The Richest Mine In The World

'rof. R. Weiser in Kooky ttountalD MiniiiK Review We aro soinetinies iucliued to think ihat those who invest their moiiey in mmes net unwisely. In all minina ven;ures there is more or less risk ut the inducemento upon mining enterprises, held out to monied men is too alluriug and fascinating to be resisted. liich men, as a general rule, aspire tomore wealtli, and knowing how ast large fortunes have been made in mining, very naturally resort to that mode of increasing thoir wealth. ïhey see that in no other department of business can money be made so rapidly. We rive a fow facts, well known in mining circles: In 1859 two poor mine prospeotors, lenry Phinney and Htnry Coiustock, with "hard labor pusl'ed their way up hroutrh "Six Mile Canyon," in Washou county, Nevada. ïhey found some ip'phurct of silver, with a little sprinking of gold . They were so much pleesed with the outlook that they looated a mining claim on the side of a high hill. The propeots for a nch mine were no )etter than tbo isands of other claims ;n ;he mining regions of the West. Phinïey, it appears, had but little conüdence n the claim, for in a short time ho sold lis interest in it to Comstock for a pinch of gold dust; that is, as much gold as he could hold between his thumb and foreinger - perliaps not over two dollars' worth. In a short time fterward Comstock also sold the whole claim for a mere song. At the time of the sale it was nothing but a mere prospectivo, and even problematical. But soou after it was sold it was opened and showed itself o be the richest mine in the world! íothing equal to it lad ever been known n any country. It began to pay in 1860, and in twenty years it produced mineral, silver and gold, amounting to S30(i,000,)0ü - yes three hundred and six niillions of dollarsJ Nearly three-fourths, or !22S,000,000, was net, or over and above he expenses of mining and smelting. Although the lode has been worked by a number of companies, it is one lodeonly. The nearest(approach we have to it in Colorado is the Little Pittsburg at Leadville, which at one time in 1880 produced silver carbonate amounting to f '200,000 amonth. In consequence of this immense 'ield this mine was stocked at twenty nillions of dollars. Since 1881 it has leelined very mucli. The Pelican and Dives at Georgetown, are also famous mines. I know that at one time in 1874 the Dives produced no ess than $80,000 a week for a number of weeks together! I am not now prepared to give the entire product of these mines since 18C8, but it must have run up into he millions. The Bassick mine, in the eouthern purt of Colorado is said to be the richeet mine in the state. The product of silver in Nevada was so large that it was thought at one time ;hat the markots of the world would be jlutted and silver would have a fall in value. Aud when in 1880 Colorado began to add upwards of twenty millions a pear to the worlds output, silver still kept at the old price. This is owing to the fact that the silver-bearing territory of the world is very small compared to the non-f.Hverbearing area. China, Japan and British India, the most populous countries in the world, and the largest silver consumers, have no silver of their own. So great is the consumption of silver in those countries, both for coin and ornament, that half a dozen such mines as the Comstock could not glut the markets of the world. Such facts as I have stated have a tendeney to tire the heartB of men who are in pursuit of wealth. Then, too, tbere are niany other facts that have the same effect. It is well known that Senator Tabor made his start m the world with a grub stake that cost him but a few dollars. As long as we see such men as Tabor, Bowen, Mackey, O'Brien, and many others, who in a short time, and with but little capital, have made such colossal fortuno, men will risk their money in mines. And then, too, it must be borne in mind, thnt thero are just as good minos yet to be found as those to which we have referred." Tho great tissure veins in Nortli Star Monntain, near Leadville, Colorado, now opened on the south ends by tunnels, drifts and shafts more than a mile in extent, for the Soverign Gold Co., and on the north ends of the veins for the Star Mountain Mining Co., already yielding ores bearing gold, silver and copper, may prove, when developed, worthy of rank among the great mines of the Golden Bange, and pour forth their millions also. "Yes, we's do run up again some queer snaps," observed the tramp, as he steamed behind a red-hot stove in the station waitingroom, "some peculiar fakes we's has on our tra veis. 'Bout six weeks ago ez Hi was comiu' up ter town to look f ar my winter quarters, Hi got hawful 'ungry one day. Sucked half a dozon 'ens' eggs w'ich Hi found in a barn, but raw heggs beeunt werry fillin' on a cold day. Purty soon Hi struck a town, an' goin' up to a neat but 'umble 'ouse - it's the poor dat 's de frionds of we's yer know - Hi knocked at the door, an' was told to come in. 'Please, mum,' sez Hi to de place, 'please, mum, Hi'm starvin'. Can't ye give a poor man a bit o'sup to day?" An' w'al d'ye suppose she said? "Elp youself," sez she, wid a coldpotato kind o'smile on her face; "Elp youself to hanything to heat yer can find, my poor man." "Yer can bet she broke me all up Never seed nothin' like it before in all my travels. ïhen Hi thought she mighl be afeerd o' me. 'Don't be skeered, mum,' Hi sez; 'Hi won't 'urt ye's.' 'Hi'rc not afraid o'you,' sez she, 'nor o' whai you'll eat. Help youself, Hi say, to whatever you kin find. Hi'm a minister's wife, an' we he a donation party here last night. You're welcome.' "-Chicago Herald. Sorrow ís the bent pin that we sit down upon in the arm-chair of earthl existence. The truth about our merit lies midway between what peöple say of it to us oul of politeness, and what we say of il ourselves out of modesty. "Queer country, this," said an Englishman. "Why, notwithstanding you cali this the winter season, I saw a dude drop on the sidewalk yesterday." This is the season when the plumber sings as he plumbs, while his good wife at home drcams of sealskin acques and summers at Long Branch and Newport "Some of the best poems in the Englisu language are now and then a foot,' says a contemporary. We frequently have'em sent in a foot long.