LIBRARY
OF THE
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA.
GIFT OF
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Class '
REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS
OF THE
SIXTH ANNUAL SESSION
THE AMERICAN MINING
CONGRESS
IRWIN MAHON, SECRETARY,
CARLISLE, PENNSYLVANIA
DEADWOOD AND LEAD, SOUTH DAKOTA
SEPTEMBER 7, 8, 9, 10 n, AND 12, 1903
1904:
UNION PRINTING COMPANY,
PORTLAND, ORE.
REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS
OF THE
SIXTH ANNUAL SESSION
THE AMERICAN MINING
* CONGRESS
IRWIN MAHON, SECRETARY,
CARLISLE, PENNSYLVANIA
DEADWOOD AND LEAD, SOUTH DAKOTA,
SEPTEMBER 7, 8, 9, 10, u AND 12, 1903
1904:
UNION PRINTING COMPANY,
POBTLAND, ORK.
\"\
-,
SESSIONS OF THE, CONGRESS HAVE
BEEN HE,LD AS FOLLOWS:
DATE
CITY
PRESIDENT
ADDRESS
REMAKKS
1st
July 1897
Denver, Colo.
Hon. Alva Adams
Pueblo, Colo.
Temporary
1st
July 1897
Denver, Colo.
Hon.L. Bradford Prince
Santa Fe, N. M.
2nd
July 1898
Salt Lake, Utah
Hon. L. Bradford Prince
Santa Fe, N. M.
3rd
July 1899
Milwaukee
Col. M. B. Montgomery
Cripple Creek, Colo. )
Passed to
3rd
June 1900
Milwaukee
Col. M. B. Montgomery
Cripple Creek, Colo. )
June 1900
4th
July 1901
Boise, Idaho
Hon. L. Bradford Prince
Santa Fe, N. M.
5th
Sept. 1902
Butte, Mont.
E. L. Schafner
Cleveland, Ohio.
6th
Sept. 1903
Deadwood and \
Lead S. D. j
Hon. J. H. Richards
Boise, Idaho.
OF THE
(I UNIVERSITY
OF
OFFICAl ROSTER
OF THE OFFICERS OF THE
American Mining Congress
SEVENTH ANNUAL SESSION
MEETS AT PORTLAND, OREGON,
AUGUST 22 - 27, 1904.
OFFICERS
Hon. J. H. Richards, President , Boise, Idaho
Col. Thos. Ewing, 1st Vice-President. .Los Angeles, California
R. C. Patterson, 2nd Vice-President Omaha, Nebraska
J. Frank Watson, 3d Vice-President Portland, Oregon
Merchants National Bank, Treasurer Portland, Oregon
Irwin Mahon, Secretary Carlisle, Pennsylvania
BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
Hon. J. H. Richards, Idaho; Col. Thomas Ewing, California; R. C.
Patterson, Nebraska; J. Frank Watson, Oregon; Col. E. F. Brown,
Colorado; Dr. J. A. Holmes. North Carolina; John Gray, South Dakota;
Hon. James H. Lynch, Montana; John Dern, Utah.
LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE.
Hon. J. H. Mitchell, United States Senator, Chairman, Oregon;
Hon. J. H. Richards, Idaho; Col. Thomas Ewing, California.
PROGRAM COMMITTEE.
R. C. Patterson, A. M., Chairman, Nebraska; J. Frank Watson, Ore-
gon; John Gray, South Dakota.
TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE.
Irwin Mahon, Chairman, Pennsylvania; Hon. J. H. Lynch, Mon-
tana; Capt. Thos K. Muir, Oregon.
BUILDING COMMITTEE.
Col. Thos. Ewing, Chairman, California; David H. Moffatt, Den-
ver, Colorado; J. R. Leonard, Pittsburg, Pennsylvania.
203314
OFFICERS OF THE
SIXTH ANNUAL SESSION
American Mining Congress
WHICH MET AT
DEADWOOD AND LEAD, SOUTH, DAKOTA,
SEPTEMBER 7 TO 12 INCLUSIVE, 1903.
OFFICERS
Hon. J. H. Richards, President Boise, Idaho
S. W. Russell, 1st Vice-President Deadwood, South Dakota
E. R. Buckley, 2d Vice-President Rolla, Missouri
Thomas Ewing, 3d Vice-President. .. .Los Angeles, California
C. W. Goodale, Treasurer Butte, Montana
Irwin Mahon, Secretary Carlisle, Pennsylvania
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Hon. J. H. Richards, Boise, Idaho; E. R. Buckley, Rolla, Missouri;
Irwin Mahon, Carlisle, Pennsylvania; Col. John T. Grayson, Portland,
Oregon; S. W. Russell, Deadwood, South Dakota; Col. Thos. Ewing,
Los Angeles, California; Charles W. Goodale, Butte, Montana; W. L.
Kendall, Cleveland, Ohio; L. K. Armstrong, Spokane, Washington.
LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE
Hon. E. W. Martin, Chairman, Deadwood, South Dakota; Hon. H.
B. Heyburn, United States Senator, Wallace, Idaho; Hon. A. B.
Kittredge, United States Senator, Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Col.
Thomas Ewing, Los Angeles, California; Maj. E. L. Shafner, Cleveland,
Ohio.
PROGRAM COMMITTEE
W. S. Elder, Chairman, Deadwood, South Dakota; J. W. Neill,
Salt Lake City, Utah; Walter H. Weed, United States Geological
Survey, Washington, D. C.; Dr. R. L. Slagle, Dean School of Mines,
Rapid City, South Dakota; R. H. Driscoll, Cashier First National Bank,
Lead, South Dakota.
TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE
S. W. Russell, Chairman, Deadwood, South Dakota; John Francis,
G. P. A., B. & M. R. R., Omaha, Nebraska; J. A. Kuhn, Asst. G. P.
& F. A., C. & NL W. R. R. Co., Omaha, Nebraska; Pro.f E. M. Shepard,
Springfield, Missouri; Ernest May, Lead, South Dakota.
REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS
OF THE
SIXTH ANNUAL SESSION
THE AMERICAN MINING
CONGRESS
DEADWOOD AND LEAD, SOUTH DAKOTA,
SEPTEMBER 7, 8, 9, 10, n AND 12, 1903.
Deadwood, S. D., September 8, 1903, 10 A. M.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: The Congress will now be in order.
During this forenoon session we will pay no attention to the cards
representing the states. We will be pleased to have you all come
forward and these seats will be arranged for the afternoon.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: We will now have the invocation by
The Right Reverend John Stahra, Bishop of Lead.
BISHOP STAHRA: In the name of the Father, Son and the Holy
Ghost amen: O, Holy Father, Almighty and Eternal God, we at all
times and on all occasions praise and adore Thee for the many bene-
fits Thou hast bestowed upon this great republic. Today, therefore,
we raise our hearts and our voices beseeching Thee to bear forth Thy
graces on these assembled. We pray Thee in Thy bounty to share
Thy blessings on all the members of this American Mining Congress,
and especially ask thy blessings on all those who are to take part in
the deliberations of this Congress, that the officers and delegates
may be strengthened by Thy grace and may discharge their duties
honestly and conscientiously and for the well being of the people.
May the deliberations of this Mining Congress be guided by the light
of Thy divine wisdom, may its deliberations tend to promote the
mining industry, the prosperity of our nation and the spiritual and
temporal benefit of the people.
We pray Thee on this great auspicious day, O God of Nations
and of Battles, to direct in Thy wisdom OUT National Congress to
frame laws for the development of the mining industry, and we pray
Thee that it may become a separate department of our national
government. We commend to Thy infinite bounty all our fellow
citizens throughout the United States and the officers and delegates
of this Mining Congress that they may live in union and brotherly
love and, after enjoying all the blessings of this life they may by Thy
divine grace be permitted to enjoy eternal life with Thee forever
in Heaven. Amen.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: You will now listen to the address
of welcome on behalf of South Dakota by the governor of this state,
Hon. Charles N. Herreid. (Applause.)
Mr. President and Members of the American Mining Congress:
Today South Dakota enjoys the proud distinction of having as her
guests the representative men of one of the most important indus-
tries, and it gives me great pleasure to welcome to our state this
large and illustrious gathering of the most distinguished mining men
of the United States. In the presence of so many evidences of good
will it is almost needless for me to extend to you formal greetings of
6 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
welcome. Half a million South Dakotans would greet you and welcome
you and will follow your deliberations with great interest and enthu-
siasm. The problems which you will consider are problems of tre-
mendous importance to this young state. While South Dakota is best
known as one of the great agricultural states, our vast mineral
resources challenge our most careful consideration. We have within
our state not only the largest gold mine in the world, but what is
believed to be the richest one hundred square miles upon the globe,
our mining experts will tell you we have mountains of precious
metals; our regents of education will say to you we have the best
School of Mines evolving the best methods for securing these metals;
and I know we have men with the best mind and muscle to do the
work. Since the 26th day of July 1874, when H. N. Rose washed the
first gold from French Creek, about one hundred and twenty-five mil-
lion dollars of gold have been taken from South Dakota mines. While
we are contributing our full share towards the world's supply of the
precious metals our immense mining enterprises are in their infancy,
with hundreds of mines awaiting development.
The industry which you represent is most intimately connected
with the business life of the country. The output of the mines sup-
plies the vital spark the energy of commerce. Close every mine and
you would shake to its foundations every industry in the country.
We all rejoice over the prevailing universal prosperity. I am
proud of the fact that I can welcome you to a people who are super-
latively prosperous, contented and happy; where the spirit of success
dominates the commercial and industrial atmosphere; where every-
body has surrendered to the magnificent energy which is building a
new and splendid empire. I welcome you to a people who for six
years have produced more wealth per capita than any other state
in the Union; to a state famous for the large number according to
population, of newspapers, churches, colleges and school houses; to
a state absolutely free from conflict between labor and capital; to a
state settled largely by the children of the pioneers who were the
empire builders of the Great West children who from infancy were
taught the lessons of vigorous manhood; a people who adopted as
their state motto:
"Under God the People Rule,"
and who, as, individuals and communities, with reverence for all law,
human and 'divine, are living up to their high standards of right.
I have no apologies to make for this young commonwealth. A few
years ago, in the midst of universal distress, when financial ruin was
prancing up and down Wall Street, when civilization seemed to have
entered upon an epoch of unrest, our people were fearlessly facing
serious problems and thinking and struggling perhaps not always
wisely but always with the conviction of honest, men. Triumphantly
the people shook off the burden of despair. Ten years ago the real
value of all property within the state was less than one hundred
million dollars; today it is one thousand million! Today every South
Dakotan is proud of his state and with joy and devotion ready to join
the grand chorus of thanksgiving and praise:
"I love ev'ry inch of her prairie land,
Every stone on her mountain side,
I love every drop of her water clear
That flows in her rivers wide.
I love ev'ry tree, ev'ry blade of grass
Within Columbia's gates.
The queen of the earth is the land of my birth,
My own United States."
Members of the American Mining Congress! I welcome you to a
state that feels honored by your presence. I sincerely hope and believe
that your deliberations will be profitable and pleasant and that when
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 7
you leave our state, it will be with the most pleasant recollections
and delightful impression that South Dakota has not only the natural
resources and the people but the foundations firmly established for
honorable membership in the splendid galaxy of the great common-
wealths of our country. (Applause.)
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: You will now listen to a selection of
music by the band.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: An address of welcome on behalf of
the city of Deadwood by its mayor, Mr. E. MteDonald. (Applause.)
MAYOR M'DONJALD: It gives me great pleasure to welcome the
American Mining Congress to Deadwood in the name of its citizens. It
is the first time your association has turned its face in the direction of
the richest one hundred miles square on earth and we feel confident
that you will be given the heartiest welcomes and a grand acquisition
to your membership.
I hope that your stay among us will be so pleasant that on your
return to your homes you may at least be able to say that you have
had a pleasant time, if not the pleasantest among your six annual
meetings. Deadwood has invited you to this city and you have ac-
cepted the invitation in the same spirit in which it was offered and
I do assure you of our pleasure in having you with us and again say
that we shall feel amply rewarded if your visit will prove a profit
and pleasure to you.
We regret exceedingly the absence of President Roosevelt, whom
we had supposed would have been able to have accepted the very
cordial invitation that was extended to him by the Black Hills Mining
Men's Association. Still, we are gratified to be favored by the pres-
ence of such a distinguished representative in the person of Hon.
Leslie M. Shaw. (Applause.)
You are here to exchange greetings and to renew your acquaint-
ances one with the other, to have as much pleasure as you can and do
what you can to bind the members of the American Mining Congress
closer and closer in the bond of union which is growing stronger with
each passing year. You can and are by these gatherings getting
nearer and nearer together, thus enabling you to harmonize opinions
and unite on general principles, although differing on details. It is
impossible for us all to agree upon everything. We will have our
differences and should have. If not, all advancement and progress
would cease and the world would retrograde. We grow wiser and
better by the exchange of opinions.
Twenty-five years ago no one would have supposed it would have
been possible to bring so large a number of mining men together
in one grand body like the American Mining Congress, hence we have
reason to rejoice over what has been accomplished so far and have
reason to believe that the future is bright with possibilities.
At the last meeting of the Mining Congress, Mayor Davey was
desirous of turning over the keys of the city to your president, saying
his inability to do so was caused by the neglect of M'ayor McDonald
to return them. (Laughter.) The insistence of Mr. Elliott of Montana
that we refrain from transacting any business of any kind or charac-
ter prevented my making any explanation at that time and I think it
is due you to know why I failed to give the keys to the mayor for
the benefit of the Congress. The night before our delegation was
invited to dinner by Col. James Lynch (Cheers) and those of you
who know him can form some idea of the time we were permitted to
leave his hospitable home. It was late, yes, very late in the morning,
and on nearing the Thornton we were accosted by a large body who
inquired if we were the South Dakota delegation. Being informed
that we were they asked if the mayor of Deadwood was with them.
I replied that I was the mayor of Deadwood and was proud of it.
They wanted the key to the hospital. At the mention of the word
hospital we all became alarmed and we all volunteered our services,
8 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
saying that every man from Deadwood was a Good Samaritan. They
said they were in quest of trained nurses, they wanted seclusion and
rest; that although they had preceded us a week they found that
the South Dakota delegation was in the forefront of popularity.
What could a man do, representing the generous citizens of Dead-
wood, but to hand over the bunch of keys?
Now I am not going to give the keys of the city of Deadwood to
President Richards; not because he is not a good man; his reputation
has preceded him. He has paid us a number of visits during the past
year to consult with his invaluable co-worker, Mr. Mahon. (Cheers.)
We had an opportunity of learning something of Judge Richards,
modest and unassuming way, and any organization should be proud to
be the possessor of such an able and dignified president. (Cheers.)
Now you will observe that I have no personal reasons I love the
judge; to know him is to love him; he is a man among men; a prince
among gentlemen, but I cannot give him the keys to the city of
Deadwood. I have conceived the idea that on this occasion an open
door policy without the Russian bear in the doorway would be prefer-
able to the American Mining Congress.
OUT homes and hearts are open to you and if you should find any-
thing under lock and key report it and I will ascertain the reason
why. (Laughter.) Now, to the city of Deadwood, I join with our
people in welcoming you and I trust that your visit will prove an
era in the life of the American Mining Congress. (Applause.)
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: I take this occasion to call upon our
secretary to read a letter recently received by your congressman, Hon.
E. W. Martin, from the president of the United States.
SECRETARY MAHON: Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen:
"White House.
Washington.
Oyster Bay, N. Y., August 28, 1903.
My Dear Mr. Martin:
I am very sorry to find that it will be out of the question for me to
attend the session of the American Mining Congress next month. I
take a particular interest in this meeting, because many of your
members I have myself the honor of personally knowing. I not only
believe with all my heart in the work, but in the men who are
doing it.
Please convey to the delegates assembled my hearty good wishes
for the complete success of the meeting.
Sincerely yours,
THEODORE ROOSEVELT,
Hon. Eben W. Martin, M. C., Deadwood, S. D." (Great applause.)
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: Your committee on program has
designated myself to respond on behalf of the American Mining
Congress to the addresses of welcome that have been extended this
congress.
I was notified by the mayor of Deadwood on yesterday that he
would have the best of me today and I see that he has because he
still holds the keys to this city. I thought when I heard the name
McDonald, that he probably came from bonnie Scotland, but upon
hearing the smoothness of his tongue I think he has received the
inspiration of the Blarney stone of Ireland. (Applause.)
It gives me especial pleasure to respond to these addresses of
welcome on behalf of this Congress for many reasons, a few of which
1 will mention. When this Congress was in a state of possible dis-
organization the people of these Black Hills had an active part in
reorganizing it. When it was in a state of poverty they gave it
money. When it wanted a home they took it in, and today when it
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 9
stands forth here in this city filled with hope they rejoice with its
prosperity, and whatever of good it may accomplish in the future
the people of the Black Hills will have a large share in whatever
that good may be. (Cheers.)
I know from experience that, although you may have here the
richest one hundred square miles on earth in gold and material
wealth I say I know from exp-erience that you have also a greater
wealth than that in the sturdy manhood of the Black Hills. It is
ereater because it means more to this commonwealth than all the
gold and silver hidden in these great mountains, because in the end
it means higher citizenship and from the generosity, good will and
strength of manhood that I have met here, you have a greater wealth
in your manhood and womanhood than all the wealth of these hills
otherwise. (Applause.)
This Congress and its officers have received an inspiration from
the Black Hills Mining Men's Association the model Mining Men's
Association of the entire West and that inspiration will go out
through the influence of this congress into every mining camp in the
country. They will pattern by your model and by your inspiration
and so this work will go on.
So I say it gives me particular pleasure to respond to these
addresses of welcome giving this Congress an opportunity to testify
to the worth of the manhood of the Black Hills.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: We will now listen to a further
response from Mrs. Dignowity.
MRS. DIGNOWITY: Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen:
This is rather a low grade proposition I have to offer this morning.
We hope though, with proper treatment, to extract some little value
from it. I have entitled this little doggerel which I have to offer,
"America's Mining Man."
AMERICA'S MINING MAN.
[By Ella Purkiss Dignowity]
To "The Congress of Mining Men" assembled here within these
templed hills,
A message of welcome is given which should banish all your ills.
For thoughts are potent forces, that have ruled the world for aye,
And the best of them is offered to the Mining Man today.
Hearty cheer, good will, kind greetings gracious hosts extent to you.
Old bonds, new ties, and hopes awaking making life begin anew.
Here the Mining Man God speed him will be recognized this week,
As the King we all must bow to, and whose throne we proudly seek.
He has been our brave crusader searching for the hidden grail,
His dauntless courage and sturdy heart an invincible coat of mail.
Full of the vigor of manhood, keen-eyed and alert of brain,
Strong in hope that never deserts him and faith that leads on to
the "vein."
Who dares to limit his power? For intellect reaches the gold,
The same spirit within that urges him on, filled these hills with
treasures untold.
But the treasures are wondrously precious, and not to be lightly won,
So our knights must struggle to conquer, and valiantly battle on.
Even though "faults" are encountered and "dead work" he cannot
pass by,
His courage and grit light the tunnel ahead more than his candle
on high.
For he knows that life's valued possessions are ever hard to win,
And the best, in both man and mountain, is jealously guarded within.
10 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
And only a brave, noble spirit is fitted to penetrate
The shrine of the Holy of Holies from whence glories radiate.
And who is more worthy to seek there and wear the metals won
Than the Pioneer of the Mining Camp, the man who followed the sun?
He knows hardships but never shirks them, he seeks what is hidden
from view,
For the soul is not found on the surface, nor the heart of anything
true.
But now he has caught the gleam and glitter of God's treasures hidden
so deep,
Which lay waiting like all of His blessings for Knowledge to rouse
them from sleep.
And lo! cometh forth priceless metals unloosed by the Master hand;
The Mind that created has power to give His secrets to all the land.
And who is more zealously seeking to solve problems earth holds today
Than the Mining Man working and delving through the darkness that
baffles his way?
So here's to the Mining Congress, Metallurgist, Investor, all hail!
The Miner, Promoter and Engineer, too, united they must be or fail.
And here's to our hosts, and their cities the keys to you have been
tendered.
But the world is yours, and its richest gifts when "credentials" are
properly rendered.
With intelligence, purpose, courage and strength, willing hands and
stout heart brave and true,
Your minds and bodies ever alert, no limit encompasses you.
For deep in these mountains and here in your breasts dwells He who
conceived the whole plan.
Prove your metal and find after all the tests, the best values God
put in man.
(Applause.)
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: The Congress will now take pleasure
in listening to responses from members and delegates.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: Hon. John L. Webster, of Omaha, will
address you for a few moments.
M(R. WEBSTER: Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen: Rather
unexpectedly some of my friends upon the platform have thought
that I ought to say a word as a member of this Congress in response
to the welcome which the governor of this state and the mayor of this
city have so well tendered you.
I come here with a high appreciation of the wealth that is stored
in these mountains and of the generosity and nobleness of the citi-
zens, not only of Deadwood, but of the entire state of South Dakota.
We have all heard of the wealth that lies buried in the Black Hills;
this 'range of mountains underneath which God seems to have stored
u Hlions upon millions of wealth and then have raised them up above
the vast plains so that man could not miss them and, in his search
for wealth, should take from them the gold that is to enrich the world.
But there is more in South Dakota, I should undertake to say,
than simply the gold that comes from under these mountains. Your
president has spoken of the noble manhood of her citizenship but
if we speak of her wealth no one has stopped to count the wealth
that comes from her harvest fields that are grown from her soil and
that which, when added to the wealth that comes from her moun-
tains, bespeaks for the state of South Dakota a very bright future.
If you ever look over its area of territory, its opportunities and its
possibilities and measure it by like extent of territory in any state,
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 11
there is here an opportunity of boundless wealth and prosperity.
Some of our oldest states we can count wealthy simply because
they have been in existence and members of the great Union for
horhaps near a century, but when this state shall have become
peopled, as they are, when wealth shall have come here in all its
villages, towns and cities as it is in such older states, the state of
South Dakota, by proper development, may come to rank in wealth
and population as one of the older states and I doubt not in the great
future it may rival the rich old state of Pennsylvania. Mark you,
ladies and gentlemen, the tide of civilization seems driven westward
and with the tide goes emigration and with ic goes wealth and in-
dustry and when all these are combined with noble manhood the pos-
sibilities of the state of South Dakota to take great and high rank
among the states of the American Union is one of the things not
only hoped for but within the range of possibilities and I sincerely
believe it. (Applause.)
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: There being no further responses I
will call upon the chairman of the program committee to make any
announcement that he may have to make at this time for this after-
noon.
Mr. Elder, chairman of the program committee announced at
this time the program for the afternoon.
(Calls for Martin, of South Dakota.)
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: Mr. Martin needs no introduction.
Everyone knows him. (Applause.)
MR. MARTIN: Mr. President, it is not announced in what
capacity I am expected to speak a few minutes before you break
away for dinner, but surely I cannot speak in the capacity of a guest
and cannot make a -response. I am, therefore, limited to speak in
the capacity of host. You have been most eloquently and cordially
welcomed on behalf of the state by our esteemed governor and on
behalf of the city of Deadwood by the gentleman from Cork, our
honored mayor. (Cheers.) Nothing is left to me but the broad nation
as a whole, which welcomes you, and this unique little section of the
Black Hills by itself, which welcomes you also.
The American Mining Congress, of course, represents the mining
industry in all of its broad relations and the mining industry in-
tsluding, as it does, coal, iron, copper indeed, all of the metals, base
and precious, stands in point of importance among the great industries
of this country only second to the primary industry of agriculture.
Agriculture, of course, is absolutely essential to the feeding of our
population, to the sustaining of life; but at the basis of all OUT in-
dustries beyond that comes this industry of mining. Coal must be
had to furnish fuel to warm the human family, then metals must
be had the basis from which all the industries must be carved,
whether they pertain to the broader utilitarian industries or to the
fine arts, and so the nation realizes that in this association it is indeed
interested and it welcomes this meeting and welcomes it at this place
at this time and takes great interest in its deliberations.
But on behalf of this little section of the Black Hills, which has
been my home for nearly a quarter of a century, I desire to offer
a few words of additional welcome to the welcome of the city of
Deadwood and of the state of South Dakota and it extends to you
a generous and cordial greeting. It is indeed the real thing in hos-
pitality, as you will discover before you finish your deliberations
and your social amenities of the week. The Black Hills people say to
you: "If you see anything you want take it. If you want anything
you don't see simply ask for it, and if you should chance to see any-
thing you don't want don't mention it." (Cheers.)
Nature seems in these Black Hills to have reached her super-
lative act in creation. Some one at some time has said that the
Black Hills was made by Nature throwing in here all of the leavings
12 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
after all the rest of the world had been made. Now that suggestion
was made, of course, because of the wonderful variety of our resources
here. There is practically nothing in mineralogy that cannot be
found in the Black Hills, not only precious metals, gold and silver,
but here we have copper, we have iron, we have asbestos, indeed at
the close of this meeting or at some time call upon Col. George and
he will furnish you a list of Black Hills metals which I know he had
printed some years ago, which is entirely too long to be mentioned
here. I think because of the multiplicity of our resources that remark
was .made of us but the facts are reversed. Nature first selected
the choicest of everything she possessed and placed it here and
what she had left she passed around to Nebraska, Pennsylvania and
Idaho, and the other proud states of this nation. (Laughter.) And so
here, whether you come from the standpoint of the mineralogist
seeking to study the metals of the earth or whether you come as a
geologist to see the marvelous illustrations of geology, you will find
here we have much to invite your attention to. I do not know whether
it can be said of any other section or not I do not know of any other
but it can be said of the Black Hills that in many places the
geologist can start from the surrounding foothills and by traveling
three miles into te interior of the mountains he can find uplifted and
exposed for his investigation that represents one mile in actual depth
of the earth's crust. It is the geologist's paradise. If you are a
geologist we welcome you to all of this and above all we welcome
you to the hospitality of our homes in theso twin cities, Lead and
Deadwood.
You will have an opportunity upon Thursday of seeing what has
not been given to the public generally and indeed to a very few
to see in the period of twenty years. You are permitted to visit
t'.ie lower levels of the Homestake mine, wnich has been probably
told you to be the greatest gold mine in the world, and I understand
that Mr. Grier does not pretend to be at all particular or exclusive as
to who may visit that mine upon this occasion. If I am correctly in-
formed not alone these delegates but all visitors generally who are
attracted here will have an opportunity to visit the mine. You will
there see what is typical of Black Hills gold mining. Gold mining
in the Black Hills is not a speculation; it is a manufacturing industry,
and I undertake to say there is no industry as stable or certain in
manufacturing as making gold in the Black Hills. Our ore bodies^
while comparatively low grade, are of vast extent and as a -rule their
richness is comparatively uniform so that it may be told from day
to day with almost absolute certainty how much four thousand tons
of ore, for instance at the Homestake mine, produces in precious
metals and the production is practically the same every twenty-four
hours. The product when made the yellow product of gold, is the
most stable and fluctuates less in value than any other, and so you
could not cite an industry of manufacture anywhere that is so stable
or so certain as gold mining in the Black Hills when it is followed
with intelligence, with capital and with courage. I was not called
out here, I apprehend, to pose as a promoter for the great mines of
this country, but I have such great confidence in it t"hat I would not
have announced these important facts to you at the beginning of this
Congress, knowing you have an opportunity to corroborate them,
did I not know them to be true.
So we say again you are welcome to the Black Hills and may
this indeed be a red letter meeting in the history of the meetings of
the American Mining Congress. (Applause.)
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: I desire to call the attention of the
delegates to the advisability of leaving your credentials with the
secretary at the Franklin hotel. A committee on credentials will be
appointed at the noon hour to pass on credentials. Please leave them
with the secretary so that they may be properly accredited this
afternoon.
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 13
MR. RUSSELL, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: I have a motion to
make, but before doing so I desire to state to the delegates and the
visiting members here that the Deadwood Business Club extends all
courtesy to you; that you need not wait an invitation, that you need
not wait for a card, but you will make use of the rooms of the Dead-
wood Business Club as though they were your own. (Cheers.)
I also desire to call you attention to the fact that the city of
Deadwood, through its committee, has gathered a collection repre-
senting the mineral wealth of the Black Hills, and which is displayed
on the ground floor of the Bullock hotel. We trust that you will all
visit it and study it carefully. There will be a committee in attend-
ance at all times to give you such information as you may desire.
RUSSELL OF SOUTH DAKOTA: Mr. President, I desire to
move you that a committee on credentials of three be appointed by the
chair to act on the credentials presented to the secretary.
The motion was stated by the president, duly seconded and
carried.
RUSSELL, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: Mr. President, I would move
you sir that a committee on resolutions of twenty be appointed, to
which committee all resolutions shall be first referred before report-
ing to the convention, and I would also add to that motion that the
chairman of the committee be the Hon. E. W. Martin.
The motion was stated by the p-resident, duly seconded and
carried.
MR. DAVIS, OF MICHIGAN: I move we adjourn until two
o'clock this afternoon.
The motion was stated by the president, duly seconded and
carried.
The American Mining Congress adjourned to September 8, 1903,
2 P. M.
September 8, 1903, 2 o'clock P. M.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: Congress will be in order.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: Owing to the fact that Mr. Darton
has been unexpectedly called away the program committee has found
it necessary to make a slight modification of the program for this
afternoon. Therefore at this time you will have the pleasure of
listening to Mr. Nelson H. Darton, superintendent in the work of the
United States Geological survey in the Black Hills.
NELSON H. DARTON: Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen: One
of the principal features of the work of the United States Geological
Survey is the study of the mineral resources of the country. Many of its
most detailed surveys are directed to the important mineral districts.
Accordingly the Black Hills have received much consideration.
For several years surveys have been in progress and they are
now being continued from time to time with a view of obtaining all
available data regarding the mineral resources of the Black Hills and
the light which they throw on the philosophy of mineral bearing for-
mations and on the occurrence of ores and ''their extensions to any
other portions of the Black Hills district than those which are now
known to contain ores. The purpose of the survey is to make a com-
plete investigation of Black Hills mineral resources. Various men are
employed in the work and have been from time to time. Some study
the stratified rocks, the sandstones, shales and other formations
surrounding the Hills; others study the crystalline rocks in the cen-
tral nucleus area of the Hills, so the work is in the hands of spe-
cialists, men who have made a particular study of the different
branches of geology. The science is so highly specialized that
almost any section requires the attention of a number of special
students and the Geological Survey has provided that sort of service
in the study of the geology of the Black Hills.
14 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
The first work that was done was the preparation of the topo-
graphical maps. It is altogether important in working out geological
relations and understanding the distribution of formations and their
significance to have an accurate map and one of the principal
functions of the Geological Survey is to prepare very accurate maps.
They are surveyed by civil engineers and on a suitable scale for the
representation of the topographical features. The ups and downs of
the land are shown very accurately by contour lines and the water
courses and the lines along which drainage would thus flow in time
of rain are all shown very accurately, so that the map forms means
of locating all geological data. Besides, they are of great service
to persons who reside in the region and who travel through it. Ac-
cordingly, the Survey has projected a very accurate system of maps
for the Black Hills and they are nearly completed. Men are now in
the field extending the work and finishing some of the portions of the
outlying area, but the greater part of the Black Hills region has been
accurately mapped. This has required a great deal of time but the
result is one that I know will be a source of great satisfaction to
those who live in the Hills and interested in its mineral resources
and geology.
The study of the mineral resources Has not "been completed by
any means. Several of our geologists have been in the Northern
Hills in seasons past studying the wonderful resources of mineral
deposits here, deposits that are very diverse and present many
unique and unusual features. Their study is certain to throw a great
deal of light on the philosophy of mineral vein formation. We learn
that the Black Hills show many obscure conditions under which ore
occurs and which are most interesting, and if studied intelligently
will explain the existence and extension of similar ore in other places.
Then the formation that will be put on record is very extensive.
We have now in preparation a standard publication of the survey,
a folio as it is called, that covers the entire region about Lead and
Deadwood showing the different geological formations, and has the
different contacts and different rocks precisely located. These maps
are made, as I spoke of before, showing all the topographical features
and a person who can locate himself on a map of that sort can follow
the different geographical features and know just what they signify.
This folio is now being prepared for engraving and in the course of
a few months will be published and will be published in the usual
method of survey publications for distribution at the cost of printing
and engraving, twenty-five or fifty cents apiece, which is, of course, a
very cheap thing and puts it within the reach of anyone.
Then there will be published a special report besides that on
the mineral region of the northern half of the Black Hills. We have
already published a report on the geology of the southern half of the
Black Hills, especially the sedimentary formations and all informa-
tion available that throws light on the prospects for obtaining under-
ground waters on the flanking of the Hills and regions to the 'east
and south. One special branch of our Survey is investigating the
piospects for obtaining underground waters. Artesian wells will
probably be a success in a wide area east of the Black Hills. The
district now is very sparsely settled and there is much difficulty in
obtaining water for domestic use, irrigation or other purposes. We
are obtaining evidence from the study of the geological structure
that shows that such waters are available for wells of reasonable
depth. Also, under the Reclamation Act we will be able to sink wells
to determine whether those waters are really there and as to how
high the water will rise, so that they can be fully determined and
some definite encouragement for sinking wells be held out. That
work is also being extended into the northern Black Hills. Mr.
O'Hara, and some others, are studying the geological structure very
carefully so that we may ascertain how far the Belle Fourche artesian
basis extends. There is really more need for water in some of the
country immediately adjoining the Black Hills than for information
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 15
regarding the minteral resources because it affects the interests of
a large number of people, so that the Survey is devoting a great deal
of attention to this question of underground waterflow. These Hills
are due to the upheaval as Professors O'Hara and Todd will tell you,
of the earth's crust, that brings to view a great many of the rocks
that underlie the plains to the east and north. We can study the up-
turned edges of these rocks about the Black Hills in a very definite
way indeed and learn what the conditions are likely to be in the
adjoining plains under which the rock are known to dip.
Another feature of our geological studies of the Black Hills
will be a model that is to be prepared, or is now being prepared, for
the St. Louis Exposition. It is provided for by funds appropriated by
the state, and, as I understand it, the Black Hills people in part, and
is to represent the relief of the entire Black Hills district, to show in
a model about 8 feet long the shape of the country, the topographical
features of the country with the ups and downs in miniature and on
that will be represented the geology of the entire district. Also in
another model of a portion of the region on somewhat larger scale,
the principal features relating to the .mineral resources of the northern
hills will be represented. That will be ready in the course of a month
or two and will be exhibited at the Exposition as I said before. The
survey will publish from time to time folios covering portions of the
Black Hills to the south and east. One soon to come out will relate
to the Newcastle and Cambria coal fields and discuss the relations of
oil in the region about Newcastle. This has excited a good deal of
attention and the country has been exploited for oil to a considerable
extent. There will be folios describing the geology, mineral resources,
various mines, prospects for underground water and setting forth all
information available on those subjects on a large scale, so that we
have in all half a dozen or more productions to prepare in the course
of the next two or three years that will throw light on the geology and
mineral resources of the Black Hills. (Applause.)
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: I have appointed the committee on
Credentials and Resolutions and I will now ask. the Secretary to read
the appointments.
Secretary Mahon read the names of the Committees as follows:
COMMITTEE ON RESOLUTIONS.
1. E. W. Martin, chairman South Dakota
2. J. H. Lynch Montana
3. George W. Dorsey Nebraska
4. Ed. F. Brown Colorado
5. L. M. Davis , Michigan
6. W. S. Mears .Missouri
7. O. E. Jackson Idaho
8. Lyman A. Sisley Illinois
9. E. B. Spaulding Connecticut
10. E. V. Drake '. .Oregon
11. Ivan E. Goodner Wisconsin
12. George M. Bennett Minnesota
13. Asa L. Ricker Maine
14. Henry Earle New York
15. Col. Thos. Ewing California
16. Lewis G. Wright Ohio
17. C. F. Heckler Pennsylvania
18. T. A. Harding , Iowa
1 9. C. B. Simmons Indiana
20. L. Bradford Prince Mexico
COMMITTEE ON CREDENTIALS.
Richard C. Patterson, Chairman Nebraska
W. S. Tarbell Colorado
C. A. Hutchinson.. ..Illinois
16 OFFICIAL, PROCEEDINGS
SECRETARY MIAHON: I will state for the benefit of the chair-
man of the Committee on Credentials that I have the papers here
ready to turn over to him whenever he desires.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: The Program Committee has set
aside this time for what they term the "President's Annual Address".
It was thought best by the Executive Committee that as the American
Mining Congress is now in process of permanent organization that it
would be best for the president to present to you some of the reasons
why or claim that it has to a right to exist, and as that must become
official, it would be better to prepare it in the form of a paper that it
might be more accurately stated than it could be done by an off hand
statement. Therefore, with your permission, I will present to you
these thoughts for your consideration.
PRESIDENT'S ANNUAL ADDRESS.
It seems to me a cause for special congratulation that The Amer-
ican Mining Congress should be privileged to hold its first annual
session at this place, amid surroundings for which nature has done
so much, in a locality so justly famous as a center of mining industry,
in a region so distinguished as the Black Hills for the strength of
character and progressive spirit of its mining men. For many of you
this is perhaps a first visit, and judging from .my own experience, I
am able to assure you that you cannot sojourn here for any length of
time, without feeling the inspiration of good fellowship, without being
conscious of the intellectual stimulus which always comes to men
from associating with those in the front rank of their business or
profession. You cannot be men of observation and fail to recognize
the wonderful advantages with which this mining district has been
endowed, the sagacity and foresight with which those advantages have
been utilized. And from a social point of view, I am sure that no one
could come within range of the generous welcome which has been
accorded us in Deadwood and Lead, without being reminded anew of
the sturdy individuality and simple courage of mining men as a class,
not easily spoiled by success, or daunted by apparent failure.
At our last session you were constantly confronted with the con-
tingency that this Congress was destined to be a failure, and that, at
the best, its continued life and usefulness hung in the balance. But
at thisi hour you are buoyed up with the conviction that The American
Mining Congress is and must be a success. The former apprehension
was depressing, the latter conviction is inspiring. The anticipation
of failure paralyzes action; the realization of success nourishes hope,
inspires endeavor, achieves what it wills to achieve. Therefore, I
particularly congratulate you that this session is to be held amid
influences so in harmony with the hopes of your organization.
The American Mining Congress stands before the world today as
a legal entity. Its aims and purposes are briefly set forth in its
Articles of Incorporation, now on file in the office of the Secretary
of Colorado, the state of its nativity. In compliance with instructions
received at your last session, our Executive Committee has incor-
porated this body under the name of "The American Mining Con-
gress". Colorado and Denver were selected as the home of this Con-
gress, first, because the laws of that state permit of the elasticity
necessary for an organization of this character; second, because Col-
orado is a great mining state in almost all departments of mining
industry, and can give valuable support locally to such an organiza-
tion; third, because Denver is the largest city in the intermountain
region, most centrally located with reference to the great bulk of our
mineral production, and accessible from all directions.
In this connection I may also say that a body of by-laws, designed
to regulate and foster the development of the Congress, will be pre-
sented for your consideration.
One other quite important matter has to some extent demanded
the attention of your executive officers since you last met. At Wash-
ington last winter, when the bill for the organization of the Depart-
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 17
ment of Commerce and Labor had been introduced and was under con-
sideration, representatives of our body made strenuous efforts to have
that bill modified so as to provide for a separate Department of Mines
and Mining. We would have preferred to have this agitation post-
poned, until we were in a stronger position to assert our claims for
recognition, but the issue was precipitated by the determination of
the advocates of the Commerce and Labor bill to carry that measure
through. During the pendency of that bill a circular was issued by
your Executive Committee, embodying in concise form the arguments
in favor of the immediate creation of a Department of Mines and
Mining. This circular was sent to the members of the House and
Senate, and to the President. Although a number of our congressional
representatives from western states stood manfully by us in our fight
to secure this recognition, I am free to admit that there was no wide-
spread popular sentiment in evidence at that time, such as would have
justified Congress in granting the mining industry recognition of this
character. So far as direct results were concerned, our endeavors in
this direction were no doubt doomed to failure on that occasion, but
we felt called upon to do something under the circumstances, the
agitation was forced upon us, and we did what we could. The exper-
ience, however, has not been without its value. It shows that official
recognition of the mining industry, on the lines that agriculture has
been recognized, is a question of time and education education not
only of the politicians, but of the people; for the politicians will
quickly enough respond to the popular demand when it comes. In the
second place, this experience proves that the results desired in this
direction can only be achieved by a powerful central organization,
backed by numerous affiliated local organizations, having its ramifica-
tions in every mining camp, presided over by men of prominence,
ability and known interest.
