"The law is the law."
"Mining's not everyone's choice of hobbies, it just happens to be mine."
"Charles, this is my fiance Alice Fletcher, her father Amos Conroy, my partners in the Copper Queen mine. That sir, is what we have come to talk with you about." Speed began, "What I would like to do is secure a loan for three thousand dollars using my business, and the the four hundred acres the main sits on as collateral. The cash would be used for equipment that John Anderson was holding for the previous owner of the mine and property."
"We are showing good color, and the equipment will speed up the process." He continued, We have yet to have ore assayed, though we intend to within the week. We as yet have no employees, but intend to rectify that as soon as possible." Then he looked to Charles Wentworth for his initial reply.
No one is as important enough to walk wherever he wants. He's bound to run into something that will stop him.
"Three thousand dollars is a lot of money," Charles said solemnly, "and yes your business and land will indeed be good collateral. However, I'm not sure that I can risk the money of the people who keep their money here without having something more substantial."
Before Speed or anyone else could reply, Charles continued, "I'm not saying that I doubt your word that the colour of the ore is good. What I am concerned about is how large the vein is. As you well know, many men...and banks have been ruined by mere speculation."
He leaned forward, "However, with that in mind, I am willing to lend you the amount needed to get the equipment you need to produce a good sample that can be assayed. Once that is done and it is favourable then you can get the rest."
"The law is the law."
"Mining's not everyone's choice of hobbies, it just happens to be mine."
"That sir, is fair enough. With the equipment we can proceed a good deal more quickly than we can at present. I believe we may well have a wide and a deep vein of rich copper ore, maybe some gold as well, but that remains to be seen and is not the ore we are after currently." Speed responded to the offer. He could well use his own money, but he would hold that in reserve, and to make the loan payments.
He could see that Alice was not happy at this turn of events, but what Charles had said about risking other peoples money was true, and as with any venture, the risk was substantial. "If you'll draw up the contract, and let us know when it will be ready, I'll go and speak to the Anderson's."
No one is as important enough to walk wherever he wants. He's bound to run into something that will stop him.
Charles nodded, "I can have the contract drawn up this afternoon. If you come by first thing in the morning, we can sign it. In the meantime, I will write a letter stating the bank's intent to provide an initial loan so that you can take it John Anderson over at the mercantile."
He stood up, "I hope your speculation about the mine will be positively confirmed. A working mine will bring a lot of new people to the area. I also hope that the troubles between Evergreen and Lost Lake will have no effect on any of your plans."
"The law is the law."
"Mining's not everyone's choice of hobbies, it just happens to be mine."
Charles nodded, "I can have the contract drawn up this afternoon. If you come by first thing in the morning, we can sign it. In the meantime, I will write a letter stating the bank's intent to provide an initial loan so that you can take it John Anderson over at the mercantile."
"Thank you Sir, always a pleasure Charles. I need to also set up an payroll account shortly, as we will be employing several miners as well as security for the mine once we get up and running, I'll be deferring my own capitol for that account." Speed advised.
He stood up, "I hope your speculation about the mine will be positively confirmed. A working mine will bring a lot of new people to the area. I also hope that the troubles between Evergreen and Lost Lake will have no effect on any of your plans."
Speed, Alice and Amos all stood and hand shakes all around. "My hope as well, being so close to the Evergreen one can only hope. And yes, I would see an influx of people, which can be both good and bad. I'm afraid I'll need to go to the Town Council for funds to hire on at least another deputy. But until then, we will hold our breath, so to say. Good day, then."
All the falderol to do with this banking concern seemed utterly useless to Amos Conroy, a man accustomed to doing business with a handshake and little else. Contracts that say that Speed Guyer would pay back the loaned money should not replace the Town Marshal's hand shake.
Such was business these days, unlike when when a man's word was plenty good enough, and a handshake was iron clad. He would bid the time as Speed went through the process. Amos was well aware that the loan really was not needed, that Speed could fall back on his own savings, but the idea of using a bank loan while holding his own in reserve for those things that came up, or some sort of an unseen emergency that cropped up.
Cash on hand in any proposition is always wise, or so Amos believed. That was enough for him that Speed would go along with these requirements. Speed was well versed in dealing with banks on mining and other claims that required some sort of financing. Not every sale was cash on the barrel head as Speed insisted his were.
He glanced at his daughter Alice who looked back, evidently feeling similar to her father. Both knew that Speed was well aware of what he was doing. That they could get the equipment up to the mine and begin looking at hiring miners was the important thing. Right after this meeting Amos would be headed to the nearest assayer, which would be in Missoula, roughly one hundred seventeen miles to the south, a good two and a half day ride with a spare mount. Maybe seven days if all went well and the assay was done in a day.
"The law is the law."
"Mining's not everyone's choice of hobbies, it just happens to be mine."
The problem was this long ride to Missoula. Speed could not leave town for that long with only Charlie as his back up. He hesitated to place the safety of the community on the two men from Helena, not that he doubted they would do it, but Kalispell was not paying him two hundred fifty dollars a month to run ore samples to Missoula and back.
"I see them wheels a turnin', Speed, don't think I don't. I'm the one to ride them sample ta Missoula, an' you know it!" Amos stated firmly. "I ain't what I was, but I can by God ride!"
