The Goldfield news and weekly tribune. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1911-1947, 1915-04-17
Who Is the Prospector?

In a late issue OF the Mining and Engineering World,
Chester L. KEENAN,, a mining geologist and engineer of
Colorado Springs, writes interestingly if sarcastically on
the subject: WHO Is the Prospector and What Are His
RightsP' Among other things he says:
Mr.. Pinchot and his kind believe him to be one who
mounts his automobile laden with quail on toast and cold
bottles, sallies into the forest reserve and when he wakes
from his stupor in the morning, promptly plants his
stake on a Camp Bird, United Verde or Comstock, and
forever after enjoys the "unearned increment"-when by
rights, IT should have been divided among the balance of
us, share and share alike. Or, far better still, the proceeds
of the mine to be used to defray the salaries of the bureaus
political forest rangers" who seem to be principally &C
cupied in collection of rents" and bills and driving pros
pectors "out' and "off' the forest reserves"
But who are these persons, the prospectors-c1othed
in legend rather than soft raiment? The moss-grown
ruins of their lowly cabins lie strewn under the hills
silent tokens of battling disappointment of intrepid po-
neers. They are the blood and sinew which promise long
life to this republic. There is an old axiom quoted in min
ing circles that "prospectors are not miners This is only
too true, though quite contrary to the %pubics illusion in
that respect. Prospectors, as a rule, are ignorant as the
twelve apostles. If they had not been prospectors, they
would have been hunters, trappers, fishermen, pearl divers
or soldiers of fortune. History recites how, in the year
1925, Liberto Wolters. from Stockholm, leased the Rio
Unto mines of Spain from the crown, having previously
made a fortune practlc1ng his profession as a pearl diver
in Vigo bay.
True, the prospector's perpetual ideal is one short cam
pa1gn to make an everlasting fortune-short campaign.
everlasting fortune sounds all right, but it is a rare bird.
visits us seldom and halls from parts unknown. In it's
movements it might be likened to Haley's comet, which,
appears in the sky once in about 70 years. From MANY
points of view this world is small, but if one sets out to
prospect for things golden in the rock-ribbed mountains,
he will soon be found exc1aiming: This is a very large
world. There is surely room for all to prospect!'
Though seldom successful in his search, he prospects
a million acres of the public domain and hews a thousand
caverns in the mountain sides in his laudable efforts to
discover the natural mineral resources of our country.
and increase his own and the nations available wealth.
He prospects in a thousand places where he never locates
a claim. He locates a hundred claims he never takes to
patent, but allows them to lapse back to the public domain.
No other vocation is so often doomed to failure and
disappointment as that of prospector. OF necessity. he
has to bark to a very far cry, and tramp a very long trail.
which to him, at least, often seems Observation-Disclosures
trlously, patiently, labOriously trudgine on. listening TO
the ever monotonous tramp, tramp, tramp on his lonesome
path. railing INTO quiet reverle, he wonders whether for
him this trail is really notwithstanding he will ever
come in this world to his reward, whether his form now
tired as an old wagon wheel, will break down in the road.
and his bones lie bleaching in ghostly whiteness with those
others fallen by the way, mute witness to the willing and
courageous souls who, in other days, had boldly and
bravely gone forth into these vast Businesses of rouoh and
rugged canyons, crags and peaks, in WANDERING search of
the fairy god of gold-but never returned.