The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1915-04-29
Ways That Are Dark Mining Engin-
eer Tells of Sailing Experience.
John B. Parish in Mining and Scientific Press.

From earliest history, ueceptloHA ia
all kinds of trade and commerce have
been practlced; mining has not escap-
ed its share. While | stood at the coll
lar of one of the old circular shafts
sunk by the Romans in Pennsylvania
during the first century, shaft that
began on nothing. went down on moth
ing and ended in nothing ! could cas-
ily picture to myself the professional
mine promoter Of that day walking up
the streets Of Rome with his hands fun
of specimens of rich gold ores OF Tran
sylVania, inducing his friends to invest
In the bonanza he was developing in
that far-off country.
And so, even If there Is nothing new
In the following rambling reminiscent
ces, | submit them In the hope that
they may serve as beaoons to warn
the younger engineers of the dangers
and temptations they may have 10
overcome along the road they must
travel to win their spurs.
In the early SOS | was engaged to
examine mine In southern Nevada,
something over 100 miles from Cam
delaria. the nearest railroad point. !
had been cautioned by my employers
that while the persons offering the
mine were excellent practical miners
and Judges of mines, they were nj the
same time not TO be trusted, and they
might In order TO make assurance
doubly sure that their representation
would be confirmed, attempt to salt
my samples
Guar Against Sailing.
with the warning in mind, took
with me to the mine strong DON
which | had made, of sufficient size
10 bold my sampling outtit also
took with me several rolls of tape ol
peculiar green color, and sealing wax
of a shade which | thought could mol
be found In such an Out of-the- way
place. was accompanied by two as
sistants.
on reaching the property, we tooh
the box and entire outfit into the mine
and never for one moment was 1t ou
of our sight, night or day, except a.
the meahours, and then the tape was
passed around the box and securely
sealed with the wax No one was
near us during the time that the sam
pies were being taken, and |, as wa'
always my custom, watched ever,
sample cut, and took part IN euttint
many Of them. and also assisted In tn
work Of breaking down and quartern'
the samples to a convenient size ant
placing them In the ordinary sample
bags | had taken with me, which II
rlrn were carefully sealed and put In
side the box
After a week of such constant worl
and vigilance, we finished, and the boz
was taken with us In the open wagol
back over the desert roads to Can
delaria. The box was the kind OF bag
gage that the Pullman Company refus
ed to allow in sleeping cars, Conse
quently, we sat In the last sea
of the day-coach with the DO
next to us. The owners OF IN
mine and the men whom we wer
suspicious accompanied us fror
the mine to the railroad station a
Candelaria. and there babe us good
bye. We felt a sense of relief whe'
we had parted from them finally an
=, u, In hDmnNN.l r.
bound,
Out of the Danger Zone.
In the evening we stopped at littl
out Of the way station for supper
There we're only three or four house
and Is We had our reservations for tn
sleeper for the night, determined tina
we were far enough away from IN
'sene of hostllHies' to premit me
safely trust the box 10 the expires
company and have 1t sent forward t
the assayers. /, therefore, took IN
hex, which vas sealed with the sam
green tape and sealing-wax, into tn
express office, and after marking
with my name In care of the assayer
at San Francisco, l delivered 1t to tn
express messenger He objected tina
the rules of the express company di
non permit him to accept a box seale
as that was. so we got some screw
and fastened the cover down secured
with them removing the tape and wax
A day or two after | arrived at San
Francisco the box showed up at tn
assayer's, and the samples were du',
assayed but to my surprise they RAJ
about double what l thought the,
would from the appearance of the or
as | was breaking the samples Thi
led me to take few specimens whicl
had picked ont as being extra good
and which had carried in my grip, t.
the assayers Much TO my surprise
these selected samples did not run an,
higher that did the average sample
that were cut. TO my mind. thi
was a suspicious circumstance, ana
posted back to the mine and tool
check samples, which never left M
for a moment. as | carried them viii
me in my grip to San Francisco Thes
samples ran about as | judged the or
should from its appearance in the mine