I therefore particularly wish to impress upon all my fellow dele-
gates here, the importance of doing everything in our power between
this and the next session of our Congress, to build up and develop
local mining associations in our respective localities. And when these
organizations have been formed, keep them alive don't let interest
flag. Base the membership in each instance upon your practical
mining men; and if any one who wishes to aid in the establishment of
such an organization, desires information as to the ways and means
of organizing, the results to be aimed at, the best method to make
such an organization a permanent success and a benefit to all con-
cerned, I cannot do better than direct such inquiries to that splendid
working model, the Black Hills Mining Men's Association, which we
find in such active and beneficent operation here. (Applause.)
So much for the record of the past year. Now in regard to the
present and in regard to the future, it is most natural to ask, and
every thoughtful delegate will be apt to formulate the inquiry, in his
own mind at least; What is the aim of this Congress, and what good
is there to be derived from it? What are we here for? Is it to have a
good time merely, to meet friends and acquaintances in the same line
of business, to form pleasant or profitable business or social relations,
to sell mining properties and float stock? I presume that any of these
subjects may properly be incidental to our presence here, but still it
seems to .me that if The American Mining Congress is to attain the
highest measure of success and permanence as an institution, there
are greater things than these in store for it. The exchange of views
upon current subjects, and the acquisition of information, is certainly
an important part of our business here; but the ultimate aim of our
organization must be to place the mining industry as a whole upon a
plane commensurate with its importance. The affairs of the Congress
must be conducted in a business manner, and on a business basis,
such as will commend it to the best business thought of the day.
Our annual sessions must be of a character that will attract the best
talent, whether it be in mining pure and simple, or in the great busi-
ness enterprises connected with and springing from mining, or in the
18 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
scientific and technical departments of mining. I think we are mak-
ing progress in this respect, and there is of course always room for
improvement. In short, this Congress must arouse so much interest
throughout the whole country, must be the means of giving the public
so much valuable information about mining, that the people will at
last realize the importance and dignity of everything connected with
the proper development and utilization of this great source of raw
material; it must be the means of finally opening the eyes of our law-
makers to the necessity of a Department of Mines and Mining,
according in rank with the Department of Agriculture and the recently
created Department of Commerce and Labor. (Applause.)
Now we have no quarrel with the Department of Agriculture or
the Department of Commerce and Labor. The establishment of these
departments and their extremely useful activities, illustrate and em-
phasize what was said by your Executive Committee in its memorial
to Congress last winter, with reference to the importance of purely
industrial departments in modern administration, and perhaps I can-
not do better in this connection than to quote a few paragraphs from
that memorial:
"The hour has arrived in the destiny of nations when the ability
to produce abundance of raw material is of more importance than
the ability to place armies in the field, when national power and
influence is extended, not so much by means of guns and ships, as by
being prepared to sell most cheaply.
"The warfare of the future is to be an industrial warfare. The
rivalry of the future between nations will be less a rivalry of brute
force, but more a contest to produce at the lowest cost.
"In the past governments have collected and spent taxes for mil-
itary armaments. In the future, if they are to survive in the race for
supremacy, they must spend the money of the people in equipping the
people to fight their industrial battles.
"This is the secret of a growing tendency among civilized nations,
the institution of industrial departments of administration, which in
practical influence and importance are co-ordinate with their political
departments.
"It was upon this theory that fourteen years ago, Congress passed
a law creating the Department of Agriculture, in order to give govern-
mental direction and supervision to one of the great primary sources
of raw material.
"It is upon the same theory of rapidly increasing importance of
the purely industrial functions of modern government, that we now
ask for the enactment of a law creating a Department of Mines and
Mining, the other great source of raw material for our manufactures
and of profit for our lines of transportation."
As I say, we have no quarrel with the Department of Commerce
and Labor. I am sure that mining ,men everywhere will gladly
co-operate with the officials of this department in any line of action
that promises better things for the mining industry, whether it be in
the direction of proper governmental regulation and inspection, scien-
tific research by government experts, or the gathering of more accur-
ate and detailed information in regard to the mining of ores and
production of metals by government statisticians. This new Depart-
ment was bound to come, and we hail its coming as a healthy mani-
festation of the tendency referred to, because to that extent it
strengthens a weak point in our system of administrative government.
But we still say, nevertheless, that Mines and Mining should have
had precedence; that the raw materials which are the first condition
and indispensable prerequisite of all manufacture, all commerce, all
prosperity and all civilization, ought by right to have prior considera-
tion at the hands of our law-givers in the establishment of these
industrial departments. The proper beginning was made with the
Department of Agriculture, and, logically, the next to follow would
have been a Department of Mines and Mining, the other great leading
source of raw material. These industrial departments of administra-
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 19
tion should begin where production begins. Raw material, in its
primitive form, is the working capital with which the God of Nature
has endowed the human race, and, according to the dictates of natural
justice, the fish in the sea, the timber in the forest, the iron ore under
the surface and the fertile soil above it, constitute a natural bounty,
in which each of the children of men has an indefeasible inheritance.
On abstract grounds possibly there is even more justification for
governmental supervision and protection of mining than there is for
governmental supervision and protection of agriculture, because those
disposed to greed and armed with power can monopolize the produc-
tion of coal or copper, but they cannot monopolize the produc-
tion of corn. Again, there is only a fixed and limited quantity of the
ore in existence from which the useful metals are produced. Scientists
already look forward to the time when the veins of coal will be ex-
haustd, but the earth still contains and constantly renews the fertility
required for countless future harvests of wheat.
I make these remarks in no querulous spirit, for our time will
come, and we can afford to wait. The logic of events, the irresistible
force of a controlling tendency in human progress, must ultimately
compel the proper recognition of the mining industry at the hands of
this government, as one of the necessities of governmental organiza-
tion. The leading European nations already have their departments
of Mines and Mining, by which their governments are placed in close
touch with this great and important source of production, and thereby
enabled to intelligently carry out plans for its development and pro-
tection. Now the industrial rivalry between Europe and the United
States is becoming so keen that it partakes of the nature of an armed
strife, in which every nerve is strained, every expedient resorted to,
and in which, on their side, governmental power and influence is
openly enlisted. We have not gone so far as Europe in the direction
of governmental aid to industry, partly because the mechanical genius
of our workmen and the executive ability of our captains of industry,
coupled with our vast stores of cheap raw material, have thus far
made OUT economic preeminence comparatively easy of maintenance.
But let us not make the .mistake of over confidence. Foreign capital-
ists are already imitating American methods, and they have the
advantage of much cheaper labor. The centralized governments of
Europe are marvels of bureaucratic organization, and when they
definitely turn this organization from the field of military rivalry to
the field of industrial rivalry, the results will be startling. They have
already entered upon that path, and they consider it as much the bus-
iness of government to give the producer, in every field, an advantage
over his foreign rival, as they do to keep a fortress equipped for
defense or a regiment ready to march. It is these powerful and
efficient governmental organizations, whose energies are being already
directed into industrial channels, that the United States .must cope
with in its future striving for the world's trade, so that it must become
more and more the business of this government, to equip its people to
fight their industrial battles.
One of the things that makes America distinctly American, is the
individuality of the citizens, and hence it is that we instinctively seek
individual opportunity and national growth on a basis consistent with
the highest individual development. This principle has always been
a watchword of the great republic. But now thoughtful men are com-
ing to see that the principle must have a new application in order to
maintain its old efficiency. "We say now, as we always have said;
give the individual a chance, give him industrial freedom and oppor-
tunity. But formerly in this country, the opportunity came from the
vast tracts of fertile land to be had for the taking in the virgin forests,
the undispoiled fisheries, the placer gold on the surface of the ground.
These industrial opportunities for the individual, are in a great
measure passing away; some of them have already disappeared for-
ever. On the other hand, the industrial competition of Europe is con-
stantly growing keener. How then shall the state of industrial free-
20 OFFICIAL, PROCEEDINGS
dom, the good chance in life for the common, ordinary man, which
has been such a source of inspiration to our progress in the past, be
insured and perpetuated for the future? Again, I say, there is only one
answer to this question; our government must help its people fight
their industrial battles.
This is a government of the people, by the people, and for the
people, and I firmly believe the time is coming, when that sentiment
will be true industrially just as much as it is true politically. The
proper application of this principle to our industrial interests will
mean something entirely different from the bureaucratic surveillance
if I may use the term, which the paternal governments of Europe
exercise in the industrial field; for there government is looked upon as
something separated from the governed and above them, while here
it is but the expression of their sovereign will.
Now it is common knowledge what the Department of Agriculture
has done for the farmer, how it has broadened his markets by the
systematic work of its agents in foreign countries, how it has diffused
and popularized much needed information concerning crops, soils, and
tillage, how effectively it has assisted the cultivator in fighting the
pests that destroy his crops. It has invested agriculture with a new
dignity and helped to make it a scientific occupation. We say that
the mining prospector has just as good a right to scientific information
from the government concerning mineral formations, the character of
various ores and their proper treatment, for he too is a producer of the
raw material that is a condition of all resultant production, and this
cooperation on the part of the government may give him just the
industrial chance that he needs. (Applause.) The farmer can get a
bulletin from the agricultural department that will tell him how to
supply lacking ingredients in his soil, and we assert that the average
working miner, the man who is trying to make the most of his indus-
trial chances, the intelligent producer and good citizen that we all
know has an equally just claim to a bulletin from a Department of
Mines and Mining supplying him with the technical information in his
industrial field that may be vital to his success. (Applause.)
Through the agricultural department the government makes elab-
orate experiments in the cultivation of tea, in order, if possible, to
open up a new possibility for American agriculture. It ransacks the
globe to find a remedy for the San Jose scale in fruit trees, so as to
insure the orchardist against the risk of diminished profits. Now,
bearing in mind this principle, the development of our supplies of raw
material as a public use, we affirm that it is just as much a public
service to prosecute the exhaustive geological researches in each
mining district which will make the work of the prospector and prac-
tical miner easier, more certain, and therefore more remunerative.
(Applause.) No doubt if a private individual had discovered a remedy
for the San Jose scale, his first step would have been to take out a
patent, if possible, so as to be enabled to levy tribute for years to
come upon all who desired to use it. But the government experts are
authorized to devote the time and money necessary for this investiga-
tion, the remedy is found, and it is free to all. No one thinks of ques-
tioning this exercise of governmental power; no one doubts its
beneficence.
Moreover, Congress has recently enacted very important legisla-
tion looking to the reclamation of our arid lands through governmental
cooperation. This means a great deal to us in the far West, and some
of our eastern friends were at first very much opposed to it, but it
is now generally admitted to be a proper subject of governmental
concern, since it is for the best interest of the whole nation that these
immense tracts of desert but fertile land should be reclaimed and
inhabited.
Now turn again to the mining industry. It is stated upon scien-
tific authority, that even with all the improved processes lately
invented and successfully applied, not more than one-fourth of the
known valuable gold-bearing material in this country can as yet be
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 21
utilized. Many extensive mining districts are still undeveloped,
because the ore is too low grade or too refractory to be worked with
profit. These problems will, of course, be solved, the necessary pro-
cesses and treatment will be discovered, and in all probability this
will be done by scientific experts in the employ of private capitalists,
who will thereby be enabled to tax such mining districts almost at
will for years to come. I do not decry the enterprise of private capi-
tal; it is worthy of its reward, but I simply ask: why should not these
researches and investigations in the field of mining, as well as in
agriculture and horticulture, be prosecuted at the public expense, by
the people and for the people, and the results achieved be made free
to the people forever? (Applause.) Therefore, once more, I repeat;
the people must be educated up to a better understanding of the im-
portance of properly developing all our raw material as a public use :
and the profound effect which such a policy may have on the com-
mercial and political fortunes of the nation. It is and will be one of
the most important functions of The American Mining Congress to
take the lead in this campaign of education.
Our government owes it to the people whom it serves, to be in
such close touch with industrial conditions, through its industrial
departments, that it may be thoroughly informed as to those condi-
tions, that its political policies, based on this information, may be both
stable and farsighted, that its laws affecting commerce and industry
may constitute one harmonious whole, and that no industry may be
built up by governmental favoritism at the expense of another oqually
entitled to consideration.
We want to see the same farsightedness in the political world,
based on a profound knowledge of economic conditions, as has been
exhibited by Mr. James J. Hill in the industrial world, in anticipating
the rise of a new commercial empire in our Northwest, in foreseeing
and providing for that colossal trade with the Orient through our
Pacific ports, which is ours almost for the taking. When that is
achieved, we can well afford to practice a diplomacy, based, as Secre-
tary Hay says; "On the Golden Rule," and we will be so big that we
won't much need rapid firing guns or armored cruisers.
There is another idea which it seems to me would be a worthy
object of the efforts of this Congress, and which I trust you will not
regard as wholly impracticable. Our Congress should have a perma-
nent home, just as it already has a permanent organization. It should
have a permanent working staff of men of ability, who are paid to
carry on its work between sessions, and whose business it is never
to allow that work to flag. Its field of labor is becoming too immense
to be covered by the labors of any one man, even a man of such her-
culean capacity as our honored secretary. (Applause.) At this home
it should, and easily could, through the cooperation of all interested,
gradually build up the first collection of ores and minerals in the
world. In connection with this permanent home, and under the
auspices of The American Mining Congress, a great mining university
should be established, endowed with millions, which should be par-
excellence the mining school of this country. (Applause.) We have
many universities and many technical schools which give valuable
instruction in mining and metallurgy, but none that satisfactorily
covers this vast field from a national point of view. I confidently com-
mend this idea to those of our mining capitalists who have amassed
gigantic fortunes, the joint product of their good fortune and their
good judgment. In no other way can they acquire a wider and more
deserving fame; in no other way can they confer upon the mining
fraternity, with which they have been so closely identified, a greater
measure of benefit. Surely we do not lack mining Carnegies and Van-
derbilts, nor have our wealthy mining men ever been called deficient
in public spirit. Here is a use worthy of their millions, a project
which would be an enduring testimonial to their sagacity and gener-
22 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
osity, an institution which would be a perpetual reminder to the people
of the United States of the importance of rightly developing and con-
serving this mighty source of national prosperity.
Of course I merely suggest these things at this time. It is not to
be expected that they can be accomplished all together or all at once.
But a beginning can be made, we can work to the ideal in our thought,
and Ave can approximate nearer and nearer to that ideal as the years
pass by.
In closing this address, I have only to say, that I hope and believe
the results of this session will be worthy of the representation of the
mining interests of the country which I see here today. I hope and
believe that in all our deliberations, and in any action which we may
take, the standard of our talking and the standard of our doing, will
be that which is designed to advance the interests of our organization
as a whole, of our field of industry as a whole, of our country as a
whole, putting out of sight for the moment, as far as we consistently
can, the benefits to be deriyed by our own little section, or our own
city, or our own special branch of work, by merely selfish striving
along narrow local lines.
Your committees have prepared an intellectual feast for you,
and I think that on their menu each one here will find courses which
will specially appeal to him individually. We want you all to have
a thoroughly good time, to feel that you are paid for coming, and then
to go back home and work for this Congress till the next session comes
around. If we all take off our coats, working steadily, disinterestedly
and on broad lines, the success of The American Mining Congress
is assured, and the benefit to the mining industry from our leaders will
be incalculable.
I thank you, gentlemen, for your attention. (Applause.)
MR. RICHARDS: We are most fortunate today in having with
us a member of the President's Cabinet. He needs no other introduc-
tion to you than to say that you will now listen to an address from
Honorable Leslie M. Shaw, Secretary of the Treasury of the United
States. (Applause.)
HON. LESLIE M. SHAW: Mr. President, Members of the
National Mining Congress, Ladies and Gentlemen:
Some years ago I read a poem which, with slight paraphrasing,
will express the situation of the hour:
"As landsmen sitting in luxurious ease,
Talk of the dangers of the stormy seas;
As fireside travellers with portentous mien,
Tell tales of countries they have never seen;
As parlor soldiers graced with fancied scars,
Rehearse their bravery in imagined wars;
Arrant dunces have been known to sit,
In grave discourse of wisdom and of wit;
As paupe-rs gathered in congenial flocks,
Babble of banks, insurance and stocks;
As each is oftenest eloquent o'er what
He hatches or covets, but possesses not;
As cowards talk of pluck, misers of waste,
Scoundrels of honor, country clowns of taste,"
I talk of mining.
The only study I ever gave the subject was to commit Eli Perkin's
definition of a mining claim: "A mining claim, my son, is a hole in
the ground, the owner of which is a liar." (Cheers.) I can readily
distinguish by the applause those who have no mining stock for sale.
For what purpose I am here I do not know. Your chairman has
stated that I am to deliver an address, but that is a mistake. The
newspaper boys, before I left Washington, learned that I was coming
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 23
here, and they wanted to know the occasion. I said to them: "A
Mining Congress." They wanted to know what I was going to
talk about. I said: "The Ravages of the Boll Weevil."
I have been greatly interested in the chairman's address. It is
quite probable that the people generally do not fully understand
the measure and full importance of the mining industry of the
United States. I think most of us are apt to overestimate the
relative importance of the business in which we are personally en-
gaged, and to underestimate the importance of every other business
and calling. I remember when a boy on the farm we used to con-
sider farming about the only respectable calling in which a man
could engage. We thought it bad citizenship for man to embark
in any other enterprise. That was a mistake. If we learn nothing
else today than that the diversity of American interests is the real
occasion of this country's wealth, this gathering will not have been
in vain. Do not misunderstand me. I would not for the world detract
from or minimize the importance of the mining industry. Let us
therefore illustrate. I was talking with Phil Armour one day. and
he said: "I got rich when a young man by watching the coal and
iron miners. When they were employed I packed every ham I
could get my hands on. My partner, Mr. Plankington, would say:
'Phil, you will break us up.' I would answer: 'No, they are working.'
When they quit working I sold everything I could dispose of." In
ether words, the success of the mining industry made Phil Armour
wealthy. The success of the farmer .makes the manufacturer wealthy.
I think we make a mistake in estimating the importance of our
several industries by their apparent productiveness. From crude
iron ore a manufacturer produces pig iron as his finished produce;
then from pig iron steel is produced and so on. Thus manufactures,
without countless duplications, produce $8,000,000 000 per annum; ag-
riculture, without duplications, produces $4,000,000,000; and mining,
$1,000,000,000, about equally divided between metallic and non-metallic
products. Does it follow that manufacturing is eight times as im-
portant as mining? I think not. Without the product of the mine,
manufacture would dwindle into insignificance. I repeat, that the
importance of an industry is not to be determined by its apparent
productiveness.
Then again, all our industries agricultural, manufacturing,
mining are dependent upon our markets. We have the greatest and
the best home market in the world. I would not trade our home
market for the market of the balance of the world. We produced
thirty-five million tons of iron ore last year one-third of the world's
product; we produced fifteen million tons of steel, and the most
marvelous aggregation of manufactured products the world has ever
seen, exceeding that of any other two countries on the map by
more than two thousand million. And what did we do with it?
We consumed it largely ourselves. Thus it is our consumptive ca-
pacity, as well as our productive capacity, that has .made us wealthy.
They make a mistake who think all we need to do is to produce.
It is equally important that our people consume.
Coming up on the train I was telling some friends that one
day I had examined some high-priced china plates just to see what
other people could have that I could not. I asked them to guess
the price. They staggered when I told them they were valued at
$6,000 a dozen $500 a plate. Then one member of the company
suggested that it was an outrage that men should eat from plates
like that, that it was a waste of money. For my part I am glad
that people who have a superabundance of money will buy that class
of plates, and I will tell you why. The man who produces those
plates sends to this country and buys meat and bread. We get
his money. Then the farmer who sells his meat and bread buys
some manufactured products, and the manufacturer buys of those
who dig the iron and coal and the iron and coal miner again buys
food of the farmer. What we sometimes term the extravagance
24 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
of the wealthy works to the advantage of the humblest toiler. I
can remember when cut flowers were a drug on the market. I do
not know what the cut flower industry is now worth, but it is certainly
worth many millions. And what are cut flowers? Simply God's
sunshine plus labor. And what does the laborer do with the pro-
ceeds of cut flowers? He becomes a consumer of food products and
manufactured products, and again the miner is benefited by those
who buy cut flowers. You will observe that the burden of my talk
is to show that our various industries and occupations are inter-
dependent.
We have the advantage over the balance of the world in our
mining industries. It can scarcely be said that we mine coal; we
simply dig coal. We do not mine iron; we scoop it up. I visited
what was called an iron mine not long ago, where the train passed
along the side of a mountain range, and I could see iron ore extending
twenty feet above the tracks, and they told me it was ore for
twenty feet below the tracks. It was several miles wide and a
hundred miles long. All they had to do was to get a car on the
track, fix a chute, loosen the ore and let it slide into the car.
Right over across the way was a great bed of coal. A man standing
at the blast furnace with a modern gun would have within his
range the men at the iron mine, the men at the coal mine, and
the men at the limestone quarry in the valley between. This is
bringing the essential elements very close together. There is nothing
in the world to compare with it.
And now I want to speak for a moment of the necessity for
additional markets. I consider myself a young man yet, but I can
remember very well when this government undertook to develop
the markets of the western half of this country. To this end it
granted aid to transcontinental -railways. For the purpose of develop-
ing the markets of this country, the government makes large appro-
pjriations for the improvement of rivers and harbors. For the purpose
of increasing our markets, quite as much as for the purpose of in-
creasing our products, the government has granted aid in irrigating
the semi-arid belt. To the south of us are markets worth a billion
dollars, and we secure ten per cent of them. For instance, we buy
from Brazil forty per cent of all she has to sell, and we sell her
ten per cent of what she buys. In my judgment, if we keep our
mines running, if we keep our factories running, if we keep our
labor employed, we must have a care for the markets that legit-
mately and logically belong to us. If we secure our share of the
trade of South America, South Africa, and the Islands of the Pacific
Ocean, we will need direct communication. We will never have this
direct communication until we have an American merchant marine and
we will never have an American merchant marine until the government
in some form in some way, gives some encouragement to the enter-
prise. It is the only industry that has not been and it not in some
manner fostered by the government.
I would not like to have you go away under the impression
that in order for the government to be of any assistance to the
mining industry of the country, congress must create a Department
of Mining with representation in the cabinet. Congress created a
Fish Commission, and it has recently become a bureau in the Depart-
ment of Commerce and Labor. Congress created an Interstate Com-
merce Commission, which is not connected with any regular depart-
ment. It has no representation, directly or indirectly, in the presi-
dent's cabinet. Formerly there was in the Treasury Department a
bureau in charge of steamships, known as the Steamboat Inspection
Service. It has since passed to the Department of Commerce and
Labor. Under that bureau the government inspects every piece of
material that goes into the construction of steamships, and every
vessel is annually inspected and its safety approved. The Geodetic
Survey, in the interest of commerce, surveys all our coasts and
marks every rock and every reef. But none of these bureaus are
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 25
directly represented in the president's cabinet. Without expressing
an opinion as to whether congress should create a Department of
Mining, with representation in the cabinet, I want to assure you
that a bureau of mining in the Department of Commerce and Labor
v/ould be able to do very much, and perhaps all that it is possible
to do for the great interest here represented.
MR. MARTIN, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: I am sure that this gath-
ering would esteem it a privilege to express to some extent the
pleasure we have had in the visit of the secretary among us. He
has turned aside from the busy work of a cabinet officer to come
a long way to take part in our deliberations and exercises and upon
his arrival and several times since, the secretary has stated to me,
with some regret, that he had nothing to talk about upon this occasion.
In passing I would like to express a wish that we may all have an
opportunity to hear him at some time when he has something to
talk about (Applause) and so, as he must depart this afternoon,
I move to extend him a -rising vote of thinks for the honor he has
paid us.
The motion was stated by the president, duly seconded and
a rising vote of thanks and three cheers were unanimously extended
Secretary Shaw.
MR. SELBIE, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: Mr. Shaw stated he was
not a member of this association. He has shown so much knowledge
of mining and has stuck so closely to the subject that I think we
ought to elect him an honorary member of this association.
The motion was duly seconded.
The motion was stated by the president and unanimously carried.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: You will now have the pleasure of
listening to a short address from Mr. Brown of Colorado on "Govern-
mental Statistics."
COL. ED. F BROWN: Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen:
From the program that was published this morning I feel that you
may think that I was to present a lot of statistics. I do not intend
to do so, but have taken this opportunity of presenting a question to
the Honorable Secretary of the Treasury, and hope that he will
consider our greetings.
This country in the first hundred years of its existence grew
great, powerful and rich through the great natural 'resources we had
in agriculture. That century has passed. As he has explained to you,
the foundation of manufacturing prosperity rests on mining, which
is a fact; but it appears that at Washington, through some reason or
other, they have continued in error all through the line of statistics
that has been published in regard to the mining industry and \ve
want to call attention to that error and, if possible, have it corrected.
As I say, the first hundred years of our prosperity have come from
agriculture. If we expect to maintain this great progress that we are
now carrying on, it is necessary for us to become a greater manufac-
turing nation and meet all the world in that line. To to so, the
mining industry is essential to our success. We have grown very
great in this way. I can see from what the secretary has said that
very few people understand and a great many people do not under-
stand the extent that mining now has attained in this country, but
let me call your attention to the report of the Interstate Commerce
Commission of 1901, the last that was published.
There are 521,337,833 tons of freight given to the railroads of
this country by that report and the products of agriculture amounted
to 56,102,838 tons; the products of animals. 15,145,297 tons; the
products of the mines, 269,372,556 tons; the products of the forests,
60,844,933 tons; products of manufactures 71,681,178 tons; mer-
chandise, 21,697,693 tons, and miscellaneous, 26,493,338 tons. The
product of mines furnished 51.67 per cent of all the business fur-
26 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
nished the railroads in the United States. (Applause.) The products
of agriculture but 10.76 per cent; the products of animals, 2.91 per
cent; forests, 11.6 per cent; manufactures, 13.75 per cent; merchan-
dise, 4.16 per cent, and miscellaneous, 5.08 per cent.
Now when you take into consideration all those figures with
the statistics published by the Treasury Department in regard to
our exports you will find a most remarkable difference. Last year
was the most prosperous year in the United States in the way of
exports. The Treasury Department reports $1,392,201,637 as being
the gross exports for the year ending June 30,1903. Of this vast
amount of exports $873,285,142 was credited to agriculture, $408,-
187,207 to manufactures; $38,814,759 to mining; $57,830,773 to forests;
$7,755,232 to fisheries and $6,328.579 to miscellaneous. Agriculture
is credited with 62.72 per cent of all exports. Mining only is given
credit for 2.79 per cent. Now that is not a fact. It is a mistake that
has been carried for twenty years in the department at Washington.
I have had correspondence with statisticians there in regard to it
and they practically told me it had been going on so long that they
could not change it. There were exported in copper ingots and bars
$37,354,061 worth; coal, $21,206,498; mineral oil, $6,329,899, and min-
eral oil refined, $60,357,519, and other mining products making an
aggregate of $141,241,602 that should be credited to mining, and in-
stead of the exports being 2.79 per cent really is 10.15 per cent.
Now how does this thing come about? Through an error that
was commenced years ago, refined mining products, copper ingots,
etc., was classed as manufactured products exported. Now what is
a copper ingot? It is nothing more or less than the concentration
of the copper into form for future use. A barrel of flour is nothing
more or less than ground up wheat and is as much a manufactured
product as agricultural product, but the ingot of copper certainly is
not a manufactured product. There is as much sense in putting refined
oil and copper in manufactures as there would be to call a gold
bar a product of manufacture instead of mining.
You can all see that this error has been continued and we want
to have it attended to because it changes the averages that would
appear from year to year and increase the showing of mining exports.
If a mistake has occurred let us correct it so that mining will get
the credit of what it does. I have taken the pains to figure out
those things in agriculture that are just as much a manufactured
product as these two items I have mentioned and there are many
others here which I have on the statement, and in case that rule
is applied to agricultural exports it would eat up $274,637,475 from
agricultural exports.
In such matters as this we, as miners, only want the credit
that really belongs to us. We have no objection to sawed lumber
going in as forest products, although it is as much manufactured
as an ingot of copper would be, or a bar of lead. We have no ob-
jection to canned salmon going in as fishery products, although
it certainly is as much a manufactured article as an ingot of copper
or bar of lead. We have no objection to any of these other industries
getting the benefit of what they produce, but is it right to pick out
the mining industry alone and report that of all our vast exports
there are 2.79 per cent derived from the product of mines, when
the face of their own report shows $141,000,000 instead of $38,000,000?
I feel that this is a matter that this association should take
cognizance of. I thought it was proper that this was the place
we should present the protest and in consideration of that fact I
have prepared a resolution which I will hand to the secretary. It
has not been my intention to make a speech. It has only been my
intention to make this kick that I have made for at least five oV
six years and I would like the association to support me in the
position I have taken. (Cheers.)
The following is a detailed statement of Col. Ed. F. Brown, of
Colorado, referred to by him in the preceding speech:
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 27
Statement showing the proportion of business furnished the rail-
roads of the United States by the different industries. Extract from
Interstate Commerce Commission report for 1901. See page 66.
Tons. Per Cent.
Products of Agriculture 56,102,838 10.76
Products of Animals 15,145,297 2.91
Product of Mines 269,372,556 51.67
Product of Forest .... 60,844,933 11.67
Product of Manufactures 71,681,178 13.75
Merchandise 21,697,693 4.16
Miscellaneous 26,493,338 5.08
521,337,833 100.60
The following articles were credited to agriculture although
manufactured more or less:
Bread and Biscuit 589,536
Oat Meal 1,839,106
Rye Flour 12,818
Wheat Flour . 73,756,404
Table Food' 2,667,409
Bran, Middlings, etc. 945,053
Dried Grains and Shorts 1,320,065
Other Manufactures 661,131
Roasted or Prepared Coffee 2,381,469
Dried Apples ... . .......'.......... 2,31,469
Dried Apricots 713,887
Pressed Fruits 1,806.328
Prunes 3,512.507
Malt 252,801
Oil Cake and Meal 12,732,497
Beef Products ...... 7,916,928
Beef Products 25,013,323
Salted Pickled Beef ,.. 3,916,855
Tallow 1,623.852
Hog Products 22,178,525
Hog Products 25,712,633
Hog Products 1,369,687
Hog Products 11,995,253
Lard .50,854,504
Lard Compounds 3,607,542
Mutton . ......' 532,746
Oleomargarine and Oleo 12,780,161
Butter .............:... . ." 1,604,327
Cheese 2,250,229
274,637,475
If agricultural and other exports would be reported same way that
Mining is returned, the following would be the result:
Agriculture $598,647,667 43.00 per cent.
Manufactures 742,838,254 53.36 per cent.
Mining ; , 38,814,759 2.79 per cent.
Forest '. . 4,506,728 .32 per cent.
Fishing 1,065,71 .07 per cent.
Miscellaneous 6,328,519 .46 per cent.
$1,392,201,637 100.00 per cent.
Report of Treasury Department giving the classification of
exports for 1902-1903.
Agriculture $873,285,142 62.72 per cent.
Manufactures 408,187,207 29.32 per cent.
Mining 38,814,759 2.79 per cent.
Forest 57,830,778 4.15 per cent.
Fishery 7,755,232 .56 per cent.
Miscellaneous 6,328,579 .46 per cent.
$1,392,201,637 100.00 per cent.
28 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
In the same report the following articles are specified as having
been exported:
EXPORTS OF MINING PRODUCT.
Brick $ 429,908
Cement 419,361
Coal 21,206,498
Coke 1,912,459
Copper ore 927,417
Copper ingots and bars . .. 37,354,061
Phosphates 6,344,224
Iron ore 266,982
Pig iron 362,068
Ingots and blooms 68,064
Lead pizo and bars 15,527
Lime 32,694
Marble, stone and slate 1,565,244
Nickle and matte 864,221
Mineral oil 6,329,899
Mineral oil refined 60,357,519
Mineral risidium 566,115
Quicksilver 762,201
Salt 70,446
Zinc 1,386,694
$141,241,602
If corrected the statement should read:
Agriculture $873,285,142 62.72 per cent.
Manufactures 305,760,364 21.96 per cent.
Mining 141,241,602 10.15 per cent.
Forest 57,850,778 4.15 per cent.
Fishery , 7,755,232 .56 per cent.
Miscellaneous 6,328,519 .46 per cent.
$1,392,201,637 100.00 per cent.
Memorandum showing value of mining products that swelled the
balance of trade :
Excess of gold $ 2,108,568
Excess of silver 20,068,768
Exports above 141,241,602
$163,436.938
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: The Secretary will read the reso-
lution offered by Col. Ed. F. Brown.
Secretary Mahon read the resolution.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: Under the rule it will be referred to
the committee on resolutions through the secretary.
GEORGE, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: I desire to introduce a reso-
lution asking the United States Congress to enact a law to establish
mining stations, to aid in the development of the mineral resources of
the United States, and for other purposes.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS : The secretary will read the resolution.
Secretary Mahon read the resolution.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: The resolution will be referred to
the committee on resolutions.
GEORGE, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: I wish to state to everyone in
the convention that there are copies of the resolution in the form
of a bill on the platform and anyone who desires may read it.
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 29
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: The chairman of the finance com-
mittee has a report to make relative to the finances of the American
Mining Congress.
RUSSELL, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: This report is presented in
pursuance of resolutions of the executive board. I will say that it
has been examined and audited by the executive board and found
correct. However, all vouchers and all accounts are, in pursuance
of that resolution, open to the scrutiny and examination of any mem-
ber of the association, and if it is desired that a committee shall be
appointed to examine and audit the account further, the executive
committee would be pleased to have it done; and at this time and in
this connection I would desire to say to the Congress on behalf of
the executive committee that we feel that at this time and in this
session some steps should be taken in order to place the Congress on
a more substantial basis than it is. The plan as proposed, which will
come up under the proposed by-laws, provides for a membership
from which we have hopefully looked for a large income. I regret
to say that so far delegates and visitors to the Congress have not
to any large degree taken out the membership that we expected. I
will say, further, that the Black Hills men have taken just about
half of the membership of the Congress so far. It is earnestly
desired that the delegates, if they feel interested enough to continue
as members of the Congress, should take out their mmberships at this
time, and further, it is hoped that the Congress will devise means that
will place the Congress on a more firm and substantial basis.
The report was read and is as follows:
Cash received and deposited with Treasurer Goodale from Septem-
ber, 1902, to September 1, 1903:
Received account of members $1,349.00
Butte Business Men's Association 355.00
Black Hills Mining Men's Association 3,000.00
Ex. Treasurer Camp 101.05
Total $4,805.05
DISBURSEMENTS
Sec. Mahon on account of salary $ 625.00
Bond of Treasurer Goodale 25.00
Butte Miner for publishing proceedings 355.00
Lead Daily Call for publishing proceedings 448.00
Miscellaneous expenses 2,934.36
Total $4,387.36
Balance $ 417.69
MR. BUCKLEY, OF MISSOURI: Mr. President, I wish to move
you that the proceedings of this Congress be governed by "Roberts'
Rules of Order" until the proposed constitution and by-laws be adopted
by this Congress.
MR. PATTERSON, OF NEBRASKA: I second the motion.
Which motion was stated by President Richards and duly carried.
PATTERSON, OF NEBRASKA: The chairman of the committee
on credentials will be pleased to meet the other two members at
seven o'clock at the Franklin hotel, and will also be pleased to
receive any credentials that are not yet turned in before that time.
TARBELL OF COLORADO: As a member of that committee on
credentials would it please. the chairman to meet directly after this
session?
30 OFFICIAL, PROCEEDINGS
PATTERSON, OF NEBRASKA.: Yes, sir. Then the credential
committee will meet at the Franklin hotel immediately after the ad-
journment of this session so that you can find your committee there
to present your credentials to.
LYNCH OF MONTANA I move we now adjourn until eight
o'clock this evening.
JACKSON, OF IDAHO: I think the gentleman will withhold
his motion after what I am about to suggest. There is a matter
overlooked, it seems to me, surely not from intent but simply a
matter of oversight. It seems to me we have failed in doing our duty
by failing to vote a vote of thanks to the president of the United
States for recognizing this Congress and the mining industry by send-
ing a member of his cabinet here.
LYNjCH, OF MONTANA: The motion to adjourn is withdrawn.
JACKSON, OF IDAHO: Then, Mr. Chairman, inasmuch as the
great lamented immortal president during the time of the rebellion,
Abraham Lincoln, sent his congratulations to the miners of the
West who were digging the gold to pay the debts and to carry on the
commerce of this country at that time, "Boys, go and mine and we
will help you the best we can," and as President Roosevelt has said,
though not in so many words perhaps, but by acts when he sent
his representative of the cabinet to this Congress in recognition
of it and the mining industry Gentlemen, when he said, though not
in so many words: "Advance your mining industry; boys, go on and
push your mining industry; advance your Mining Congress; the
president of the United States recognizes your effort; the govern-
ment of the United States recognizes your efforts, and the govern-
ment will assist you in all worthy purposes in this connection"
Therefore I move you, Mr. Chairman, that a committee of three be
appointed, of which the secretary of the Congress shall be the chair-
man, to prepare a resolution voting the thanks of this Congress to
the president of the United States for his recognition of the mining
industry and of this Congress in sending his representative here, the
secretary of the treasury, at this time. Let the resolutions be en-
grossed and mailed to President Roosevelt so that he may never
forget the gratitude of this Congress, as this Congress will probably
never forget that it was recognized and the mining industry was
recognized as in this case.
SECRETARY MAHON: I thank the gentleman from Idaho for
the compliment that he has so gracefully paid to me here today in
mentioning my name as the chairman of that committee. I would be
glad and proud to serve upon it did I think it the proper thing for
me to do. That duty belongs to the gentleman who has offered that
motion and I hope Mr. Chairman, that you will insist upon his
taking his proper place. (Cheers.)
DIGNOWITY, OF PENNSYLVANIA: I second the gentleman's
motion.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: It has been moved and seconded
that a committee of three be appointed by the chair, of which our
secretary shall be the chairman of that committee, to express by
resolution by appreciation of the president's act in sending his sec-
retary of the treasury to meet with us on this occasion. Are you
ready for the question?
JONES, OF CALIFORNIA: I desire to move an amendment
that instead of the secretary being the chairman of that committee
it be the gentleman from Idaho who made the motion.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: If there is no objection we will
consider it so amended.
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 31
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: The question is now shall the chair
appoint a committee of three, of which Mr. Jackson, of Idaho, be
chairman, to express by resolution our appreciation of the presi-
dent's act in sending his secretary of the treasury to meet with
us on this occasion?
Which motion was unanimously carried.
SECRETARY MAHON: There has been no motion carried to
adjourn and we have some litle time to spare this afternoon. There
is a genlteman here from North Dakota who is very familiar with
the early history of this country and who is willing to give us a
little talk of about five or ten minutes if agreeable to the Congress.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: We will listen to a few remarks by
Mr. Russell at this time.
MR. RUSSELL, OF NORTH DAKOTA: Mr. President, Ladies
and Gentleman: It was very foreign indeed to my expectation when
coming here to be asked to address you, but as I sat here this after-
noon memory has gone back thirty years. In 1873 it was my privilege
to go across the territory of Dakota. The Northern Pacific railroad
had constructed their road to the Missouri river in the early part
of 1873. The secretary of the interior, a member of the cabinet of
President Grant, was very anxious to see Dakota as it was known then.
The Northern Pacific road gave him a special train for himself
and his friends and I was requested, living as I was then at the head
of Lake Superior, to be his escort to Bismarck on the Missouri river.
I sat here this afternoon and memory has gone back thirty years.
We slept at Fargo that night; we crossed the territory of Dakota
from the Red river to the Missouri by daylight. The census of 1870,
two years and a half or nearly three years before we made the trip,
which was in July, 1873, of the territory of Dakota showed 14,181
people. I have got those figures correct for I have been called upon
to verify them once before, 14,181 people. Of that we knew thoroughly
that that part which is now North Dakota did not contain over 1,000;
we did not know how many, but the territory was undivided of
course. The larger portion of the 14,000 was in South Dakota.
As we drew near the Missouri river that afternoon the secretary
said these words: "I am exceedingly glad to see Dakota. I have
looked forward to it with a great deal of interest for a number of
years. Now," says he, "we have traveled today over a territory
that is capable of and going to sustain a very large population
to the square mile in the distant future," and he expressed it with
very strong words. "We have not seen a particle of soil culti-
vated for we don't know there is a hundred acres cultivated between
the Red river and the Missouri. We have not seen any farms but
we have seen a soil here that is deposited that is capable of sus-
taining a very large population to the square mile." Says I: "That
population unquestionably as you say may be sustained here, but
what will they do for fuel? What will they do for lots?" His reply
was this: "It is not consistent with the wisdom of the Almighty
God to place such a soil as we have seen here today the proof of
which we have by the grasses that we have seen and the depth
of the soil through the cuts which we have passed show; it is not
consistent with His wisdom to leave that population without supply-
ing them with everything that is necessary for their sustenance,
and you will no doubt find under the prairies here bodies of fuel
and most unquestionably oil that will furnish both fuel and light."
