Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1929-05-30

THAT the seeker for precious metals
is the forerunner of civilization is
the conclusion reached by DIR. F.. A..
Thompson, president of the Montana
School Of Mines. In an address made
before a meeting Of the American asso-
citation Of University Women in Helena
some time ago, DR.. Thompson spoke on
1.-The Influence Of Mining in the Devel-
opment OF the West" and said in part.
1T seems peculiarly appropriate that
n should discuss in the city of Helena
such a subject as The Influence of
Mining in the Development Of the
West for Helena, Golden Helena as
it used to be called, is, l believe, the
only n of the great placer camps of
the west upon the site Of which has
arisen a modern city and a state CAPT
tai. All the other placer camps, in Cal
ifornia, in Oregon, in Idaho and in
Montana, have become the ghost cities
of the west.
Nov it is an indisputable fact of
history. that from the beginning of
time, nations have prOspered in proper
ton as they owned or controlled the
products Of gold and silver, lead and
copper, and in more recent years, coal
and iron mines. Greece, according to
Xenophon, controlled the gold and sill
yer mines of Thrace. Rome, with her
slaves and soldiers. worked the mines
of Italy. Spain and doubtless even OF
Cornwall.
Spain, by the success of that great
prospector, Christopher Columbus, and
the galaxy of adventurous houses OF
Mexico and South America, controlled
the Golfers of all Europe. When,
owing to SPANS rapacity, these store
houses of gold and silver became ex-
hausted or closed against her, Europe
fell into a money famine which was
not relieved till new stores of wealth
were discovered.
And thus we find hat those nations
which have learned to mine and work
the minerals have invariably become
both rich and powerful, either by force
OF arms or by industrial activity.
Civilization Follows Miners
wherever the %prospector and the
miner leads, civilization follows as a
natural result. His achievements are
seldom recognized and less often re-
warded, his Importance as a civilized
agency is passed and forgotten.
"On January 10, 1848, occurred the
most important event of the 10Th cen-
fury, SO far as western America is on
cerned, namely the discovery of gold
in paying quantities in the gravels OF
American river, not far from Sacra-
mento.
among the Americans settled in
California was a Swiss adventurer
known as Captain Suffer. This worthy
had established quite a colony of both
whites and Indians known as Suffers
Fort, near the present site of Sacra-
mento. One of his enterprises includ-
ed a saWmill on the north fork of the
American river. This mill, naturally
driven by water power, was undergoing
reconstruction in charge Of James w.
Marshall, an American. Marshall re-
lates that he thought the efficiency of
the wheels was impaired by the pres
ence of considerable gravel in the tail
race; to remove this rapidly he stopped
the wheel and turned the head gate
wide open. Examing the progress made,
he saw on the bottom of the t~ail-sluice,
through the water, some speckS of
sparkling substance. He says he de-
liberated, as we all do sometimes over
trivial matters, whether he would stoop
to pick up the particles. Fortunately
he decided to do so. Presently, as the
story goes, after making a few rough
tests, he returned to his men, his old