The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-09-08
NEW WRINKLE SEEN
IN PROSPECT GAME
Engineer Burch Believes the
Government Should Search
for Producers.

In a recent issue of the Mining and
Scientific Press, Albert Burch genera
manager OF the Goldfield Consolidated
Mines company. contributes an article
under the title Of; prospecting by the
Government" Mr. Burch calls attention
to the increasing difficulty OF finding
which disclosed their presence by bold
outcrops were located long ago. He
shows that during the decade that has
intervened since the discovery Of the
kind OF prospecting In Nevada has re-
suited in the finding of but few first
class mines. Continuing his discussion.
Mr. Burch says:
Most Of the land in which 1T is pos
sible 10 find new mines is still q
part of the public domain. and owned
by the people as a whole. 1t is there
fore suggested that IT would be
proper function of the government to
Systematically search its own lands
for mineral bearing veins. using all
the knowledge gained from science
and from the experience Of trained
prospectors.
Such work could be very properly
under the direction OF the geological
survey. though only q comparatively
small number of the force employed
need be trained field geologists. Good
prospectors are close observers. and
with a good field geologist to aid in
the Interpretation OF their observa-
tlons. much good could proba bly, be
ore deposits whose existence might
never be suspected by the average
prospector because OF obscure out
crops OF none at all. II would also
which is now expended in the explor-
alton of seologically impossible re-
gions
Assuming the discovery of prospects
by the government explorers, the
question of what to do next with
such discoveries is another problem.
/ am not one OF those who believe
that the government should engage
that can be better handled by private
capital; nor do ] believe that the
mines discovered by the use OF pub
lie funds should be donated to indi-
leasing public lands. both mineral and
non mineral, seems to be growing in
popular favor. and system of leas-
Ing partly developed prospects could
doubtless be devised
One plan would be for the govern
ment TO first do enough development
to show that certain prospects had
merit 1t could then publish list Of
prospects with a brief description OF
each and call for bids; a long time
lease to be given TO the responsible
bidder who offers the highest royalty
Forfeiture should be provided In the
event that the lessee should violate
rules intended to safeguard the gov
ernment's interests. but no attempt
will be made in this letter to formu-
late such rules.
AS an objection to this plan, It
might be urged that a salaried pros
pector would not have the same in
centive to spur him to action as the
prospector of the past, and this Is
doubtless true. notwlthsta niing the
fact that excellent work Is done by
the employees of such government
departments as the geological sur
yey, bureau of mines, reclamation
service, and others, To attract and
keep good men, it might be proper
for the government to offer It's pros
pectors. In addition to moderate SAL
aries, preference rights to lease at
low fixed royalty any promising
ground found by them, or to partici-
pate in ROYALTIES received by the gov
ernment from others. This in effect
would make the government a colos-
sal grubstaker on its own domain;
but it would be srubstaking trained
men instead Of amateurs. and the re-
suits should be correspondingly bet
ter. This plan need not exclude pr-
vate individuals from exploring the
public lands In search of minerals,
except that certain sections should
be temporarily withdrawn from entry
while being examined by the govern
ment men