And when the lignite fields of North and South Dakota were dis-
covered that prophesy of Delauney came forcibly to my mind. We
did not know anything at that time except vaguely of the Black
Hills. The twenty-fifth year has been passed by me as a resident
of North Dakota. In 1870 the population of the territory was 14,181
Thirty years afterwards, in 1900, the population of North and South
Dakota was 723,000 and over. It it more since that time, as you
32 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
will all bear witness. It is safe to say that it is now 800,000. How
that English speaking race has gone forward and possessed the
soil that Mr. Delauney, of Ohio, said was capable of containing a
large population to the square mile! We went from Bismarck to
Fort Lincoln the next day. The officers of the fort gave the mem-
ber of the cabinet a beautiful reception. They showed us the sand
banks thrown up there to protect them from an attack of 300 warriors
of the Sioux Indians only sixty days before. Where is the Sioux
Indian? Where is the buffalo that fed the Indian? What has taken
the place of the Buffalo and Indian? The English speaking -races,
carrying their churches and their schools with them, their manu-
factures and obtaining the wealth of the soil of North and South
Dakota, South Dakota here in the Black Hills digging it from the
bowels of the earth and North Dakota raising it from the surface,
and now producing a very large part of the wheat of the world.
Ladies and Gentlemen, there is only one expression that I can
satisfy ,my own mind with as I look upon what has been done in
the last thirty years. What has God wrought! May God in His
infinite sympathy continue all blessings to the people of North and
South Dakota to the end of time, and may all our efforts be spent
in developing the resources of these states.
LYNCH, OF MONTANA: Mr. Chairman, I will renew my motion
that we now adjourn until eight o'clock.
TARBELL, OF COLORADO: I second that motion.
The motion was carried and Congress adjourned until September
8, 1903, at eight o'clock P. M.
Deadwood, S. D., September 8, 1903, 8 P. M.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: Let the Congress be in order.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: The first thing on the program for
this evening is an address by Dr. J. W. Abbott of Denver, Colorado;
subject, "Good Roads for Mines." (Applause.)
GOOD ROADS FOR MINES.
DR. J. W. ABBOTT: Mr. President, Delegates to the American
Mining Congress, Ladies and Gentlemen: The opportunity to ad-
dress the American Mining Congress on this important subject I
count as the greatest privilege of my official career. (Applause.)
I represent that division of our national government which deals
with problems of highway improvement. It has been in operation
only ten years, and has had to work with ridiculously meagre appro-
priations, hesitatingly made. That section of our constitution which
imposes upon congress the duty of "providing for the general wel-
fare" has always seemed much clearer of comprehension when money
could be appropriated for the direct benefit of specific localities, where
watchful and discerning constituents can exercise the right of suffrage
in behalf oi zealous and successful representatives.
The .material development of our country has produced both
anomalies and paradoxes.
It is indeed an anomaly that while in every other phase of
civilization in the home, the office, the city, on rail and water,
we lead the world's progress, the general standard of maintenance
and construction for our common roads has remained stationary
during the past hundred years. The lumberman hauls his logs, the
farmer his cotton, wheat and corn, and the miner his machinery,
supplies, coal and ore over roads no better than those used by his
forefathers a century ago.
It is a no less striking paradox that the old world countries
have splendid roads because they cannot afford poor ones, while our
material resources have been so abundant that we have been bearing
year after year the appalling loss from bad roads without realizing
the drain. From abundant data gathered in all portions of the
United States by the office of public road inquiries, it was demon-
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 33
strated years ago, and has been signally confirmed by my own investi-
gations, that the cost of wagon freighting under average existing
conditions is, approximately, 25 cents per ton per mile. It is also
interesting in this connection to note that the contract price (deter-
mined by very earnest competition) paid in 1901 by the government
for hauling supplies in Yellowstone National Park, where the moun-
tain road system is of a very high standard, was 25 cents per ton per
mile. In gathering statistics of the cost of freighting to and from
mines by wagon roads, I have found several instances where the
roads were the best in which this average cost figured exactly 2
cents per ton mile. I have found none in which the rate was even
a fraction lower. Climate, the price of labor, hay and grain, volume
of material to be handled and the newness, or otherwise, of the
mining region, are all, of course, factors in determining this cost
of wagon freight. But the one factor which always controls, and
which over-shadows in importance every other, is the character of
the road. I have in mind a mining camp situated far below timber
line, distant eighteen miles from a populous, thriving agricultural
center and important railroad point, where the established freight
rate each way is $12.00 per ton; 662-3 cents per mile. At no place
along the line is the rise exceedingly rapid, but the grade in places
is so very steep that 3,000 pounds is an average load up for a six-
horse team.
At the request 6f the Department of Agriculture, on November
20, 1895, a circular letter was addressed to many consuls in European
countries, requesting information similar to that already elicited
in this country on the cost of hauling farm products. A very large
number of reports in answer to this circular were received and pub-
lished. They show costs ranging from 6 to 13 cents per ton-mile
for hauling different products under different conditions. While no
certain general average cost per ton-mile can be adduced from these
figures, anyone who studies them will conclude that it lies between
10 and 12 cents. With reference to the question whether this light
cost in Europe is not partially due to lower prevailing standards of
wages, it may be said that while wages there are somewhat lower
than with us, the cost of feed averages considerably higher; that
very much of the hauling in Europe is done with one horse or mule,
while all the data from which the American average was adduced
assumed one driver for not less than two horses.
Assuming the cost of hauling at 25 cents per ton-mile and taking
figures for production from census returns, the director of the office of
public road inquiries in April, 1896, estimated the grand total cost,
of hauling on the public roads of the United States at about $950,-
000,000. Had these roads been constructed on European standards,
this cost would have been reduced more than one-half.
For the same year covered by this estimate, the gross freight
receipts of all the railroads in the United States was less than 730
millions of dollars.
It is only by some such comparison that the mind can grasp the
significance of these figures of annual waste, which, although they
equal the entire amount expended since its beginning by the govern-
ment on improvements to rivers and harbors, does not fully measure
the appalling loss to this country from its defective highway system.
We must add a great many millions for perishable products spoiled
because they could not reach market in time, the restriction or con-
gestion of railroad freight, due to closed roads and their subsequent
opening (because of climatic conditions), the failure to reach market
when prices are good, the enforced idleness of vast numbers of men
and animals, the limitation to the area of profitable cultivation of the
soil or exploitation of the ground, and many other adverse results
due to prevailing highway conditions.
But it is particularly to the effect upon the mining industry that
I desire to call special attention. The tonnage involved in mining
operations in always very great. The machinery required for mine
34 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
and mill equipment runs into tonnage alarmingly fast in the very
large majority of cases. All material of all kinds which enters into
this equipment must be transported a greater or less distance over a
common road. In the beginnings of most mining enterprises the
product, as well as all needed supplies, including fuel, must be hauled
in wagons. Whatever this wagon haul costs mere than it would cost
over properly constructed roads is a tax to be deducted from possible
profits. Take a mining enterprise that requires an average wagon
haul of twenty tons a day for 300 days in the year; supposing that im-
proving the road would result in a saving of but 25 cents on each of
these tons; this means $5.00 a day or $1,500 for the year, which is
10 per cent on $15,000. Twenty tons a day for supplies and product
does not mean a large business, while $15,000 will, if intelligently
applied, work a vast change in almost any road which serves mining
needs. All of us who are familiar with mining methods as they
actually are in the United States will recall instances without number
where an awful drain upon the net output has been suffered year
after year without apparent effort for relief, and in many cases
even without protest.
The annual product from the mines of the United States has a
money value of more than one billion dollars. The amount which
is expended annually to cheapen the transportation of these products
by rail and water, and for mechanical devices of all kinds by which
they may be placed upon car or boat or removed therefrom, is
prodigious. Isn't it an anomaly that with almost insignificant ex-
ception, no effective study is given to this waste in wagon freighting?
Compare existing practice in this respect with what the railroads are
doing. Grades are being cut down, curves lightened, tunnels bored,
heavy steel rails substituted for the lighter ones, more capacious
cars and more powerful engines purchased, and every method prac-
ticed to reduce the cost of transportation. In the 1901 report of the
Pennsylvania Railroad Company will be found some very interesting
pages bearing upon what has been accomplished along this line.
In 1865 the average cost of hauling each ton of freight one mile
was practically 2 1-3 cents, and the average profit 3-8 of a cent. In
1901 the average cost of the haul had been reduced to 3-8 of a cent,
and the average profit had fallen to 1-5 of a cent. You see that by
the improvements effected the cost of the haul had been reduced to
one-sixteenth of what it formerly was. As demonstrating the critical
need for this economy, appears the profit on the transaction which
has decreased to a less figure than it was when the cost was so
much greater. Mr. James J. Hill, the most far-sighted practical
economist who has ever studied transportation problems, is now
equipping the largest ocean freight carrier ever built upon this con-
tinent. It will require the contents of more than one thousand freight
cars of average capacity to furnish a load for each. In order to
operate these monsters of the sea in successful competition with
the subsidized steamships of other countries and the subsidized rail-
ways of Canada, this enormous tonnage must be hauled in both direc-
tions at rates so low that the returns per ton-mile will be even less
than the figures given above for the actual cost of freight trans-
portion on the Pennsylvania railroad. The steamers must run fully
loaded each way, and to command this huge bulk of freight, a
smaller fraction of a mill per ton-mile must be accepted than ever
before for a similar service. When we consider that it has been
during the life of one generation that the cost of rail transportation
has been reduced to less than one-sixth of what it was, and the cost
of steamship transportation probably fully as much, does it not seem
strange indeed that we are contented to go on in the same old way
when hauling the same products over the common road?
But the loss resulting to the mining industry from unsuitable
roads is by no means confined to regions where there are actually
developed mines. The wealth still hidden in the almost impenetrable
fastnesses of our Western mountains probably far exceeds all that
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 85
has ever yet been disclosed. The intrepid prospector and his faithful
burro outline the primitive trail into each new Golconaa. These trails
in turn give way to pathways which it is generally euphemism to
dignify as roads. These roads gradually develop into great arteries
and money is often poured out with spontaneous and unreasoning
recklessness to open a new mining camp. A tithe of what is thus
squandered, with results as evanescent as a passing dream, would
build roads, with whose coming would vanish the main terrors and
hardships which mark the early history of nearly every new mining
camp. Prospects which, if accessible by good roads, would tempt
capital and be developed quickly into new mines, lie idle year after
year and decade after decade, solely because there is no way by
which they can be economically equipped and operated. What piti-
fully short-sighted ecomony, counties, hoping to make such pros-
pects accessible, build roads leading to them, located with such
steep grades and in such improper places that the cost of hauling
over them soon becomes manifestly impracticable. They actually
defeat the very purpose for which they were built because the
fact that some kind of a road is already built makes it ten times
more difficult to raise the means to construct another along correct
lines. The man who exerts his influence against the building of a road
which must inevitably prove unsuitable, confers a greater benefit
upon a mining region than he who subscribes himself and induces
his neighbors to do likewise for a kind of road which effectually dis-
appoints the very hopes which it at first encouraged. M'any a mining
enterprise of real potential merit has been irretrievably wrecked
because an expensive and appropriate equipment has failed to pro-
duce a paying mine where wagon transportation has been so excessive
as to consume the profits, until hope, too long deferred, has yielded
to disgust and a fatal discouragement. It is only through economy
and by the most careful methods that a very large percentage of
mines have been made commercially successful. Is it not just as
important to look carefully after that portion of the expense which
goes into wagon transportation as it is to hoist cheaply, to drill
effectively, to ventilate properly or to save the ultimate nickel by
elaborate metallurgical methods?
It is not my purpose, nor do I conceive that it would be appro-
priate for me in this paper, to go deeply into the technical principals
of correct road building for mines. In the issues of the Engineering
and Mining Journal, of New York, for May 16-23, last, appears a
paper which I prepared with much care, deaung with this phase of
the subject. In the year book of the United States Department of
Agriculture for 1900 there appears a paper upon mountain roads,
written by myself, which, while it does not contain some things
which I conceive to be valuable for the engineer who is constructing
mining roads, does touch upon certain features of .mountain roads
not so fully elucidated in the paper first mentioned. This latter
paper on "Mountain Roads" has been re-published by the department
in pamphlet form and is furnished gratuitously to anyone upon ap-
plication.
The fundamentals of any mountain road construction are grade
and drainage. Prom quite an extended observation and experience in
mountain road construction and in mountain freighting, I have reached
the very positive conclusion that under no circumstances, on any road
designed for general freighting, should there be a grade exceeding 12
per cent. I further believe that no distinct economy is secured
by reducing mountain grades, at much cost, below 8 per cent.
This latter conclusion, reached by myself solely from experience
and observation, has been confirmed by traction experiments made
by the government and by individual engineers.
Of course, the most difficult places upon any road where trail
wagons are not used, determines the load which can be hauled. The
36 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
engineer who is locating a mountain road should determine in his
own mind, from'all the circumstances in the case, what his maximum
shall be, and when he has once determined it, should adhere to it
inflexibly in making his location.
Grades should always be eased and the road bed widened on
curves and the approaches to every sharp curve should be level.
It is much easier to drain a road on a side hill than one located
along the bottom of a gulch. Roads facing the east and south dry
out more quickly after wet than those which face the north and west.
A side hill road should always slope towards the inside bank
and never towards the outside; otherwise the tendency will be for
the outside of the grade to get lower and the inside higher, until it be-
comes dangerously sidling.
The essential principles of mountain road construction are few
and simple. The main need is common sense and the power to
reason clearly. Technical training is valuable, but not a sine qua
non. If every mining man would get these principals firmly fixed
in his mind and whenever he rides over a road would mentally in-
quire "Is the road here rightly built? How could it be made better?"
The beneficial results to the industry would be quickly apparent.
Out of such habit would come discussions and a general influence
for better methods and higher standards.
The need for improved highways is the great question today
which concerns every locality, every interest and every person through-
out the entire length and breadth of this nation. The other stones
in the principal march of our material progress are in place. The
keystone which is to complete it into a symmetrical structure of
strength and beauty is being rapidly shaped in the quarry of public
sentiment. Day by day its outlines become more clearly defined. The
powerful machinery of selfish interest and promise of immediate
pecuniary return to the individual worker, which has rendered such
effective aid in fashioning and lifting into place the other stones in
this edifice is lacking. This must be wrought to completion and raised
into position by the willing hands of all the people. Each interest must
contribute its equitable share of aid.
The Good Roads Propaganda has been successful in awaken-
ing the people generally to the overshadowing importance of the sub-
ject. The apathy of ten years ago has almost entirely vanished. "We
must have better roads," is the universal cry. Everywhere now people
are earnestly studying ways and means. In nearly every state, at each
recurring session of the legislature, bills are considered and many
passed, appropriating state funds for roads and establishing methods
for securing more effective results. In the older and more populous
states) highway commissions have been created to supervise the
expenditure of state funds. In every state which has such commission
the law provides that the state funds shall cover only some portion of
the entire expense of the roads to be built. In New York the state pays
one-half, the county 35 per cent, and the road district 15 per cent; in
New Jersey the state pays one-third, etc.
These laws mark the greatest advance yet c-ttained in solving this
question of ways and means. They give recognition to the very im-
portant principle that the cost of building a new road should not be
bourne solely by the immediate district through which it passes.
Every new road built gives an added impulse to the state's prosperity.
It increases the price of land, induces men to build better homes,
invites home-seekers, adds to the profits of every industry, brings in
new enterprises, enlarges bank deposits and promotes activity in all
lines. The general industrial life blood pulsates more vigorously.
City, county and state treasuries, each get a share of the increment
and can well afford to contribute to that which produces it. As these
results get to be better understood and appreciated the equity of
dividing the burden is more cheerfully recognized.
Extending this principle of co-operation to its logical limit the
advocates of road reform insist that the general government should
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 37
come in and assume its equitable portion of this burden of cost. The
nation is a community of states. Whatever contributes to their pros-
perity helps to make it strong and great. The funds in its treasury
come from the pockets of all the people. What else would more su-rely
or more effectively "provide for the general welfare" than a policy of
expenditure tending to improve highway conditions throughout the
entire country? The proposition in itself is incontrovertible. The
problem is to satisfactorily determine s'uch policy.
Wherever in the United States today highway reform is being
seriously and earnestly discussed "National Aid" is accepted as being
the logical method of securing it. But what would be a suitable policy,
fair to all sections, logical and effective and safeguarded against waste
and theft?
Some plans advanced contemplate the building by the government
alone of certain roads in selected localities, should be main arteries
and by their superior excellence should serve as object lessons of cor-
rect methods.
These plans are opposed on many grounds. The millions upon
millions of dollars worse than wasted under some (not all) river and
harbor bills, are pointed to in proof of the error of any plan which
opens the United States Treasury to log rolling deals.
Next winter there will be introduced into both houses of Congress
bills designed to bring in the government as a co-operating factor with
states, counties and localities. These bills will provide for the appro-
priation of a definite sum to be apportioned equitably among the states,
the amounts thus apportioned to be expended in conjunction with
equal amounts contributed by the states.
These bills will provide for apportionment directly according to
population. Some favor apportioning half the amount according to
population and the other half equally to each state, on the same basis
as the states get representation in Congress.
The states must provide by law how their quota shall be raised;
that is whether the state shall furnish it all, or the state a part and the
county a part, and perhaps the locality another part.
All bills will provide that the money shall be expended under the
direct supervision and control of expert road-builders in government
employ, and the effort will be made to thoroughly safeguard the funds
from waste, or speculation.
No industry could have greater interest in the solution of this
question than mining. I appeal to every man within the sound of my
voice to give his earnest attention and careful thought to this matter.
We must have government aid in some form. We are entitled to it.
We shall get it when the people demand it.
This is a movement that grows as its benefits become apparent.
One good road brings another. We don't expect the government to
help build all the roads, but we do expect it to help start us.
In the Western Mountain States spaces are great; population and
money very limited. Good roads will help open our mines, increase our
profits, extend the area of profitable agriculture and put us into
position to better afford the outlay for roads. All sections need them,
but these new regions relatively need them most. As illustrating the
awakening on this subject in the older states it may be mentioned that
the legislature of the State of New York at its last session passed a law
for submitting to popular vote the question whether the state should
issue fifty millions of long time bonds, the proceeds to be used for
building improved roads. We expect New York to stand at the front
in Congress in demanding government aid.
Let us not forget that we are not asking this as a favor nor as a
function of paternalism, but because it is right. We must have the
money to build them and we must call on all interests to contribute
their share just as each man has to pay his individual tax. The Gov-
ernment is an interested party and we ask for it to do its proper share
and to show how it ought to be done, just as it shows us how to raise
grass on desert sands and to get best results from each particular soil.
38 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
It is a case of "United we stand" and that is what Government is for.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: The next on the program is a paper
by Dr. J. D. Irving, of Washington, D. C. Subject, "Ore Deposits of
the Northern Black Hills." In the absence of Dr. Irving, Mr. E. R.
Buckley, of Missouri, will read the paper.
MR. E. R. BUCKLEY: Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen: It
gives me very great pleasure to have an opportunity to read this very
excellent paper by Dr. Irving, of the United States Geological Survey.
I only regret that Dr. Irving is not here himself to read the paper for
I am sure it will be impossible for me to do justice to the subject
which he has so ably treated:
ORE DEPOSITS OF THE NORTHERN BLACK HILLS.
The Black Hills have been from the earliest time a region of
singular economic intere&t. From the dates when Indian hunting par-
ties visited them to obtain provisions for future use, they have grad-
ually increased in importance as a source of wealth, until their produc-
tion has seen its culmination in the thriving mining industries of today.
To the Indians the hills were merely a hunting ground, and the
wealth which they derived from them was only in the form of
provisions.
The gradual inroads of the hardy prospector to this Indian hunt-
ing ground first attracted attention to the region as a source of a
different type of wealth. Rumors of the discovery of gold there,
growing as they traveled further from their source, spread the impres<-
sion that this was a land of great mineral wealth. The increase in the
number of men visiting the Hills soon alarmed the Indians and brought
about hostilities which eventually attracted the > ttention of the Federal
Government. The story of how military expeditions were sent here,
of how a party was finally sent out to investigate the truth of these
rumors, of how gold was found there, of the final opening up of the
country to settlement, and the gradual inception, rise and growth of
the mining industry, is well known to all who are familiar with the
history of the region.
In the several steps of its growth, mining in the Black Hills has
followed quite closely the lines of its development in other regions.
First, the attention of the early prospectors and those who followed
them there, was given to the more easily accessible deposits, the
placers. As the value of these became evident, search was made for
the source from which the gold in the placers was derived. The old
gravel deposits which lie at the bas'e of the Cambrian formation were
then found, and for a number of years yielded almost fabulous sums
to those who had located upon them. The impregnated lodes in the
schistose rocks were discovered, and the mines which have now
become the famous Homestake belt were gradually opened up. The
lead-silver ores of Carbonate then became productive, and still further
search revealed the beds of refractory siliceous ores which have of late
years become of such very great importance; then the Ragged Top
ores were found, and finally a variety of smaller deposits was discov-
ered. Regions where ore bodies were easily accessible at the surface
were those first prospected, then those more remote and more deeply
buried beneath the covering of barren rocks in turn yielded their con-
tents to the efforts of the miner.
The members of the Mining Congress are spending a short time
in this region. In presenting this paper to them it is the purpose of
the writer to take up successively the different types of deposit occur-
ring in the Northern Black Hills, and to make as clear as possible their
character, their value, the geological association in which they are
found, and to s:et forth in so far as possible, what evidence there may
be as to the manner in which they have originated.
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 39
To make this discussion a little clearer, the general geological
character of the Black Hills will be briefly described and then the dif-
ferent types of ore bodies which occur in the region will be severally
discussed.
GEOLOGY.
As a problem in geology, the Black Hills differs in some respects
from almost any other to be found in this country. Surrounded on all
sides by a flat and rather barren country whose general character is
monotonous and without special interest, the Black Hills rise as an
island, presenting within their borders geologic problems of great
variety and interest, diverse types of ore deposits, and studies in land
drainage, which, from their very isolation and circumscribed character,
are easily grasped and understood, and are without the usual compli-
cated connections with the surrounding country that make most geo-
logical questions so difficult to comprehend.
In his classic work upon this region, Henry Newton has described
the general geological character of the Black Hills as an elevated area,
roughly elliptical in outline, comprising a central core of metamorphic
crystalline rocks, about which are grouped in rudely concretic belts,
strata of later geologic age, dipping away in all directions from what
is termed by Newton the elevatory axis or region of the Hills.
Where the strata which originally covered the core of scists which
forms the center of the hills still present, we would have an eelvated
dome of very great height, rising far above the level of the surrounding
country. The gradual erosion, or wearing away, however, of these
uplifted rocks has gone on together with their upheavel, so that we
have now remaining a country only slightly higher than the surround-
ing plains. In the center is the uncovered area of schists, and at the
sides the stratified rocks dipping outward beneath the flat prairie land
beyond. The general trend of this central core of old crystalline rocks
is in a due north and south direction, but at its northern extremity it
turns quite abruptly towards the northwest, forming a sort of geolog-
ical cul-de-sac shut in on three sides by upturned strata, but separated
from the main portion of the core to the south by a narrow belt of
Cambrian rocks 1 and their included masses of porphyry.
Throughout this northern area erosion has not cut so deeply into
the crystalline schists as further south, so that besides the rude belt
of enclosing strata, isolated patches of the old covering lie upon the
higher hills within the area of schists.
If we examine the rocks which compose the different geological
formations which are found in the northern hills, we shall see that
there are four different groups of importance which can be readily
distinguished from one another. The first is the lowest, or series of
metamorphic schists. It consists of a series of crystalline mica-schists,
mica-slates or phyllitesi, and laminated quartzites. Together with
these are found, in the southern portion of the Black Hills, and in the
region known as Nigger Hill, large intruded masses of granite, very
coarse in its texture and sometimes containing deposits of tin. In the
northern portion of the hills there isi no granite present in the series,
but its place is taken by numerous dikes and great irregular patches
of a dark greenish hornblende rock, termed amphibolite. Bodies of
this rock are particularly noticeable in the vicinity of Lead City, and
extend as far south as Custer Peak. It is possible that they may have
had some connection with the occurrence of gold in the Homestake
mine, but there is no definite evidence in favor of this theory- The
rocks of this series are strongly laminated and are everywhere tilted
at a high angle. The lamination crosses the planes of original sedi-
mentary banding, as can be still seen in many places. Numerous!
closely spaced folds are also seen to exist in the series, but the high
degree of alteration that the rocks have undergone has now almost
completely obliterated their original structure.
The next series of rocks is that belonging to the Cambrian period,
and comprises those rocks which lie upon the eroded surface of the
40 OFFICIAL, PROCEEDINGS
coarse bed of hardened gravel, a thick layer of quartzite, and a series of
alternating limestones and shalest with some quartzite, in all a thick-
ness of about 400 feet. Above these and still further out from the
center of the hills there is a yellowish limestone showing purple spots
and belonging to the Salurian age. This is about 80 feet thick. Above
it comes a series of very heavily bedded gray limestones, pinkish at
the base and averaging about 600 feet in thickness. It covers the other
rocks throughout the entire western portion of the uplift.
There are present, besides these sedimentary rocks, eruptive
rocks of several different varieties. The most abundant of these are
rhyolite, either fine-grained and white as in the vicinity of the Home-
stake mine, or coarse-grained and darker colored as at other localities;
syenite porphyries which occur chiefly in the vicinity of Deadwood and
Two Bit Gulch; and phonolite. The latter is generally a dark greenish
or bluish rock, sometimes quite coarse but usually exceedingly dense
and fine-grained. Other intermediate varieties of eruptive rock are
also present in different places. The eruptive rocks when found in
the schist series are usually either in dikes which are parallel to the
lamination of the schists, or in large and more irregular masses which
have no definite form. When in the Cambrian rocks, they are gener-
ally sills or sheets which have spread out laterally to great distances
along the planes of sedimentation; when found in the Carboniferous,
are of more irregular form, sometimes occurring in short, thick sheets,
again in dikes, and still more frequently in very irregular masses.
Much discussion has taken place as to the probability of the
phonolites which are present in the Black Hills indicating a recur-
rence of the typesi of ore deposits found in Cripple Creek. While there
are certain cases in which tellurides of gold have been found asso-
ciated with phonolites in the Black Hills, bearing some resemblance
to Cripple Creek ores, the existence of phonolites themselves in this
region does not indicate that there isi likely to be found a second
Cripple Creek. Phonolites occur in many localities in the world, in
Europe, Mexico, and elsewhere, and are in most cases not associated
with ore bodies. That they may indicate future mineral wealth in the
Black Hills is possible, but not in any sense essential.
ORE DEPOSITS.
If the placer workings, which are distributed widely over the entire
hills be excluded, the productive mining region of the Northern Black
Hills comprises a limited area of about 100 square miles. It extends
from the town of Perry on Elk Creek, where the Clover Leaf mine is
situated, northwestward to the town of Carbonate, on the east branch
of Spearfish Canyon, while its widest as well R,S most productive por-
tion lies between Terry Peak on the southwest and Garden City on
the northeast.
Within this rather restricted region are closely grouped together
as many as nine distinct typesi of ore deposits. They occur in each
case in a particular geological series, and are, with one exception, not
found in the rocks belonging to any other formation. Considering them
in accordance with the rocks in which they are found, we may distin-
guish the following five divisions:
(1) Ore deposits in Algonkian rocks.
(2) Ore deposits in Cambrian rocks.
(3) Ore deposits in Carboniferous rocks. . .
(4) Ore deposits in eruptive rocks.
(5) Ore deposits in rocks of recent formation.
In the crystalline schists and metamorphic rocks of the Algonkian
age are found the free milling gold ores, some small deposits of tin,
and a few trifling prospects of copper which have not yet assumed any
great importance. In addition to these there are certain deposits of
graphite which have lately attracted some interest.
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 41
In the Cambrian rocks there are gold-bearing gravels which lie at
the base of the formation, the refractory siliceous ores which have of
late years become of great importance, the lead-silver ores of Galena
and vicinity, and some deposits of wolframite which have from time
to time produced considerable quantities of this mineral.
In the heavy gray limestones of the Carboniferous there have been
found in the vicinity of Ragged Top Mountain, high grade siliceous
ores, and at the town of Carbonate the same recks have yielded large
amounts of lead-silver ores/ closely resembling those of Leadville,
Colorado. A few deposits also occur in eruptive rocks. In the latest
rocks of all, the gravels which fill the beds of modern streams, have
been found the placer deposits, and while they are chiefly of historic
interest as representing the earlier development of mining in the hills,
they have in peast years produced heavily.
ORE DEPOSITS IN METAMORPHIC ALGONKIAN SCHISTS.
Since the attention of miners has been transferred from the gold-
bearing gravels, which are always the first producers of a mining
region, the free milling lodes which occur in the Algonkian schists
have assumed greater and greater importance in the production of
this region, until now they are the heaviest producer and constitute
by far the most prominent factor in the gold production of the region.
There are in general two areas where ores of this character have
been discovered. The first is the great Homestake belt; the second,
the Clover Leaf or Uncle Sam mine, at some distance to the southeast,
and quite widely separated from the first.
As a report will soon appear by Mrs. S. F. Emmbns, discussing in
detail the geologic structure of the Homestake mine, the writer will
give only a brief summary of this important ore zone, gathered in
large part from previously published reports and personal observations.
The Homestake belt is a term which has been applied to a series
of mines opened on a great gold-bearing zone in the metamorphic
schists, which is located in the vicinity of Lead City. It comprises a
group of mines which are known severally as the Homestake,
Deadwood-Terra, Father De Smet and Caledonia, but as the Homestake
Company has exercised an increasingly important influence in the
management, the name has become gradually applied to the entire
belt. The surface workings or open cuts from which the ore was first
extracted in the early days of the history of this belt, indicate in a
broad, general way the location and trend of the ore body. The Cale-
donia ore body is distinct from that operated in the other mines, and
lies to the east of it. The Homestake ore body is not a true fissure
vein, but is a broad impregnated zone in the schists, which strikes
approximately north 34 degrees west, and is slightly at variance with
the general direction of the lamination or the schists. There seems to
be a rough dip to the east, but the ore is so irregularly related to the
rocks in which it occurs that the general inclination cannot be given
with any degree of accuracy. The ore body pitches quite noticeably
toward the south, so that at the southern-most portion yet opened up,
it is much more deeply buried than in a northerly direction. Alternat-
ing with the lenses of ore, and also to the eastern side of them, are
many dikes of white, fine-grained rhyolite, which have passed upward
between the lamination planes of the schists and spread out in broad
flat masses in the remnants of flat-lying Cambrian strata which cap the
hills to the west, north and east of the ore zone. In places most of the
stratified rock in which these porphyry masses have intruded is now
eroded, and on the summits of the divides which separate the open
cuts, little is left but the thick sheets of rhyolite. As these porphyry
bodies were followed downward they became gradually smaller and
fewer in number, the eruptive rock having apparently spread out as It
came nearer to the surface and formed branching masses of a lenticu-
lar form. The first ore which was mined in the early days formed
irregular lenticular masses included almost wholly within these dykes
of porphyry, but as it was followed downward it seemed to diverge
42 OFFICIAL, PROCEEDINGS
from the porphyry bodies, and in the deeper levels of the mine is
seemingly entirely independent of them. It is, however, an interesting
fact that in the lower levels a mass of phonolite of a dark greenish
color has been found, quite closely associated with the wider portions
of the ore zone. No exact foot-wall or hanging-wall to the ore can be
detected, because it is in many cases difficult to distinguish the miner-
alized material from the barren country rock.
It seems probable that the Homestake lode, owing to its mineral-
ized character, was a harder and more resistant ledge than the sur-
rounding schists of the Algonkian, and that for this reason it consti-
tuted a reef in the old Cambrian seas before the sedimentary rocks
above were deposited. That it was then mineralized and gold-bearing
is proved by the presence of gold in the basal or lowest rocks of the
sedimentary series which lie in the isolated patches about the outcrop
of the ore body.
The ores of the Homestake belt taken as i whole cannot be said
to present any constant features which serve to distinguish them from
the characteristic but barren rocks of the Algonkian series. Pyrite is
by far the most invariable indication of mineralization, but it is notably
absent from much of the ore. Quartz also occurs in a great number of
cases. Perhaps the most usual type of ore would be that consisting
quite largely of quartz and pyrite. Other minerals are dolomite, calcite
and arsenopyrite; these are also of very frequent occurrence, but no
decrease in the values of the ore can be noted when they are absent.
Again, garnet and tremolite appear in some portions of the ore in
such abundance as to constitute a larger part of the gangue minerals,
but the ore here found is of no difference in value from that having
a wholly different appearance. It would seem that when the ordinary
type of schists is mineralized the ore more closely resembles a
'schist, but when the amphibolite is mineralized it more closely re-
sembles an amphibolite. Thus it will appear that although we find
pyrite, quartz, dolomite, calcite, arenopyrite, tremolite and garnet
frequently constituting, either separately or in combination, the
gangue of the ore, no one of these minerals can be considered an in-
dication of the presence of gold. In general, however, it may be said
that the ores occupy a zone in the Algonkian rocks which present a
greater number of secondary minerals, a more constant occurrence
of sulphides, quartz, dolomite, calcite and arsenopyrite, and finally
a more advanced degree of distortion and irregularity of structure
than do the barren areas of the same formation.
From a careful study of the ores and the general structure of the
Homestake belt, it appears that, first, there have been several different
periods of mineralization, one at least of which has preceded the depo-
sition of the Cambrian rocks. This is distinctly shown by the presence
of placer gold in the lowermost gravel beds of the Cambrian series.
Second, there have been periods of mineralization, which followed the
entire deposition of the sedimentary rocks later than the intrusion of
the dikes of bodies of rhyolite. It is probable that this belt has been
the seat of many fracturings and dynamic movements from the
earliest geologic time until the present, and has constituted a line
of weakness along which mineralizing waters were permitted to cir-
culate more freely than elsewhere. Impregnation of the country
rocks at successive periods with vein minerals and small amounts of
gold has thus given rise to a workable zone of gold-bearing rock.
In the earlier days of the mine the ore was completely free milling
and of higher grade than that now mined. It was highly oxidized
and contained little or no sulphurets. As the workings penetrated
deeper beneath the surface oxidized material gave place gradually
to sulphides, and more and more of the values of the ores failed to
yield to amalgamation. For a time the concentrates from the mine
were sold to smelting companies, but experimentation on their treat-
ment gradually led to the construction of a cyanide plant with a
view to treating the more refractory portions of the ore.
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 43
It has been assumed by many who have written upon the geology
cf these ore bodies that the rhyolite porphyries which occur in in-
timate association with them have enriched the ore, but there is no
evidence to support this theory.
The Homestake mine has, since its inception, been an illustration
of the manner in which a large body of low grade ore handled on
a large scale, could be made to yield great profit, and its successful
operation has been due chiefly to the careful nature of the manage-
ment and the great business ability of those who have handled it.
CLOVER LEAF MINE.
The other mine which has been operated on Algonkian ores is
known as the Clover Leaf mine (formerly the Uncle Sam) not far
from the station of Perry, on the Black Hills & Fort Pierre railroad.
Compared with the Homestake belt its production is comparatively
small, but it is of singular geologic interest. The ore body is a large
saddle-shaped mass of quartz, enclosed in the metamorphic schists,
with its apex striking north 64 degress west and pitching to the
southeast at an angle of 40 degrees. The horizontal section of the
quartz body as exposed on the 25-foot level has the appearance of
the letter U with slightly flaring arms. The northern arm strikes
north 40 degrees west, and the southern, south 75 degrees west. This
quartz body is thickest at the crest, and the lamination of the en-
closing schist is parallel to its surface, curving around it so as to
give to the mass the appearance of a folded lens at the crest of a
southeastwardly pitching anticlinal fold in the Algonkian schist. Both
of the arms of this quartz mass when followed out from the apex
become much narrower than the main body. The northwesterly has
an average width of 20 feet, the southwesterly, of about 10 to 12
feet. The gold is contained chiefly in the quartz, in which it often
appears free and generally associated with small particles of galena.
The quartz and the encompassing schist are heavily impregnated with
pyrite which at the surface is completely oxidized. The ore is
treated in a stamp mill and amalgamates readily.
Besides these gold-bearing lodes, there occur also in rocks of
Algonkian age, deposits of tin, notably in the southern portion of
the hills and in the region to the west of Spearfish Canyon, known as
Nigger Hill. The country rock in which these deposits occur is a
coarse muscovite granite, and the cessiterite or tin oxide is scattered
through this rock in irregular patches increasing and decreasing in
amount with little or no regularity. In the earlier days of mining in
the Black Hills, it attracted, as is well known, considerable interest,
but the unfortunate character of the enterprises which were con-
nected with its exploitation have much retarded its development.
The cessiterite occurs also in placers as stream gravels which have
been derived from the disintegration of the country rock containing
the tin. The cessiterite in these gravels is but little rounded, and differs
in its black color from the usual reddish brown type of stream tin
so commonly found in the vicinity of tin-bearing lodes. While it
is possible that these deposits may again be worked, it is hardly
probable that they will ever constitute the basis of a large mining
enterprise.
A few small prospects of copper have been found at different
places in the schist areas of the Northern Hills, but they have not
yet been of sufficient size or regularity to attract serious attention.
MISCELLANEOUS DEPOSITS IN THE ALGONKIAN ROCKS.
At several localities within the productive mining region, ores
have been found which may be properly described with the Algonkian
lodes. They are partially in eruptive rocks and partially in brec-
ciated material composed of schist and porphyry, while at times they
form veins which pass from one rock into the others; at other
points they pass from porphyry into Cambrian rocks. While none of
these have yet attained any great importance, there are two that
44 OFFICIAL, PROCEEDINGS
deserve special mention. The first is in Strawberry Gulch, where
quite a number of small mines have been intermittently worked.
Much of the ore occurs in a decomposed porphyry in the form of thin
auriferous limonite filling the small fractures, or of impregnations in
the country rock. In general, these pass downward into unoxidized
pyrite, while in a few cases sphalerite and galena have been re-
ported. The porphyry mass in which these ores are found is ex-
tremely large and so irregularly intruded into- the schists that its
relation to them cannot be readily made out. Some of the ore ob-
tained from the mines is reported to have been quite rich but it has
so far been too irregular in its occurrene to form the basis of ex-
tensive mining. The second locality where ore has been found, which
is chiefly in porphyry, is the Old Ironsides mine, near the mouth of
Squaw Creek. Here, there is exposed in the side of the creek a sheet
of mica-diorite-porphyry about 40 feet thick with beds of Cambrian
rock both above and below. Through these rocks runs a series of
vertical fractures striking about north 85 degrees east, along which
silicification has occurred and from which telluride gold has been
introduced into the adjacent rock, often to considerable distances
from a fracture. Some of the crystals of telluride presumably
sylvanite are quite large. The deposition has occurred chiefly in
the diorite-porphyry, but also to a minor degree in the Cambrian
rocks. At the surface, where the rocks are highly oxidized, gold may
be seen along the fractures in a free condition. There are other
places in which ore has been found in eruptives, either as fillings
or fissures, or as impregnations, but they are not of any economic
value. The eruptive rocks as a whole have not been the loci of
considerable deposits.
ORE DEPOSITS IN CAMBRIAN ROCKS.
As a producer of gold the Cambrian is second in importance
only to the Algonkian series. In the rocks belonging to this age
or those which lie immediately above the metamorphic schists, there
are four varieties of ore: First, the gold-bearing conglomerates or
gravels, generally known as the cement deposits; second, the re-
fractory siliceous ores; third, the pyritic ores; and fourth, the lead-
silver ores.
THE GOLD-BEARING CONGLOMERATES.
At the base of the series of Cambrian strata, immediately above
the upturned schists there is generally a bed of gravel. It varies
in thickness from a few inches to more than SO feet. Throughout
a large number of areas where the Cambrian strata yet remain
uneroded, this conglomerate is generally about three or four feet
thick and passes upward into a hard, dense quartzite, which has a
vertical range of from 15 to 30 feet. The quartzite is almost uni-
versally present at the base of the Cambrian series; the gravel is
generally quite thin, but attains a notable thickness in a few localities.
