Evening star., 1932-08-04
Search for Gold Creating
New Army of Adventures

Time will run back and fetch the
age Of gold" said Milton, the great
English poet. Is new gold fever start
ing today? Raising Of buried bullion
and clinking coins from the sea, open
ing of new mines, prospecting with
better methods in abandoned shafts,
searching possible claims, all are going
on at the present time, and the spec
tacle is arousing much interest in many
lands.
Probably more men than ever be-
fore are prospecting for gold, not only
in this country but in other lands, "
states the Pasadena Star News, listing
new activities in this field: "One recent
dispatch told Of rich discovery in a
remote part Of Asia. News from
Cordova, Alaska, now announces the
discovery Of a gold-bearing ledge, de-
scribed as the biggest in the world
This ledge, in the Copper River Rail-
road area, was uncovered, it is believed,
by change in the course of the stream
Nevada is excited over a gold quartz
discovery at Summit Springs, thirty
miles south Of Hawthorne, once a
hourishing mining camp. other strikes
have been reported from time to time" I"
The Star-News concludes: Some Of
them may have merit back of their
claims, and others may be purely pro-
motional in character. While such re-
ports should not always be accepted at
face value, yet there is good reason to
watch developments. That out Of this
thorough search of Mother Earth's
rugged bosom there should come worth
while finds, perhaps bonanza locations,
need surprise no one"
Laying the boom in gold mining to
the fact that low costs Of food, wages
and materials make it profitable, the
Spokane Spokesman-Review remarks:
Nov that an ounce Of gold will buy
so much more Of everything than it
could buy few years ago, ores then
improbable are inviting now. The
United States Department of Commerce
calculates that in 1881 gold enjoyed
a purchasing power approximately 40
per cent above 1926 levels, and its
buying power is even greater now than
taking a boom all over the world
The old days of romantic gold
mining are long since dead, but gold
fever can never die" thinks the Boise
Idaho Statesman, taking cognizance of
the reported gold strike of rich pro-
portions in Northern Idaho, though it
discounts predictions of a bonanza.
Nevertheless" declares this paper,
"the temptation to contemplate the
advantages which would accrue were
a series of fabulouSly rich stakes made
are too great to resist. Money would
be brought into the State employment
furnished to the joblesS, our whole in
dustrial life would be given a power
full stinfulant. Nor would the benefits
be confined to Idaho. A new source
of gold pouring into the country's eco
nomic structure would constitute a
powerful factor in business recovery.
With thousands of prospectors scour-
ing the hills, there is always a chance,
remote though that chance may be-"
Referring particularly to the mines
in Alaska, the Nashville Banner de-
clares: In the light OF the history
of its purchase, it is especially inter-
esting to see indications from time to
time that the real value OF Alaska to
the United States Is increasing as we
learn more of it. When Secretary
Seward bought Alaska from Russia in
1867 for $7,2OO,OOO in gold there was
a great outcry on the part of an in
dignant public. The territory was pop
ularly referred to as Stewards Folly
and people said there was no ac-
counting for the senseless extrava-
gance in which public officials would
indulge, and so on. Recent geological
surveys in Alaska have emphasized
several facts about Alaska that make
the biting criticism of Secretary Sew
ard in days gone by all the more
amusing"
THE gold trails Of '49 and of
later years once more shake to the
tread Of booted proSpectors, and stream
beds forgotten since the days of Grip