Year: 1867

system


System is the first law of Nature With
out it all would be chaos and confusion. The
same rule holds good in relation to the af-
fairs Of everyday life. Business of every
kind, in order to be successful, must be sys-
tematically conducted. No practical man,
about 10 engage in any particular branch OF
trade, would for a moment entertain the idea
ing and arranging his affairs in a manner
that would enable him to devote his energies
and talents to the prosecution of his under
taking, and systemizing matters so as to
bring his transactions under lis immediate
supervision and control. The farmer adopts
a regular method of procedure in the cult-
vatiun of his land and raising crops, without
which the soil would soon be worn out and
become barren and unproductive. Mechan-
ics, members of professions, and in fact per-
sons who are engaged in the most ordinary
svoeations, generally endeavor to maintain
some show of regularity end system in their
business pursuits. The only occupation in
which men appear to engage without the
least preparation or forethought. Is mining.
The opinion Is universally prevalent that
this, our most important branch of industry,
does not require the exercise of judgment or
the possession of any business qualifications
whatever, to enable person to become sue
esssful miner. Trust to luck" is the mot
to, and leaving all in the hands of the tickle
goddess, men embark blindly in mining spec
ulations and enterprises, without any regard
to the location of the claims they are pur-
chasing or assisting to prospect. and with no
practical knowledge of the business in which
they are engaging. In early times. when
every G. 'ch contained gold, and all that was
necessary to constitute successful miner
was to know how to handle the pick and
shovel, and the possession of energy enough
to induce men to use them, combined with
sufficient discrimination to distinguish be-
tween gold and mica, perhaps this loose way





times have changed greatly in the past few
years. Placer diggings are among the things
that were, and gravel mining is confined ex-
clusively to hydraulic and tunnel claims.
which require, as general thing. years of
labor and the expenditure of large amount
of capital to develop them. Miners, as
.loe, oro ,oor o,J ,,oab1o 70 ,,,oo+ bo boo,,,,
expenses incurred in operations of this char
acter, and, as natural sequence, their at
tention has been attracted to the more feast
BILE and less costly task of prospecting the
numerous quartz veins which traverse the
mining section of our State in every direc-
ton. While we cannot help bu' admire the
spirit, energy and perseverance which have
been exhibited by all classes Of our citizens
in the prosecution of this branch of mining,
we think that bad judgment has been shown
in the application of the money expended and
a lamentable lack of system displayed in the
direction of the labor performed upon quartz
leads in this vicinity. Too many companies
have been formed and the range of operations
has been too extended. Prospecting, in
order to be effective, must be thorough. If,
instead of endeavoring to prospect twenty
different lodges at the same time, the various
companies had consolidated and confined
their efforts to two or three, we think the re-
suit would have been far more beneficial to
the community, and the expense incurred by
each individual not so great. 1t would, have
been an advantage to US in another way
We should have known to certainty by
this time whether the lodges in this section
are really valuable or not and if the ques-
ton were settled in the affirmative, mills
would be Immediately erected and dividends
declared instead of assessments levied. One
good paying claim would do more to give
our mines standing and character than fifty
half-prospected, undeveloped lodges, no mat
ter how promising they may appear to their
owners. That we have as rich quartz lodes
in this district can be found in the State.
we sincerely believe; but the fact has yet to
be satisfactorily demonstrated. There is
one thing certain men cannot afford to pros
pect forever, and the sooner we determine
the truth in regard to our quartz leads, the
better it will be for all concerned. Quartz
mining, in our opinion, is just as legiti-
mate business as underwriting, merchan-
dizing or farming, and should be conducted
as systematically and methodically. and re-
quires the same careful attention and direc-
ton to be successful. Experience has taught
US that the development of quartz lode is
not the work of a day, and that capital is
needed. If such of our citizens as are en-
gagged in mining at the present time, would
combine themselves into one company, and
bring their united energies to bear upon one
or two claims we do not believe any difficulty
would be experienced in proving their rich
ness. AS soon as this is accomplished the
attention of capitalists will be directed tc
this locality, andno trouble found in obtain.
ing the necessary means to prosecute further
developments. Our mining interests are toe
important to be allowed TO decline for thu
want of little sagacity and foresight il
their proper management.


WE acknowledge the receipt and return
our thanks to Messrs. Charles de Young S
Co., propretors of the San Francisco Ora


matte Chronicle for their kind invitation tt
be present at the celebration of the fiftl
birthday of that excellent paper, on Wednes
day, the 18th inst. Although we were una
BILE to accept, literally, we were with them il
spirit, and partook of the feast of reason