Weekly journal-miner., 1916-04-26
WHY THE PUBLIC BUYS MINING
 STOCKS
(From Tuesday's Gaily.)

topics, says:
 It is not difficult to understand why | people become so intensely interested in the purchase of mining stocks when the record of the mining indus try in America is carefully considered.
 There is no other industry that has paid such wonderful profits as min ing. Holders of mining stocks during the year 1915 realized no less than Sl00,OOOO00 in profits through ad- vances in the prices of these stocks during last year.
 The dividend record for the year 1915 is as wonderful as the record of increased values in stocks. The huge sum of Sll0,047, ,145 was paid in divi- dends during the year 1915 by Ameri- can metal mines and works and se- curities holding companies. Exclu- sive of the holding companies, the metal mines and works included in last years figures have paid total dividends of S991,477,l75, a return of invested capital and S242,023,4lO addi- tional. No other of the nations in dustries has made such showing. Sixty-two of the companies included
 l the above figures are gold mining companies. They have paid dividends 10 date amounting to S256,7Sl ,455 on an issued capital of Sl6l ,355.O60, or more than l45 per cent on the orig inal investment.
 Probably no mines Of the world have paid greater profits than those of the Comstock Lode. The bonanza orc body of the Comstock was found at a depth of 100 feet in the Con solidated Virginia and California mines. This ore body produced the tremendous sum of $lll,975,76l. These two bonanza mines paid dividends of S75.OOO,OOO.
 Consolidated Virginia advanced from Y cents a share to S7S0 share. Other Comstock companies showed fully as marvellous profits. Belcher went from Sl to Sl,525 per share. while Crown Point advanced from g to Sl,S25 a share.
 Sucn instances prove the oft-rc- peated statement that one good in vestment Is worth more than life time Of labor. Twenty-Five dollars in vested in Consolidated Virginia would have paid Sl09.9S0 if the stock had been purchased at the lowest price and sold at the highest. Twenty-Five dollars worth of Bclcher stock would later have been worth S3S.125 and this amount invested in Grown Point at the lowest price wouli later have had value of S22.SO0.
 Every gold mining camp of Ameri- ca has its story oi wonderful profits and every camp has its list of mil lionaires. One of the most interest ing records Of investment in mining is that of Uncle Sam. The Territory of Alaska cost Uncle Sam N,200,000. Since the purchase of this Territory. Alaska has yielded $275.O00,O00 in min ing products alone. In addition to this total about S3O0O00,0OO has been produced in seal and fur. wal rus, whalcbonc. fishery and other mis- cellaneous products.
 The total of dividends paid by the American mining industry. plus the increase in value of mining stocks, is greater than profits paid by any other industry of the country. These pro- fits are greater than the combined and dividends of all the railroad and banking institutions O: the United States by large odds.
 According 10 Bradstreet's and l Du1n's we discover the startling fact l that but So per cent of all legitimate | mine investments fail while 54 per cent Of general commercial enter prises arc failures.
 Government figures made public during 1915 show the following re turns on capital invested in the coun- try's various leading industries:
 Railroads, } per cent; insurance. II /. per cent; national banks, 6H peT cent; numbering. 14 per cent; manu- featuring. 70 per cent; mining. lS2 per cent.
 An industry that is capable of pay ing such vastly greater profits than any other industry quite naturally holds greater attractions for invest ments than the securities of other in dustries. !