One of these is in the vicinity of Lead City. Here the gravel is gold-
bearing and has produced very heavily in the past. The productive
areas of this gold-bearing gravel are closely grouped about the Home-
stake belt. They are five in number. One, comprising the Durango
and Harrison mines, is west of the Homestake lode, near the southern
extremity of the present outcrop. The other four east and north
of it, include the Hawkeye, Monitor, and Gentle Annie. One of these
lies just east of the Caledonia open cut; another on the divide be-
tween Bobtail and Dead wood Gulches; the third on that between
Bobtail and Deadwood Gulches, and the fourth on the north
side or Bobtail Gulch beneath a heavy capping of rhyolite which
forms the high ridge beyond. The gold-bearing conglomerate oc-
cupies irregular depressions in the old schist surface, and was prob-
ably not uniformly distributed along an old shore line. It thins out
to nothing along the strike of the Homestake lode and allows the
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 45
higher measures of the Cambrian series to lap over onto the miner-
alized rock of the Algonkian. A general downward inclination of the
schist surface toward the northeast may also be observed.
It is not possible to give exact boundaries to the original extent
of these gold-bearing gravels on account of the dissected nature of
the areas which now remain. The gravel is composed of rounded,
water-worn pebbles of quartz schist and a few fragments of softer
schist which seem to decrease in abundance as one proceeds further
from the Homestake lode, that is, from the old pre-Cambrian shore
line. The gold-bearing portions of the gravel may be at once dis-
tinguished from those which are barren by the character of mineral
which cements the pebbles. In the gold-bearing portions this is
chiefly oxide of iron when weathered, or pyrite when it has not
suffered alteration. The non-gold-bearing portions, on the other hand,
have also a rather sandy, quartzose matrix, or are in some instances
slightly calcareous. The gold in the richest portions of the con-
glomerate those first mined is chiefly placer gold, for it is rounded
and worn by attrition and is concentrated near the bed-rock. It was
undoubtedly derived from the erosion of gold-bearing lodes in the
Algonkian rocks, and mechanically deposited in depressions along
the old shore line. Some of it has been dissolved by ferric sulphate
which has resulted from the oxidation of the pyrite and has been
redeposited from this solution in thin films in the laminae of the
underlying schists. This has also produced an enrichment of the
lowermost layers of conglomerate. Besides these two types of gold
which occur in these gravels, it is also possible that gold was intro-
duced with the pyrite which either cements or once cemented the
pebbles. The introduction of pyrite was subsequent to the deposition
of the conglomerates, since it penetrates fractures in the quartz
pebbles. It is probably a replacement of the original quartzose
cementing material. Intrusion of rhyolite cut the conglomerate in
many places, and are often quite heavily impregnated with pyrite.
The close relation between these gravel deposits and the Homestake
lode, together with their absence along its line of outcrop, seems to
indicate that the Homestake zone projected above the level of the
surrounding rocks and formed in the old Cambrian sea a reef about
which these gravels were deposited. The greater portion of their
gold was thus, with little question, derived from the disintegration
of the old Homestake lode. They are not to be compared exactly
with the gold-bearing sands which are found in the Nome district
of Alaska, but are somewhat exceptional, not only because they are
the only representatives of what may be termed fossil placers, but
because they are not uniformly deposited along the shore but were
confined to the vicinity of an outcrop of a large gold lode, and the
detrital material from that lode was held in irregular depressions
in the sub-marine surface in its vicinity.
REFRACTORY SILICEOUS ORES.
Of all the ores occurring in rocks of later age than the Algonkian,
the refractory siliceous ores have thus been far the most important
factors in the gold production of the Northern Black Hills. They
are widely distributed over a large area extending from Yellow
Creek on the Southeast to Squaw Creek on the northwest in a broad
irregular belt. This belt includes five productive areas which will be
later discussed. The country rock in which the ore occurs is a dolo-
mitic limestone of fine-grained crystalline texture and varying like
the ore in its degree of oxidation. It is termed "sand rock" by the
miners. In its fresh condition it is a dense, gray crystalline rock,
showing innumerable small cleavage faces of dolomite and generally
interrupted by bands of greenish-black shale of varying width. When
oxidized it has a deep red color but presents the same crystalline
texture, while with very advanced alteration it passes into a red,
earthy material termed "gouge." Chemical analysis of this rock shows
it to be a dolomite of nearly normal composition, while the microscope
46 OFFICIAL, PROCEEDINGS
shows that it is composed of irregular masses of dolomite with some
scattered grains of quartz or clearly bounded rhombic crystals of
dolomite. When the rock has been mineralized these are altered to
silica and often beautifully preserved. The dolomite beds of this
character which have so far been most extensively prospected occur at
two positions in the Cambrian series. The first is immediately above
the basal quartzite from 15 to 25 feet above the schists of the Algon-
kian, and known as the "lower contact;" the second, from 18 to 30 feet
below the scolithus, or so-called "worm-eaten" sandstone that forms
the top of the Cambrian series and termed the "upper contact." Many
other beds of dolomite occur at intervening levels and some of them
have produced a little ore. There has as yet been but little sys-
tematic prospecting upon these beds and it is very probable that
they may become important ore horizons in future.
The ore is an extremely hard, brittle rock, composed largely of
secondary silica and carrying, when unoxidized, pyrite, fluorite, and,
at times, barite, wolframite, stibonite and jarosite. It shows many
cavities which are lined with druses of quartz crystals or contain
clusters composed of cubes of fluorite. Some of the cavities show
large crystals of barite. In some localities the siliceous ore is heavily
charged with wolframite, so that in many instances it grades from
beds of siliceous ore into flat bodies of almost pure wolframite. Oc-
currences of this kind are found in the Yellow Creek and Lead City
areas. When carrying large quantites of wolframite the ore usually
contains great quantities of barite. The ore occurs in flat, banded
masses in which the banding is continuous with the bedding planes
of the adjoining strata. These .masses possess a quite regular channel-
like form and follow zones of fracture that vary for the separate
districts in their general direction but exhibit a very uniform trend
within the limits of any single productive area. These channel-like
ore bodies are known as shoots and have a width of from a few
inches to, in rare instances, 300 feet. The average width is perhaps
about 30 feet, although all widths between five and 100 feet are of
frequent occurrence. The length is in all cases many times in excess
of the breadth, and in the case of the Tornado-Mogul shoot is about
three-fourths of a mile. The vertical dimensions vary from a few
inches to a maximum of 18 feet. The average thickness is about
six feet. The shoots generally follow either single fractures which
are parallel to their longer diameter, or broad areas of parallel or
intersecting fractures. The beds of rock that lie above the ore are
generally shale of a more or less impervious character, but sills of
eruptive rock not infrequently play the same role. On the lower
contact the floor is sometimes of basal Cambrian quartzite, but in
many cases varying thicknesses of dolomite intervene between it and
the ore. In such cases the widest portion of the shoot is directly
beneath the impervious rock of the roof, for the solutions have spread
out and replaced dolomite to the greatest distance along the under-
surface of the impervious rock. The shoots have thus a wedge-
shaped form in many cases, the broadest portion of the wedge being
at the top.
THE FRACTURES.
When the ore that forms the body of a shoot has been removed
the fractures by which the mineralizers have gained access to the
rock replaced may be traced in the overlying, and where they are
uncovered, in the underlying beds. These fractures have been ren-
dered prominent by a slight silicification of the adjoining rock which
has often caused them to project from the softer shaly material;
they are often iron-stained, also. These silicified iron-stained frac-
tures are commonly known as "verticals." They may be observed
in greater or less numbers in all of the shoots of the refractory
siliceous ore. The fractures are generally slightly warped surfaces
along which slight movement has occurred, or they may be composite
zones of fracture caused by the intersection of many small irregular
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 47
fissures. The displacement along such planes of movement is gen-
erally very small, not more than two or three inches, but it some-
times reaches six or seven feet. They are usually without apprec-
iable open space, for the walls have not generally been removed from
one another for distances greater than one-sixty-fourth of an inch.
Some notable exceptions occur. They are generally vertical or nearly
so. They frequently extend into the beds that form the roof of the
ore bodies and sometimes terminate in the ore-bearing beds them-
selves. They have also been traced through the lower quartzite into
the Algonkian below, but in entering that formation their traces
are lost in the vertical laminae of the schists.
PRODUCTIVE AREAS.
The productive areas of refractory siliceous ore are five in num-
ber and have been severally designated Bald Mountain area, Yellow
Creek area, Lead City area, Garden City area, and Squaw Creek
area. The last-named area was at the time of survey litte more
than a prospect, but has since become an important producer. The
Bald Mountain area is the most extensive and important. It is a
northwest-southeast belt of about one mile in width and four and one-
half miles in length, and the width is limited by the annular exposure
of Cambrian rocks that surrounds the Algonkian nucleus of the
region. The ore-bearing strata dip to the southwest and pass be-
neath the Silurian and Carboniferous limestone, while they have been
eroded from the Algonkian hills to the northeast with one or two
exceptions. Hence, on the north the ore bodies are exposed at the
surface, but to the south shafts are necessary to reach them. At
the southeast end this area is cut off from the Yellow Creek area
by Whitewood Creek. At the northern end the Cambrian rocks are
present in nearly their full thickness. With relation to the ore
bodies, the area may be divided into two portions; the Ruby Basin
district, and the Portland district. In the former the shoots are
larger on the lower ore-bearing beds; in the latter, larger in the
upper.
The Garden City area is situated at the head of Blacktail and
Sheeptail Gulches and an east tributary of False Bottom Creek. It
is located on the northern, as the Bald Mountain area is on the
southern, rim of the Cambrian outcrop. The beds dip to the north-
east and the shoots so far mined have been on the lower contact.
A rhyolite cap of great thickness and extent covers the country to
the north and the Cambrian beds pass beneath it. The average
trend of the ore bodies here is about north 55 degrees east, much
more nearly east and west than in any of the other areas.
The Lead City area is located on one of the Cambrian outlyers that
caps the hills north of Deadwood, and the ore bodies extend over the
gold lode of the Homestake mine. A heavy sill of fine-grained rhyolite
lies above the Cambrian on the tops of the hills. The ore bodies
are exposed at the surface on the westermost edge of this area, but
lie beneath the shales in an easterly direction. The ore from this
district was richer than that elsewhere mined and contained great
quantities of barite, wolframite, and in several instances, large
amounts of free gold. The Hidden Fortune mine is an instance of
this kind.
The Yellow Creek area is situated a little more than two miles
slightly east of south from the city of Lead. The ore shoots are in
a thin capping of Cambrian strata on the divide between Whitewood
Creek on the west and Yellow Creek on the east. The shoots lie on
the basal quartzite about 15 to 26 feet above the Algonkian. Much
wolframite and barite were also found in the ore from this area.
The Squaw Creek area lies near the mouth of Squaw Creek.
Workings have been run upon some ore-bearing beds which pass
rapidly beneath the Carboniferous limestones that cover the country
48 OFFICIAL, PROCEEDINGS
to the north. The horizon is just beneath the scolithus or "worm-
eaten" sandstone. Ore bodies of considerable size have recently been
opened here and the district has become a productive one.
VALUE OF THE ORES.
The gold contents of the ores in the Bald Mountain area run
from $3.00 to $4.00 per ton to, in rare instances, $100.00. The general
average for the ores in this district is about $17.00, and those contain-
ing from $10 to $20 are of the most common occurrence. Ore carry-
ing $35 per ton is considered high grade. Seme of the ore mined
from the Ben Hur mine yielded upwards of $60 per ton in gold. As
compared with the ores of the lower beds those from the upper
contact are slightly lower in grade so that much of the ore is often left
in the mines. They have also been reported to carry a higher relative
proportion of silver, but although this is true in individual instances,
in general silver ores are as frequent in the lower as in the upper beds.
The three smaller areas of siliceous ore, Yellow Creek, Lead City
and Garden City, lying over or to the west of the Homestake ore-
body or its continuation produce ore of uniformly higher grade than
those from the Bald Mountain country. The mineralization is prob-
ably later than the igneous activity, for the verticals which supplied
the ores often cut all va-rietes of eruptive rocks.
As igneous rocks cut strata of the Fort Benton Cretaceous and
pebbles of the same rock have been found in the basal conglomerates
cf the Neocene, it would seem then that the mineralization occurred
somewhere between Fort Benton and the Neocene and it probably
represents the final phase of vulcanism that was concomitant with
the elevation of the Black Hills. This occurred while the Cambrian
was still deeply buried beneath its covering of later formation.
ORIGIN OF THE ORES.
The refractory siliceous ores have been formed by a process
which involved the gradual removal of the original rock substances
and the simultaneous substitution of the ore minerals. This is
commonly known as replacement or metasomatic alteration and has
often proceeded with so little disturbance of the original rock material
that both stratigraphic character and microscopic structure are pre-
served in the ore, although the original rock was carbonate and
the ore chiefly silica. The mineral which has been altered to form
ore seems to have been exclusively dolomite, for where verticals pass
through rocks of varying composition it is found that dolomite also
has been appreciably affected. The ore minerals substituted are
chiefly silica and pyrite with which there are minute amounts of
gold and silver. Smaller quantities of fluorite, barite, gypsum and
several other accessory minerals are also of frequent occurrence.
To the dolomite, whether present as comparatively pure beds or as
cementing material of sandy and shaly rocks, the ore minerals have
been transported by circulating waters. Such waters have found in
the fractures, trunk channels by means of which they have been
enabled to penetrate the encompassing and comparatively insoluble
rocks and reach the more readily replaced material The mass of
evidence seems to show that these waters have ascended.
LEAD-SILVER ORE OF GALENA AND VICINITY.
The* ores belonging to the fourth division of Cambrian ore deposits
ate similar in form and mode of occurrence to the refractory siliceous
ores. They occur in the vicinity of the town of Galena.
At one time these ores filled an important place in the mineral
production of the Black Hills. About twenty years ago a smelter
was in operation and several mines were producing quite heavily,
the Richmond or Sitting Bull mine especially having figured quite
prominently in the silver production. After a brief period of activity,
however, operations were rather abruptly discontinued and the district
was idle until the year 1886, when operations were -resumed, although
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 49
upon a somewhat smaller scale. Work is now being conducted in
a rather desultory manner. Mines that produced this character of
ore are situated in and about the town of Galena. Most, if not all,
of the ore bodies are in strata of Cambrian age. Some of the prin-
cipal producing mines are the Richmond, Florence, Hester A, Coletta,
Merritt No. 2, Cora, Carpenter, Alexander, Romea, and El Refugio.
The ore is of a more basic character than that found in the more
westerly ore deposits heretofore described. When unoxidized it con-
sists chiefly of pyrite, which is either massive or disseminated more
or less thickly through the body of the country rock. With the
pyrite is associated argeniferous galena, and not infrequently small
quantities of sphalerite. In many cases the galena occurs in seams
in the pyrite, or as druses of minute crystals lining the interior of
cavities. In all cases where they had not been oxidized these two
materials have been found associated in this manner. The galena
is, therefore, of later origin than the pyrite; occasionally the latter
carries low values in gold but these are unimportant. The values
that render the mines workable are contained in the argentiferous
galena. In most cases there is but little silica associated with the
ores, but in the Florence and Richmond, very considerable amounts
of secondary silica are found in intimate association with the deposits.
ORES IN CARBONIFEROUS ROCKS.
In the heavy gray limestones of the Carboniferous are found two
distinct varieties of ore:
(1) Gold and silver ores of a refractory siliceous type;
(2) Lead-silver ores.
In general the Carboniferous rocks have not figured largely in
the mineral production of the region.
The refractory siliceous ores are in bodies of compartively small
size and are of less importance than those which occur in other
formations. Two districts have been important as producers the
Ragged Top district, and the Carbonate district.
The Ragged Top district comprises the country which lies to the
northwest of the large mountain of phonolite known as Ragged Top.
There is here a series of seven nearly equally spaced vertical fissures
or veins, which have been termed the Ragged Top Verticals. These
are fractures or crevices in the heavy massive limestone which show
at the face a maximum depth of about 10 feet. From this they range,
as they pass downward, to extremely minute crevices. In the lower
portions where the surface alteration has not been extensive, the
ore can be observed to pass laterally into the limestone walls with-
out disturbance of the structure of the latter rock. It is a light uni-
form buff tint, which is so near the color of the surrounding lime-
stone that it is difficult to distinguish it from the unmineralized
rock. It differs in its superior hardness and slight yellow color.
Much of the ore is composed of angular brecciated fragments of
what was once limestone but now is completely altered to silica.
Traces of tellurim have been detected in these ores. At some points
in the limestone area about Ragged Top Mountain flat blanket-like
beds of ore are found. These are either without distinct connection
with the verticals or seem to have spread out from them. Some
of the ore from these verticals was quite rich, and in general it
carried higher values than the siliceous ores found in the Cambrian
rocks.
These Carboniferous siliceous ores have not at any time been very
heavy producers but have yielded small amounts of ore for some years.
The cyanide process has been used in their treatment with much
success.
LEAD-SILVER ORES.
Lead-silver ores were in the earlier days of mining in the Black
Hills a very important factor in the production of precious metals.
They were found in the vicinity of the town of Carbonate. In 1886 this
50 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
was a flourishing camp and produced considerable silver and lead.
The product was almost exclusively that of the Iron Hill mine, but
other mines in the neighborhood added a little to the total.
The country rock that carries the ore is the gray Carboniferous
limestone in which sills, dikes and irregular masses of porphyry
have been intruded. The ore bodies are of two kinds, large irregular
bodies of lead carbonate, which pass in places into more or less
feet on the east side of a thick dike of fine-grained white porphyry,
masses; and partially filled crevices which resemble in a general
way the verticals of Ragged Top.
The first type of deposit is that which has formed the chief
source of silver in the district, and this, as shown above, was largely
obtained from the Iron Hill mine. In this mine the ore was a large
mass of argentiferous lead carbonate which extended down for 300
feet on the east side of a thick dike of fine-grained white porphyry.
Much galena, also, was found, together with the carbonates, and
after the ore was worked out a seam or vertical was detected extending
downward from the main mass. Other pockets of ore were also
found at different points, and in one place a pocket of vanadinite
containing some four or five tons was encountered. Mr. Fowler re-
ports the occurrence of the following minerals: galena, cerrusite,
cerargyrite, matlockite, wulfenite, pyromorphite, platternerite, ataca-
mite, and vanadinite. This type of ore resembles in its general
character and in its association with porphyry bodies the deposits
described by Mrs. S. F. Emmons, of Leadville, Colorado. Too little
is known, however, regarding the details of the ore occurrence to
afford any more definite idea of the manner in which it originated
than the simple fact that it is probably a replacement of the limestone.
Of the second type of occurrence the most important case is that
at the Seabury mine. This consisted of an irregular crevice striking
pouth 85 degrees west and running through the Seabury, Iron Hill,
Segregated Iron Hill and Adelphia mines with a possible continuation
in the Spanish R, a mine in which some ore was obtained, but at
too great distance for its relation to the others to be clearly made
out. The crevice varies from one to twenty feet in width. The sides
consist of a ferruginous jasperiod material which replaces the lime-
stone, often for two or three feet from the crevice, and contains at
times galena, lead carbonates and horn silver In sufficient amount to
be profitably worked. The latter mineral most frequently occurs
as a thin film covering druses of fine quartz crystals which form
linings to cavities.
The center of the crevice was loosely filled by a soft, ferru-
ginous, gouge-like matter of a pinkish red color and containing gold.
A large quantity of this ore is reported to have been mined from
the Seabury, and also from the west side of the porphyry dike in
the Iron Hill.
Since 1891 there seems to have been but little work done in
this district, no output being recorded for that period. Within the
last year, however, a small 35-ton cyanide plant has been erected to
treat the tailings from the old smelter.
In concluding this brief review of the ore deposits of the Northern
Black Hills, a subject which it is difficult to treat satisfactorily
in the space allowed, one seems warranted in dwelling a little on
the future prospects of the region.
Mining communities are, from the limited nature of the deposits
upon which their activity is based, generally short-lived. That this
is true, one needs only to glace at the history of many western
mining camps. A few, it is true, have, like Leadville, been productive
for many years, and will probably continue to be so in the future,
but there are few, if any, which, if based wholly upon mineral pro-
duction, will not in time cease to thrive as their economic resources
become exhausted.
If the production of the region be prolonged sufficiently for the
community's activities to be directed along other lines, what was
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 51
once a mining camp may become a permanent settlement. In the
Black Hills there are perhaps two features which may operate to
give to the region a greater permanency than that which is generally
seen in communities which are held together by mining interests.
The first is the unusual size and the presumably long life of the
mines of the Homestake belt. The second is the gradual decrease
in the cost of treatment of other grades of ore and the consequent
opening of the market to material previously known but hitherto
unworkable. The introduction of the cyanide process and the quan-
tities of ore which may be treated by its use have done much to ex-
tend the life of the Black Hills mining. It is not improbable that these
two factors working to gether may so prolong the mineral production
of the region that the population may never be less than it is. The
other interests which grow side by side with the mining industry
may then have become so important and so little dependent on the
mineral wealth of the country that their existence alone will be
sufficient to support the cities which have grown up in this mining
country. J. D. IRVING,
U. S. Geological Survey.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: We will now listen to an address by
Dr. J. E. Todd, state geologist of South Dakota; subject, "Skecth of
South Dakota."
DR. J. E. TODD: Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen: With
your permission I shall endeavor to abridge the paper that I had
planned and instead of reading what I had prepared.
(Dr. Todd maps and steropticon views to illustrate his lecture.)
SKETCH OF SOUTH DAKOTA GEOLOGY.
Introductory. The task asked of me is to give, so far as is prac-
ticable in the time allowed, a sketch of the geology of our state, par-
ticularly of that portion outside of the Black Hills. The Hills being
more complicated and not perfectly explored, I cheerfully leave to
others who have more time to devote to its elaboration and pre-
sentation. Moreover, as you can readily understand, we have only
time to select some of the more salient features of the vast amount
of details necessarily connected with such a theme.
It will be my aim to present in order the various geological
formations, giving their leading characteristics, their extent, and note
their more important economic relations. As few of them have to
do with mining enterprises directly, I shall assume some freedom to
go beyond the strict aim of the Congress and shall venture to bring
in a few facts directly connected with mining.
After a discussion of the geological map I will present illustrations
of different formations by the help of the steropticon.
GENERAL STRUCTURE OF THE STATE.
For the benefit of those unfamiliar .with our state I make a few
general statements which may seem trite to those already well ac-
quainted with it.
South Dakota presents greater range of altitude and greater
variety of topography than any other state east of the Rocky Moun-
tains. Its lowest point, Big Stone Lake, is 967 feet above the sea and
Harney Peak, its highest, 7,215 feet. It has extensive plains rivaling
a floor in smoothness, rugged mountains surpassing anything in the
Appalachains, buttes rising like giant pyramids above the plains,
and weird bad lands, the veritable work of goblins.
South Dakota has also a greater variety of geological formations
than any other state east of the Rocky Mountains, presenting a
nearly complete series from the oldest to the youngest rocks.
I has two centers of ancient crystalline rocks at opposite ends of
the state. Around one nearly all of the Paleozoic formations circle,
and against the other most of the Mesozoic rest, while the Tertiary
52 OFFICIAL, PROCEEDINGS
rocks lie between and the Quaternary deposits are developed in won-
derful profusion both of aqueous and glacial origin.
Late estimates of the thickness of sedimentary or stratified
rocks in the state reach a maximum of 10,500 feet, of which 1,300
are Paleozoic, 8,000 Mesozoic, and 1,200 Cenozoic. If we make the
bottom of the Cretaceous strata or the crest of the "hog-back" sur-
rounding the Black Hills, the dividing line, there will be about 8,000
feet of sedimentary rock outside of that limit and about 2,000 inside.
In this, of course, it will be understood, we neither include the schists,
granites or porphyries of the Black Hills nor the granites and
quartzite of the eastern end of the state, which together are com-
monly estimated to have a thickness two or three times as great.
The stratified rocks outside of the Hills consist mostly of soft
shales, clays and sands, though extensive deposits of sandstone and
limestone appear in some localities. The general softness of the
strata is attested by two inch holes being drilled 2,000 feet in depth
and a hole over 1,000 feet drilled and well finished in four days.
We have said that the stratified rocks were arranged around
two centers of crystalline rocks, viz., the Black Hills, which may
be compared to the horn of a saddle and the other Sioux Falls
granite area, which runs westward from the wider granite area of
Minnesota, which may be conceived to form the back and ridge of
the saddle. This ridge, which may be looked upon as a buried moun-
tain range, disappears under the later strata near Mitchell, but is
traceable in wells to the vicinity of Chamberlain and will doubtless
eventually be found existing nearly to the Black Hills.
Upon this saddle-like sub-stratum of granite rocks the Cambrian,
Silurian, Carboniferous, Jura-Trias, and Creteceous rocks have been
laid like blankets, declining to the north and the south. Those pre-
ceding the Cretaceous have been formed around the "horn," but
have not reached more than half way to the east end of the state.
They are exposed only around the Hills, and, as before stated, are to be
described by another.
GEOLOGICAL FORMATIONS AND THEIR PRODUCTS.
Crystalline or Algonkian. Before taking up the sedimentary
rocks we spend a few words upon the granites of the eastern part of
the state.
Near Big Stone Lake, in Minnesota, extensive quarries of granite
are worked. The stone has been pronounced equal and even superior
to New England granite for ornamental and building purposes. The
granite extends across the line at Big Stone City and there is an
outcrop five to eight miles southwest of that place. The rock rises
several feet above the general surface and there is no reason why it
should not be quarried, except its greater distance from a railroad.
A plant is already in operation at Aberdeen for working and polishing
the Minnesota rock.
The Sioux Falls granite t>r quartzite, named after its prominent
occurrence at that point, is a younger, but, if possible, a more durable
rock. The outcrops of this rock are scattered over a rudely triangular
area extending to the northwest corner of Iowa, to the altitude of
Dell Rapids on the east line of the state, and westward to a point
a few miles soutwest of Mitchell. In this area there are probably
three or four miles of naturally exposed surface, mostly in the valleys
or streams. Such exposures have been quite generally worked for
local use, but nowhere for exportation except at Sioux Falls, at
East Sioux Falls, where one of the largest quarries is located, at
Jasper, Dell Rapids, and Spencer. The rock is very hard, strong
and of a light, cheerful color, sometimes of a mottled gray, but usually
of different shades of pink and light purple. It is commonly fine-
grained, breaks quite evenly, not only with the plane of stratification,
but also in other directions. It is susceptible of fine polish and is
much sought for ornamental and building purposes.
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 53
Recent reports announce that an extensive outcrop of another
crystalline rock has been found near Sioux Falls. It is a very hand-
some diorite of medium grain, black and white. It is susceptible of
fine and durable polish and promises to become a valuable stone.
Cretaceous Rocks. These cover nearly the whole state. S6me
would say that at one time they covered the Black Hills completely,
and all agree that they at one time covered the whole of the eastern
end of the state. At present they cover about nine-tenths of the state,
though they are in turn more than half covered with the Tertiary
and Quaternary formations. In their thickest development they may
attain 5,000 feet ore more, near the Black Hills. Beginning with the
oldest or lowest formation, the Cretaceous includes (1) the Dakota,
(2) Colorado, (3) Montana, and (4) Laramie.
Dakota Cretaceous. This group is named not from our state,
but from Dakota City, where it was first studied, which was then
a pioneer town of Missouri Territory. The Dakota includes, begin-
ning at the bottom, (1) 200 to 350 feet of bluff and gray sandstone,
prominent at the west end of the state (Lakota),
(2) a gray limestone, 30 feet thick, locally developed near Hot
Springs (Minnewasta),
(3) a formation consisting mostly of shales of various colors,
30 to 100 feet, (Fuson),
(4) a massive bluff sandstone which usually forms the crest of
the "hog-back" around the Hills, 35 to 100 feet thick, (Dakota proper).
Of the valuable quarries and deposits of fire clay in this formation
I leave for others to speak. It is more in order for me to dwell on a
natural product furnished by this formation, which easily outranks
in utility if not in nominal money value, any other natural resource
of the state. Though its development is not .called mining it employs
much machinery, involves much engineering, nnd employs some hun-
dreds of men most of the time. Unlike most mining the product
does not have to be brought laboriously to the surface but comes
without effort when once set free. No, it is not petroleum or gas,
but a much more beneficial element, water.
Notice the position and relations of this Dakota formation. It
underlies four-fifths of the state and has similar relations to the
great plains generally from Canada to Texas. It is overlaid by thick,
impervious clays of succeeding formations. Its western edge lies
from 3,500 to 6,000 feet high on the eastern flank of the crest of the
continent and around all the mountains lying east of that range,
like the Black Hills. There the water enters from the rainfall directly,
from the seepage of streams which traverse its edge, and from the
other porous formations which communicate with it below the surface
either by faults or contact planes. The eastern edge, which lies only
1,000 to 1,200 feet above the sea, is comparatively closely sealed up
by the deep covering of Cretaceous clays and glacial clays, although
there are notable springs which show themselves at several points
along the James and Missouri rivers, which are doubtless outlets
from this deposit. Moreover, the erosion of the glacial period and
of more recent streams have so lowered the surface that one-fourth
to one-third of our state may obtain flowing wells from this source
and still other portions may obtain inexhaustible pump wells with the
water near the surface.
It also no doubt has large quantities of water stored within it,
much of it possible at altitudes so high that it might keep up the
supply for some time even if rain and river should cease.
More than 2,000 wells are now flowing in the state and are being
increased by about 300 a year. They may be very roughly estimated
to furnish over 70,000 gallons a minute, which would probably be
about ten times the springtime size of the Cheyenne River at Edge-
mont. Most of these wells are small, many an inch and a quarter in
diameter, and it is now generally recognized that such wells are not
only cheaper but more convenient, more serviceable and longer-lived
than the large wells, such as were made several years ago. Most of
54 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
the large wells have shown a steady decline, due probably to the
fact that they deliver the water more rapidly than it can gather
to them from the water-bearing rocks. In some places they have
fallen off in flows and pressure one-quarter to one-third. In some nar-
row areas wells have ceased to flow, apparently from local exhaus-
tion of water. But on the other hand wells have been flowing nearly
twenty years and still have pressures of 60 to 80 pounds to the square
inch. Wells have been used for nearly that length of time for power,
running electric lights, flouring mills, etc., and are still in use.
In several of the wells natural gas forms an important ingredient.
This is true particularly along the Missouri River from Lyman County
to the north line of the state. The city of Pierre, from one or two wells
is abundantly supplied for lighting, and for power for city purposes,
and to a considerable degree for heating. Three wells in Sullivan
County, one in Walworth and one in Campbell, in fact all which have
been opened along this line, furnish gas in similar quantities. It seems
not unlikely that these wells lie in the eastern border of a gas region
extending possibly as far west as Meade County. The gas seems to
be derived mainly from the same strata whioh furnish the water.
It may possibly enter the Dakota formation from the Carboniferous
underneath, and may be originally derived from extensive beds of
carbonaceous matter deposited in the eastren margin of the sea of
Carboniferous times.
Lignite is found frequently in drilling wells in thin strata, but
so flooded with water that no attempt has been made to obtain the
product. Thin layers, 12 to 36 inches in thickness, have been found
locally developed near Ponco, Nebraska, and Sioux City, and also
around the Black Hills. Petrified wood, though not of a quality suit-
able for ornamental purposes, is found in considerable quantities
around the Black Hills.
Colorado Cretaceous. This is named from its prominence in
Eastern Colorado and includes a series of shales with local develop-
ment of sandstone and limestone, estimated by Mr. Darton to be
from 1,450 to 1,700 feet thick around the Black Hills, and it is from
200 to 400 feet thick in the eastern end of the state. This series is
commonly spoken of as the Benton from its srreat development near
Fort Benton on the Upper Missouri. The Colorado also includes
about 200 feet of chalk and calcareous shale, which Dr. Hayden called
the Niobrara. It is conspicuous along the Missouri River from St.
Helena, Nebraska, to the great bend above Chamberlain, because of
its whiteness when washed. It is. however, often overlooked when un-
weathered because of its grayish tint resembling the shales above and
below it. The Colorado formation contains two or three minor hori-
zons carrying water and supplying artesian wells in the eastern part
of the state, but they need not be especially distinguished from those
of the Dakota.
The chalk has a very small economic value as a building stone,
for which it may be profitably used if carefully selected.
Its much more important use is for the manufacture of Portland
cement. Its fine grain, porous structure, homogeneous character and
easy grinding make it admirably adapted for mixing with clay for
making a superior .grade of cement. This is being extentively used
for buildings and sidewalks throughout the str.te. Its chief factory
is at Yankton. but scores of such plants might be advantageously
placed along the Missouri River and around the Black Hills if there
were sufficient demand.
Montana Cretaceous. This is composed mainly of the Pierre
shales named from Fort Pierre, which are dark-colored and often be-
coming plastic clay when wet. They are about 1,200 feet thick near
the Black Hills, 300 to 400 in the eastern part of the state. They
constitute the most extensive stratum of the Cretaceous, covering at
least nine-tenths of the state. This is the "gumbo" of the trans Missouri
region and constitutes probably nine-tenths of the substances of the
glacial clays east of the Missouri. Hence it is a dominant element
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 55
in the formation of soils over much of the state. It is rich in mineral
salts favorable for grains and grasses. The prairie grasses growing
upon it are noted for their nutritive and fattening qualities. More-
over, its impermiable character holds the limited rainfall near the
surface and promotes rapid growth in the rainy season. Afterwards
it dries quickly and completely and preserves the grass as a natural
hay, nutritious as grain.
Its plastic character when wet promotes its rapid erosion and the
frequent occurrence of land slides which have an important effect
on the topography wherever it is found. It carries little or no water,
and if present of poor quality.
The Montana also includes the Fox Hills formation, 150 to 300
feet of shales and sandstone overlying the Pierre. It may possibly
be a local development in the later Pierre. It caps the eastern part
of the dividing plateau between the Cheyenne and Moreau Rivers
and also between the latter and the Grand. Its sandy character
forms a natural mulching for the regions where it extends. Growth of
grasses and crops extends over a longer period, and they are not
subject to such extreme drouths as upon the 'gumbo." Springs are
not infrequent. Because of its attractive fossils it is often a rich
field for the collector.
Laramie Cretaceous. This, in our state, is represented by perhaps
2,500 feet of sandstone, shales, loams and clays, interstratified. It is
a fresh-water formation unlike all preceding, which were marine.
It was formed by streams, marshes and lakes. It is probably thickest
in the northwest corner of the state, thins rapidly to the south and
more slowly to the east. Its ragged edge extends nearly to the Black
Hills on the south and across the Missouri River along the northern
line of the state, where it appears in conspicuous buttes.
For soil making it combines the qualities of preceding formations.
It frequently exhibits fine springs. It contains, especially in its upper
portions, thick deposits of sandstone which in time will be very
valuable for local buildings.
Undoubtedly the most valuable product of the Laramie is lignite.
It has already attained prominence as a commercial product in North
Dakota. There it is found in thicker beds and nearer lines of trans-
portation, but beds 5 to 15 feet thick are not uncommon in the vicinity
of Short Pine Hills, Cave Hills, and Slim Buttes, and workable beds
may be found north of a line extending from near the south end of
Slim Buttes to the head of Fire Steel Creek, in northwestern Dewey
County, and thence northeast to where Oak Creek crosses the north
line of the state. This includes an area within our borders of about
5000 square miles.
Lignite differs from coal in containing a large amount of water,
which, by evaporating, causes it to slack. This interferes with its
convenient use as a fuel. In Germany it is extensively formed into
briquettes or small blocks which form a superior domestic fuel.
We look upon the Pierre and Laramie as the most hopeful source
of petroleum, if such be found in our borders. We are led to this by
the deposits in the neighboring state of Wyoming and by the fact that
little or no trace of oil has been found in the drilling of the numerous
wells in the eastern portion of our state, several of which have gone
down to crystalline rock. It must not be assumed, however, that we
have sufficient evidence to arrive at any conclusion in this matter.
The Cretaceous was a time when reptiles ruled the world. Gigan-
tic and strange forms swarmed upon the sea and land, and some were
even given wings to navigate the air. During Colorado and Montana
times the forms of life were largely marine. In the Laramie huge
land forms became numerous. In our views we exhibit some of them.
TERTIARY FORMATIONS.
These include light colored marls, sandstones, and clays which are
so conspicuous in the White River Bad Lands. They are divided into
the so-called White River beds, 800 to 900 feet thick in the higher
56 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
points around Pine Ridge and thinning out in all directions more
slowly to the east. There is also a patch in the vicinity of Short Pine
Hills and Slim Buttes. Over these lie generally, and thicker toward the
east, 300 to 400 feet of loams and marls with mortar-like sandstones.
These extend east of the Missouri River in the southern portion of
the state in the more elevated points, like Bijou Hills and Wessing-
ton Hills.
The peculiar erosion of these beds cause the noted White River
Bad Lands, of which we show characteristic views. The deposits are
all of fresh water origin, the work of rivers and lakes by which the
weathering of the mountains on the west were spread out in extensive
sheets upon the plains on the east.
in the Tertiary times reptiles had passed and mammels began to
have their day. Nature at that time made some strange types which
seem to have proved unfitting to continue, but others have by trans-
formation lived on to the present and are now the esteemed and useful
servants of man the horse here deserves most prominent mention.
Of economic effects of these formations, we may briefly mention
natural shelters for stock, frequent springs, and contributions to
curiosity shops in the way of fossils, some ornamental stones are found
in coniderable quantities satin spar, moss agate, and ume chalcedony
or sapphire. Fuller's earth and volcanic ash abound, and will in time
be counted valuable.
QUATERNARY FORMATIONS.
These comprise the unconsolidated deposits which lie upon the
surface of other formations like a blanket and which are frequently
spoken of as drift. The eastern half of the state, east of the Missouri
River, is almost completely covered with a blanket of till or boulder
clay, 10 to 200 feet in thickness, lying upon highlands and lowlands
alike. Associated with it are belts of stony hills or moraines, lake
beds and ancient channels are frequent features. Here are included
also the numerous terraces, some of them 300 or 400 feet above the
present stream, and sometimes several miles in width, covered with
sand and loam which come in to modify the effects of the formations
hitherto discussed. These terraces are particularly prominent along
the western tributaries of the Missouri, but are also conspicuous on
that stream and along channels now vacated, but occupied during the
glacial period.
The marked effects of the Glacial Period upon the geography of
our state we need not dwell upon, but turn our attention more to the
economic results which many may overlook.
We sometimes become impressed by the great expense necessary
to prepare the natural surface for the proper location of manufacturing
plants, irrigation projects, or the building of cities. The work of the
glacial period, especially in the eastern half of the state, can scarcely
be over-estimated from an economic standpoint. By it the surface was
smoothed and beautifully graded for agricultural purposes, natural
basins were formed for the retention of rainfall, thus giving an object
lesson to man for the further improvement of the region, extensive
deposits of sand and gravel were formed, the components of various
formations were intermingled and ground together to form a rich
sub-soil, picturesque lakes and pleasing elevations were formed for
pleasure resorts, and extensive terraces conveniently located along
prominent streams seem naturally prepared for suitable locations of
cities and towns.
It scarcely need be stated that no traces of precious metals have
been found outside of the Hills. While in California and other local-
ities gold has been found in Mesozoic and Tertiary strata, it should be
remembered that it has always been in connection with marked dis-
turbance of the earth's crust with the formation of veins and the out-
flow of igneous rocks. No such disturbance has yet been noted in our
borders. Strata have been somewhat tilted in the Slim Buttes and
profound crevices have been formed in the Tertiary of the Bad Lands
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 57
and filled with sand, gypsum and quartz, but these have evidently
failed to reach to the deep-seated waters which are the usual vehicles
of precious metals.
The finding of gold has been reported from several localities, but
it has invariably been found to rest upon very superficial or mistaken
evidence. At a few points in the eastern part of the state very minute
quantities have been found in the glacial drift, which may be reason-
ably referred to the region of the Lake of the Woods as their probable
origin. The most clear case of this sort was at Gary several years ago.
This is the story of the rocks of our state outside the Hills, so far
as has yet been interpreted. It is full of promise. Nature has done
her part, probably better than has been sometimes thought. Wherein
our circumstances are novel or peculiar a hint is given us of the pecul-
iar testimony to which a kind Providence has called us. The secret of
commercial and social success in our commonwealth is to learn the
truth concerning our resources and the best methods of utilizing them.
Let us go on in an honest, generous spirit to make the most of them
patiently and hopefully, and to welcome and encourage all who may
cast in their lot with us. J. E. TODD,
State University, Vermillion, South Dakota. State Geologist.
