572 CENTRAL MINERAL REGION OF TEXAS. 



to inform themselves and look sharply to their own interests. But at the 

 same time it is not true, as many believe, that mineral land is worth as much 

 to the impecunious holder as to one who is able to properly work it. While it 

 is to the interest of the people of Texas, at whose expense this Report has been 

 prepared, to have their mineral resources fully developed, they cannot afford 

 to induce outside capital to enter the State under false pretenses, or even to 

 permit those who invest liberally to be deceived by their own false hopes. 

 The success of future mining enterprises is essential to the material progress 

 of the Central Mineral Region, and every dollar expended in actual exploita- 

 tion will be worth hundreds devoted to buying mineral rights. "When, by a 

 liberal policy on the part of the land owners and the investment of moderate 

 capital in actual work, the intrinsic value of the mines has been proven, there 

 will be a real basis of calculation, a diminution of risks, which will give to 

 certain undeveloped tracts a market valuation not now attainable. It is, 

 therefore, the part of wisdom to encourage development early by liberal con- 

 cessions, at the same time holding on to the greater portion of the property 

 for future enhancement. 



With these hints, by way of introduction, we may proceed to the discus- 

 sion of the metallic resources in their practical business aspects, as they have 

 been studied in the office and laboratory after careful collecting in the field. 



A. THE PRECIOUS METALS. 



The situation as regards gold and silver in the Central Mineral Region re- 

 mains practically as reported by the writer in the First Annual Report, 1889. 

 Some of the enterprises which were then regarded as very uncertain have 

 been wholly abandoned, one or two have advanced further in development 

 without added encouragement, and very few new excavations have been 

 made with the primary object of searching for the precious metals. Still it 

 can not be said that the prospects are less flattering than they have been. 

 There is sufficient inducement in the surface indications, as remarked last 

 year, to warrant a considerable extension of economical explorations system- 

 atically conducted under competent direction. The prospecting which is or- 

 dinarily done is chiefly but wasted energy, as it is guided by no intelligent 

 method, and its results are in the main of little positive value, although in 

 many instances they may be of great detriment to the growth of the district, 

 by reason of their unprofitable termination, without really yielding any ad- 

 verse evidence. Notwithstanding the knowledge acquired by the Survey of 

 the conditions under which the veins have been formed, and of the structure 

 resulting from the many disturbances, it has not been possible as yet to de- 

 cide whether any workable ore bodies occur in the tracts where the minerals 

 bearing gold and silver are known to exist. This is because the developments 