"I know that Amos, and I can't go. I won't send Alice, which leaves you, or the need to hire someone to do it, and I'm not doing that!" Speed replied.
"And just why not, Speed Guyer?" Alice demanded. "I can ride as well as either of you, maybe better!"
"I won't have anything happen to you that's why. It's a long ride with plenty of danger to whoever takes it. You dad has far more experience than you out on the trail and that is why he will go in my place." Was Speed's retort.
She paused a second, knowing he was right, but convinced that she could accomplish the mission at hand. "Alright." She said.
"Both of us know you can do it, that's not in question, but there's a lot of danger out there, what with Indians, outlaws, and just general trail hazards to be faced and dealt with. Then it's settled?" Speed asked.
Heads nodded and the plan was accepted. "You'll take my horse, I'll use Pikes, have Gunther at the livery give you the fastest animal he has and I'll take care of it. No sense standing around, Amos. Good luck to you.
"Yer the one what's gonna need the luck, with Alice here. I'll be back as fast as I can." Amos promised.
With in the hour, he was a good five miles out of town.
"The law is the law."
"Mining's not everyone's choice of hobbies, it just happens to be mine."
"So the man says I'm to have trouble with you?" he asked. "Hardly seems reasonable, you giving me trouble when all I've done is be kind to you, grant your every wish..."
"Speed Guyer! Grant my every wish? Really? And when and how did you manage that, may I ask?" Alice retorted.
"Didn't I ask you to marry me? Make you an officer in the corporation? Name the mine, and the corporation after you?" He asked, almost as lamely as possible.
"I agreed to marry you Henry Speed Guyer because you were so pathetic. You did the rest of that so you didn't have to do the work and to fluff up your sagging ego." Came the barbed response. "But I do love you, you know."
It was good that during this exchange there was no one present to hear it. There would be no telling what gossip that might evolve into, and both of them laughed and then hugged.
"Well darlin' now, we wait." Speed said. "The assay will tell us everything we need to know about what we have. I know it's rich, the question is, just how rich." And that was the truth. He knew minerals, had a good eye for them, but a real assay report would tell the story.
"You know, that's what's missing at the office, an assayer. But we could not use our own for our samples, it would need to be done by an independent, which is exactly what we're doing."
You know, were you serious about not runing for re-election, you could become an assayer." Alice suggested.
"Now I haven't said I wouldn't run again. And you are right if I didn't I could become an assayer, but then I wouldn't be at the mine, our mine to run things. No we need an assayer working out of the office." He rationalized.
"Once this gets out, and it will, others will come searching, prospecting for copper, silver, gold. And an assayer will be a real need." He assured her.
"The law is the law."
"Mining's not everyone's choice of hobbies, it just happens to be mine."
"And where do we find an assayer not already employed?" Alice asked. "I'm sure any man that is qualified is already taken."
"That's true Alice, so very true. however, I have connections stretching back to New York if need be. I should actually start sending wires and see what we get, because that is what this town needs for what is coming, and what we already have. I mean not just us, but the others that have or will have need of an assayer." He smiled , "There are other minerals, maybe not in the quantities that they've found elsewhere, but enough to warrant mining it."
"The time that would save makes it worth doing all we can to get someone here with those talents," Alice said in reply. "To have the knowledge to do that, that would be wonderful. But I'm assuming there's a great deal of education required for that field."
"As far as I know, a minimum of two years of experience in an assay laboratory environment, with a strong mineral processing background. A strong scientific knowledge is required, including a Bachelor's Degree in science, coupled with more years of relevant experience. Not a quick thing to achieve, that's why this boy never went after it. I know enough to know minerals when I see them,but to assay their worth?"
"Certainly not something ones picks up quickly. An no wonder you didn't go after it." was her feeling about it. "So let's get working on getting an assayer out here, think of the additional revenue for Wood and Guyer." She knew that an accredited assayer would make the business even more reputable, an assayer would just increase profits.
"The law is the law."
"Mining's not everyone's choice of hobbies, it just happens to be mine."
Speed laughed , even though she was right, and that was exactly what he thought. "so I'll get some wires out to some that I know. Bringing a man west to do a job he's proficient at could be, should be easier than it sounds. You never know who will jump at that chance."
"I probably know six to ten qualified men that just might be willing to leave the trappings of the city life to venture west and take on a job assaying ore. We would likely have to pay them what they're worth. Might be tough at first, but once the Copper Queen starts paying off, well, life for everyone will get easier."
"I would certainly hope so." She said quickly, "And there are other claims that will need their ore assayed, not to mention claims and mines that are not even discovered or started up yet. This is a positive move."
"Yes. Exactly, and that will mean more people, more housing construction, money dollars spend at the Mercantile and the General store, as well as the Lickskillet, the saloon, the hotel, matter of fact everywhere in town. It will mean growth. Maybe not such a good thing, but unavoidable." He explained.
"It would happen, with or without a local assayer. That's just a fact of life Speed. Our mine will be the catalyst I'm afraid. Then again, I think we'll need to wait and see. She reminded him, "And who's to say that it might revive White Fish, or perhaps another town, then again, maybe not. All of this will be anybodies guess."