Upon motion duly seconded Congress adjourned to meet at Lead,
South Dakota, September 9, 1903, at 9:30 A. M.
Lead, South Dakota, September 9, 1903, 9:30 A. M.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: Congress will be in session. Owing
to the fact that there was a misunderstanding as to the time and place
of meeting it has been decided by the Committee on Program that we
will transact whatever business you have to transact this morning and
simply adjourn the program until 1:30 this afternoon. What is your
pleasure, gentlemen, this morning?
MR. RUSSELL, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: The Transportation
Committee desire to announce to the Congress that from the 10th to
the 15th of the month both railroads, the Northwestern and Burling-
ton, have put on a one fare rate to all points in the Black Hills north
of Custer and north of Hermosa, and one fare for the round trip in and
out from Lead to Deadwood, so the visitors at the Congress who are
able to remain over after the Congress will have the advantage of a
one fare rate for the round trip in and out from Deadwood to any point
practically in the mining section of the Hills.
MR. ELDER, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: I -lesire to announce that
the program arranged for this morning will be continued until this
afternoon.
Attention of Congress was called to the mineral exhibit at Lead,
and all were cordially invited to visit the same.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: I am requested to announce that
there will be a meeting of the resolution committee at eleven o'clock
at the Golden Star club rooms: all having resolutions can present them
there.
MR. BROWN, OF COLORADO: From Beading the by-laws I
would infer that all resolutions are to be read by the secretary and
then referred to the Resolution Committee.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: They are read in session and then
referred to the Committee.
MR. BROWN, OF COLORADO: I would suggest that persons
having resolutions will present them now and allow the Secretary to
read them.
MR. BROWN, OF COLORADO: I desire to have this resolution
relating to requesting the statisticians at Washington to credit to the
58 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
mining industry all products which are directly the result of mining,
read by the Secretary.
Secretary Mahon read the resolution.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: The resolution will be referred to the
Committee on Resolutions.
MR. RUSSELL, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: Mr. President, I would
move you that the proposed constitution and by-laws, as adopted by
the Executive Committee be read at least and presented to the Con-
gress at this time.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: If there is no objection the Secretary
will read the by-laws that are to be submitted for your consideration.
MR. GEORGE, OF DEADWOOD: Mr. President, in considering
these by-laws are they to be considered as a whole or considered
seriatim?
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: It is entirely at the disposition of the
Congress.
MR. GEORGE, OF DEADWOOD: What is the motion now?
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: Simply that the Secretary read the
by-laws. .
MR. GEORGE, OF DEADWOOD: I reserve the right to move
they be taken up seriatim and considered by sections.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: As soon as they are read they will
be taken up for disposition.
MR. LYNCH, OF MONTANA: Do I understand we are to adopt
these by-laws as an entirety or adopt them section by section.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: At this time they are simply present-
ed to the Congress for disposition simply to call your attention to it
as a whole, then it is before you for consideration and disposition.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: If you will permit of a suggestion, in
accordance with the instructions of the last session, the Executive
Cammitt.ee executed and filed in the office of the Secretary of State
of Colorado articles of incorporation under the laws of Colorado.
These by-laws which you are now about to act upon became the
by-laws of that corporation. The question may arise in your mind
under the laws of Colorado as to who would be entitled to vote on the
question of adopting these by-laws. You might consider that question
with the others as it is purely a legal one and you will probably want
a report of the Committee on Credentials before any vote is taken, so
I submit that suggestion for your consideration.
Secretary Mahon read the proposed by-laws.
MR. ELDER, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: I move you that the matter
of acting upon these by-laws be left over until Friday morning. There
have been a great many of them published and distributed and this
is the first opportunity that any one has had to hear or read them, and
it seems to me we ought to have at least a day or two to consider
before we act upon them. That would give us the time.
The motion was seconded.
MR. GEORGE, OF DEADWOOD: I have an amendment to the
motion, that it be made a special order for 9:30 Friday forenoon and
that each section be considered by itself and adopted by itself and then
when through that we adopt them as a whole.
MR. BUCKLEY, OF MISSOURI: I will second the motion.
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 59
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: It has been moved and seconded that
the motion just made be amended by making the consideration of the
by-laws a special order Friday morning at 9:30 o'clock, with the
proviso that we shall consider these by-laws section by section and
when these sections are adopted that the by-laws then be adopted as
a whole.
The motion was carried.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: Are you ready for the motion as
amended?
The motion as amended was stated by the President and carried.
MR. PATTERSON, OF NEBRASKA: As Chairman of the Com-
mittee on Credentials, I would like to report this morning that we
have not received all of the credentials of those who seem to be pres-
ent and we do not like to report until we have them all in. If there
are members who have been appointed by their governors or mayors,
or Chambers of Commerce in their respective localities notify the
Chairman of the Credentials Committee and he will be pleased to
record the name and address. The Credentials Committee would like
to report as soon as possible to this convention the number of dele-
gates here at present.
MR. ABBOTT, OF COLORADO: Are not these credentials on file
v/ith the Secretary?
MR. PATTERSON, OF NEBRASKA: There are some, but I am
informed there are a great many not in the hands of the secretary.
MR. LONG, OF WASHINGTON: I am seeking for information
for myself. I intend to announce to the honorable members of the
Congress that I am here as a member of the Congress and have with
me a copy of a monetary measure I hope to have introduced at the
next session of Congress, being a solution of the monetary interests
of our government, and it would be a pleasure to me if I might have
the privilege of stating the provisions of it, and I have here a resolu-
tion which I should like to present to this Congress for its approval.
MR. GEORGE, OF DEADWOOD: Mr. President, I notice we have
a good many delegates here, and I believe it is an oversight that we
have not a page or messenger here so that when a gentleman has a
resolution it may be taken to the secretary, so therefore I will make
a motion that a messenger or page be appointed to act on the floor
for the convention.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: I am authorized to state that the
mayor will provide a page for the rest of the session.
MR. GARLEY, OF WASHINGTON: Mr. President, I move that
the resolution of Mr. Long, if it be in order, be referred to the Com-
mittee on Resolutions.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: It will be so referred.
MR. GEORGE, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: I move we adjourn.
MR. PATTERSON, OF NEBRASKA: It seems to me inasmuch
us we have an hour to spare before 12 o'clock and there are so many
present that we should not adjourn.
MR. GEORGE, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: I withdraw the motion
to adjourn.
MR. PATTERSON, OF NEBRASKA: We have come here a long
distance to attend this Congress, and here we would waste an hour,
from 11 to 12 o'clock, when there are so many present, in not using
the time for discussion along the lines of mining. I have not anything
60 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
particular to suggest, .but I presume there are others who have, and
we would like to hear from them, those who are delegates. I merely
make the suggestion. Tomorrow we will not be in session. We are
invited to visit the Homestake mine tomorrow and there will be no
session. The next day is Friday and there will be a great many,
probably, thinking about going home. There are also many thinking
of taking little short trips through the Hills to see the Black Hills
while they are here, which is well worthy of a trip. I have been all
over them and I want to say to those who can make the trip, that you
cannot make any trip in any direction here but what will be edifying,
instructive and entertaining and I would like to see every one, who
has the inclination and the time to take a trip, for instance, to Spear-
fish, and to other points of interest, mining interests, in this section.
For that reason, as well as other reasons, I think we had best devote
this hour until the noon time, in discussion, general miscellaneous
discussion in the interests of our Congress.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: The suggestion is certainly a good
one, and we would be glad to hear from any one at this time.
MR. ELDER, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: It was announced just a
mo*ment ago that the program that was arranged for this forenoon
would be continued until this afternoon. I do not know whether many
have left the hall who desired to hear a paper or not, but if they have
not I would say we have the paper set down for this forenoon by Mr.
John Blatchford, of Terry, South Dakota, read at this time. I know
we could not put the forenoon in in any way that would be more
profitable than by listening to his paper, and it. will occupy about 30
minutes, as I understand it, and fill in the balance of the session and
also give opportunity for discussion and question on this subject. He
has consented to read this paper this morning if the Congress so
desires. (Applause.)
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: If there is no objection then we will
be pleased to hear from Mr. John Blatchford, of Terry, S. D., at this
time. (Applause.)
Mr. John Blatchford, of Terry, South Dakota, read the following
paper:
THE POTTSDAM OR FLAT FORMATION OF THE BALD MOUN-
TAIN DISTRICT.
In describing a portion of this formation I shall only touch on the
geological part of it because that has been gone into so extensively by
such men as Newton, Devereaux, Headden, Blake, Jenney, Carpenter,
Hoffman, Farrish, Dr. McGillicuddy, Rickard, Smith, Fulton, O'Hara,
and a number of other noted men who have written some very good
papers showing the geological features of this part of the country. I
merely intend to say a few words on the occurrences of the ore bodies
as we find them in this formation.
These ores were first discovered in 1877, uut there was very little
done on them until 1890 and 1891, because, up to this time, all of the
ore had to be hauled by teams and shipped out of the country to be
treated. In the latter part of the summer of 1891 the Burlington and
the Elkhorn Railroad Companies placed a number of spurs into the dif-
ferent mines, after this the work really began in earnest.
At this time it was not known how extensive these ore bodies
would prove to be, but after continuous work for over twelve years,
now, we find that they are almost unlimited. Ores that we could not
look at years ago, on account of their low grade, can be handled today,
with our new reducing or cyanide process, at a profit.
Since it has been discovered what these ores can be treated for
with this process, we find that we have to work over the whole section,
which we have been working on since we began. There is no doubt
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 61
but that this will be a great advantage to us, in the future, because we
will be able to take out our low grade ore, as well as the better grade,
as we advance in our work.
The ore bodies or chutes are numerous. The largest bodies so far
discovered, of the better grade ore, east of Bald Mountain and Terry's
Peak, lie on the quartzites, and these lie on the Archean schists and
slates; this is what is known as the vertical formation. Some "places
in our mines, the flat ore body is known to lie and to be intermixed
with a vertical ore body, which comes from below, not showing any
division by quartzites. It is one of the occurrences which causes me
to believe that there are a number of these vertical ore bodies or
quartz ledges, that are covered up by this sedimentary formation, for
instance, quite a portion of the Homestake ore bodies have been more
or less covered by this flat formation, but in other places the flat
portion being more or less eroded, left the vertical portion to be more
easily prospected than it is in this district.
The eastern boundary of the flat formation begins at the original
Golden Reward and Buxton and almost at the base of Bald Mountain
on the north, and to the west of Sugar Loaf Mountain on the
south. It starts with a thin layer of quartzite, lying on the
schist, covered with standstone and shales; it gradually thickens
toward the west, not so much because the hill rises but because the
quartzite and schist drop. It drops at various distances at a time until
it gets several hundred feet below the surface; making a number of
layers of different material above it, and on and between some of
these layers is where we find what is called top contacts.
As we get nearer Terry's Peak the flat formation thickens more
by the rise of the surface than by the fall of the quartzite and west
of the Peak it seems to keep this thickness for a number of miles.
Towards this rise or thickening of the formation is where the top
layers of ore become more numerous. How many layers or so called
contracts there are has not yet been determined. There* is something
new-continually cropping out.
In these upper layers we usually find a vertical or crack filled with
ore extending downward for hundreds of feet, with a number of lense
like shaped bodies of ore, branching out at different intervals, some
places connecting with bodies from nearby verticals.
At present most of the workings west of the Peak are on the upper
contacts. In the Ragged Top district the ore bodies are up in the lime
and they are proving to be very extensive and profitable. Around
Portland they are all in the shales, scarcely any work in that
neighborhood being done on the quartzite as yet. There is no doubt
in my mind when they commence to look for the lower ore bodies
west of the Peak but that they will find them large and valuable on
the quartzite just the same as they occur east of the Peak.
The gulches on the surface on the east side of the mountain all
trend toward the east and on the west side of the mountain toward
the west, but underground we find this different; from Bald Mountain
south it appears that the original channels all flowed to the south and
from the north of Bald Mountain to the north. The water courses and
the dip of the quartzite show this to be the case. Present conditions
are exactly the opposite of the original conditions. The original dikes
all have a north and south course, while a few of the later dikes near
the base of Bald Mountain have an east and west course and the ore
bodies or nine per cent, of them have a north and south course.
These ore bodies vary in width and thickness; we find some of
them over four hundred feet in width and various thicknesses, from
six to twenty feet, and of various values, ranging from five to fifty
dollars. The general average of what we call smelter ores are about
twenty dollars per ton and a general average for cyanite ores in the
nighborhood of eight to ten dollars per ton.
To describe the conditions of the quartzite we may compare them
with the waves of the ocean. Some places we might imagine there
was not much wind making the quartzite smooth, and then a big wind
62 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
lifts the wave up from two to three hundred feet, the quartzite raises
the same, some places we have one hundred feet from that to two
hundred feet or more across the top of it, going down again some
places almost at a vertical, or some places with a gradual slope,
others with steps.
We find these ore bodies at the base, on the steps and slopes most,
times on the top of these large uplifts, but very seldom find any ore
bodies in the channel proper. And it appears that the most of the
level places in the quartzites seem to be capped with large sheets of
porphyry, but at every fault and in close proximity to a fault. The
capping is most all composed of shales and sandrocks. No doubt this
has a good deal to do with the occurrences of the ore along the breaks,
those being in themselves an altered condition of these same shales
and sandrocks.
There is no question but that this flat ore formation follows the
lime stone ridge from between fifty and sixty miles on the south and
about twenty-five miles on the west, and to Spearfish on the north.
This does not include all of the flat formation of the Black Hills.
The Galena district Eas a very extensive area of this formation. The
present developments there are very encouraging, although there has
not been enough done to determine how large the ore bodies are, but
they are numerous and the prospects obtained from most of them are
good. There is still a very large area in those two districts unde-
veloped.
There is room for a good many mines such as ours, which is the
Golden Reward Mining Company's property, consisting of over fifty
miles of underground workings. About two-thirds of this mileage
being on ore channels while the other third is cross cutting. After
following some of these ore bodies close onto three miles we find them
still continuous.
That in itself should be very encouraging to the people who wish
to try to make their fortunes in this district.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: Any of these matters are now open
for discussion.
MR. LYNCH, OF MONTANA: My understanding in the early
proceedings this morning was that the Committee on Resolutions
would meet at 11 o'clock. As it is now past that time, I move you
that we now adjourn so that this Committee may go to work. They
have important matters to consider to be afterwards presented to this
body for its consideration, and I move that we now adjourn until two
o'clock this afternoon.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: The Program Committee have ar-
ranged that we be here at 1:30 so I make the suggestion at this time
that we ought to meet at 1:30 if it is agreeable to you.
M!R. LYNCH, OF MONTANA: I accept the suggestion and make
that amendment to my motion.
The motion was duly seconded and carried and Congress
adjourned to September 9, 1903, at 1:30 P. M., at Lead, South Dakota.
Lead, South Dakota, September 9, 1903, 1:30 P. M.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: Congress will be in order.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: The first on the program is an
address of welcome by the mayor of Lead, Hon. E. F. Irwin:
HON. E. F. IRWIN: Mr. President, Members of the American
Mining Congress, Ladies and Gentlemen: It is a rare privilege for
the city of Lead to welcome such an assemblage of mining represent-
atives to our city, and I am sorry that I have not the gift of eloquence
to tell you so in words, as we feel it in our hearts.
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 63
Yesterday we were welcomed into our commonweilth by our
honorable governor, Charles N. Herreid. You were also welcomed
into the gate city of the Black Hills by our genial and esteemed
neighbor, Mayor McDonald, of Deadwood, both welcomes being clothed
in beautiful language. Here you are welcomed as the weary and foot
sore prospector, entering a new Eldorado, is received at the hands of
the miner at the door of his hospitable cabin, when he says: "Shake,
pardner; come in and help yourself, everything is yours as long as
you stay here." We are outside of the general line of travel across
the continent. We are a little world all by ourselves up here. Every
man is at peace with his neighbor and all work for the common good.
We recognize the value to us here as mining men of such a
gathering as this and we know that while you are learning and
exchanging knowledge among yourselves the pleasure is ours and we
are glad to greet you here. We know that every citizen in Lead joins
in this greeting. When I tell you that we have over 2,000 men on our
pay rolls here that does not mean just the mere figures. It means a
large city of contented workingmen men drawing the best wages
anywhere in the United States; men who are just as much interested
in seeing continued success and welfare of the Homestake as if they
were stockholders of the same. Men who own the homes in which
thy live; men who have grown gray and old in the service of this
company and who are not only building for the present generation, but
for that to come. They can point with pride to over $1,000,000 depos-
ited in the local banks here in personal deposits and also to one of
the best school systems in the state of South Dakota.
Governor Herreid said yesterday in his speech that the great
Homestake mine was in South Dakota. I suppose every man in
Deadwood has told you tha,t the great Homestake mine is near
Deadwood. Now you are right over that mine. You are surrounded
by the buildings of this great company's great plant. You are the
guests of the workingmen of that company represented by one that
never missed a pay day. (Applause.) The Homestake, as you know,
is the greatest gold mine in the world. It has been quarrying out the
rocks which make these Hills since 1877 continuously and never
missing a monthly dividend in the twenty six years of its existence,
so you know why we are contented and prosperous and why we are
satisfied with our places and why we are all working and not talking.
The relation we bear to Deadwood, our sister city down the gulch, is
somewhat the same as the patient Irishman working on the section
bears to his talkative wife at home we do the work; she does the
talking. Together we get out a pretty good living for our Black Hills
families. (Laughter.) One is just as necessary as the other for our
existence here in the Hills and woe be to the outsider that ever makes
any criticism on either side.
This Mining Congress has been called together for your mutual
good, but we expect to get a good deal of good out of it ourselves.
We enjoy having you here. We feel that this meeting will be a benefit,
not only to Lead and Deadwood, but to the whole Black Hills, and I
anticipate that tomorrow we will have an influx of visitors here from
local camps and local cities around here that will astonish you. They
will all come up to enjoy a time with the delegates and to see the
great Homestake mine and to know what the American Mining Con-
gress is doing for the country.
I might present you, Mr. President, with the Golden keys to a
golden city, but with true western hospitality, our doors are never
locked. The latch string is always on the outside and you have only
to lift the latch and walk in always assured of a miner's hearty
welcome. (Applause.)
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: The program committee has again
selected me to respond to this address of welcome.
It is a peculiar privilege to respond at this time and in this par-
ticular place for the reason that I see here that this city is in the
64 OFFICIAL, PROCEEDINGS
lead in establishing the homes for miners, a thing that is not done in
all the camps of this great west. Here you find that the miner seems
to be contented. He has a home and he will defend that home and
he will make and see that the laws are enforced that protect that
home. Therefore, it has had much to do in the state of South Dakota
in establishing good citizenship because it provides that home life
which adds stability and permanency to that citizenship. Also for
another reason, I see the influences of this great Homestake in the
little kindergarten the most beautiful picture that I saw in this
beautiful city on my visit here in May maintained by a stockholder of
that great corporation, influencing those little children to a higher
citizenship and to a conception of what life's duties mean. I feel
this influence again in the free library, again awakening and stimulat-
ing the youth to a higher citizenship. You cannot tell how far the
influence of the Homestake in those particulars may radiate out into
this great country.
Again, I see for another reason, that this great mine has estab-
lished a permanency and a stability in mining of low grade ores that
has not been equaled anywhere in our nation. It has given the miner
confidence in the future of these great mountains. It has given capital
confidence in the permanency and in the stability of mining and it has
been the cause of investment of millions of dollars in mining, and by
reason of its permanency and stability the .mining world and investing
world today are seeking for similar bodies of permanent ores in this
great Rocky Mountain region. It has been the means of stimulating
the great development of the great west and I hope that this Mining
Congress will add its influence to the Homestake influence in helping
the west to develop along western lines. (Applause.)
We have no quarrel with the east; we would do nothing for them
but good, but we have dissimilar conditions out here and we have a
right to insist that our home life, our business life and industrial
development shall be in harmony with the conditions that surround us
here. That is what we want and that is the great influence this Mining
Congress must add to the influence of this Homestake. We scarcely
know what the mighty development of this great Pacific means to this
Northwest. When you see what influence this development may have
out beyond the Golden Gate, on the bosom of the Great Pacific, in
the islands of the sea, the Orient and Alaska with its gold, coal and oil
and its development, you will find the influence of the Homestake
reaches out in stability and permanency and it will result in bringing
from these great mountains giants of men and women that will add a
true and lasting wealth to this nation and will be its highest glory.
(Applause.) We know that it will not be long and you and I have no
idea of the development that will take place between here and the
Orient in the next fifty years, but it must have men coming up able
to meet that development and guide it along the paths of wisdom.
You will find these men will come up from this western coast; they
will spring up from these little cities of Deadwood and Lead and other
cities of this great west. They are assisting in the development of its
mighty water powers bringing light and comfort to every home. We
can scarcely tell what the mighty development will be, but underlying
all this material development is but a step and means to an end. We
want this Mining Congress to extend the influence on the youth as the
Homestake is doing through its kindergarten and its library and have
this Congress filled with men that stand for something in this nation.
They are the true and lasting wealth that comes out of this material
development and I say that this great Homestake, over which you
rest at this moment, has had an influence in this development that is
going to reach out farther and farther and we have nothing to express
higher than our gratitude at this hour that we have the permission
to respond to this generous welcome. (Applause.)
PRESIDENT RICHARDS : The next on the program is an address
by Hon. George P. Rogers, Director of the Mint, on the subject of
"The Supply of Gold."
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 65
HON. GEORGE P. ROGERS: Mr. President, Ladies and Gentle-
men: I have deeply appreciated this invitation from the representa-
tives of one of the great productive industries of the country, but I
have not expected to occupy your time very long. I had some feeling
of alarm wh'en I discovered how short the program was this morning
but a corresponding feeling of relief when it was consolidated with
this afternoon. I know just about enough of mining to know that if
1 should undertake to talk very long about it the tailings would run
pretty poor. (Laughter.)
I am here, as the Secretary of the Treasury was here yesterday, in
recognition of the importance of the mining industry and of the
character of the men who compose this organization. As I came
through my own state of Iowa on my way out here I found everybody
in a state of suspense about the corn crop, and it occurred to me then
that it was a good thing we did not have all our eggs in one basket,
even though it was as good and generous a basket as the grand old
state of Iowa. It is a good thing to have one crop that cannot be cut
short by frost or eaten by bugs.
I am interested in your proceedings and especially interested in
everything that pertains to the production of the King of Metals, to
which all the mints of the world are still open and upon which the
commerce and currency and finance of the world depend gold. I am
here as a customer for all you can produce and, fortunately, we can
take all you can produce without impoverishing the treasury, and there
is no magic about it either. (Applause.) There is no magic about it,
for while the form of the transaction is that of a purchase, the govern-
ment really acquires no metal and makes no investment. It receives
the bullion, converts it into convenient form for use in the business
world and, in effect if not directly, returns it to the producer. What
you really get for your bullion is its exchange value in the commodi-
ties of the world. It is a very fascinating subject, this quest for the
precious metals that has been going on since the beginning of recorded
history; the development of commerce and of a common medium of
exchange; the evolution, or if you please, the tattle of the standards
and the influence of the money supply upon the commerce, industry
and civilization of the world. I suppose one could find as many
varieties of opinion here upon that subject as he could get in a theo-
logical conference by introducing the subject of eternal punishment.
We have threshed the subject pretty well over in this country in recent
years. We ought to know more about it than c.ny other people in the
world. I suppose we know more about the seigniorage and the per
capita than any other people on earth. It is not to be denied that the
American people have always taken a very lively interest in the sub-
ject of money. We begin at an early age. Down in Philadelphia they
tell the story of a school teacher who put this question to his class:
"What grand old building is there in this city, the very sight of which
is enough to quicken the pulse and stir the blood of every patriotic
American?" And there was a pause, and then in a moment a boy's
hand went up and the answer came back, "The Mint." (Laughter and
applause.)
This much may be said now in justice to the sincerity and the
intelligence of the disputants in the great debate over bimetalism, now
apparently brought to a close; that the lapse of time has simplified
and made things that thirty years ago were fairly subjects of doubt.
Thirty years ago the production of gold in the world was on a
declining scale and twenty years ago it was at a low ebb. The
output of gold in the world in the ten years from 1850 to 1860 aver-
aged about $132.000,000 a year. In the ten years from 1860 to 1870,
about $125,000,000 a year; in the ten years from 1870 to 1880, about
$115.000,000 a year, and in the five years from 1880 to 1885 it dropped
to about $100,000,000 a year. This steady decline in the output of
gold caused many intelligent observers, statesmen and economists
to doubt the wisdom of the movement for the demonetization of
silver. The movement of the principal commercial countries of
(56 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
the world to a common standard of value was an evolutionary one,
it was as natural as the tendencies of the people who have intimate
trade relations and intercourse with each other to use a common
language. It was the natural result of the improved facilities of
communication, of the invention of the steamship, the 'railway and
the electric cable, but this decline in the output of gold covering a
period of years presented a very serious problem. About that time
some of the most eminent geologists in the world presented exhaus-
tive arguments to prove that no reliance could be placed upon future
gold supplies. They argued that gold had always been found near
the surface, that there had been no considerable production up
to that time from deep mines, that the great bulk of the output
was from placers. They argued that the world had been pretty
thoroughly explored and that no extensive discoveries were probable
in the future. That was the basis of the argument for international
bimettalism. I was a believer in it then and I believe today that
if it had been necessary it would eventually have been accomplished.
The subject got into politics and overstayed its time. While the
world was debating whether or not there was gold enough for a
universal standard of value, somebody went out and dug up enough
to put an end to the discussion. So late as 1890 the production of
gold in the United States was only about $33,000,000 a year; last year
it was $80,000,000. In 1890 the output in Australia was about $33.-
000,000; last year it was $82,000,000. In 1890 in Canada it was
$1,600,000; last year it was $20,000,000. In 1890 in South Africa the
output was $8,000,000; at outbreak of the Boer war it was at the rate
of $100,000,000. In 1890 the production of gold in the world was
only about $118,000,000. Next year with South Africa back to her old
output the production of the world will probably reach $350,000,000.
Prof. Shaler of Harvard has been quoted as saying that gold
would eventually become so cheap that the world would have to
demonetize it. I am not anticipating, however, that the responsibility
of recommending it will fall upon me. The idea that the world
may suffer from a flood of money is not one calculated to excite
any very general or intense state of alarm. Most of us have never
been over our knees in that kind of a flood and the average man,
I fancy, would want it about chin deep before he cried enough.
(Laughter and Applause.)
There is, however, no more interesting subject of inquiry and
speculation than the probable effect of this new golden stream
upon the markets, upon wages and upon the varied relations of in-
dividuals and classes and upon the social life of the people. In so
far as an increased money supply and the expansion of credits that
always accompanies it goes to support growing industries and to
promote the orderly and natural development of the world's re-
sources it is a good thing. Whatever stimulates enterprise helps
to take up the industrial slack. But of course there is a point,
if you conceive of its ever being reached, when every man is at
work, when all the productive forces of society are already in full
action, when you cannot .make the world richer by pouring money
into it.
If the point is reached where every addition simply means
dilution, where the new supplies only find employment by increasing
the value of the old stock, then you have a condition where all the
relations based upon terms of money are disturbed, where specu-
lation instead of industry is promoted, where adventure and eco-
nomic waste run rife and it all ends in a general disaster.
There have never been but two periods in the history of money
metals that afford any comparison with the, present. One of them
is the period following the discovery of gold in America, and that
is so far back and the conditions of society were so radically dif-
ferent from those existing today that any conclusions drawn there-
from must be of the most general character. The other is the period
following the discovery of gold in California and Australia. At the
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 67
time of the discovery of gold in America the supply of the precious
metals in the world was exceedingly scanty. Whatever the civilized
countries held at the downfall of the Roman Empire was appar-
ently scattered and dissipated by the barbarians and utterly lost.
In the long centuries of disorder that followed the downfall of Rome
the working of the mines was practically abandoned, commerce was
dead, the feudal lords received tribute in kind and the common
method of exchange was barter. It has been estimated that at the
time of the discovery of America the output of both metals, gold
and silver, in the world did not exceed $500,000 a year. During the
first thirty years after the discovery of America the receipts of bul-
lion in Europe from both Americas averaged about $250,000 a year.
For the next twenty-five years, from about 1520 to 1545, the receipts
averaged about $3,000,000 a year, and in 1546 the rich discoveries of
silver in Peru raised the output to about $10,000,000 a year and it
never afterwards felt below that. Now that was an output that in
its relation to the old supply could fairly be called a flood. Its first
effect was demoralizing upon society. The organization of industry
at that time was not elastic enough to permit of its being absorbed.
In fact, the countries of Europe at that time were not organized
for industry; they were organized for war; the common occupation
of mankind was war, ambition and fanaticism kept Europe embroiled
in constant strife and the treasures that America poured into Spain
simply went to fill the war chests of Philip II for his campaign in
the Netherlands and to build the great Armada. It has been said
by an eminent economist that it took the people of Europe 300 years
to learn that the ture use far the precious metals was to support
industry rather than war. It has been estimated that in the 150
years from 1500 to 1650 the average depreciation of the precious
metals was about two-thirds of their value. That is, that in 1650 a
given amount of gold or silver would buy only about one- third
as .much as in 1500. Naturally, extreme confusion was the result.
There was great suffering among people who worked for wages
or whose income was a fixed one. There is no doubt that the
quarrel between Charles I and his parliament was promoted by the
declining value of the money in which the revenues were paid and
some historians have held that it was the deadly money question,
the bane of politicians in all ages, that cost him his head.
In the 200 years from about 1600 to the beginning of the nine-
teenth century the output of the precious metals, principally silver
from the Americas, gradually increased until at the beginning of
the nineteenth century it averaged about $40,000,000 a year. This
was principally silver, and the monetary systems of Europe all became
established at that time upon silver. In 1820 gold was discovered
in the Russian possessions in the Ural mountains and in Siberia
and in 1848 that empire was producing about $20,000,000 a year.
In 1848 came the discovery of gold in California and in 1853 in
Australia and the output of those two countries immediately jumped
to about $100,000,000 a year, and then began one of the most extra-
ordinary periods in the history of the world's development. The
first sign of the new influx was seen in the holdings of the Bank of
England, which went up from about $40,000,000 in 1847 to $118,000,000
in 1853. The bank put down the rate of interest, in order to get
the money into use, to 2 per cent and for a considerable time to 1%
per cent and so general was the opinion that the new supplies had
permanently reduced the rate of interest that Mr. Gladstone, who
was then chancellor of the exchequer, offered a measure reducing
the rate or providing for the refunding of the consols at 2y 2 ' per
cent and the rate of exchequer bills was fixed at 1^ per cent.
But the idea that the rate of interest is permanently reduced
by an additional supply of money is an error. Interest is a pay-
ment in kind. It is a percentage of the thing borrowed, and if
the principal suffers depreciation in comparison with other com-
modities the interest payment suffers the same depreciation with-
68 OFFICIAL, PROCEEDINGS
out any reduction in rent. The interest rate depends upon the supply
of cash capital compared with the demand lor it; it depends in
large measure upon the opportunities for investment and in a large
degree upon the confidence, courage and enterprise prevailing in the
community. Secretary Shaw coined a new phrase and a very happy one
in Chicago the other day when speaking of our present period of
prosperity. He said that if there was any reason for its cession or
interruption it was a sociological and not a logical reason, and so
some of the influences that effect the rate of interest are sociolo-
gical as well as logical. The first effect of an increase in the
money supply is to reduce the rate of interest. The supply piles
up in banks and the banks are eager to get it into use and reduce
the interest rate but a permanent reduction of the rate of interest
iias a tendency to enhance the value of all property that brings a
fixed Teturn. If store buildings in Lead will bring 15 per cent on
the investment and the rate of interest is only 6 per cent or 8 per
cent the store buildings will go up in value or there will be more
of them built. If Chicago & Northwestern railway stock pays regu-
larly 8 per cent when the going rate of interest is only 4 per cent,
Chicago & Northwestern stock will raise in value, or there would
be more railroads built or something will occur to bring down the
rate of dividends. A permanent reduction in the rate of interest
creates a boom in property, stimulates enterprise and construction
and the creation of new securities until the new supply of securities
bears down the price of property and raises the rate of interest.
We have witnessed a demonstration of all that in this country in
the last five years. I remember when the rare of interest on the
farm mortgages in Iowa was reduced to 5 per cent in 1897. The
effect was to enhance the value of farm lands and incidentally to
start a new movement of immigration toward the cheaper lands of
Minnesota and the Dakotas and even over into Canada, and about
ihe same time a very general movement started for refunding the
obligations of railroad companies at 3y 2 per cent to 4 per cent that
previously had been drawing 5 per cent to 7 per cent and the result
of that was an extraordinary period of construction largely of re-
construction until nearly all the railway lines of the country have
been reconstructed. When these trunk lines were first 'built the
main consideration was to get them built cheaply. With the ac-
cumulation of capital and a reduction in the rate of interest the
main consideration is to operate them cheaply and the result is the
general reconstruction that has been going on in the last few years.
The extraordinary movement of capital however, into fixed invest-
ments has gone on until it has had the effect of increasing the amount
of indebtedness in proportion to cash resources until it has again
raised the rate of interest and reduced the value of railway stocks
and other fixed investments. The people however who fancy that
there must be a long period of depression to follow this period of
expansion are very likely not to give sufficient importance to the
annual additions to the money supply. With some $350,000,000 a
year added to the monetary stock of the world it is going to be
pretty difficult to depress prices very long or suppress enterprise
very long, particularly when we remember that with the modern
banking conditions every dollar of cash capital is good for about
four dollars of credit.
The period following 1850 in Europe witnessed a good deal
such a boom as we have seen in this country in the last five years
and there was a very general discussion as to the ultimate effect
of the new supplies of gold. An eminent French economist named
Chevalier wrote a very exhaustive book on the subject in which he
argued that if the output continued it would be necessary to demone-
tize gold. Holland and Belgium actually took action to that end.
Two influences, however, appeared to minimize the effect of the
new supply. The first was the war in the Crimea, between Russia
on one side and England, France and Turkey on the other. France
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS 69
and Great Britain were obliged to finance the war, pay the expenses
not only of their own troops to Turkey and Russia but they were
obliged to ship large sums of specie to the eastern part of Europe
and that money was scattered there and never came back. The
other influence was the outflow of silver from Europe to India. Prior
to 1855 the annual exports of silver from Europe to India averaged
about $] 0,000. 000 a year. About 1855 began the construction of the
railway system of India and immense sums of British capital were
transported in the form of silver to India for that purpose. Then
the construction of the railway systems assisted the transportation
of grain to the sea coast and so increased the exports of India that
it built up a large balance of trade that had to be settled in silver.
Prior to 1855 the average exports of silver to India had been about
$10,000,000 a year and in 1857 it jumped to $100,000,000 and that
continued for the next ten years. It has been estimated by some
statisticians that in those ten years exports of silver to India amounted
to 75 per cent of the new production of gold and silver, the silver
taken out of circulation and gold substituted for it. This sluiceway
for silver for the east made room in Europe for the new supplies
of gold. So. Mr. Chevalier had an opportunity to say that what he
had predicted would have come true if something had not happened,
and you may have noticed that the value of predictions is greatly
impaired by the fact that something generally does happen. But
precisely what happened then is certain to happen in the future.
The times were never so favorable for the development of the hitherto
backward countries as they are today. In all the advanced coun-
tries, equipped with labor saving machinery, the production and
accumulation of wealth is going on at a rate that is almost incal-
oulable. Everywhere in all these countries it is difficult to find em-
ployment or investment, for the savings of the people. This fact
is the impulse behind the latter day effort of all European countries
to obtain colonies. It is to find new and profitable fields for the
investment of the savings of the people. Some of the richest por-
tions of the earth up to this time have remained comparatively un-
touched and are ready today by the investment of capital to pour
their treasures upon the world. South America, Africa, Asia and
Eastern Europe are all promising fields for tho investment of capital.
Right at our own doors we have an example in the case of Cuba.
Cube has remained for four hundred years an object lesson of
human misery and industrial waste. By the intervention of the
United States the scene is changed. With security for capital, with
employment for labor, with education and justice for her people,
Cuba is to become one of the garden spots of the world.
Over in Egypt we have just had an illustration of what the
investment of capital can do for a backward people in the con-
struction of the great dam in the upper Nile at an expenditure of
millions of dollars. It is expected to add 25 per cent to the agricul-
tural products of Egypt. In India there is a further example of
what the investment of capital has done for that country. No native
government in India ever did anything for the development of the
country or for the amelioration of the people. No prince in India
ever built even a mile of wagon road. The present government
has built some 25,000 miles of railway, over 35,000 miles of irrigating
canals and only recently it has been announced that the govern-
ment is prepared to expend $150,000,000 in further irrigation projects.
The exports of India since the construction of its railway system
began have risen from about $80,000,000 a year to $360,000,000 a
year. And so in Japan, in China and in the Philippines the quick-
ening influence of modern enterprises are to be found. In these days
of swift and easy communication when commerce has brought the
most distant people into touch with civilization, it is simply impossible
that great, areas of fertile land and great stores of natural wealth
should go on unproductive. This continent of North America could
not always remain a hunting ground and battlefield for savages. The
70 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
development of these new countries will be facilitated by a plentitude
of money and the development of the new supplies of the precious
metals.
It is not only true as to gold but there is hope and prospects
for silver. The fact that the world has generally adopted the gold
standard does not mean that it has discarded silver as a money
metal. There is a natural division between the fields and the functions
of the two metals in the monetary world. Gold is the natural money
for the international trade, for large transactions, but silver is the
natural money everywhere for the retail trade. If I could have my
way there never would be a gold coin under ten dollars. I paid out
a five dollar piece for a newspaper in California last year and I
have been against the five dollar piece ever since. (Laughter.) The
development of all these backward countries to which I have referred
will involve a larger market for silver. A country where the wages
of the people are small, where they do not get over three or four
dollars a month, has little use for gold as a common medium of
exchange. We began buying silver for the Philippine Islands in
April at 49 cents an ounce. We paid last week 58^ cents an ounce.
I would not advise anybody to go and buy a silver mine on the
strength of my opinion upon it but I do believe that silver has seen its
worst days and that it may be expected to have a fairly stable
value in the future. (Applause.)
The United States as you know is one of the three great
gold producing countries in the world and yet in the last five years
it has attracted and held a good deal more than its own output.
The entire output of Canada, of M/exico and a large share of Aus-
tralia comes to the mints of the United States. It has llowed into
the treasury until we can hardly shut the vault doors. The treasury
of the United States holds today the greatest hoard of gol.l that
ever was gathered together on the face of the earth. It has but-
tressed our monetary system with the strength of Gibralter. It is
the guaranty of the parity of every dollar of our money, of the dis-
charge of every obligation that the government may have.
Before I close I want to express my thanks to the mining fra-
ternity generally for the courtesy and the ready response that they
have always given to the bureau over which I have the honor to
preside in its inquiry as to the annual production of the precious
metals. I might say further that I am awaro that there has been
more or less criticism from time to time upon the estimates that
are made by the bureau. We are never quite able to get up to the
enthusiastic estimates that the mining fraternity put upon their own
districts. We figure that all the gold that is produced in this counrty
must go to three uses. It either goes to the mints for coinage, or
it enters into industrial uses or it is exported from the country.
You cannot fool us very much on what comes to the mints. We
are in touch with all the refineries, smelters and reduction works
of the country and they very kindly furnish us with a statement of
what they furnish for the industrial arts, lad not relying wholly
upon that we conduct an inquiry by means of some 20,000 circular
letters every year, addressed to the manufacturing jewelers and
other people in the country who use gold and biiver in the industrial
lines. We get the exports of gold and silver from the custom houses
and have reason to rely upon them. In compiling our estimates
of the output of gold in the several districts in the whole country
we figure that we must hold the total down to the actual disposition
as we find it, and we distribute it among the states according to
the information we get from the various reduction works, smelters,
refineries, etc. If the criticisms that our estimates were too low came
from only one district we might think something of it but when
the criticism comes from all districts and we cannot find out where
the product has gone to we come to the conclusion that our figures
are probably about right. It is of the highest importance, of course,
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 71
that the statistics should be as nearly accurate as they can be
made and while it is Impossible to get them absolutely so, we believe
that they are approximately correct.
Now, gentlemen, I desire to thank you again for your invitation,
for your courtesy in listening and to express the pleasure I have
felt in coming into this great mining district of the West, in being
a witness to the amount of labor, of patience, of scientific skill and
cf capital that, has combined to furnish us the output that comes
from these Hills.
Gentlemen, again I thank you. (Prolonged applause.)
