Gilpin observer., 1914-04-09
: : THE PRosPEcToRx F& /
{ AND HIS suRRo + H !
(Salt Lake Mining Review

(Salt Lake Mining Review
This is very pretty and comfy
little meadow that you have adopted
as your very own. way up here in
the hills" said the prospector to his
burro, "but, If you imagine that this
is an average sample of what you
will have to depend on for living
clear out on the desert, you have
another think coming; and you, with
your extensive experience, ought to
know better than to try and make
yourself believe that the grass, in the
barren regions, stands as high and is
as sweet as 1t is in the little val
leys that are eternally watered by
mountain fed streams In this mat
ter of self-delusion, however, you are
on a par with the average prospec-
tor and miner, whose wish is al
ways father to the thought, and who
cannot make fair sample of his ore,
owing to his uncomfortable tendency
ing his tests. Then, too. he depends
too much on his eyes, and his judg-
ment is too often warped by his ever
growing belief that values will run
at certain figure when, in fact.
they are much below; and he is very
often inclined to be wrathful and in
dignant when a fire assay, by rep
utable assayer shows the content of
the ore to be much lower than he
had demonstrated by panning.
! you say" continued the prospec-
! tor, that you have great faith in
the pan, and especially so II 1t is
filled with barley. for you, after the
panning has been made; and that
you cannot see why results secured
by the mining man, with the pan.
should not be as accurate as a fire
assay made by competent assayer.
In fact. you are of the opinion that
the panning should be the guide to
the real values, as the panning is
made SO often and the fire test so
seldom. But, none whatever. and here
Is where you and the mining man
make such grievous mistakes; for
you both grab for the best in your
selective tests while the assayer runs
through the whole rock. the good
looking side, as well as the hun
cry appearing material, and he is as
cold blooded and as impersonal in
determining results as a mortgage
loan shark out after suckers; which
all goes to show that great hopes
! should not be built upon ribbon
of gold in pan, or a single nubbin
, of gold sticking out Of a piece of
quartz; for the gold may be so fine
that 1t will take many colors to make
even penny, while the nubbin of
gold in the quartz may be the only
value contained in ton OF rock
Not long ago, while out on the
coast, l happened into the office of
an old and established assayer. The
visit was seemingly ill-timed. for the
assayer was pulling hard on the
scinche to hold his temper down
while an irate female was throwing
the hooks into him in a manner that
against the real thing. 1t was some
time before the cause of the agita-
| ton was made clear to me, but it ap-
peared that the petticoat had brought
in some rcck to be assayed the day
before. and that. in the play she re-
fused to abide by the decision OF the
umpire. The assayer, 1t seems, not
being wrought up to such high
tension of enthusiasm as was the
lady. had given a certificate of value
not compatible with the hopes and
belief Of the owner of the sample.
who was not at all slow in express
Ing her opinion Of such a low-down
course; for. she knew that the ore
ran more than $40 to the ton. for
she and her husband had often PAN
ned 1t, and never got less than $25.
Being a gentleman the assayer could
only reiterate the statement that the
test was correct, and mentally wish
that the husband instead Of his bet
ter half were there to discuss the
matter with him. The matter was
never satisfactorily settled. as far
as the woman was concerned, who
left with the statement that the as
say was no good, and she was sure
that she and her husband had
rich mine; while the assayer fell
down In a dead faint calling for ice,
and balm for his wounded feelings.
II want to tell you. Old Long Ears"
concluded the prospector. "one small
sample Of rich rock does not prove
the exiRtenca OF n big and nauinp