The Goldfield news and weekly tribune. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1911-1947, 1915-08-14
Wildcats

from a neighboring mining district, but the details show
that he had been raiding the hen-roosts, not the pockets
of respectable citizens. Time was when the word wild
cat connoted predatory schemes for selling worthless
mining claims to simple people. 1t used to be said that
western Australia was free from rabbits because the eX-
ponents of feline finance drove back the prevailing pest
in its effort to encroach into the precincts OF kalgoorl1e
and Coolgardie. Not long ago the editor of a London
periodical was threatened with a libel suit because he de-
scribed the Bullfnch mine as originally a wildcat. lie
explained that the term, as used IN western America, had
become almost one of financial endearment and no longer
conveyed any idea of villainy. The lawyer representing
the Bulfinch company declined to accept the explanation
because, of course, he was not up to date III the use OF
mining terms.
To be serious, it is remarkable how the word has lost
its sinister meaning. AT first used to indicate schemes
OF deception based on worthless locations, it became en-
ployed to signify a risky venture or a torlorn hope. An
cnterprising and yet thoroughly respectable mine oper-
ator would say that he was "wild-catting' in Arizona or
Nevada, meaning thereby that he had bought or opioned
d number OF claims having only what a Corn1sh1nan calls
symptoms of Indications but usually in the vicinity of
some discovery of proved value or in a new district just
coming to the front. Thus the wildcat became almost
as respectable as a prospect differing from it mainly in
the lack of an outcrop or other visible sign OF ore. In a
way, this gain of responsibility was the result OF the proof
that ore bodies valuable for the precious metals might lie
under a flow of andesite or that a mass of disseminated
chalcocite might be covered by a considerable thickness
of worthless gossan. In short, the wildcat became the
type of venturesOme mining enterprise OF a quite legtl-
mate character. Indeed, so long as the owner of a wild
cat is willing to retain possession of his untamed property
and does not use it as a lure for enticing less experienced
people into flimsy share dealings, we must recognize that
luis phase y HIIllHS uNCltu pldyo a uoClul PdlI WIFI
cut risk there would be no mining. Unless the POSSIBLE
Ties of mineral distribution are tested by courageous ex-
plorers, VIC would soon see an end to a great industry. 1t
is tic recognition of the wildcat stage of mining as a pos
sible incubator of productive enterprise that causes the
general public to use the term without the suggestion of
either ridicule or disapproval. We should be careful not
to shoot at wildcats, even when they come near the city
boundaries, until we are sure that the agile vagrant is not
d respectable domestic pet made fierce by unkindly treat
mcnt. The word has come to signify a recognized feature
of western exploration; when we want to designate a min
ing claim that is being used for predatory purposes, let us
call it a "swindle" or a fraud"
---o-
Smelter capacity for zinc ores and concentrates is be-
ing increased by about 100000 tons of metal per annum.
according to the Mining and Scientific Press. In 1914
the total capacity of the various plants was about 10000
tons and the actual output $4,000 tons. By the end of
the current year it will be possible to treat $4,000 to Co.,,
600 tons, and all the plants will be running at their full
capacity. The most interesting of the new smelters is
that being built at Donora, near Pittsburg, for the United
States Steel Corporations; it will have a capacity of 10000
tons of spelter per annum and is intended to supply the
corporation with the amount of zinc required in its own
manufacture of galvanized iron. Meanwhile eectrolytic
precipitation threatens increasingly to supersede the
method of distillation. This would revolutionize the
smelling of zinc.
Switzerland is surely in a sorry plight. Surrounded
on all sides by beligerent countries, it has become practical
ly necessary for the nation to cast her lot with the entente
allies or their enemies in order that the danger of starvation
ma" not becom eacute. The entente powers demand that
Switzerland cease exports to Germany, which, in turn, has
warned her that to do so would be grossly unneutral."
Guards at the French pavilion at the San Francisco
fair several days ago refused admittanCe to several visiting
of the German-America national alliance because
they displayed the colors of Germany on their coats. Pa
triotism and loyalty to ones country are admirable, but
when carried to extremes appear, at least, to broad-minded
people, as somewhat burdensome.
The Russian government recently placed an order in
this country for munitions of war that will require three
years to fill, which makes it quite apparent that the Slavs