MR. CONZETTE, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: Mr. Chairman, in har-
mony with Director Roberts' remarks and also in harmony with
the declaration of the constitution of our organization which is said
to be organized for the purpose of advancing the .mining industries
of this country, I desire to offer a short resolution.
The resolution referred to was read by Secretary Mahon and by
the president referred to the committee on resolutions.
MR. GUSHURST, OF LEAD: I am sure I express the sen-
timent of every person within this hall when I say that we were
delighted at the very able and interesting speech which we have just
heard by Mr. Roberts and therefore I move you, Mr. President, that
a rising vote of thanks be tendered to Mr. Roberts, not only for his
presence with us here today, but also for the very interesting speech
that he has given us.
The motion was duly seconded and unanimously carried.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: The next on our program is a paper
by Dr. F. R. Carpenter, of Denver, Colorado, on pyritic smelting. As
Dr. Carpenter is not present to read the paper, it will be submitted
to the secretary for printing.
PYRITIC SMELTING.
A paper prepared by Dr. Carpenter for the American Mining
Congress.
This is a process of smelting applicable to any raw ores not
carrying lead, but more especially to sulphide ores carrying copper.
From time immemorial man has roasted off the sulphur in pyrite
ores and burned his iron to oxide in the open air, thus wasting what
pyritic smelters consider good fuel. If it is admitted that a heat
unit derived from the oxidation of iron or sulphur will do as much
work as one derived from oxidation of coke, the folly of this pro-
ceeding becomes apparent, provided this heat can be utilized. If
it can, one might just as well waste his coke in a similar manner.
American engineers derived from Europe two raw smelting pro-
cesses, which, unfortunately, are often confused. One was the
Kongsberg process of pyritic smelting, where raw pyrite was added
to the charge simply to produce a carrier, or matte, for the precious
metals. This was all I had in view when I advocated pyritic smelting
for the siliceous ores of South Dakota. By its means the small
amounts of gold and silver in many tons of rock were concentrated
into a few tons of matte. This process, broadly, is very ancient
so ancient that we know not when it was i;rst employed. It will
be observed later that it is the very opposite of the other class of
pyritic smelting, in that the ores treated are silicious, and pyrite is
added for a carrier only.
The other sort of pyr'te smelting is the outgrowth of principles
discovered by Sir Henry Bessemer in steel making, who found that
cast iron might be purified by the oxidation, or burning, of its own
contained impurities. The principles of Bessemer, much modified,
are now everywhere applied to the refining of copper matte, where
again the oxidation of the iron and sulphur furnish the heat to burn
and slag off impurities, giving us a very pure blister copper at one
72 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
direct cheap operation, and without additional fuel. This is the
beautiful operation of Mahnes, first employed in America by our
Butte friends.
After the establishment of Bessemer's process in England, Holl-
way sought to smelt the Rio Tinto copper sulphide ores by means
of the heat generated in the oxidation of their sulphur and iron. A
short calculation will show that his conclusions were well founded.
Without going into the investigation very fully, we may admit that
one pound of iron pyrite burned in the furnace is equal to 2.026 B.
T. U., and that this, roughly, is equal to 40 per cent of the value of
a pound of carbon burned to CO; but as our furnaces probably
burn perhaps a third of the carbon to CO2, we may conclude that
this value is too nigh, hence figure it as equal to only 26 per cent,
or one-fourth of the value of one pound of coke, which is certainly a
safe deduction.
Those who are interested in the subject are referred to the
forthcoming volume of the Mineral Industry, where Mr. E. C. Rey-
bold, Jr. : a young man employed at our Golden Works and formerly
with me at Deadwood, has fully investigated the subject.
For every four pounds of pyrite, therefore, burned in the open
air, we have lost the equivalent of one pound of good coke. Stated
in another way, four pounds of pyrite will do as much smelting as
one pound of coke, and in so doing, it is smelted and fluxed itself.
Our blast furnaces, in ordinary matte smelting, are running with
16 per cent coke, but a charge containing 64 per cent of -raw pyrite
should smelt itself; and if this is assisted with a hot air stove, which
can be fired with a cheap low-grade fuel, even this percentage of pyrite
may be much reduced. The fullest application of these Drinciples
has been made by Dr. Robert Steicht, of Mount Lyell in Tasmania,
where the first smelting is done absolutely without carbonaceous fuel
of any sort. Let us now consider for a moment what they do.
Their ores are pyritic, and of two classes. The Mount Lyell pyrite
is so mined as to maintain a general average as follows:
Fe 40.30 per cent.
Si O2 4.42 per cent.
Ba SO4 1.48 per cent.
Cu 2.36 per cent.
Al 2O3 2.04 per cent.
S 46.01 per cent.
Ag 2 oz. per ton.
Au 0.0725 oz. per ton.
The second class is a silicious bornite ore purchased from other
mines, and quartz is employed as a flux. This is the direct opposite
of the case first considered, calling for additions to silica in the place
of additions of pyrite.
The Mount Lyell company operates eleven blast furnaces which
are arranged in two smelting plants. Those employed in the first
smelting are five in number, and are 42 by 210 inches at the tuyeres.
The height of the ore column above the tuyeres is maintained at 9
feet 6 inches. The other plant consists of six furnaces, five of which
are 40 by 168 inches at the tuyeres. The tuyeres are all three inches
in diameter, and the larger furnaces have 32 each. In the first set
of furnaces all the ore delivered at the plant is smelted without
roasting and without fuel, to a first matte carrying 15 per cent
copper. Formerly a hot blast, 528 degrees, and 3 per cent coke was
used. But for a year past the coke has been abandoned and the blast
only warmed. No difference was noticed in this change save a greatly
increased capacity three furnaces now doing the work of four under
the old method.
The matte from this first smelting is re-smelted in the second
set of furnaces to a 45 to 50 per cent copper matte, which goes
directly to the converters.
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 73
The process is, therefore, divided into three stages, all of which
are oxidizing, and which may be said to be almost continuous Bes-
semerizing from beginning to end. Disregarding the time for cooling
and transportation from one department to another, the time con-
sumed from ore to copper is noly six hours, and this is accomplished
almost without extraneous fuel.
In the first smelting no limestone or coke is used, and but a
slightly warmed blast. In the second smelting a small percentage
of coke and limestone is used, and a cold blast. The third stage
is simply Bessemerizing or converter work.
These results having been attained at Mount Lyell by the ap-
plication of principles long advocated by pritic smelters, there is
no longer any reason, in my opinion, why the same or similar re-
sults cannot be had at Sudbury, Ontario; Ducktown, Tenn.; Kes-
wick, Cal., and in Arizona and New Mexico in fact at any place
where the ores carry sufficient pyrite, or pyrite can be had from
outside sources.
It will be observed that the smelting proper at Mount Lyell is
accomplished in two steps. A low-grade matte is made in the first
smelting, which is enriched by a second smelting to a grade 1 :<?h
enough for the converter. This in a differently constructed charge
may not be necessary, depending upon the per cent, of copper, de-
gree of concentration and the proportion of iron to silica. A charge
can be made of Montana ores which will not require the second, or
concentration smelting; but the second smelting, being relatively
small compared with the first, is never a serious matter and adds
but little to the cost.
I have now sketched the two outside cases of pyritic smelting,
both of which are eminently successful in their respective fields.
There are many cases, however, which lie between these extremes,
as at Butte, Mont.; in Gilpin County, Colorado; British Columbia and
elsewhere, where the sulphide ores carry a large percentage of silica,
and are treated by water concentration before smelting. This pre-sup-
T uses concentration mills of enormous capacity and roasting furnaces
for the concentrates so obtained, both of which cost great sums of
money, and which are at very best wasteful. By the further applica-
tion of the principles already developed and the utilization of the
cheap fuel now wasted, it is barely possible that the process might
be modified.
Modern copper smelting methods have received their greatest
development at Butte, and I will let no one go beyond me in admira-
tion of the great work done there and sincere respect for those who
have accomplished it. Their mills are models of mechanical ingenuity
never surpassed, and their reverberatory furnace work is not else-
where equalled. I do not lose sight of the fact that these last fur-
naces, which a few years ago, when first introduced from Swansea,
had a hearth capacity of but 9 by 14 feet and a smelting capacity
often as low at ten tons per day, requiring to be clayed up every
twenty-four hours, have now been developed into furnaces having
hearths 20 by 50 feet and smelting more than 100 tons each in
twenty-four hours, and which require claying not more than once
in twelve days; also that they save more than 50 per cent of the
fuel used in the old furnaces. It is, therefore, with the greatest dif-
fidence that I suggest that any change is possible in the methods
of a camp which is today without a peer in the world for the ex-
cellency of its work but let us not forget history.
"The old order changeth, giving place to new."
Seemingly small things in metallurgy have often accomplished the
greatest results.
A few years ago there was still running in Savoy, a small iron
blast furnace blown by a trompe, or box in which falling water com-
pressed air by entangling it in its fall a blower which we may
readily imagine neither heated the air nor dr.od it, yet the addition
74 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
of this blowing machine, crude as it was, made the instrument which
put out of bla.=t all the Catalan direct furnaces in every part of the
world. Without the trompe the blast furnace for iron would probably
not have existed, and without pig iron all that is known to us now
as the "age of steel" could not have existed.
Already three-fourths of the beautiful ancient Welsh copper pro-
cess, with its roastings and re-smeltings, to which the reverberatory
furnace belonged, has gone by never to return the one operation of
converting having replaced them all.
I believe that when Hollway undertook to smelt the Rio Tinto
copper ores without fuel other than what they themselves contained,
he laid down a principle which will ultimately make every copper
roasting heap and roasting furnace as useless as the Catalan forge,
and the time is near at hand when one would no sooner waste his
good iron sulphide fuel than he would his good coke. Already more
ore is smelted raw at. Butte than formerly. The first-class copper ore
and the coarse concentrates go into the blast furnace raw a tribute,
as far as it goes, to pyritic smelting. But if the principles here main-
tained are correct, the large concentrating mills and roasting furnaces
will gradually be replaced by a process that is all one of fire, and that
fire largely derived from the oxidation of the now wasted pyrite.
I have done what I could to secure the actual composition and
cost of treating an average ton of Butte ore, as it is broken at the
mines, that I might make a comparison between the all-fire raw
method here advocated and the combination water concentration-
smelting method now employed.
The following may not be absolutely correct, but it will do for
comparison. The ores of this district, according to a recent paper, are
mined in two classes. The first are said to average from 10 to 15 per
cent, copper, and to constitute ten per cent, of the ores raised. The
second class comprises the remaining ninety per cent., and yields from
three to six per cent, copper. If all were broken down together, we
may take five per cent, as the average, and 30 to 40 per cent, silica with
the alumina, alkalies, sulphur and iron to balance.
I have arrived at the present cost per ton of ore from the testi-
mony of Mr. Frank Klepetko, in March, 1898.
Dressing (or water concentration) per ton of ore, 82 cents; roast-
ing concentrates derived from a ton of ore, 38 cents; smelting calcines
derived from a ton of ore, $1.20; total, per ton of original ore, $2.40.
In the water concentration he stated the loss to be 18 per cent.;
in the roasting, 2.6 per cent.; in the smelting, 4.2 per cent; total, 24.8
per cent.
With copper at 14 cents per pound, this is worth $3.47, making
the total cost, including losses, $5.87 per ton of original ore.
If this ore were smelted direct as it comes from the mine, without
concentrating or roasting, by the addition of limestone and coke and
the application of hot blast, it would cost fully as much per ton of
ore, perhaps more; but I am sure that three dollars per ton will cover
it. This is more per ton, but I estimate a greater saving. According
to the above statement there was lost, in the concentrating, roasting
and smelting 24.8 per cent, of the original contents of the ore by the
time the copper was raised to a grade sufficiently high for the con-
verters against which I figure but 9 per 'cent, in direct smelting,
leaving a difference of $3.47 minus $1.26, equal to $2.21 gain per ton.
As this gain is wholly in the copper, it adds a proportional length of
life to the mines. If, however, the one smelting can not be done for
the cost of concentrating, roasting and smelting, this gain would be
reduced by the difference. If the first smelting cost $3.00, which I
am sure is ample, we should still have a gain of $1.60 in favor of raw
smelting, always supposing these figures to be correct.
In our prejudice for the established methods, it will be well to
remember a story told by a traveler from the Sahara Desert. He came
across a party of Arabs making iron doubtless after a manner dating
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 75
from the days of Abraham. The furnace consisted of a hole in the
ground, around which were three blowing engines, each consisting of
an Arab with a long tube, one end of which was in his mouth and the
other in the furnace. After blowing, from six to eight pounds of iron
per shift was obtained.
Our traveler was much impressed, but inquired of the boss metal-
lurgist, "Why do you use this method of making iron?" He received
a look of withering scorn and the reply, "What other method can there
be? Neither our fathers nor ourselves ever heard of any other."
Because our fathers and ourselves have always burned our iron
and sulphur outside of the furnace is no good reason for continuing it.
F. R. CARPENTER.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: We are to be congratulated that the
officers of the government of the United States have taken an interest
in the efforts of this Congress to stimulate the mining industry, by
sending some of its most noted men. We have with us a gentleman
who was a member appointed by the President, of the board of arbi-
tration of the great anthracite strike in the east that so interested
every community throughout this land. I mention this, not because
Mr. Parker needs any introduction, but because I want every man in
this community, who is interested in the great labor question to know
who will address them. You will therefore be addressed now by Hon.
E. W. Parker on the subject of Coal.
HONORABLE E. W. PARKER: Mr. President, Ladies and Gen-
tlemen: I have been placed on the program to talk about coal. The
subject is a very broad one than cannot be covered in an address
before an assembly of this kind without occupying a great deal more
time than I consider I was required to give to it. I have taken a very
small corner of the field and it relates principally to what we are
going to try to show at the St. Louis exposition, what we have in the
way of coal mining resources.
On May 1, 1904, the gates of the greatest World's Fair and
Universal Exposition the world has ever seen will be opened at St.
Louis, Mo. When the Louisiana Purchase Exposition is spoken of the
first question asked is: "How is it going to compare with Chicago?"
Many visitors to that great show, myself among them, firmly believed
that the exposition business had attained the acme of success in the
White City of Chicago. Few if any, would have had the courage to sug-
gest that within a half century at most, a greater exposition would be
thrown open to the world. But the seemingly impossible is being
accomplished. Chicago is being outdone. A decade has scarcely
rounded out since we walked with ever increasing wonder through
the great buildings of the World's Columbian Exposition, gazed with
almost speechless awe upon the splendors of the illuminated Court of
Honor, and amused ourselves among the mysteries of the Midway
Plaisance, and now we see rising at St. Louis another and a greater
dream city. And when this is said, it is said without exaggeration.
One has but to see the remarkable progress already made in the con-
struction of buildings and the preparation of the grounds to be
convinced that St. Louis is not only determined, but is going, to sur-
pass all previous efforts in the way of International Expositions.
It is not my intention to present here an address devoted to the
general advertising of the World's Fair. We leave that the Bureau of
Publicity. But when one is connected officially with such a gigantic
enterprise, however unimportant his position, he may be pardoned for
assimilating a part of the enthusiasm which appears to inspire those
having the cares and responsibilities of management.
The portion of the St. Louis Exposition in which this Congress
is most directly interested it naturally the Department of Mines and
Metallurgy. The general scope of the work of this department will be
presented to you in more extensive detail by Prof. J. A. Holmes, its
76 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
chief, who will arrive this evening, and I shall confine my remarks to
the particular branch of that department which comes directly under
my charge, that of coal.
The lesson learned through the wonderful industrial development
of the United States during the last quarter of the 19th century is that
to our coal mines more than to any other one cause is due our present
supremacy among the Nations of the earth. In a recently published
volume on the adjustment of wages, Prof. W. J. Ashley, of the Univers-
ity of Birmingham, England, comments on the former superiority of
Great Britain, which was founded on her coal, and shows how, since
1889, the United States has outstripped that country in iron and steel
manufacturing and that we are forging farther and farther ahead, not
only of Great Britain, but of the world simply because of our wealth
in coal. How many of you are aware that in 1901 the United States
produced practically 40 per cent, of the entire world's supply of pig
iron, and 44 per cent, of the entire output of steel? In 1902 this
country added nearly 2,000,000 tons to the pig iron product of 1901,
and reached a total of nearly 18,000,000 long tons. How many of you
are aware that in 1902 we produced almost exactly double the amount
of pig iron .made in this country in 1892, ten years before, and about
four times that made in 1882? How many of you are aware that in
the first half of 1903 the furnaces of the United States turned out pig
iron equal in amount to that produced in all the other countries of the
world in a similar period for 1901? This great development is due in
large part to coal. Our vast deposits of iron ore would lie unpros-
pected and undeveloped but for the coal which reduces them to work-
able iron and steel. Without the coal the steel would not be made for
our railroads nor would there be the locomotives to draw the trains.
It is coal which moves the world today, not gold. Gold and silver
lubricate the wheels, and that is very important, I grant you, but coal
makes the power. '
Now, what are we doing in the development of that power? We
look at the statistics of production and we see that our coal mines
produced in 1902 a total of 293,300,000 short tons of coal. We are
accustomed to talk in millions now-a-days and consequently these
figures may not sound impressive, but let us see what sized mass this
product represents. If this one year's product were gathered in one
large heap and measured it would make a mountain containing 7,360,-
000,000 cubic feet. A pyramid at sea level built of this material and
having a base a quarter of a mile square would reach an altitude of
12.672 feet or 5,860 feet (something over a mile) higher than Custer
Peak. If put into a column with a rectangular base 1,000 feet on each
edge (nearly a fifth of a mile) it would reach an altitude of 1.4 miles.
The holes left in the ground by this excavating would contain a city
two and three-tenths miles square, whose buildings averaged fifty feet
in height.
How our coal mining industry has grown is shown in the record
of the last thirty years. Those of us who remember so far back as
1871, thought we were doing some business at that time notwithstand-
ing the fact that we were just recovering from the effects of the civil
war. We produced in that year a little over 46,000,000 tons of coal.
In 1881 we mined 86,000,000 tons, less than half that of our industrial
rival, Great Britain, but nearly double our output ten years before.
In 1891 our product had increased to nearly 170,000,000 tons, almost
double that of 1881, while in 1901 we came within two per cent, of
reaching 300,000,000 tons, outstripping Great Britain by nearly 50,000,-
000 tons, and exceeding Great Britain and all her colonies by over
25,000,000 tons. The United States is now contributing more than one-
third the entire world's supply of coal.
In order to show how our coal mining industry indicates the great
strides that we have made in manufacturers we may compare the
statistics of coal production with those of our population. If coal
mining in the United States during the past thirty years had merely
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 77
kept pace with our increasing population the production in 1901 would
have been considerably less than 100,000,000 tons, whereas, it reached
nearly 300,000,000 tons. In 1870 we had a population of 38,558,371
persons, and our total coal production amounted to 36,806,560 tons,
showing a per capita consumption of less than one ton. In 1880, with
a population of a little over 50,000,000 we produced 71,481,569 tons of
coal, or one ton and 860 pounds for each inhabitant. At the end of
the next decade our population had increased to 62,622,650 and our
coal production to nearly 158,000,000 tons, making 2y 2 tons of coal to
each person, and in the last year of the last century, when our popu-
lation was a little over 76,300,000, we mined nearly 270,000,000 tons of
coal, or more than 3% tons per capita. In other words, while our pop-
ulation in 1900 was not quite double that of 1870, the coal product was
7.4 times as large. Our exports of coal do not amount to more than
4 or 5 million tons and hence do not effect these figures. The facts
are worthy of consideration, for it must also be remembered that, with
the increase in per capita consumption of coal, there has been an
even greater increase in the production of petroleum; and natural gas,
which was not used commercially before 1882, has for the past fifteen
years been extensively utilized as a fuel and has displaced a large
amount of coal.
It is but just that an industry upon which so many other indus-
tries, we might say the commercial life of the Nation itself, depend,
should have proper representation at the St. Louis Exposition. Here
are two great enterprises, and we must see that both should have
their importance recognized. The Exposition will attract to it visitors
from all quarters of the globe. Those from foreign countries come to
learn something about us, and the majority of them will be of such
calibre that it will pay us to show them something substantial, some-
thing that they will remember. It is with this idea in mind that we
have prepared a plan for a collective and educational coal exhibit, the
scope of which has never been attempted at any previous exposition.
I must confess that when I first presented the plans to some of the
leading coal operators and associations of operators, it was with a
feeling of trepidation. It means the expenditure of large sums of
money. Instead of discouraging the idea, it is exceedingly gratifying
to state that the operators have in most cases entered cordially into
the proposition and have given substantial evidence of their willing-
ness to cooperate in the scheme.
A large space has been reserved in the Mines and Metallurgy
building for the display of the exhibits representing the coal mining
industry. This will be divided among the states according to the
extent of their exhibits, and as nearly as possible according to
geographical location.
An interesting feature of this coal display will consist of large
relief maps of some of the principal coal fields of the .country. It
might be desirable to have such maps of all the coal mining region,
but it is not possible to prepare them. Only such regions can he
illustrated in this way as have been made the subject of topographical
and geological surveys. It is possible, however, to obtain enough of
such data and to prepare enough such maps to illustrate in a general
way. These maps will show practically in miniature the country rep-
resented. They will show the hills and the valleys, the plains and
water courses, the roads and railroads, the towns and mining camps,
and the location of each mine in the region covered by the map.
They will also show the surface and structural geology and the entire
area underlaid by workable coal seams; and where possible, the por-
tions of the region available for farming purposes and the sections
covered by forest growths of economic importance.
Another interesting feature will be maps of two or three typical
mining towns or camps illustrating the character of such communi-
78 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
ties in the different states. These maps will also show the tipple and
other buildings connected with the operations of the mines, miners'
houses, etc.
It is, of course, evident that the scale upon which such maps are
constructed is very much larger than the scale upon which the relief
maps can be constructed. It will mean in reality, showing in detail
certain features indicated on the relief maps.
Then on a still larger scale, will be shown models of working
mines in the different states and illustrating, so far as possible, typical
conditions existing in those states. It is proposed, for instance, to
show by such models drift mining by the pillar-and-room system as
practiced largely in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and other Eastern
States; shaft mining under the pillar-and-room system as practiced
principally in Illinois and Indiana; slope mining under the pillar-and-
room system, and under a modification of this system, as practiced in
Arkansas and the Indian Territory; strip or open-work mining, as
practiced to a considerable extent in Kansas and Missouri, and shaft
mining under the long wall system as practiced in Kansas and Missouri,
and also in Illinois. Wherever possible it is desired to show by figures,
etc., the mines at work and to exhibit the different methods of hand and
machine mining, methods of ventilation, underground haulage and
hoisting, and the pumping or hoisting of water. It is also proposed
to show the surface conditions and improvements in each case. The
plan, generally, will be to show say about one-third of the model with
the surface shown, and about two-thirds showing the mine as if the
surface were lifted off, and the observer were looking down directly
upon the workings.
The method of utilizing bituminous coal in the manufacture of
coke will be shown by models of coking plants. In connection with
this will be shown specimens of coal used in coke making and speci-
mens of different grades of coke made from such coal. Also in con-
nection with the models of coking plants will be shown working
models of crushing and washing machinery illustrating the manner
in which coal is prepared for coke manufacture, where such prepara-
tion is necessary.
Another feature which we think will prove of particular interest
and value will be a collection of coal sections from most of the import-
ant seams throughout the bituminous coal mining regions. These sec-
tions will consist of rectangular blocks of coal from three to four feet
on each edge and showing the entire thickness of the seam as it occurs
in the ground. They will be cut out of the seams in solid blocks and
will form a formidable array for the contemplation of competitive
coal producing countries.
The sections will be accompanied by maps illustrating the area of
country underlaid by the coal. They will also be accompanied by
specimens of the coal as mined and prepared for the market. Then
too, there will be samples showing the run of mine, and where the
coal is screened before being sold there will be speciments of lump, nut
and slack coal produced from the mine run. If the coal is used for
coke making specimens of uncrushed and unwashed coal will be
shown as compared with the crushed and washed coal, from the same
mine.
As you all doubtless know, the United States is the largest coke
producing country in the world. This coke being made from the
bituminous coal in beehive and retort ovens. We produced in 1902
25,401,730 tons of coke and consumed in its manufacture 39,604,007
tons of bituminous coal. Consequently we will exhibit in connection
with each section of coal, specimens of the coke made from it. And
where there are different grades of coke, such as foundry, furnace or
domestic, samples of each kind will be shown. All the coal and coke
specimens will be accompanied by analysis and by certified statements
of tests made of either the coal or coke for specific purposes.
What should not be forgotten in this brief description is that there
will be a great display of machinery used in connection with the coal
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 79
mining industry. This will include machinery used in coal mining,
haulage, pumping and ventilation; then overhead transportation,
models of shipping docks, where the coal is handled from railroad
cars to vessels, the whole being made complete by exhibits of auto-
matic stokers and other mechanical devices for the economic handling
and consumption of fuel and for the consumption and suppression of
smoke. If by this latter feature the exhibition is able to do anything
for the relief of the smoke-laden atmosphere of some of our larger
western cities, it will not have been in vain.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: I presume that every miner that
comes here is deeply interested in the next paper as it pertains to
all of the development of nearly every great interest in the west and
this is by C. W. Merrill, of Lead, South Dakota, his subject being "The
Metallurgy of the Homestake Ore." As soon as Mjr. Merrill has deliv-
ered his address there are copies here for distribution that may be had
by calling for them.
THE METALLURGY OF THE HOMESTAKE ORE.
I. THE PROPERTY.
The Homestake Mining Co. has acquired through consolidation
the ground and equipment of the Father De Smet Consolidated Gold-
Mining Co., the Deadwood-Terra Mining Co., the Caledonia Gold-Min-
ing Co. and the Highland Mining Co., at and near Lead, Lawrence
county, South Dakota, in the northern portion of 'the Black Hills. The
company owns or controls 250 claims, comprising 2616 acres, and cov-
ering about 8000 feet along the strike of the lode.
At the surface there are several veins, of which three have united
in depth, where the main! vein ranges from 300 to 500 feet in width.
The 1100-foot level is the lowest at present. The rock of both walls is,
so far as known at present, carboniferous slate, and the country is
penetrated by a system of porphyry-dikes, and in some places capped
with porphyry.
The output of the company up to January, 1903, has been, approx-
imately, $70,000,000.
II. THE ORE.
The oxidized, open-cut ore is nearly all treated in the three mills
on the northern part of the property, which are as follows : The Min-
eral Point (formerly the De Smet), of 100 stamps, the Monroe (formerly
Caledonia), of 100 stamps, and the Pocahontas (formerly the Dead-
wood-Terra), of 160 stamps. A cyanide plant, to treat the leachable
portion of the tailings from these North End mills, has recently been
installed and put into operation at Gayville, or Blacktail, as it is now
known.
The Homestake lower-level ore, which comprises the greater part
of that being milled at Lead, may be described as a horn-blende, gar-
netiferous schist or slate, which has been crushed and infiltrated with
free silica and pyrites, the latter being about 7 or 8 per cent, of the
ore, and comprising pyrite, pyrrhotite and traces only of chalcopyrite
and arsenopyrite.*
* The standards used in this discussion are: the U. S. gold-dollar; the
U. S. short ton of 2000 Ibs. avolrd., and the value of an ounce of fine gold,
$20.67. Percentages are given by weight, and not by volume. Sizings are
classed as coarse (that portion of the sample which will remain on a 100-
mesh screen; diameter of wire, 0.00433 in.; size of opening, 0.00575 sq. in.);
middles (the material finer than the opening of the above 100-mesh screen,
and coarser than the opening of the commercial 200-mesh screen as given
below); and fines (the material which will pass such a 200-mesh screen;
diameter of wire, 0.00216 in.; size of opening, 0.00312 sq. in.). A further
subdivision of fines is also mentioned, which is based upon the granular,
or angular, condition of one portion and the flocculent, or amorphous,
condition of the remaining portion of these fines.
80 OFFICIAL, PROCEEDINGS
III. MILLING.
The ore receives its first crushing in rotary breakers at the hoists,
and this product varies in size from that of sea-sand up to rock having
an extreme dimension of 4 inches. From bins at the hoists at Lead,
the broken ore is trammed to the three mills, i. e., the Homestake and
Golden Star, containing 200 stamps each, and the Amicus (formerly the
Highland), in which there are 140 heads, making a total of 40.
From the mill-bins the ore passes to the mortar, which is of the
now celebrated Homestake narrow pattern, where it is crushed
between cast-iron shoes and dies, the weight of the stamp when equip-
ped with new iron being 900 Ibs., the drop 10 % inches, and falling 88
times per minute.
The screen is of the steel-needle slot-type Nb. 8, and the bottom of
the screen-opening averages 10 inches above the top of the dies.
The long drop, high discharge and small area of screen openings
produce an extremely fine pulp, about 80 per cent, passing a 100-mesh
screen, and it is to the writer a most remarkable fact that under these
conditions such a high stamp-duty is maintained, it being fully 4 tons
per stamp per twenty-four hours.
This duty is possible only because: first, of the very favorable
nature of the ore, the slate and pyrite crushing readily and the quartz
being an excellent medium of attrition; secondly, of the large propor-
tion of water used, being from eight to ten times the weight of ore
crushed; and, thirdly, of the/ narrow mortar, which is only 12 inches
wide at the lip.
This very fine and thin pulp is in the most excellent condition for
amalgamating, which process is conducted both inside the mortar and
outside, on full-size plates in series (each 54 by 144 by % inch) to each
mortar. The first of these is a copper-plate, and the other three are
silver plated copper, the weight of plating being 2 oz. per square foot,
and all silver-plating being done at the works. The addition of the
three silver-plates to each stamp battery by Mr. Crier has proven one of
the most valuable steps in the treatment of this ore, and has brought
about an additional profit amounting to, approximately, $250,000 dur-
ing the year 1902, over and above what would have been realized from
amalgamation had the outside plate-surface been only that of the one
copper plate which, by the way, is considered ample in many of the
large modern plants of the day.
In connection with amalgamation, the practice at the Homestake
conforms, as far as conditions will permit, to the theory that the
maximum results are obtained when the temperature of the water
used in the batteries is 'low enough to exert the minimum influence on
the minerals of the ore; and it is contended that the plate-yield
proves the correctness if this theory.
It would be interesting to investigate the question of amalgama-
tion and finer crushing in other gold-producing sections, particularly
in South Africa, where the yield from this source is reported to be
from 55 to 60 per cent., as compared with 70 to 75 per cent, at the
Homestake. Perhaps finer crushing would not only greatly increase
their amalgam-yield, but also reduce the values lost in their cyanide-
residues. This seems the more likely for that country, because their
slimes have been proved to have value sufficient for secondary treat-
ment, whereas this has not yet been proved at the Homestake, where
th advisability of sliming such a large proportion of the ore has been a
debatable point, because the slimes here contain only $0.85 to $1.10 in
value per ton. But of this more will be said later.
The total cost of milling in the 200-stamp mills at Lead is, approx-
imately, $0.40 per ton.
CLASSIFICATION.
We now have a pulp containing eight or ten parts of water to one
of ore; and much of the latter is so infinitisimally fine as to cause a
visitor, who had watched an attempt to filter the slimes on a large
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 81
scale, to say that, for an exemplification of the size of a molecule, he
would advise the study of Homestake slimes.
The tailings as they leave the mill are sized, with the following
results:
Coarse (remaining on 100-mesh), 22 per cent.
Middles (between 100- and 200-mesh), 18 per cent.
Fines (passing a 200-mesh screen), 60 per cent.
That is, 60 per cent, of the particles issuing from the mortar have
less than 0.00001 square inch of cross-section.
When the erection of the cyanide plant had been determined upon,
the question of a tailings-wheel to elevate the pulp and permit the
location of the plant nearer the mills being under discussion,
it was calculated that to elevate the tailings at a cost of about 2 cents
per ton would cost the company, approximately, $140,000, on the pro-
portion of the material then blocked out in the mine which would be
available for leaching. In other words, for every cent per ton which
could be saved in the secondary treatment of the leachable material,
the company would profit ultimately to the extent of at least $70,000.
Consequently, the plant was located about a quarter of a mile below
the Lead mills; and the problems of transportation and of such class-
ification as would permit the pumping-plant to return its former per-
centage of water to the mills, presented themselves. The latter has
been met by the installation of the upper cone-house, where 12 gravity-
settling cones, 7 feet in diameter and with 50 degree sides, throw off
about half the water and, perhaps, one-fifth the solid matter, which
latter is the very finest slime, of the following sizing, during 19,02:
Coarse, 0; middles, 1.76; fines, 98.24 per cent. The thickened slimes
are subsequently, settled out of this pulp, and a part of the water is
returned to the mills.
From the bottom of the cones is drawn the thickened pulp, con-
taining all of the leachable material and some of the slimes. This
portion is transported by means of a 12-inch cast-iron flanged pipe on
a minimum grade of 2.5 per cent, and with as few turns as possible,
to the cyanide-plant.
The second step in the classification is carried out in the plant
proper by means of 6 more gravity-settling cones, the overflow from
which, of a like composition to that of the first 12 cones, is conducted
to a collecting-tank, whence it is drawn for the purpose of sluicing out
the leachable material after its treatment has been completed. The
average size of this second settling-cone overflow for 1902 was:
Coarse, 0; middles, 1.38; fines, 98.62 per cent.
The under-flow from the second set of gravity-settling cones,
'which is now quite thick, passes to 24 sizing, or hydraulic, classifying-
cones, which carry a device for discharging the sand and introducing
the water, patented by the writer. By its means the admission of water
does not result in currents of varying velocity, which latter always
interferes with uniform separation of slimes from granular material.
These sizing-cones complete the classification, which has been a
difficult problem, first, because of the extreme fineness of the pulp,
and, secondly, because the writer was determined to avoid double
treatment, which entails a largely increased installation, and operating
cost, but which is necessary unless a product be obtained practically
free from slime.
The slime-overflow from hydraulic classifiers had the following
sizing-average for 1902: Coarse, 0; middles, 1.46; fines, 98.54 per cent.
As regards all slimes referred to, they will practically pass the 200-
mesh screen, the middles being largely wood-pulp.
In fact, there is little doubt but that the importance of the most
perfect classification possible will be recognized shortly as a vital
consideration in the cyaniding of wet, crushed ore; and metallurgists
will not follow the old German practice of spitzkatsen and spitzlutten,
which are very imperfect machines as compared with a cone-classi-
fier or sizer for separating granular from flocculent material. The
writer's judgment is that a scientific classification-system, by which
82 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
all the granular or angular material may go to the leaching vats, and
all the amorphous portion to the slime-plant, will in the future be a
feature in designing a plant on which the greatest care and experi-
mentation will be put, and the highest grade of technical skill utilized.
CYANIDE-TREATMENT.
By these three steps in the classification we have separated the
pulp into non-leachable slimes, comprising about 40 per cent, of the ore
crushed, and practically all, passing a 200-mesh screen, and a direct-
leachable product, amounting to, approximately, 60 per cent, of the
tailings, which, although very clean and free from mud, is still of a
very fine texture, as the following sizing-test, the average for the
year 1902, will show:
Coarse, remaining on 100-mesh, 40.5 per cent.
Middles, 100- to 200-mesh, 30.8 per cent.
Fines, passing 200-mesh, 28.7 per cent.
While this fineness is notable, we find that, as the proportion of
lower-level ore increases, we can treat an even finer product. A recent
charge, containing as high as 40 per cent, fines, maintained our normal
leaching-rate of 3 to 4 inches per hour through our treatment. This
is undoubtedly due to the fact that the fines from the lower-level rock
contain a greater proportion of angular or granular, and a smaller pro-
portion of amorphous, hydrated or flocculent, material.
The leachable pulp, which contains 10 to 12 per cent, of pyrite, is
now ready to go to the vats; and on the way lime is added in quanti-
ties varying from 3 to 5 pounds per ton. At first we tried adding this
lime in the mills, as is done in Africa, but found that the amalgamation
was .most seriously affected thereby; not only was the plate completely
coated, weeks being required to get it back in proper shape, but the
tailings-values were largely augmented. This result only emphasizes
the fact that the process must fit the ore, and that attempts to make
an ore fit a process are useless. This practice of adding lime to
the battery is, according to the writer's information, unanimously
pronounced to work the best results in Africa, and to reduce the
values in the slimes lost from amalgamation to half of what they were
when no lime is used in the battery. In our case, however, we have
demonstrated that the best results follow from crushing the lime
wet into a running pulp which joins that from the sizing-cones,
whereby there is less slacking and less loss of flocculent lime in
the vat overflow, i. e., in the water which overflows the vat, the
sand having settled out. Not only is it of distinct advantage to have
our lime go into the tank in unslacked granules, but recent investi-
gations are proving that the average size of these granules has an
imporant bearing on the subsequent cyanide-decomposition and gold-
extraction. This seems to be due to the fact that a low alkalinity,
but one approximately constant throughout the leaching, is an im-
porant desideratum with the Homestake ore, on account of its con-
siderable content of easily-decomposed sulphides. We are not as
yet, prepared to say what is the very best mesh-screen to use
on our lime stamp-battery, but at present we are using a wire-
screen, the opening of which is 11-64 sq. in. In this connection it
should be said that only the purest lime should be used, the mag-
nesia in the ordinary domestic limestone being objectionable for
several reasons.
The classified pulp and the lime having commingled, the mixture
passes to the distributor, which is of the garden-sprinkler, or Butters
and Mein type.
There are two distributors, one for each row of vats, hung from
a carriage, which travels on a track, and the step of which res/ts
on the top of the center-bottpm discharge-gate of each vat, when
the distributor is in operation. There are 14 vats, each 44 feet in
diameter, 9 feet deep inside and holding 610 tons of sand. To fill
one of these requires from eleven to eleven and one-half hours, which
with our equipment, permits of about five days' contact with solution,
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 83
before it is necessary to recharge the vat. After filling, the drain-
valve is opened, the top leveled, and the stronger of the two stock-
solutions, of a strength of 0.14 of 1 per cent. KCN, is run on. The
contact with this solution, including frequent drainages for the pur-
pose of drawing in air, is maintained for about three days. The air-
contact is very important in Homestake ores, owing to the presence
of pyrrhotite or subsulphide of iron, which absorbs oxygen with
great avidity, and which would greatly retard the dissolving action
of the cyanide-solution were not large quantities of essential oxygen
introduced. The effluent solution during this period, having nor-
mally a strength of 0.10 of 1 per cent, of cyanide, is run to the weak
precipitation-tanks, of which there are two, each 26 feet in diameter
by 19 feet deep, and holding 300 tons of solution.
After the three days' contact with strong solution, the weak
solution, normally of a strength of 0.10 per cent KCN, is brought
into the charge, and this contact is maintained for the remaining
two days. The efficient soluUon from the charge during this period
is run to the strong precipitation or rather collecting-tanks, which
are of the same size and number as the weak precipitation-tanks.
Fig. 2 shows the interior arrangement of the works.
After contact with the weak solution has been completed, wash-
water is brought into the charge, and the washing continued until
the effluent solution is down to 0.03 or 0.02 of 1 per cent, in KCN
and from 5 to 7 cents per ton in value.
The charge is now ready for sluicing, which operation is ac-
complished by two men, with 3-inch hose, in about four hours, using
the slime-water from the overflow of the second settling-cones. The
four side-gates and one center-gate afford ample facilities for the
discharging. The last inch or so of the sand is sluiced with clear
water under 75 pounds pressure through 1^-inch hose; and the
S-ounce duck filter, under which is another of cocoa-matting, is
washed clean. The vat is then filled with water, and is ready for
the next charging.
Precipitation As stated above, the effluent solution resulting
from the leaching with strong solution is run to the weak precipi-
tation-tanks, and has a value of, approximately, $2 per ton and a
strength of 0.10 per cent. KCN. When one of these weak precipita-
tion-tanks is full, the stream is turned to the other, and the former
is then ready for precipitation. It contains 300 tons of solution,
which is brought into agitation by means of compressed air, and
about 60 pounds of zinc-powder, in the form of an emulsion, is
sprayed in during the agitation. The pump, which is of the com-
pound, duplex, outside-packed, plunger-type, is then started, and the
mixture pumped through two large filter-presses 36 inches square,
of the flush-plate and distance-frame pattern, containing 24 frames,
each 4 inches in depth.
While the gold, silver and excess of zinc remain in the frame
and on the cloth, the barren solution passes through the cloth and
on to the weak solution storage-tank below (of the same size as the
sand vats), whence it passes again to the sand as weak solution.
