The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1914-03-05
What Is the Matter With Prospecting?

question what Is the matter with
prospecting?" to mining engineers and
operators and published their replies
many of which were published in this
paper, is now hearing the prospector's
side Of the case. The last issue con-
tanned letters from several prospect
ors, from which the following are sell
ected:
Fayette A. Jones.
1t Is with much interest that l have
noted various opinions relative to the
decline in prospecting. or the varl-
Gus views presented none, from my
viewpoint, has even approached the
fundamental cause Of the prevailing
blight. The true reason Is not hard
10 md ana the answer Is simple; de-
monetization Of silver did it. The in
cenliye for making new discoveries
was ruthlessly swept aside by demon
etization and the prospectors chances
OF success declined SO per cent
&. W. Reuther.
From reading your vital question,
what Is the matter with prospect
ing!" / am very glad 10 learn mat
there Is a spirit of concern about it. l
only wish 1t may ripen again the fruits
Of enterprise. There are few loyal
....... -. of the legions that used
to work under the customs and rights
of the old mining districts, and they
are still anxious for chance to earn
their grubstakes or to do assessment
work on the claims OF others under
fair conditions-an Shour day and
wages at $3.50 per shift. Conditions
have changed since the old days. Big
corporations now take up land which
was staked for mineral claims and use
it for other purposes; and they have
the assessment work on mining claims
done by foreign laborers working 10
hours a day for wage Of $3.50, there
by depriving the prospector OF the
support that he needs to enable him
to find new mining districts. Every
fair minded prospector is independent
and self-reliant. All he needs is a
reasonable reward for his labor and a
fair chance. 1t would be only fair to
ask for indirect government support
by means of laws providing that all
assessment work be performed only
by citizens of the United States on
persons who have signified their in
tention of becoming citizens. AS our
government is copartner in all min
ing claims, l can see no just reason
why alien laborers should be the chief
benefactors under the requirement OF
the annual expenditure Of 500 pei
claim. There should be an assess
ment inspector" to see that the annual
labor on every claim is performed, ano
a record should be kept Of all claims
inspected by him In case the assess
ment work is not done the owner
should be compelled to forfeit his pro-
perty or to pay fine of 800.
John c. Molder.
The prospector was driven out by
recent legislation in the mining states
for every new law has been against
him. For instance, Arizona passed q
law that a prospector could not re-lo-
cate his claim. A few years ago law
was passed in Arizona authorizing the
state university to do assaying for the
prospectors, with a charge Of so cents
for a gold-silver assay. The next leg
islature increased the charge to 81 be-
cause 1t was said that the lower
charge ruined the business Of the reg
ular assayers. To encourage prospect
ing, each mining state should have a
free assay office to which prospector
could send samples Of ore that he
might wish to have tested or assayed
A prospector never has much money
and II he finds a strange mineral
which might be valuable he can sell
dom afford to have it tested. II a
property is being worked for certain
metals (such as gold, silver or copper)
and prospector discovers a deposit
of a different kind of metal or mineral,
he should be allowed to develop it and
acquire ownership Every county
should have a collection of ores and
minerals so that the prospector may
compare his finds" with the known
ores exhibited. The taxes from one
good mine will pay all of the expendi-
lures made on behalf of the prospect
or After a prospector has worked
for years and has spent his money
trying to keep up the assessment work
on a claim, the courts should allow no
one to take it away from him. The
state or federal government ought to
have engineers and biologists to eX
anime all prospects and small mines,
and their reports should be on file so
that a prospective buyer may be able
to secure reliable information. This
would help the prospector to find a
market for his properties. AS a rule
the prospector gets very little from his
discoveries. Protect the prospector
from claim Jumpers and swindlers.
Open wide the gates of opportunity
and he will find his way through.
s. A. Knapp.
have read with considerable in
terest the remarks Of the several gen.
tlemen published in your symposium
relative to prospects, prospectors and