The Giant Hedge-Hog Mines Unlimited

An Unusual Mining Development in Fairfield County

GEORGE S. CHAPPELL

DO you want to get in on the ground floor of what may develop into one of the biggest enterprises in the United States? Do you want to see an investment of, say, a thousand dollars treble itself inside of five years? Needless to say, you do. Well then, listen. Here is your opportunity.

I have a tract of undeveloped property lying in Fairfield County, Connecticut, nine miles north of Stamford. (Jitney 'bus runs to Long Ridge, one mile west of property, fare— 20 cents). I purchased this property fourteen years ago on a rumor that the New Haven Railroad was going to run a cut-off through that section to Danbury. A friend of mine once made a killing in real-estate because a railroad ran its line right through his mother's grave, and this seemed to me like a similar opportunity. Well, the New Haven abandoned its plans and there I was with my property, and there I am today. Sometimes I have thought of selling it but no one else has thoughts along those lines, except the taxcollector.

An Idea by Mail

"WHAT to do with it?" was the question which I frequently pondered. Agriculture in that section is out of the question. The soil is composed of equal parts of sand and boulders. These are covered by a skim-coat of what must be artificial grass. It is not edible for I once rented my meadows to a neighbor's cows and two died and one dried-up, since which episode my neighbor has refused to do either. There is a small house in one corner of the estate and I considered for a time making the entire tract of twenty-four acres, "more or less" as the deed says, into a rock-garden. It is admirably adapted to this purpose. Rocks do well there and it would have the distinction of being the largest rock-garden in the world. My fancy pictured "The Chappell Rock-garden, near Long Ridge, Connecticut" illustrated in all the garden magazines and I seemed to see myself leading parties through my domain for a modest fee which would amount to a tidy bit in the course of a year.

But all this came to naught. The expense alone of walling-it-in so that people couldn't see it without paying made the project out of the question. Again I was thrown back on my query: "What to do?"

And then, like a heaven-sent messenger came a long envelope bearing the super-scripture "Randall, Macintosh & Company, Ltd., Toronto, Canada". Below the firm name was a line "Government, Municipal & Corporation Bonds, 17 King Street, East".

There is something mysterious about mail. There are some letters which you simply can't throw away without taking a peek at. You know they are advertisements which will try to sell you something you don't want but a subtle quality in the make-up of the envelope fascinates you. In this particular case the foreign stamps—there were two of them, which bespoke a certain solvency—had their special appeal. I felt immediately that here was someone from a long way off who was willing to invest the price of two foreign stamps just to bring his message to me. I was flattered. The reference to Bonds—"Government, Municipal & Corporation "—had a solid, ponderous sound. It inspired confidence. "Bonds", I thought. "Nothing like bonds. I'd like to own one sometime." I opened the envelope.

The first enclosure which I unfolded gave me a real thrill. "Good Heavens!" I thought, "Has my dream come true? Do I really own a bond?" The document looked like a large bank-note, about 9x12 inches. At first I thought it was a bank-note for I saw only the green edge with that lacing of fine, white lines which looks so pretty on crisp, new bills. Then I realized that it was not a bill but what is called a "Certificate of Rights".

Yes, this was a "Certificate of Rights" to stock of the Mammoth Prickly-pear Mines Limited. My certificate was lettered in red, "Series B. No. 2199" and gave me a right to 2000 shares at a par value of one dollar each. The company through its agents, Randall, Macintosh & Co. gave me this right unequivocally, without any string to it except, of course, my "check, draft or money-order". This, however, was mentioned tactfully in fine print as was also the note "No personal liability". The certificate ended at the bottom with a gorgeous, splashing signature, full of dash and confidence—as if Randall, Macintosh & Co. had assembled their office force and given their business-cheer at the close of the day. The whole was topped off with a great, green seal with saw-tooth edges.

But if the certificate gave me a thrill it was as nothing compared to what followed when I opened the second enclosure containing printed matter on the first page and, on the inside—a map!

The instant I looked at that map I thought of my farm-land. The thought was subconscious but dominant. It ran like a refrain through the reading matter. The rights expired in November. I had only a limited time in which to act. Furthermore it was comforting to know that the rights were not issued "to in any way create the impression that this company is connected with any other company". Trading in the shares of the company was fore-shadowed on the New York, Montreal and Toronto Curb as soon as values had been "proven at depth and sufficient ones blocked out to assure the shareholders of a ready market at an enhanced value".