Its value has been reduced by this operation from $2 to 5 or 10
cents per ton, being a precipitation of 95 to 97.5 per cent. The
efficiency of this method lies largely in the fact that the cloths of
the presses are coated with about % inch of powdered zinc and
precipitate, so that every particle of solution, having to pass through
the cloths, gets a molecular contact with the fine zinc, which is true
of no other precipitation-process. The presses are run without open-
ing for a month, at the end of which the press-gauges indicate about
10 pounds pressure, notwithstanding the fact that they then contain
about a ton of precipitate, worth, say, $50,000, when they are cleaned
up by two men in about six hours, including the putting together with
new cloths. Figures covering the labor of cleaning up $50,000
from zinc boxes and from electrolytic precipitation would form an
interesting comparison.
84 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
We will now return to the effluent solution, resulting from the
contact of the tailings with weak solution during the latter part
of the leaching. This is run to the strong-solution collecting-vats.
When these are filled, they are strengthened to 0.14 per cent. KCN
and pumped directly, without precipitation, to the strong-solution
storage-tank, of the same capacity as the weak storage, whence it
goes on to the early treatment of the charge, as before mentioned.
Its value is from 30 to 50 cents per ton. It will thus be seen that
the strong solution of one day becomes the weak solution of the
next day, and that the values are all accumulated in the weak
precipitation-tanks. The strong solution thus has an approximately
constant value, that is to say, only one-half of the total effluent
solution is precipitated, the other half being of a constant low value.
Refining Precipitates. As the refining of cyanide precipitates
is of some importance, owing to the well-recognized losses taking
place in the ordinary methods, which are from 2 to 6 per cent., a
description of the process we use at the Homestake, in which the
loss is less than 0.1 per cent., may be of interest.
The precipitate, after removal from the presses, is treated
iirst with dilute hydrochloric acid in a lead-lined mixing-tank, equip-
ped with a mechanical agitator, a hood and a powerful exhaust-
fan. After agitation and settling, the supernatant liquid is forced
through a filter-press by air-pressure. Sulphuric acid is then added,
agitation begun, and the mixture heated. It is then settled, and
the supernatant solution put through the press, as in the case of
the hydrochloric acid. Wash-water is then added to the mixing-
tank and the whole mixture put into tthe press, where it is further
washed. The aggregate value of the acid-liquors and wash-water
flowing from the press is less than $20 from $50,000 worth of pre-
cipitate. A portion of this value is recovered from a large settling-
tank, into which the effluent solutions flow, and the remainder con-
stitutes the only loss we have been able to find in this process of
refining.
The resultant, acid-treated precipitate is then removed to a
large steam-dryer, where a part of the moisture is expelled, but
never all, and the precipitate mixed with litharge, borax, silica and
powdered-coke. When thoroughly mixed, it is sprinkled with a
solution of lead-acetate and the whole mass briquetted under a
pressure of 4,000 to 6,000 pounds per square inch. The zinc having
been removed, and the briquettes having been dried, a borax-slag
develops upon the outer surface upon being charged to the cupel,
and they fuse quietly, quickly and at a low heat, without dust or
volatilization-losses. The lead absorbs the values, sinking to the
bottom, and the slag is tapped off. All the slag having been re-
moved, the lead is cupelled off as litharge, and the resultant metal,
975 to 985 fine, is ready to run into bars. The cupel-slag and the
cupel-bottom are then put through the blast-furnace, the lead-content
of the slag reduces to lead, which absorbs the values, and is drawn
from the lead-well in the usual manner. This lead is returned to
the cupel at the next clean-up, the litharge from the cupellation
goes to the next precipitate, and the blast-furnace slag is worth less
than $5 per ton.*
The total cost of this refining amounts to less than % of 1 per
cent.; so that t n e Homestake Company realizes $20.52 per ounce for
its cyanide-gold, less the usual U. S. Assay Office charge on dore
bullion, and the expressage to New York. These charges amount
to between 10 and 11 cents; and the net realization per ounce of
fine gold precipitated is thus $20.42 in New York exchange. A part-
ing-plant is now contemplated, which will make a further saving in
this connection and enable the company to turn out fine gold and
fine silver.
* The writer has applied for patents covering this process, which was
first carried out experimentally during the latter part of the year 1900.
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 85
TONNAGE, PERCENTAGE AND COSTS.
Tonnage. The maximum monthly tonnage of this plant which
is ascertained by placing cubic-foot boxes in many parts of various
vats, determining the dry-weights per cubic foot of sand and aver-
aging a large number of such determinations was attained in Octo-
ber, 1902, when 40,236 tons, or 1,298 tons per day, were treated.t
This gives to the Homestake Company the largest sand-treatment
cyanide-plant in the world; the next largest being, to the best of
my knowledge, that of Simmer & Jack in South Africa.
Percentage. As a comparison of the various assay-determi-
nations and valuations with the bullion produced is always of inter-
est, the following figures for the last half of the year 1902 are given:
Extraction. The extraction, as shown by the difference between
charge and residue-assay multiplied by the tonnage, was $292,579.
Precipitation. The precipitation, as shown by the difference be-
tween assays of unprecipitated and precipitated solutions multiplied
by the solution-tonnage, was $301,233.
Gold in Precipitates. The amount of gold in precipitates, that
is, the assay-value of the precipitate sampled upon removal from
the presses, was $302,895; the gold-value of bullion shipped, $307,635,
and the silver-value, $2,874.
The average percentage recovered in bullion by the treatment
for these six months is 74.7 per cent.
This is not as high a percentage of bullion as should be re-
covered from a porous or oxidized ore, or one in which the values
are along cleavage-planes; but, in view of the fact that such a high
percentage is recovered by amalgamation, that the values are very
finely disseminated in the Homestake ore, and that the tailings are
very low-grade, we feel, and all our tests so far have verified our
conclusions, that it is the economic percentage, yielding the maxi-
mum net profit.
Many tests and experimental runs of the plant, looking toward
a greater net yield, have been made, covering longer treatment (
stronger and weaker solutions, extra oxidation with sodium and
barium dioxide, and other similar reagents, varying algalinities and
alkaline reagents, etc. The question of separate treatment of con-
centrates and coarse sands has also been investigated, all with
negative results. The conclusion of the writer in regard to this lat-
ter point is that, even if a higher net yield could be realized by sepa-
rate treatment, which is contrary to the results of all our tests, a much
greater proportion of the fines (passing 200-mesh screen) would have
to be thrown off and wasted entailing a serious net loss.
Costs. As to operating costs at the Lead cyanide-plant, the
following are the averages per ton for the year 1902, during which
the average value of the material treated was $1.85 per ton:
Classification Labor and Supplies $0.017
Treatment:
Cyanide $0.152
Labor 0.030
Lime 0.022
Supplies 0.005
$0.209 0.209
Precipitation Labor and Supplies 0.026
Power Labor and Supplies 0.051
Water 0.026
Assaying Labor and Supplies 0.013
Refining Labor and Supplies 0.006
Miscellaneous 0.005
Total ..$0.353
t Since this paper was written, another step in the classifiying of the
pulp has been added, with the result that this plant is now treating ap-
proximately 1450 tons per 24 hours.
86 OFFICIAL, PROCEEDINGS
As compared with the above, the lowest cost I have seen authori-
tatively stated for other plants are as follows:
City and Suburban South Africa $0.55
Geldenhuis Estate, South Africa 0.605
Geldenhuis Deep, South Africa 0.62
Robinson, South Africa 0.62
Worcester, South Africa 0.72
The' African costs refer, of course, to operations before the late
war between England and the South African Republic; but they
are the only figures available to me, and I do not think they have
been -reduced materially since.
As regards the Homestake slimes, which are not at present
being treated, their assay-value ranges from $0.80 to $1.10 per ton,
which is very much lower than that of any slimes now being cyanided
elsewhere, and which does not offer much inducement to undertake
their hydrometallurgical treatment as a whole. It is the writer's
judgment, however, that a material profit, greater than that at-
tainable by any other method of treating the whole bulk of slimes,
may be recovered by concentrating these slimes and cyaniding the
concentrates so obtained; and experiments on a working scale will
shortly be undertaken along these lines.
MR. RUSSELL, OF NORTH DAKOTA: Mr. President, I rise,
sir, to make a motion which I trust will meet with the approval of
the Congress. We have listened yesterday to the secretary of the
treasury of the United States; we have listened today to the director
of the mint. Both of those positions have from the foundation of
the government filled a post most important in the administration
of the country. We have listened this afternoon to a statement
from another member of the administration, one of the bureaus,
telling us of the remarkable display that the nation is to make at the
St. Louis Exposition, which, I presume, will be, Mr. President, one
of the largest and finest expositions that has ever been held in
the world. Those expositions, I believe, took their origin in the
Crystal Palace of London nearly fifty years ago. Now that the
United States are to hold another exposition at St. Louis next
year which, I presume, will be the largest that has even been held.
There is to be prepared then an exhibition of coal, which mineral, as
we have heard from the paper this afternoon,, is the foundation for
the power that works the great industry of the country. I move
you, therefore, Mr. President, that a rising vote of thanks be pre-
sented to Mr. Parker for the able paper he has given to us and the
thanks to him and his colleagues and others that are working for
the preparation that is being made for the exhibit at St. Louis.
Which motion was duly seconded and stated by the president
and unanimously carried.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: The next subject on the program
for this afternoon is by Dr. C. C. O'Harra, of Rapid City, South
Dakota, on "The Geology and Mineralogy of the Black Hills."
MR. LYNCH, OF MONTANA: Mr. President, inasmuch as com-
plimentary votes have been in order, all of which is certainly proper,
I move you at this time that we extend a vote of thanks to Mfr. C.
W. Merrill, who has just read this very able paper on the treatment
of Homestake ores in this state and I move you that the same be
made by rising vote.
The motion v/as duly seconded by Mr. Conzette, of South Dakota
and on being stated by the president was unanimously carried by
rising vote.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: We will now listen to the paper by
Mr. O'Harra.
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 87
THE GEOLOGY AND MINERALOGY OF THE BLACK HILLS
REGIOK
By Cleophas C. O'Harra, South Dakota School of Mines, Rapid
City, South Dakota.
The Black Hills region is in many respects a typical geological
unit. It lies within the forks of the Cheyenne river on the South
Dakota-Wyoming boundary line, a much larger portion of the area
being within the state of South Dakota. Separated from the Rocky
Mountains to the west and southwest by a distance of less than
150 miles the region possesses many of the lithologic and physi-
ographic features of the great mountain system. Structurally the
region is an elliptical outwardly dipping uplift, the more dintinct
features of which cover an area about 100 miles long and 50 miles
wide, the longer axis approximately coinciding with the meridian
except in the northern portion where the general direction is to
the northwest. By reason of its isolated position, its simple struc-
tural features and the many excellent natural and artificial rock ex-
posures the history of the region may be interpreted with a con-
siderable degree of ease.
The general system of drainage is distinctly radial, this being
due to the domestic nature of the uplift. The two enclosing arms
of the Cheyenne river wholly isolate the Hills from other systems
of drainage and receive the many smaller streams from the more
elevated portions of the uplift, a high western limestone plateau being
the main divide. In certain places the rapid erosion of softer beds
has modified this general radial arrangement, a notable example
being in the formation of the well known Red Valley, which forms a
nearly continuous encircling depression separating the higher cen-
tral portions from the distinct but less elevated Cretaceous hog-
back ridges of the foot hills. The more important streams continue
actively cutting their beds. Each lithologic unit with its particular
and sometimes striking color yields distinctive topographic forms
dependent upon relative capacity for resisting erosion, the result
being that in many places features of rare interest are produced.
The Harney Peak area of the Southern Hills with its bold pinnacles
and walls of coarse bare granite rising from their forest-clad base of
metamorphic rocks presents a beautiful panorama, while the steep
walled canyons of Spearfish Creek in the northern part of the Hills
and of Elk creek in the northeastern part are among the most
picturesque that America can show. Again to the northwest in
Wyoming where the horizontal sandstones and shales have been
intricately carved by the various streams and where the brilliant
and varied colors of the several formations harmoniously blend
with a wealth of forest and pasture overlooked here and there by
the stately, somber forms of porphyry buttes there is presented a
view well worth many a hardship to see.
The prominent topographic features are a high central basin
of granite and metamorphic rocks of Algonkian age, surrounded in
a concentric manner by a rugged infacing escarpment of massive
white Carboniferous limestone, a wide depression in the red Triassic
shales and a high view of Cretaceous hog-back ridges or foot hills.
Beyond these are the later Cretaceous shale formations which give
rise to the gently undulating plains. Farther away on almost every
side, interrupting the otherwise monotonous approach to the Hills
there are abrupt tables and buttes of Tentiary clays, large portions
of which have been carved into forms that bewilder the imagina-
tion of the most fanciful observer. In the northern Hills Tentiary
intrusive rocks have greatly modified the general topography and in
not a few instances have formed prominent landmarks. Terry peak,
situated near the center of activity of intrusions, in the highest
point. It reaches an altitude of 7,069 feet. A few miles west of
this is the Bear Lodge range, which culminates in Warren Peaks,
making a subordinate but important center of Tentiary disturbance,
the highest point being more than 6,650 feet above sea level. Several
88 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
isolated igneous peaks differing in petrographic and structural nature
only in a varietal way form the prominent peaks of the more in-
tricately disturbed districts already mentioned, stand as tall sen-
tinels among the lower peripheral ridges. Chief among these are
Bear Butte, Crow Peak, Black Buttes, Inyan Kara, the Missouri
Buttes and the justly famed Devil's Tower. The highest point within
the entire Black Hills region is Harney Peak. This is the culminating
peak of the Harney granite range in the southern Hills. It -reaches
a height of 7,216 feet. The surrounding limestone escarpment rises
high above much of the central portion and considerable r^reas
of the plateau along the western side closely approach the height
of Harney Peak. The mean altitude of the plains surrounding the
Hills is little more than 3,000 feet. The average elevation within
the hog-back ridges is approximately 5,000 feet.
The rocks of the Black Hills show a wide range in age and
character. Within the crystalline nucleus are pre-Cambrian granites,
amphibolites, schists, slates, phyllites, and quartzites. Beyond this
nucleus are limestones, sandstones, shales, and conglomerates re-
presenting a nearly complete sequence from Cambrian to Laramie.
Their combined thickness is approximately 10,000 feet. Extensive
overlaps of Tentiary rocks are also present while Pleistocene de-
posits of various kinds occur widely distributed over the surface
of the region. Silurian rocks are found in a few localities but
are of little importance. In the northern Hills there are porpbly-
ritic rocks in great profusion. Phonolites, Rhyolites, Grorudites,
Andesites, Dacites, Diorites and Lamprophynes are found and their
recent careful study has aroused much interest among petrographers.
To the prospector and miner they are of interest in that their in-
trusion has greatly influenced mineralization and the nature and
distribution of the igneous masses have to no little extent been
the determining factor in the occurrence of ore bodies. Fossiliferous
beds are common among the foot hills while only a short distance
to the southeast are the world-renowned White River bad lands
Avith their wealth of vertebrate remains.
The sedimentary deposits which were laid down subsequent to
the upturning and metamorphism of the Algonkian rocks have had
their various characters properly denned by recent study, the de-
termined formational units receiving appropriate individual names.
The formations with their chief characters, exclusive of the Tentiary
and the Pleistocene deposits, are as follows:
Generalized section in the Black Hills region, showing formation,
character, average thickness in feet, and the age:
Laramie, massive sandstone and shale, 2,500 feet, Cretaceous.
Fox Hills, sandstone and shale, 250 500 feet, Cretaceous.
Pierre shale, dark-gray shale, 1,200 feet, Cretaceous.
Niobrara, chalk and calcareous shale 100 300 feet, Cretaceous.
Benton Group:
Carlile formation, gray shales with thin sandstones, limestones,
and concretionary layers, 500 750 feet, Cretaceous.
Greenhorn limestone, impure slabby limestone, 50 feet, Cretaceous.
Granerous shale, dark shale with lenses of massive sandstone in
its lower part at some places, 900 feet, Cretaceous.
Dakota sandstone, massive buff sandstone, 35 150 feet, Cretaceous.
Fuson, very fine-grained sandstone and massive shale. White to
pure color, 30 100 feet, Cretaceous.
Minnewasta limestone, gray limestone, 30 feet, Cretaceous.
Lakota, massive buff sandstone, with some intercolated shale,
40 350, Cretaceous.
Beulah shale, pale grayish-green shale, 150, Jurassic.
Unkpapa sandstone, massive sandstone: white, purple, red, buff,
0250, Jurassic.
Sundance, dark-drab shales and buff sandstones; massive red
sandstone at base, 60 400 feet, Jurassic.
Spearfish, red sandy shales with gypsum bed, 250 500 feet, Triassic.
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 89
Opeche, red slabby sandstone and sandy shale, 90 130 feet,
Permian?
Minnelusa, sandstone, mainly buff and red; in greater part cal-
cerous. Some thin limestone included, 400 600 feet, Carboniferous.
Pahasapa limestone, massive gray limestone, 200 800 feet,
Carboniferous.
Englewood limestone, pink slabby limestone, 25 feet, Corboniferous.
Deadwood, red-brown quartzite and sandstone, locally conglom-
eratic, partly massive, 4 400 feet, Cambrian.
The oldest rocks of the region are the slates, schists and
quartzites. They constitute the main central area of the Hills.
Their dip approximates the vertical while their strike corresponds
fairly well in a general way with the meridian line. The quartzites
are usually less easily eroded than the slates and schists, in con-
sequence of which they not infrequently stand out with much
prominence. This has unconsciously led many to erroneously desig-
nate them as dikes. Dark, basic, schistose igneous bands occur in
many places with the metamorphic sedimentaries, their general oc-
currence being such as to give the impression of intercolation con-
formable to the original bedding. These rocks have not received
careful study but they may be provisionally grouped under the name
"amphibolites." They are commonly designated by the prospector
as diorite or hornblende rock. Intimately associated with all of these
are the granites of the southern and central Hills. In the north-
western part of the Hills on the South Dakota-Wyoming line an-
other small but important area of granite is found. A distinct char-
acteristic of nearly all this granite is its extremely coarse texture.
Us feldspar quartz and mica and even the less important and non-
essential constituents may be frequently found in isolated cry's-
talline masses of unprecedented size. The rocks come under the
variety of granites designated as pegmatite and as usual with peg-
matite carries an abundance of rare useful .minerals.
Following the granites which are later than the amphibolites
but still of Algonkian age there were no igneous intrusions until
the Tentiary. Then approximately coincident with the general up-
lift of the Black Hills region came the igneous bodies so abundant
in the northern Hills. These for want of a better collective term
are commonly designated as porphyries. They are generally, although
riot always, of a distinctly porphyritic nature, the large crystals
being quartz, or more frequently some form of feldspar or occa-
sionally hornblende or biotite, etc. To mention all the localities
where these may be found would be for the present occasion a
tiresome task. The following important mountains must suffice:
Terry Peak, Bald Mountain, Elk Mountain, Ragged Top, Devil's Tower,
Custer Peak, Bear Butte, Crow Peak, Inyan Kara, Sundance Moun-
tain and Warren Peaks. Less prominent masses occur in great
profusion and few important gulches of the region are free from
good exposures, the structural details of which may frequently be
determined with much precision. The intrusives occur in the form
of dikes, shocks, sills and laccoliths, few regions showing them in
greater number or to better advantage. Intermediate and connect-
ing stages of every grade are found and erosion has planed and
dissected them so carefully that the faithful observer may easily
read their meaning.
Reviewing and collecting foregoing facts with reference
to the sequence of occurrence of the many phenomena it may be
said that in Algonkian time the schists and quartzites were de-
posited as sediments derived from land lying apparently either to
the west or to, the northeast of the position now occupied by the
Hills. Later these original sediments were penetrated by basic
eruptives, at which time more or less metamorphism and folding
were produced. Subsequent to this action the sedimentary rocks,
as well as the basic eruptives, were ramified by quartz veins, many
of which are gold-bearing. Following the eruption of the basic
90 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
rocks, and after most or all of the gold-bearing quartz veins were
formed, extensive granite intrusions occurred. Apparently at the
time of the intrusion of the basic eruptives the slaty cleavage was
produced, and approximately coincident with the granite intrusions
the crystalline schists were developed. At some time during the
middle or latter part of the Algonkian period the sea shallowed and
the land rising above the sea as an island, reached a considerable
height. The rocks thus brought under the influence of erosive agents
supplied much or all of the sediments which make up the Cambrian
strata.
Little is known of the conditions during Silurian and Devonion
time ,rocks of these periods being absent in the southern portion of
the uplift and very scantily represented in the northern portion.
Deep water prevailed during the early part of the Carboniferous
period, and although the sea subsequently shallowed, apparently
little or no land area existed near the region until after the period
closed. The Triassic red beds, with their included widely distributed
lenses of gypsum, followed the extensive deposition of the nearly
pure Permian limestone, indicate a considerable uplift and general
shallowing of the sea. The shales, sandstones and impure lime-
stones of the Jurassic show considerable oscillation and, on the
whole, further shallowing of the sea. The Cretaceous rocks, in-
cluding as they do a great series of diversified strata, represent
several changes of conditions. In general it may be said that fairly
shallow seas existed in the early and later portions of the period,
while during much of the intervening time deep water prevailed.
Near the beginning of Tertiary time great disturbances took
place. The region was lifted quite above the sea and deeply
trenched by outflowing streams. Sea conditions disappeared, leav-
ing the land partially or wholly surrounded by a considerable body of
water in the form of a lake. Approximately coincident with these
changes the Tertiary igneous rocks of the northern Hills were in-
truded among the sedimentaries, and by their subsequent denuda-
tion and degradation added their portion of sediment to the sur-
rounding lake. The lake then disappeared and upon its dry bed
the modern streams have trenched their way.
It is unnecessary to say that the unravelling of all these facts
is a matter of much interest to one desirous of knowing the pro-
cesses of nature's activities, and the knowledge gained by the study
of the relation of these facts to ore and mineral deposition is one
to which much fruitful study might be given. The Black Hills re-
gion ranks among the important mineral producers of the country
and well it may. Among the ores and minerals already productive
or capable of production the following are of importance: Gold,
copper, iron, manganese, silver and lead, tin, tungsten, graphite,
mica, Spodumene, building stone, brick clays, cements, coal. Of
all these gold is pre-eminently the chief product. Its presence may be
detected in almost every variety of rock within the region and work
able bodies are found at many horizons. The following classification
gives the various horizons and indicates to a certain extent the mode
of occurrence of the ores :
Classification of Black Hills gold ores:
A. Ores occurring with the Algonkian rocks
1. In quartz veins.
2. In veins of auriferous pyrite.
3. In igneous dikes, sheets, etc.
4. In slate breccias.
5. In fissure veins.
6. In mineralized zones.
B. Ores occurring within the Cambrian rocks.
7. In the basal conglomerate "cement" ores.
8. In slates, sandstones and quartzites "siliceous" ores.
C. Ores occurring within the Carboniferous rocks.
9. In brecciated "verticals" in limestones "siliceous" ores.
AMERICAN MINING- CONGRESS. 91
10. In massive limestone "lime-siliceous" ores.
D. Ores within the Pleistocene deposits.
11. In high level bars "dry" placers.
12. In present strata beds "wet" placers.
Of these deposits the placers, the cement ores, and the brec-
ciated limestone verticals early yielded their most profitable returns,
the pyrite veins have been extensively exploited only as a source
of fluxing material for smelting operations while the igneous dikes,
sheets, and slate breccias, although known to be of occasional im-
portance, have not received thorough attention.
The gold-bearing quartz veins are found throughout the highly
metamorphic area of the Hills, Custer, Pennington and Lawrence
counties all showing localities yielding handsome values. This ore
is generally free milling but there are important exceptions, the
difficult treatment of which has to the present time prevented suc-
cessful development.
The siliceous and the lime-siliceous ores, as they are called,
which are so extensive in the northern Hills are wholly refractory.
They occur in the form of shoots or channels within the nearly flat
lying sedimentaries known as the blanket formations in immediate
connection with nearly vertical fractures running in a direction
parallel to the longer diameter of the shoots. The fractu/res or
"verticals," as they are frequently called, are generally slickensided
and frequently form vault planes along which more or less move-
ment has occurred. The ore shoots vary considerably in shape but
in the main are greatly elongated bodies having a rounded or lenticu-
lar cross-section. They lie in a general north-south direction and
excepting certain irregularities produced by lateral branches are
practically parallel with each other. The structural relations are oc-
casionally complex. Folding is observed, faulting frequently occurs
and the igneous intrusions sometimes aid in concealing true strati-
graphic relations. Usually, however, the conditions are of such a
nature as to cause no serious hindrance to the proper development
of mining property. The siliceous ores are found at various hori-
zons within the Cambrian, chief of which is immediately above the
conglomeratic quartzite. The lime-siliceous ores, so called, occur
at various horizons within the Carboniferous, the chief position being
near the top of the massive white or gray limestone now technically
known as the Pohasappa formation. Tertiary igneous rocks have cut
and intercalated the Cambrian and Carboniferous strata to a marked
degree and it is to this acton either directly or indirectly that the
deposition of the ore is due.
Of all the classes of ores mentioned that of the impregnated
zones has longest yielded large returns. The typical zone, the
Homestake belt, has furnished approximately three-fourths of tlie
total gold output of the Hills and continues today to afford mare than
one-half the annual output. The ore occurs in extensive deposits,
chiefly as low grade chloritic and amphibole schists highly impreg-
nated with quartz and is largely free milling.
Of mineral products in the Hills other than gold copper, iron,
manganese and tin have received much attention but as yet no
properties worked for them have become steadily productive. Copper
is found chiefly in the Algonkian and nearly every portion of the
Hills conrial metamorphic rocks disclose its presence. Many of
the properties are capped by a heavy gossan carrying more or less
copper and in various places where this gossan cap discloses consid-
erable quantities of copper extensive prospecting is being carried on.
As usual with such deposits carbonates oxides, and the native metal
are found near the surface, while below sulphides occur. A zone
of enrichment which judging from other regions showing apparently
similar conditions might be confidently expected has not yet been
disclosed. Only future extensive prospecting under favorable condi-
tions will prove conclusively the actual nature of the deposits.
92 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
Iron is widely distributed within the slates and schists and in the
southern and central Hills it has received some attention. Distance
from, ready markets has thus far prevented its extensive exploitation.
Silver and lead are found in the Algonkian metamorphic rocks and
in the Cambrian and Carboniferous sedimentaries. Lead ores as-
sociated with silver have been mined in the central Hills and at
Carbonate and Galena. The character of the ore bodies in the var-
ious localities differ widely. They occur in the Algonkian in veins,
in the Cambrian as shoots and in the Carboniferous as contact de-
posits, the latter two graduating more or less into each other. In
the central Hills the ore is closely associated with vein quartz. At
Iron Hill is occupied a nearly vertical position along a porphyry
dike where it cut the massive Pohasappa limestone. At Galena the
ore bodies are found in the Cambrian, their manner of occurrence
being much the same as the Cambrian siliceous gold ores. They,
like the gold ores, are impregnations due to secretions from water
which has gained access to the easily replacable calcareous mater-
ials through numerous vertical cracks or fissures produced perhaps
approximately coincident with the intrusions of the Tertiary igneous
rocks.
Tin is found in the granites and in the stream gravels of the Har-
ney Peak and the Nigger Hill districts. The ore occurs in the form
of cassiterite. Cupro-cassiterite occurs at the Etta mine near Key-
stone and stannite has been identified, but these last aside from
their scientific interest are of no value as thus far disclosed in the
region. The cassiterite is found in the granite or crystals or masses
of all sizes up to occasionally several pounds weight. The minerals
occur chiefly in a feldspar or muscorite aggregate but is occasionally
found in a quartz muscorite aggregation in quartz alone. The granite
is of a distinctly pegmatitic character and where the tin occurs is in
the nature of dike material. The wide distribution of the cassiterite
is readily conceded but the actual value of the deposits is a much
discussed problem, the nature and details of which have been so
often touched upon that there is no need at this time to offer opin-
ions upon the subject.
Wolframite or Tuysten as it is frequently called is one of the
most recent minerals to enter the list of Black Hills metallic -pro-
ducts. This has been long recognized in small amounts in the
granites of Custer and Pennington counties, but four years ago it was
observed in quantity in Lawrence county, closely associated with
the Cambrian siliceous gold ores. The chief occurrences are near
Lead and Yellow creek.
This extremely brief review of the metallic minerals brings us
to the nonmetallic products. These are of great interest and they
could readily lend themselves to extended discussion. Publications
now readily accessible describe these in detail however, and they
need receive little more than enumeration at this time. Graphite occurs
in the slate and schists in quantity but as yet of uncertain value.
Mica in the Harney Peak granite has long been worked and still
receives prominent attention. Spodumene, also from the Harney
Peak granite, especially near Keystone, is extensively worked for
its lithia content. It is well to state and of interest to remember
that this mineral occurs in crystals of unprecedented size, no other
place in the world so far as known showing crystals of any sub-
stance comparable in size to the spodument crystals of the Key-
stone district.
Building stone is abundant. Few of the geological formations
are wholly lacking in minerals fairly suitable for building purposes
and several of them can supply good stone in unlimited quantity.
Thus far the Dakota, the. Lakota and the Unkpapa sandstones have
received most attention. They are readily accessible, are durable,
and are otherwise suitable for structural purposes. Brick clays
and cements are abundant and easily secured. Coal is found in
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 93
the lower part of the Lakota along the western and northwestern
edge of the Hills in Wyoming, it having been mined for several
years near Newcastle and at Aladdin.
This briefly and inadequately is a summary of the geology and
mineralogy of the Black Hills. In concluding my paper I would add
testimony to that of many another before me that the Black Hills
region is truly a land of wealth and beauty a most interesting part
of nature's great store house where men may seek with profit the
material necessities of life and where they may not find lacking
those things which gratify the mental nature and which tend to lead
to nobler living.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: This closes the exercises of the af-
ternoon as provided by your program committee. Wlhat is your
further pleasure?
MR. JACKSON, OF IDAHO: Mr. President, I have a resolution
here that I should like to have read and referred to the committee
on resolutions, being a resolution entitled, "A Resolution as to
Mineralized Timber Lands."
The resolution was read by the secretary and by the president
referred to the committee on resolutions.
MR. MOORE, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: Mr. President, I move you
that by rising vote we extend Professor O'Harra a vote of thanks for
his highly interesting and instructive paper upon the geology and
mineralogy of the Black Hills.
The motion was duly seconded, stated by the president and un-
animously carried.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: The secretary will read another reso-
lution by Mr. James W. Abbott, of Colorado, which, when read, will
be referred to the committee on resolutions.
COLONEL THORNBY, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: Mr. President,
I move that this Congress extend its thanks to Mr. Blatchford for
his very excellent paper, by rising vote.
The motion was duly seconded, stated by the president and un-
animously carried.
MR. C. L. DIGNOWITY, OF PENNSYLVANIA: Mr. President,
I desire to offer a resolution with reference to the appointment of a
committee of five of our active members, to be selected by our chair,
to derive means by which suitable men be employed to visit all mining
camps and organize local mining organizations to cooperate with this
congress in obtaining paid members.
The resolution was read by Secretary Mahon and by the president
referred to the Committee on Resolutions.
The Chairman of the Program Committee, Mr. Elder, of South
Dakota, announced the program for tomorrow, September 10. 1903.
MR. C. L. DIGNOWITY, OF PENNSYLVANIA: Mr. President,
in presenting my resolution which was turned over to the committee,
I was going to ask them to waive that and allow the chair to appoint
that committee in order to expedite matters; some of the members
are going away and we would like to have some of those members here
to help us out. I feel as though our President has presented us with
such an earnest request to attend to these matters that we ought to
take heed and hurry the matter along.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: How soon did you say you would like
that committee appointed?
MR. C. L. DIGNOWITY: I would like to have the chair appoint
that committee, if it is in accord with the wishes of the Congress, now
and not wait to refer it to the Committee.
94 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: I would like a little time to think over
the matter because we would require men of special fitness for that
work, and I would like to have some suggestions from others. I could
possibly announce the committee Friday morning so that we could
get men of qualification to serve on that committee, it is not everyone
that can serve.
It was moved and seconded that the chair appoint such committee
and that he report the membership of such committee at the Friday
meeting.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: If there is no objection to that motion
we will consider it carried and the chair will so appoint and announce.
MR. TARBELL, OF COLORADO: I move that we adjourn until
8 o'clock this evening.
The motion was duly seconded and upon being stated by the
President was carried and the Congress adjourned to 8 o'clock P. M.,
to meet at the Golden Star Club, of Lead, South Dakota.
Lead, South Dakota, September 9, 1903, 8 P. M.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: Congress will be in order. We have
on our program an address by the Honorable John L. Webster, of
Omaha, Nebraska, his subject being "The Money Metals and Their
Influence Upon Civilization."
HON. JOHN L. WEBSTER: "Money, which represents the prose
of life, and which is hardly spoken of in parlors without an apology,
is in its effects and laws as beautiful as roses." So said the American
philosophical seer of a generation ago; Ralph Waldo Emerson. It has
been said that the love of money is the root of all evil. But one who
has deeply studied the history of civilization, and whose writings are
recognized as standard everywhere, Henry Thomas Buckle, said that
"after the love of knowledge there is no one passion which has done
so much good to mankind as the love of money."
Wealth is power. Gold is the standard of its measurement. Com-
forts and luxuries are its attendants; supremacy in trade and com-
merce its achievement. Wherever there is found a wealthy nation,
there is progress and advancement. Such is the United States with
her ninety-four billions of wealth, and countless gold in her treasury.
One of her chief sources of security is the money metals buried in her
mountains, which the energy and toil of her industrious and venture-
some men are daily bringing forth, to enrich the people and to make
possible further resulting achievements for the betterment of mankind.
Gold discoveries are the advance guard of civilization. They are
attended by phenomenal tides of emigration. Multitudes of people of
all classes and all languages, in all countries and in all ages, have left
their old homes and wandered, amid hardships and dangers, over lands
and over seas to the uttermost parts of the earth where the money
metals have been found. In their zeal, when necessary, the sword has
made the roadway against resisting forces. They have carried on
devastating and merciless wars against ignorant and semi-barbarous
people, dignified by historians under the name of conquests.
Cortez and Pizarro were typical leaders of such destroying forces,
but the gold of Mexico and Peru brought back life to decaying south-
ern Europe, and opened the way for the outgoing of one race and the
incoming of another; for the new peopling of a hemisphere that had
existed from the beginning of time in the darkness of world isolation.
But after all no matter how cruel the means or destroying the
process, or destructive the forces the old race of people gave place
to the invader, and a new civilization spread over the land and over
the new continent; in North America an Anglo Saxon civilization,
"making the deserts and waste places to blossom, cities to rise amid
the solitude, and seas whose virgin waters had hardly been stirred
by a single prow, to grow white with the sails of golden argosies."
UNIVERSITY
OF
[ERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 95
To us, as citizens of the United States, the discovery of gold in
California presents a more interesting series of social and political
events and more wonderful material and industrial changes. In the
colonial period of our history, the money metals were scarce. The
cheap and bulky and inconvenient devices at times resorted to to
represent money made trade difficult and commerce almost impossible.
It seems surprising to us now, but was not strange then, that such
statesmen as Edmund Randolph, James Madison and John Dickinson
suggested to the Federal Convention in 1787 to insert a clause in the
Constitution to measure the salaries of the President and Senators by
the value of so many bushels of wheat. From that period to the dis-
covery of gold in California in 1847, a period of sixty years, the
aggregate output of gold in the United States was limited to $24,000,-
000, and the growth of the population from about five to twenty
millions.
From Jamestowfi and Plymouth to 1847 from the Atlantic sea-
board to the Missouri River marked the limit of the progress of our
people through a period covering more than two centuries of time,
After 1847, when Marshall had discovered the glittering dust in the
raceway of Sutter's mill when gold began to be turned up like clods
of earth or washed from sands deposited by mountain torrents civ-
ilization began to sweep over the plains, the Rockies, the Sierras' and
down the valley of the Sacramento to the sea. Soon the Californians
boasted while they were taking out $40,000,000 of gold in 1849 and
$65,000,000 in 1853, that her valleys laughed with fertility; that cul-
ture climbed .her mountains; and that the commerce of the world was
represented in her harbors. On, and on, went the changes until each
rising sun now greets the faces of 20,000,000 of people west of the
Missouri River; a prosperous and happy and industrial people; with
farms and villages and towns and cities; with schools and colleges
and universities; with museums of art, and evidences of refinement
everywhere; an Empire that has moved the center of the country's
social, commercial and political gravity many degrees westward, and
presents untold possibilities for the future.
The immense gold output of California soon stimulated thousands
of prospectors and adventurers to search the whole region of moun-
tains extending from Mexico to the Canadian line for the precious
money metals. Soon gold was discovered in Colorado and silver in
Nevada. Pikes Peak and Virginia City became names as familiar as
New York and Boston.
Then the mountains of Utah disclosed gold and silver, and Mon-
tana_ jajas added in the sixties with her gold and copper. The cities
of "Salt Lake and Butte and Helena became familiar as the homes
of mining kings, and San Francisco the city where they built their
palaces. But the daring spirits of men were not yet tired, and the
Black Hills were explored this group of mountains standing out
alone, as if nature buried within them her richest treasures and then
heaved them up above the plain to attract the attention of men and
lie-re were found the out-croppings of millions upon millions of tons
of gold ores. Now Deadwood and Lead are as well known to the
country as St. Louis and Philadelphia.
From all these gold fields, from 1847 to 1903, the aggregate of the
output of the money metals reached such momentous proportions that
it surpassed the understanding and comprehension of men. Those
sixty years have witnessed important movements, oft forgotten but
which need only be suggested to be remembered, and which changed
the social and political character of the Nation.
The gold hunters and that vast throng of sturdy pioneers who
peopled the western coast were men who had endured indescribable
hardships as they slowly journeyed through the almost impassable
fastnesses and frowning canyons of the Rockies. They breathed the
air of freedom from the mountains and were inspired by the ever
restless waters of the Pacific as an emblem of liberty. These men
believed that slavery and nature were at war, and in 1850 brought
96 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
California into the Union as a free state. The equilibrium between
the North and the South, between the free states and the slave states,
which the southern statesmen had so long endeavored to preserve
was thus forever broken.
Then followed a chain of resulting circumstances, in every link of
which may be seen evidences of forces which the searchers for the
money metals had directly or indirectly put in motion, and which
coupled with American high ideals of citizenship worked out wonder-
ful results for the betterment of humanity and the strengthening of
the Union.
With slavery forbidden within the confines of California, its
lodgment anywhere along the Pacific coast line became an impossibil-
ity. There soon followed the Southern agitation for an extension or
enlargement of slave territory, and the repeal of the Missouri Com-
promise. The North and the South threw down the gauntlet and
fought a political duel for the possession of Kansas. The lovers of
manhood rights, from New England to the mining camps of the West,
joined hands in the struggle. Higher ideals of citizenship again pre-
vailed and another free state was added to the Union.
The political strife now assumed national proportions. The Demo-
cratic Convention at Charleston witnessed the wrecking of that party
over the slavery question and which split it asunder on sectional lines.
Thousands of people with fevered brains and throbbing hearts warmly
greeted a Republican -President as he stood on the portico of the Cap-
itol announcing an administrative policy of Union and Love. But the
South was alarmed and doubted and refused the olive branch of peace.
A civil war ensued; slavery was overthrown; the government was re-
established on a firmer basis than before, and the "mystic chords of
memory" now "swell the chorus of the Union."
But let us look back at the West again. The metals that were
washed from the beds of her streams and dug from the depths of her
mountains, made money more abundant and lightened the burdens of
the people. Prosperity is the mother of contentment, and it shed over
them the sunshine of happniess. As her resources increased there
followed wealth and power and confidence. New needs were created
which required new industries and new means and new channels to
supply them. Cities and towns were springing up in gulches and canyons.
New railroads crossed the plains, and climbed the slopes and tunnelled
the summits, and the sudden growth of new mileage was so enormous
that it astonished the capitalists of Europe. And with it all the mental
horizon of the American people was broadened and the circle of their
interests and activities enlarged.
Again new fields must be explored by skillful and hardy and
adventurous men, possessing not only acuteness of observation but
adaptablity for the work by practical experience in the West. It was
a miner, who had had experience in California, who first discovered
gold in Australia in 18 51^ and thence followed that immigration that
brought that far-off island continent under the white man's civilization
and made it valuable as a province or a federation under the British
Dominion.
