~ near at hand, perfection of metal
lurgical processes which make re-
fractory and low grade ores--value
less Ia the past--of great value now
readily obtainable geological reports
eliminating at once vast areas which
have no possibility of bearing precl-
Gus metals and the ungucstionab,y
greater ease with which capital can
be obtained for the development or
purchase of a promising prospect
when Scheffclin packed his burros
and started across Arizona on the
trip which was to end in the discov
cry of Tombstone. he, like Theseus
who faced the whole world armed OH
~ with his club trusted to his valor
The factors for failure confronting
him We're greater, | think, than those
confronting the prospector of today
He faced the very great danger ri
death from Indians. he was cut off
from the possibility of supplies, anu
where now every water hole is map
ped and known. He also crossed areas
of country whose mineral possibilities
or lack Of possibilities, he himself had
to determine, instead of being able to
% through a process Of elimination
by consulting the geological reports
which now are to be had by anybody
for the asking.
Scheffclin succeeded. He was only
one out of many mon Of his time to
do so. however, The great ma iorit,
Of his contemporaries did not sue
the game then as now that no matter
how many are called but few arc
chosen But there were then, and
there are now, and always will be
men whose psychology Is such thai
they Will bet their lives on a big re-
ward but find it Impossible to PLAY
them for the smaller if more certain
gains of plodding industry
't't ltltlvloIt plDSDtNlfu ~
gions even though mined in for years
still offer chances for the careful o.
lucky prospector is seen from ths
comparatively recent discoveries OF
Tonopah and Gol,ihcld in sight of tho
old camps of NJ ontezuma and Cande
leria. And there are numerous sucl
instances
The prospector Of the future mus
be more painstaking and more
scientifically trained man He mus
rake the region he prospects with +
ine-toothcd comb instead of running
lover 1t. But at bottom he will still
be the man who prefers the grea
gamble to the drudgery of detail,
few will achieve glittcring success
while the majority will exc out a liv.
ing one way or another, which J,
what the majority in every pursuit.
has always done and always viii ],
whether aided by government or not.
III unalded I believe a keener an(
more efficient man will result. Bu
supposng that Mr.. Burch's suggestion
Is carried into effect and every west