A Map of Fairy-Land

AND then I turned to the map. It was labeled "Sectional Map of Prickly-pear Gold Area" and showed a large number of claims which had apparently not been substantiated with a few exceptions. These exceptions, however, were startling. They showed the location, in heavy black lines, of going concerns, magnificently prosperous gold mines in the immediate vicinity. Below was a succinct financial statement such as "Hollingshead Consolidated Mines. Area owned 440 acres. Capitalization $24,900,000. Market value, $67,960,000. Dividends paid, $19,864,000."

My brain reeled. The least successful of these mines had paid over three million dollars to investors. In one blazing moment I saw what I should do with my Fairfield County property!

Here I had been petty-fogging along for the last ten years with silly schemes of landscape-gardening, bungalow-sites and similar surface activities when all the time my future lay buried under-ground.

Who knows what lies beneath the surface of any particular piece of property? There may be anything, or nothing! That is the fascination of mining investments—the chance, the lure, the gamble. I felt it so clearly as I shuffled my Prickly-pear papers. It was all I could do to keep from making out my check for $2000—and taking up my indisputable rights to my allotment of shares. Then I reflected what a lot of trouble that might cause for Randall, Macintosh & Co. and the banks —and I desisted.

But one conviction remained. Here was a way, not to get rid of my rocky acres, but to enhance their value tremendously and still retain an interest in them. I should organize a mining development company. To think was to act. The thing is already done. This is the opportunity of which I spoke in the beginning of getting in on the ground-floor— nay, more, of getting in on the under-ground-floor, if you will.

An Outline Prospectus

LET me give you an idea of my company and its prospects. My literature follows the approved Prickly-pear model with improvements.

The first thing was to select a name. I call my company The Giant Hedge-Hog Mines UnLimited. You will recall that Prickly-pear was limited; with me the lid is off. Otherwise, the names resemble each other. They have the same delicate intimation that you may possibly get stuck by fooling with such things as hedge-hogs or prickly-pears. My certificate of rights, which is pretty enough to frame and very suitable for it, too—goes Prickly-pear one better on several points. For instance I have increased the individual rights to 5000 shares, which is an easy number to remember. Moreover there is no time limit for payment. Any time you can spare the money I shall be very glad to get it. My fiscal agents are the wellknown banking firm of Gallagher & Shean who deal in Government, Municipal & Corporation Bonds at their office, 22 Marylebone Terrace, London, W. C. to whom all remittances should be addressed.

Gallagher & Shean have turned out some splendid literature. They believe, positively and absolutely, in the property. Let me quote you a few paragraphs from their statement under the proper headings.

Reason for Rights. The Rights are not issued to in any way create the impression that this company is connected with any other company. The Giant Hedge-Hog stands alone.

Rights Expire when subscribed for. Letters postmarked from now on will be considered valid and allotments granted.

Acceptance of Rights will be fitted in the order of their receipt. We reserve the privilege in the case of over-subscription to set aside the surplus for development and extension. No allotment will be made to any one person for more than 5000 shares nor less than one share.

Continued on page 100

Continued from page 58

Trading in the Shares of the Company on any Curb or Street Corner will be established immediately whether values have been proven or not. Contracts for drilling have already been considered and development work will be under the direct supervision of George S. Chappell, the president of the company and Major F. H. Simmons who was in full charge of the development work of the Ground Hog Extension up to the Time it was absorbed by the Wood-Chuck Mines.

The Properties. The Giants HedgeHog Mines Un-Limited owns approximately twenty-four acres, more or less, in the district described more fully in these pages. The surface showings, rocks, ledges, boulders, cobbles, pebbles, sand and ordinary stones indicate rich possibilities for development. And so on.

But where I have really spread myself is on my map. Here I think I have it all over isolated districts such as those occupied by concerns like Prickly-pear, Hollingshead, and the others.

To begin with, as my chart shows, there are absolutely no other mines of any kind in the vicinity. We are without competition. What is more important is that we are closely in touch with large, thriving cities like Stamford and Bridgeport in which to convert our ore into manufactured products. We have a short rail-haul to New York, the Metropolis of the World and our elevation, 520 feet, gives us a gravity-fall to tide-water, opening to us the ports of the entire globe. All this the map clearly shows,

Think of the possibilities! The district is entirely undeveloped. We may strike anything and we will mine for anything we strike, gold, silver, brass, precious stones, semi precious stones, coal, tin, salt, gravel, anything. Connecticut produces the greatest diversity of manufactured articles of any similar area in the world. This tremendous market is at our doors.

Do not forget the name; the Giant Hedge-Hog Mines Un-Limited. This chance you can not afford to pass up. Buy it for the wife and kiddies. If not for yours, for mine. And keep in mind also the fine-print caption: No personal responsibility.