We will not stop to speak of British Columbia or Nova Scotia or
Mexico or Central or South America for they are of but passing interest
when compared with the zeal that bordered on frenzy, that induced
men to face cold and pestilence and hunger under the magnetic attrac-
tion of gold hunting through the desolate regions to the Klondike in
1896, and the barrenness of Nome in 1899. Had it not been for the
quest and discovery of the money metals, Australia would probably
have remained for many generations an unprogressive retreat for pas-
toral settlers and exiled convicts, and Alaska an unexplored region for
the wandering Indians and her Ocean waters the playground for the
seals.
But the money metals are found in other lands than ours. A trans-
formation is going on in Africa, more slowly but little less remarkable,
than that which went on in America from the days of the disappear-
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 97
ance of the Aztec races to the founding of an American Republic.
Between the days when we used to read of the explorations of Living-
stone and Stanley in "Darkest Africa," and the year of 1898 when sixty
millions of gold was taken from the "Rand," the gloom of obscurity
was lifted from that southern continent. Civilized men rushed into it
from every country in Europe, and the trading instincts of every com-
mercial nation of the earth entered its borders. The riches of the
Transvaal and the Orange Free State presented untold possibilities of
wealth to the adventurous and the timid alike, and quickly excited an
avaricious cupidity which led to the war that gave Great Britain the
supremacy of the continent. She already owned 2,800,000 square miles
of territory in Africa, and as a consequence of the war she added to
herself the lands of two nations, whose enormous beds of the money
metals promise within a quarter of a century, the production of three
billions of gold. Under such prosperous conditions the civilization of
Europe and America with all their beneficent and elevating influences
will take possession of Africa, and it will no longer remain a dark and
waste place on the face of the earth.
Lord Kitchener, after surveying the interest of Great Britain in
Africa, said: "England has the making of a new America in the
southern hemisphere." He was partly right, for the changes have
begun by which the desert plains and uplands and the water highways
of that dark continent will be opened to universal commerce and to a
better citizenship. But Lord Kitchener was partly wrong, for in no
land, on any continent, in any hemisphere are found such boundless
opportunities for enterprising people as in the United States of Amer-
ica. We have more agreeable lands, richer soils, better water ways
and more capacious ocean harbors. "Wfe have lands which produce
the products to feed and the materials to clothe the millions. We have
untold sources of wealth in lumber and in every variety of mineral
ores that make possible those artificial productions that have already
made the United States the richest and the greatest of the manufac-
uring and commercial nations. Notwithstanding the great possibili-
ties for Africa, the United States will draw unto herself more than the
lion's share of the gold that shall come from the Transvaal.
America with her trans-continental railways has excited the
emulation of Great Britain and Russia. The Cape-to-Cairo Railway of
Africa and the Trans-Siberian Railway from St. Petersburg to Vlad-
ivostok will do for these countries what the building of the Union
Pacific did for the western half of America. The north of Asia will
soon have a new awakening. The Empire of Russia, whose popula-
tion in a century has grown from thirty to one hundred and forty mil-
lions of people is becoming a power in the world's controversies. Her
civilization may be medieval, and her industrial system may be
archaeic, but her determined purpose of expansion and her resistless
ambition for power make her an international factor that must be
consfdered and consulted in every movement in the Orient. Her
future is big with possibilities of social and industrial and commercial
changes.
The auriferous region of Siberia will ere long attract another rush
of gold searchers to her bleak solitudes, and the wizard gold will
eventually people with civilized men the heart of Upper Asia and bring
mankind back to the "cradle of its race." The gold that has been
found in Africa and the gold that will be found in Asia will be the
companions of civilization in these progressive movements of the
human race.
But here again our thoughts are irresistably drawn to the west
of our country. The ocean that washes our western shores reaches
to the east coast line of the Orient, connecting the newest of the
new world with the oldest of the old. Wh'en we shall have more Amer-
ican ships upon this western sea, and a larger mingling of American
golden civilization with Mongolian races, the commercial tonnage that
will be floated on the Waters of the Pacific shall surpass in value and
abundance the transportation across the Atlantic.
98 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
More than two hundred years ago, the man whose name had been
honorably associated with the commencement of a new era in
English commerce, and who devised the accepted plan of the Bank of
England, dreamed of the opulence and wealth that would flow into
the laps of an enterprising and intelligent people who would take
possession of Darien and construct across the isthmus a commercial
highway. In his enthusiasm he was wont to say that "who ever pos-
sessed that door of the sea, that key of the universe * * * *
would give law to both hemispheres"; that Darien would become a
vast warehouse for the wealth which would be poured into it "from
Canton and Siam, from Ceylon and Moluccas, from the mouth of the
Ganges and the Gulf of Cambay."
But the -realization of the hopes and desires of William Paterson
were not to come in his day. The fates of time postponed the act
of connecting the two oceans, until in this our day, the building of
the Isthmian canal shall give to the United States, the command of
the commerce of the seas. But before that great work shall have been
completed, there will come floating through the Golden Gate and into
the harbor at Seattle, an ocean trade from the lands of the Orient
richer in wealth and of far greater magnitude than the Scotchman pre-
dicted or the fancy of Macauly could paint.
But there is more in the civilization of the West than the mere
search for gain or the conquest of wealth. There are in it ideals of
life as characteristic of the people as is their progressive spirit. I
dare not say in words of my own all that I feel and all that I believe
as to the future of our West. May I not borrow the words spoken
but a few years ago by a senator from Massachusetts; "Our brethren
and our children have done in the West what our fathers did in the
East. Under new conditions, in a later age, on the shores of a more
pacific sea, in a more genial clime, they are to repeat in the near
future, the old and wondrous story. The world shall see in that far
clime the streets of a wealthier New York; the homes of a more cul-
tured Boston; the halls of a more learned Harvard; the workshops of
a busier Worcester."
Nlo class of people recognize better than we do, and none are more
sensibly touched by the thought that we are all parts of one common
country, and that whatever shall add to the prosperity of the whole
nation wakes the strongest appeal to our highest sense of duty and
strengthens in us the loyal bonds of patriotism and unity. Wfe are
lovers of education, broad in purpose, ennobling in character, sweet-
ening and broadening the lives and work of men, which is the dis-
tinguishing feature of American national life.
But I would commend to our eastern friends the reading of the
following statement from John Morley, "Great economic and social
forces flow with a tidal sweep over the communities that are only
half conscious of that which is befalling them. Wise statesmen are
those who foresee what time is thus bringing, and endeavor to shape
institutions and to mold men's thought and purpose in accordance with
the change that is silently surrounding them."
John Morley was not thinking of our West when he wrote those
sentences, but how aptly they fit the changes that the West is vigor-
ously, actively and surely working in the social, political, industrial
and commercial conditions of the United States. I wish I could have
our eastern friends understand how boundless are the opportunities,
how measureless are the resources in that area of country between the
Missouri River and the Pacific, and how enterprising and progressive
the people that built up the Empire of the West since the discovery of
gold in California.
Decades in the life of a nation are as nothing. This Republic,
grand and glorious as she is, has just started on her career. The
future before her is vast, dim and immeasurable. "Nature is omnipot-
ent, nations must float with the tide." But whether she is passing
through the darkness and storms of uncertain conflicts, or moving
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.- r
under all the splendor of the golden sunshine of peace and prosperity,
the West and the East shall be forever one.
HON. E. W. MARTIN, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: Mr. President, I
am sure I voice the sentiment of all present when I follow the preced-
ent we have established today in remembering our distinguished
visitors and I therefore move that we express our pleasure for this
excellent address of Mr. Wtebster, by rising vote of thanks.
The motion was seconded, stated by the President and unanimous-
ly carried.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: Any matter that pertains to the bus-
iness of the Congress is. now in order.
HON. E. W. MARTIN, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: I would like to
announce that there will be a meeting of the Committee on Resolutions
at 10 o'clock tomorrow forenoon in the Business Men's Club in Dead-
wood. It is not desired that this shall interfere with any of the pro-
gram for tomorrow and of course it will not with the visit to the Home-
stake mine, which, I understand will be in the afternoon, but numerous
resolutions have been referred which we have not had an opportunity
to examine and we would like a meeting of that committee tomorrow
and I wish the Secretary would read the list of the members of this
Committee, as I think some have not been informed that they have
been appointed.
Secretary Mahon read the list of members of the Committee on
Resolutions.
HON. E. W. MARTIN, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: Mr. President, the
committee on resolutions asked me to ask an instruction of this body
and while I did not expect to do so until some subsequent meeting, I
am reminded by a member of the committee that perhaps this was a
timely opportunity as we appear to be out of business at the present
time. Numerous resolutions have been referred to us; some of those
resolutions pertain plainly to matters of mines and mining, either
directly or remotely, some of them have no possible connection with
the subject of mines and mining at all and the committee would like
instructions from the Congress as to whether it is the desire of the
Congress that this committee shall consider seriously and pass upon,
either by recommending or refusing to recommend, resolutions that
have no connection with the subjects of mines and mining, either
directly or remotely.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: If you will permit the chair to make
a suggestion if you will remember correctly, upon reading the by-laws
you will notice there the aims and purposes of the American Mining
Congress as set forth by the Executive Committee. That is more
fully set forth in the articles of incorporation and, of course, you will
notice that the aims and purposes of this corporation and its by-laws,
is to limit these questions to matters pertaining to mining directly or
indirectly and if you are to adhere to the purposes of the incorporation
it strikes me that you would answer the question of the gentleman, but
however, we would like a suggestion from any member on that
question.
COLONEL GEORGE, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: I would suggest
that the Committee will first take up those matters that pertain to
mines and mining, the securing of legislation from tthe national con-
gress necessary to give us relief and that when they report the resolu-
tions a time should be fixed for the Congress to consider them. There
ought to be a distinct hour to take up each subject as reported. Let
the Congress make its rules and adhere to them and get them through
in a business way, so that when the Congress of the United State?
meets, we will have something to present there in a business manner,
something that will command respect and attention and get the sup-
port of every man honestly engaged in getting the mining laws so
100 OFFICIAL, PROCEEDINGS
shaped as to benefit the mines and mining, coeval with the laws that
now pertain to the agricultural department. We want legislation from
that body that at least will give us as .much aid and benefit to mining
as congress aids every year agriculture and other industries. We
want some practical, hard common sense legislation for the benefit of
mining. We want to get our demands in shape and send them to con-
gress in the form of resolutions. Therefore I would ask this committee
to confine itself to that which pertains to mining, the best methods of
treating ores and ask the government aid in finding out what is in
the ores. We want to find out how much gold can be saved out
of ore carrying three dollars now. W|e want every government
analysis and test concerning our ores, so that we may be better
enabled to treat them. We desire cur mining laws amended so that
the mining men at least will be put on a par with others. We desire
our laws changed with reference to the survey of the public mineral
lands. The only thing to do is for the mining men to say what they
want. We do not ask any favors other than our share of govern-
ment help but we propose to have an equal showing with the men that
raise hogs and cattle and it is our duty to inform congress what we
desire and what rightfully belongs to us, and we must tell our re-
presentatives what we want, they will not give us anything that
is not asked for. Therefore let us get together and formulate our
wishes in the form of resolutions that our representatives in congress
will be enabled to give us such legislation as we should have for
these matters.
MR. BUCKLEY, OF MISSOURI: I would move you Mr. Presi-
dent, that the committee on resolutions be referred to Article 2 of
the proposed constitution and by-laws and that they use this article
for their instruction with regard to acting upon the resolutions that
have been presented to this Congress .
Secretary Mahon read the article referred to.
HON. E. W. MARTIN: Mr. President, the committee are quite
familiar with the proposed by-laws and also with the constitution
but the idea of the committee is that neither the time of the com-
initee nor the time of this Congress ought legitimately to be taken
up with the serious consideration of matters that have no reference
to the purposes as defined in this article, but in face of that fact
we are having referred to us in a serious way for consideration
various matters which do not pertain to mines and mining directly
or indirectly. We might have exercised in arbitrary course with
reference to these matters and suppressed those resolutions in the
committee, but it seemed to us best to have the sense of Congress
upon that subject. To illustrate, my friend George has introduced 1
a resolution asking the admission of Oklahoma as a state in this
nation. We may all be favorable to an active Congress of that
character but it has no connection either directly or remotely, as
it seems to us, with the subjects for deliberation of this Congress.
I dO'not know that there is any mining carried on in the state or pro-
posed state of Oklahoma, and if there were it would not make legis-
lation of that kind pertinent to the purposes of this organization
and it is for the purpose of not seeming discourteous to this sort
of a resolution, but our having the feeling of this Congress upon it,
that in seriousness we. ask for instructions.
MR. PATTERSON, OF NEBRASKA: I would second the motion
of Dr. Buckley in order to bring us to a head and a conclusion I
think the section read covers the situation identically.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: It has been moved and seconded that
the committee be referred to Article 2 of the by-laws of this or-
ganization for instructions with regard to acting upon resolutions
which have been presented to this Congress. Are you ready for
the question?
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS 10]
MR. CONZETTE, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: Mr. President, it
strikes me that in giving the committee the entire hour absolutely
to decide those questions that you are taking something from this
convention that rightfully belongs to it. It doesn't strike me that
it is proper to throw the entire disposition of those things into the
hands of that committee, but of course it strikes me that they ought
to have a limited power, something of this nature: that, for instance,
any resolution that has been referred to that committee that they
are to report to our convention with their recommendation and if
any -resolution has been submitted to them that they believe is not
of interest to the mining industry in reporting that resolution they
should so state, then the convention can decide whether it believes
that of interest to the mining industry or not, and I would move
you as an amendment to that motion that this committee report
the several resolutions that have been referred to it with their
recommendations and the convention then to decide for itself. I
do not like to delegate my opinion about those things to any second
party and I want a voice in its decision and I believe every other
member of this organization would like to have a voice in those
questions because this Section 2 gives a very wide latitude and it
would put a power in the hands of the committee that I do not
think rightfully belongs there.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: The question now is on the original
motion, there being no second to this one. All in favor of that say
"aye," those opposed "no." The motion was carried.
A resolution recommended by A. M. Donaldson, of Colorado,
relating to the purchase and use of silver by the government was
offered and read by the secretary and by the president referred to
the committee on resolutions.
MR. CONZETTE, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: I would just like to
ask now for information; provided this committee should see fit
to turn down that resolution and say that it is not pertaining to
the mining industry directly in any manner, has that committee
the power to do so?
PRESIDENT 'RICHARDS: The chair states that had your mo-
tion been seconded the chair would have ruled it out of order be-
cause the committee could make nothing further than recommen-
dations and it would have been a useless amendment because no
committee could take from this body its right to exercise whatever
judgment it would see fit upon any question. I think it was very
proper for them to ask a little instruction from this body and to get
its sentiment, so that when that question comes up from that com-
mittee whatever the recommendation may be it will then be in the
hands of this Congress for action.
MR. CONZETTE, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: Do I understand by
that resolution that that committee has the power to decide as to
whether it shall suppress a resolution or present it before this con-
vention?
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: I do not understand it that way.
MR. CONZETTE, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: That is the way I un-
derstood it.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: This Congress, of course, has con-
trol of every question that comes before it. The committee on reso-
lutions will report on the resolutions and then it will be before this
Congress for final disposition.
MR. CONZETTE, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: Supposing the com-
mittee fails to report any resolution that has been offered to it?
102 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: Then this Congress has a right to
call for a report upon any resolution it may require. The individual
has a right to call upon this Congress to ask for a report, if Con-
gress sees fit to do so in such a case; that has always been the rule,
everyone will always have a chance under our rules in this Con-
gress to ask for a report. I know that is the purpose of the com-
mittee and it strikes me a very proper request that they get the senti-
ment of the Congress upon that question because it is a new one.
They will not be shut out to be heard upon any question except
something ruled out by the body.
MR. CONZETTE, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: My reason for speaking
on this subject was in this way; we see of course that all of the
various industries of the country have their organizations; take the
wool growers of the west, they have their organization, and sugar
growers, the steel and iron men of the east and they are all of
course devoted to the advancement of their particular industries
and when these questions come up in their organizations they debate
everything that pertains to their industry. For instance, if the wool
growers' convention was in session and the question of tariff on
wool came up, it would be discussed in the same manner as the
growing of wool would, because it would directly pertain to the in-
terests of that industry and to its advantages, whether there was a
tariff on wool or whether there was not, and if any man in the wool
growers' convention was to get up and say: "This is not a political
organization, you must not introduce a political subject, which the
tariff is," he would receive very scant courtesy from the balance
of those members of that organization. Because, while the organiza-
tion would be non-political, the fact of a high or low tariff on wool
would be of very great importance to that industry and they would
discuss it just the same as they would the growing of wool in any
manner, and thus the questions will come up in this convention in
directly the same manner and we expect to discuss them in that
manner just in the same way.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: Your inquiries are very pertinent and
very proper but we are undertaking to define as closely as possible
a line under the aims and purposes of the Congress for it to follow.
It is very proper to bring it up and there is no question but what
this Congress will give fair consideration to every question that
pertains to its interests.
It was moved, seconded and carried that Congress adjourn until
Friday morning, September llth, 1903, at 9:30 A. M. to meet at Lead,
South Dakota.
Lead, South Dakota, September llth, 1903, 9:30 A. M.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: Congress will be in order. Before
taking up the regular business, if there are any resolutions to intro-
duce this is a good opportunity to do so.
MR. HOLMES, OF MISSOURI: I have a resolution which I
desire to have read and referred to the committee on resolutions,
regarding the establishment and maintenance by the United States
of one or more institutions in each state and territory, the purpose
cf which shall be the giving of instruction in subjects relating to
mining and metallurgy and for carrying on investigations in these
subjects.
The resolution was read by Secretary Mahon and by the presi-
dent referred to the committee on resolutions.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: The chairman of the committee on
resolutions requests me to state that the committee is in the Golden
Star rooms and would like to have any resolution sent over as
speedily as possible so that if there is any other resolution to be
presented, this is a good opportunity; otherwise the resolutions sub-
mitted will be referred to that committee at once.
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 103
MR. PATTERSON, OF NEBRASKA: The chairman of the com-
mittee on credentials desires to make his report.
The report was read by the secretary and is as follows:
Deadwood, S. D., September 11, 1903.
To the President and Members of the American Mining Congress:
Gentlemen: Your committee duly appointed on the credentials
of members to this Congress beg to report that they have found five
hundred and forty-eight duly accredited and appointed delegates to
this Congress; and two hundred and twenty-six permanent members,
making a grand total of seven hundred and seventy-four, who are
legally entitled to be present and participate in all the proceedings
of this, the Sixth Annual Session of the Congress.
Yours most respectfully,
RICHARD C. PATTERSON, Chairman.
W. T. TARBELL,
C. A. HUTCHISON,
Committee.
I would state ex parte that I have the credentials with me of
all those who have handed them to me and if they desire they can
have them returned. They are here on the table.
MR. RUSSELL: Mr. President, I move you the adoption of the
report of the committee on credentials.
MR. GEORGE, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: I second the motion.
The motion was stated by the president and unanimously carried.
The following is the complete list of members and delegates
present:
ARIZONA.
Ewing, Col, Thos
Mills, C. E Phoenix
McLean, Milton Phoenix
CALIFORNIA.
Mitchell, Capt. E. Pryce Santa Barbara
Jones, John T Los Angeles
Ewing, Col. Thos. E Los Angeles
COLORADO.
Donaldson, A. M Denver
Browne, Col. Ed. F Aspen
Tarbell, W. S Colorado Springs
Abbott, Jas. W Denver
Beam, T. Walter Denver
Buckley, W. S ,/., ,
Wygant, Luther H
Shepherd, F. E Denver
Cammett, Ira A Denver
Kealey, Arthur E. , ; Boulder
Ballard, Fred L Colorado Springs
Schneider, G. W. .
Merrill, H. S Boulder
Hammond, L. P
Downing Jas. M. Aspen
Mills Denver
Sander, Frank F Colorado Springs
Brennan, Edgar H Colorado Springs
Mathews, Oliver Colorado Springs
Vanatta, J. K Colorado Springs
Snoup, O. H Colorado Springs
Haggatt, Lieut-Gov. W. A Colorado
104 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
ILLINOIS.
Ede, J. A LaSalle County
Law, Mrs. D. H Dixon
IOWA.
Gable, J. H Crawford County
Moore, Robert H Ottumwa
IDAHO.
Jackson, O. E Boise
Richards, Hon. J. H
Jenkins, Hon. Francis
Garver, W. A Spokane
INDIANA.
Hargrove, Geo Terre Haute
Simmons, C. B Indianapolis
MONTANA.
Kemper, Simeon V
Lynch, Jas ,. ., Butte
Winchell, S. N Butte
Kemper, Simeon V Butte
Brown, Daniel Butte
Harris, Hugh C Butte
MISSOURI.
Johnston, B. H Mendata
Buckley , Rolla
Walton, William Highbee
Holmes, Prof. J. A , St. Louis
MINNESOTA.
Webber, Clarence Minneapolis
Derringer, O. S St. Paul
Hanson, P. N Minneapolis
Appleby, Prof. Wm. R ( Minnesota
Bennett, Geo. M
Orr, Thos. G ,
O'Connor, P. D St. Paul
MICHIGAN.
Davies, M. L
MAINE.
Ricker, Asa L
Small, J. T Lewiston
NEBRASKA.
Nicholson, H. H Lincoln
Stueffer, Wm West Point
Dorsey, Geo. W. E Fremont
Patterson, Richard C Omaha
Webster, John L Omaha
Andrews, I. N Alliance
Lawler, William Lincoln
Cochran, S. T , Lincoln
Williams, Elmer
NORTH DAKOTA.
Wilder. Frank A . . Grand Forks
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 105
NEW YORK.
Earle, Henry New York
Crawford, Henry E .New York
OHIO.
Culver, Henry Elyria
OREGON.
McLaughlin, J. A Sumpter
Watson, Frank W , Portland
Drake, F. V Grants Pass
Myers, Jefferson Salem
Muir, Thos. K Portland
PENNSYLVANIA.
Dignowity, C. L Philadelphia
Heckler, C. F Philadelphia
SOUTH DAKOTA.
Gossage, Jas. B Rapid City
Halley, James ., Rapid City
M.cShane, A. G
May, Ernest .. .* Lead
Overpeck, A. C Keystone
Hare, Jos , Keystone
Martin, C. A Sturgis
George Jas. A ,. ., Deadwood
Blatchford, John Terry
Carroll, John D ....... .1 Lead
Blackstone, Richard Lead
Steward, Wesley A ,.
Irwin, E. F Lead
Thompson, Geo. B , ( . .- Lead
Gushurst, P. A Lead
Martin, E. W. . Deadwood
Phillips, K. G Deadwood
Selbie, William Deadwood
Star, Sol i ,. ., Deadwood
Pryce, O. U Deadwood
Harrington, J. T ,. ... ., Deadwood
Franklin, Harris Deadwood
Rice, W. G ..,....( Deadwood
Thompson, Moses Deadwood
Thegory, Thos , Lead
Crow, I. R Lead
McQuillan, James . .|. ... .1 Lead
Cotton, James Lead
Tbornby, W. J , ,..,.., Deadwood
Slagle, R. L Rapid City
Moody, Chas. C. ..... . f . .- Sturgis
Blatt, Max Sturgis
Pilcher, Jos. E ., , Custer
Gamble, R. J Yankton
Baldwin, F. R. . ., Maitland
Todd, J. E. Vermillion
Lawson, J. M Aberdeen
Mann, M. M Aberdeen
McNeary, John ,. Aberdeen
Gray, John Terraville
Jackson George S Deadwood
Wood, G. A Milbank
Freeman, J. W Lead
106 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
Sawyer, John F Roubaix
Burke, John L Hot Springs
Grier, T. J Lead
UTAH.
Gilrner, Charles Salt Lake City
WASHINGTON, D. C.
Parker, Edward W
Darton, Nelson H
WYOMING.
Danielson, Andrew ....... Sundance
Nobs, Alfred
WISCONSIN.
Goodner, T. E
WASHINGTON.
Long, Albert . Pomeroy
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: Are there any other matters you
desire to take up before taking up the question of by-laws?
MR. BUCKLEY, OF MISSOURI: I move you, Mr. President, that
we proceed to the consideration of the proposed by-laws.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: That being a special order a motion
is not required.
MR. BUCKLEY, OF MISSOURI: That they be taken up section
by section, considered that way and adopted.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: That was part of the original motion.
MR. GEORGE, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: Before we start in, I
would make a motion that in discussing these by-laws that all the
debates be- limited to two minutes.
MR. PATTERSON, OF NEBRASKA: I second the motion.
The motion was stated by the president and duly carried.
MR. RUSSELL, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: I desire to call atten-
tion to the fact that in the second section of the Daily Mining
Record, which is on the seats here, a copy of these proposed by-laws
may be found, on the first page of the second section.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: The secretary will read the first ar-
ticle of the proposed by-laws.
Secretary Mahon read the section.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: On that section, gentlemen, I would
state that the last Congress instructed the executive committee to
incorporate this body; we assumed that that gave the committee the
right to name the body and the articles of incorporation on file at
Denver name this Congress "The American Mining Congress," so I
presume it would be useless to waste any time upon that question,
as it has been settled by the articles of incorporation.
Secretary Mahon read Article 2 of proposed by-laws.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: What is your pleasure with that
section, gentlemen?
MR. PATTERSON, OF NEBRASKA: I would like to ask for in-
formation with reference to one part of that section, "To promote a
more co-operative tendency in the evolution of agriculture." Why
agriculture? Now, if it read "To promote a more co-operative ten-
dency in the evolution of mining, manufacturing, transportation and
the commerce thereof," I would suggest, "and for the particular pur-
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 107
pose of bringing the mining men of the United States into closer
relation with one another and to promote a friendly feeling for one
another through social intercourse and the discussion of mutual in-
terests" is what I am in favor of. I simply inquire, perhaps I do not
know I do not think I do why the evolution of agriculture should
be mentioned in connection with mining; probably it was overlooked.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: I think the chair can state the object
the committee had in view at the time and that is that they seemed
to be looked upon by the government as matters that are wholly apart
and that the laws of this western country especially, if not of the east
as they are permanently established, should be a more harmonious
whole and that there are some questions that so far as legislation
is concerned directly affect both, and it was the hope that we could
have the benefits of a co-operative tendency in the development of
the west along western lines especially, as the east have already had
their special development along their particular lines, and to obtain
the sympathy and co-operatipn of those two great industries, that
was the purpose intended to be aimed at as I understood it.
MR. PATTERSON, OF NEBRASKA: I can say your object was
very laudable, but in this age of progress and advancement we are
not devloping along lines of a general character, taking in three or
four or five or more interests, but we are rather beginning to take
up specialities and working especially in its behalf and making that
specialty so prominent and being taken care of so well that it is re-
spected for its strength. Now you would mix mining men and farmers
together; I am a farmer, have been one all .my life until I quit some
few years ago.
I am interested in mining now and I do not know of a single
farmer among my friends that cares a snap of his finger about your
mining interests; in fact, he doesn't know anything about it, he
doesn't want to know anything about it. In fact, when you come
to speak to him about it he gives you what we call in common slang
"the horse laugh." He would not pnt a dollar into mining stock,
but he would invest every dollar and every nickle he has in a cow
or steer or a horse or a hog, and that is all right. Let the agricul-
tural people form their society and have their congress; if they
want to hear from the Mining Congress let them give us an invita-
tion and we will send representatives that will represent our in-
terests. The professional man today that .makes a success is not a
general practitioner like he used to be; the lawyer today that makes
a success in the large cities is not a lawyer in all branches of legal
learning; he has his reputation, as a corporation lawyer, for in-
stance, or his reputation as a realty lawyer or a criminal lawyer
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: Under the rules your time has ex-
pired.
MR. BUCKJLEY, OF MISSOURI: I believe the conditions which
exist in our own state and in Nebraska and in other neighboring
states are not the same as they are in the western states. That in
the past there has been some friction between the agricultural inter-
ests and the mining interests, especially with reference to the use
of water, and that the west is particularly interested, the western
mining men are particularly interested in those resources which
contribute not only to his welfare but to the welfare of the agricul-
tural man and that there must be in the west a more co-operative
tendency between the agricultural and mining interests. I think
this is especially so in the western states, with which I am not so
familiar as some of our members present here this morning, and I
think it is important that this section should remain. There was
no idea in placing this in the objects of the American Mining Con-
gress to bring about any particular effort in the interests of agricul-
ture. There was no attempt to further especially the agricultural
108 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
interests only in so far as agriculture and mining in the west must
develop hand in hand. I think that is the idea that the executive
committee had in mind in placing this sentence in the objects.
MR. CONZETTE, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: In order to simplify
that matter I would like to offer a suggestion. After the word "com-
merce," insert the words "connected with the mining industry."
That would make that paragraph and sentence read, "To promote a
more co-operative tendency in the evolution of agriculture, mining,
manufacturing, transportation and commerce connected with the
mining industry."
MR. PATTERSON, OF NEBRASKA: I would accept that if
you will add the word "and the commerce connected with the mining
industry." I do not wish to cut out the agricultural men, but if we
are going to be a mining congress we want to be a mining congress
and not an agricultural organization, with all due respect to agri-
cultural organizations. Striking out the word "agriculture" and tak-
ing the word "mining" first, which I think is proper in this case.
Why give the word "agriculture" first mention in your by-laws, when
you are a mining congress? The suggestion here of this gentleman
from South Dakota meets with my approval except the word
"mining" should precede the word "agriculture."
MR. RUSSELL, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: Mr. President, I think
Mr. Buckley has stated the reasons that governed the executive
committee in this matter clearly. We recognize the fact that in
this western country these interests are connected closely, espec-
ially along the lines of the use of waters, but it seems to me also,
Mr. Patterson has raised a point that is worthy of consideration and
while I do not go to the same extent that he does, it seems to me,
however, it would be better that we were to place the word "mining"
before the word "agriculture," and not strike out the word "agricul-
ture," but make the first word of this clause in naming the interests
"mining."
MR. GEORGE, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: We have an irrigation
congress; congress has appropriated a large amount of money for
irrigation. I am free to confess I do not understand the law exactly
but if this government builds the large reservoirs at Belle Fourche,
is that for the benefit of agriculture or for mining? The fact of it is
agriculture and its interests have all they want, and I move you,
Mr. President, to let the paragraph stand as it is and strike out the
v/ord "agriculture."
MR. PATTERSON!, OF NEBRASKA: I second the motion.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS It has been moved and seconded to
amend this section by striking out the word "agriculture." Those
in favor of striking out the word "agriculture" please rise to their
feet.
A DELEGATE: Mr. Chairman, have the delegates a right to vote?
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: I would like to make this suggestion:
This is a legal question as I understand it, we are now passing upon
the by-laws of a legal corporation, which, under the statutes of Colo-
rado require the legal adoption of its by-laws. It has been sug-
gested and I think the suggestion is a good one that all delegates
beTJprmitted to participate in the discussion and vote for the by-laws,
section by section, and then adopt it as a whole to make it legal,
and if there is no objection the delegates may vote on the by-laws,
section by section, but when we come to adopt the by-laws as a whole
in order to make it legal then the members only will vote upon the
question. If there is no objection we will let that stand as a rule.
The motion was again stated by the president and lost.
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 109
MR. BUCKLEY, OF MISSOURI: I will move that the section be
so amended as to read as follows: "To promote a more co-operative
tendency in the evolution of mining, manufacturing, agriculture,
transportation and commerce."
MR. RUSSELL, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: I second the motion.
The motion was stated by the president and carried.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: A motion to adopt the section as
amended will be in order.
MR. RUSSELL, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: I move the adoption of
Section 2 as amended.
MR. GEORGE, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: I second the motion.
The motion was stated by the president and carried.
Secretary Mahon read Section 1 of Article 3 of the proposed
by-laws.
MR. CONZETTE, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: Mr. President, I move
the adoption of Section 1 of Article 3 of the proposed by-laws.
MR. GEORGE, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: I second the motion.
The motion was stated by the president and carried.
The secretary read Section 2 of Article 3.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: Hearing no objection we will con-
sider it adopted.
The secretary read Section 3 of Article 3.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: Hearing no objection to this section
it will stand adopted.
Secretary Mahon read Section 4 of Article 3.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS : Hearing no objection to this section
it will stand adopted.
The secretary read Section 5 of Article 3.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: Hearing no objection to this section
it will stand adopted.
MR. RUSSELL, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: Do you wish to adopt
this article by itself?
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: Just as the Congress wishes.
MR. RUSSELL, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: I move the article as
read, being Article 3, be adopted.
The motion was seconded, stated by the president and carried.
Article 4 was read by the secretary.
MR. RUSSELL, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: As a member of the
executive committee that acted upon this article, I wish to say that
at that time it seemed to me that it was correct, but since that
time, after considering it, it has seemed to me that possibly that
board made an error. It seems to me from our experience of this
year that in restricting the appointments by the governors and the
heads of countries to fifteen members that we have restricted it too
much. We all know that the governors are influenced largely in
their appointments in these matters by political considerations in
part. It is not always so but generally so and in limiting the ap-
pointments by governors to fifteen, in some cases they have no
more than enough places to name gentlemen that they wish to
honor in their own state and yet whose interests are identified with
raining and who are not at all likely to attend the Congress. Re-
cognizing the fact that they will unquestionably do so and believing
that it is necessary that there should be a greater latitude in that
matter; so that there may be representation in every state under
110 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
the appointments of the governors, I move you, sir, that instead of
fifteen members that the article should read, "The chief executive
of any country, state or territory may appoint as delegates to any
session of this Congress thirty persons actively associated with
mining."
MR. JOSEPH B. MOORE, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: I second the
motion.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: It has been moved and seconded that
we substitute in lieu of the word "fifteen" the word and figures
"thirty" (30).
MR. GEORGE, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: The chief executive of
any state cannot appoint a man except he is actively engaged in
mining and it rests with this Congress to say when a man as appointed
by an executive to come here that if he is not actively associated
with .mining then his appointment is null, because such governor or
executive has done what he has not a right to do and I think that
no appointment of delegates should be made except such as are
actively engaged in the mining business or associated with it and
not politicians alone. A man's politics has nothing to do with this
Congress; if he is associated with or actively engaged in mining
then he is an eligible member if the governor appoints him and if
he has not those qualifications he is not eligible. The thing we ought
to do is to get delegates interested in mining. I shall hope this con-
vention will vote down a proposition to increase it to thirty because
from the very argument the gentleman makes if it is force at all.
in place of getting rid of fifteen politicians we would have thirty. I
think we had better keep down to fifteen.
MR. PATTERSON, OF NEBRASKiA: Without having known that
my friend Mr. Russell was a member of the executive committee or
having known anything about it all except what I read of here in
this article No. 4, it impresses me that it would be a better idea to
decrease the number instead of increasing, and by decreasing raise
the dignity of the appointment.
Now the impression prevails throughout Iowa and Nebraska
that an appointment to any mining congress, not only this one, but
to any other one, by the governors, is a matter of very small honor,
because anybody can get the appointment that makes the applica-
tion because the governor is only pleased to have the names of
fifteen men; he makes no inquiry about them, as to whether they
are associated with mining or not. Now I read this all over very
carefully this morning so I would be intelligently informed as to
what was desired here and this particular article impressed me that
it would be better to cut this fifteen down to ten than to have fifteen,
and thereby dignify the importance of the appointment and get
mining men. You can get ten mining men out of every state; a poli-
tician has no business to be appointed if this section is adopted.
Why? Because it says "persons actively associated with mining."
What does that mean? It .means that you must be actively engaged
in the work and that is what it ought to be.
MR. BUCKLEY, OF MISSOURI: I would like to say in reference
to this article that it was the intention of the executive committee
to raise the dignity of the appointment by reducing the number of dele-
gates from thirty to fifteen and I agree with Mr. Patterson when
he says that it would also increase the dignity of the appointment
by decreasing the number of delegates from fifteen to ten, and I
would like to ask the secretary a question; if at the present Con-
gress the governors of the states were directed to appoint only men
who were actively associated with mining?
SECRETARY MAHON: No, sir, they were not.
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. Ill
MR. BUCKLEY, OF MISSOURI: I think the governors of the
Ftates, if they knew this Congress would not recognize a delegate
appointed by them and not actively associated with mining, would
give this Congress more consideration than they do at the presenT
time.
SECRETARY MAHON: You asked me a direct question; I want
to give you a direct and truthful answer. The governors were not
specially notified as to the matter to which you have called attention
this morning, but to every governor, to every chamber of commerce
and to every organization that was invited to appoint delegates a
copy of the by-laws was enclosed with the letter.
MR. BUCKLEY, OF MISSOURI: I do not wish to cast any re-
flection upon the secretary, because he had no authority to demand
of the governors of the various states to appoint delegates who were
actively associated in mining, because the proposed by-laws and
constitution were not adopted or had not been adopted prior to
this session and he is not in error in any way by not making this
request.
SECRETARY MAHON: I understood it that way, Mr. Buckley.
MR. CONZETTE, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: I feel in full sym-
pathy with the discussion of Mr. Buckley on that question and I
would move to amend that motion before the house by inserting the
v;ord "ten" instead of "fifteen."
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: It has been moved and seconded to
amend the motion to amend by substituting the word and figures
"'ten" (10) instead of the word and figures "thirty" (30) in the
amendment. Are you ready for the question?
The motion was carried.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: Now the question is: Shall this sec-
tion be adopted by substituting the word ten and the figures 10 in
lieu of the word and figures fifteen (15) as in the originally proposed
by-laws. Are you ready for the question?
The motion was carried and the amendment adopted.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: What is your further pleasure on that
section?
MR. GEORGE, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: I would move that mining
associations be allowed to appoint one delegate to every ten mem-
bers of the mining association; if the mining association has got
fifty active men in it let them appoint five, if it has one hundred let
them appoint ten; so I will move that the delegates appointed by
mining associations shall be one for every ten members.
MR. LYNCH, OF MONTANA: Inasmuch as it is incumbent upon
members attending this Congress to pay their own expenses and I
know of no other appropriation being made from any quarter, it
would seem to me that a mining organization such as a miners' union
might take some interest in appointing the delegates to attend a
Congress of this character if the number of members they were en-
titled to were decreased. We have in Butte the largest mining
organization in the United States, I believe, and I think our union there
would take pleasure in appointing one delegate to represent our union
at their expense, and no more.
MR. BUCKLEY, OF MISSOURI: I rise to a point of order. I
would like permission to second Colonel George's motion.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: It is well taken. It is moved and
seconded that we amend this section by adding in lieu of the word
"three" now in this section that each mining association and other
112 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
bodies there named shall appoint one delegate for each ten members
thereof. Are you ready for the question?
MR. GEORGE, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: Mr. President, I want to
say that the mining associations I was speaking of was not the
miners' unions. We have a miners' association here in the Black
Hills of about five hundred members. Now this miners' association
embraces the whole Black Hills and we are limited to three men.
There are five or six counties in this Black Hills country and the
miners' association could not even get a man from each county I
wanted to get the expression of the association with reference to
this matter. We want a representative from the mining men's asso-
ciations and the men actively engaged in mining; the Mining Mjen's
Association would have a fixed ratio by which they could send dele-
gates sufficient to be an inducement to them to build up their asso-
ciation, because the more members they have in the association the
more delegates they could send to Congress.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: Did I understand your motion then
to apply simply to mining men's associations?
MR. GEORGE, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: Yes, sir.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: So the motion now before the house
then is to amend this article as to mining men's associations so that
such associations shall have the privilege of appointing one delegate
for each ten members, rather than three as it stands.
MR. PATTERSON, OF NEBRASKA I am opposed to that. I
understand there are five hundred members in the Black Hills mining
men's organization, that would give them the right and privilege to
appoint fifty delegates. They do not want to do that. If we gave
them that permission they would not appreciate it. If you will cut
it down to about two or three there will be a fight among about
fifteen or twenty of them to get the appointment and the two or three
men who get the appointment will go to the Congress feeling they
won their spurs at home and will fight for something when they get
there. What is the use of having drones in our Congress? Better
close up the doors. I shall make a motion probably before these
by-laws are adopted that every member who is appointed as a dele-
gate to this Congress from any organization, that he shall attend
sessions of Congress when in session or shall be fined for his absence
unless he is excused. I believe that I voice the sentiment of the men
here this morning on that point and I wish there were more here.
I don't believe in being what they call a "dead" one in anything;
be alive. So I am opposed to one delegate in ten or one in fifty or
one in a hundred of this Black Hills organization; not that I have
anything against the Black Hills organization or any other, but I
believe in making the organization a dignified one. We have a dig-
nified president for instance (Applause) and I want it done along
these lines; appoint delegates that are able to take care of their in-
terests and represent their interests from wherever they may be sent.
MR. CONZETTE, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: I would be opposed to
the resolution as it was offered on the same grounds that Mr. Pat-
terson is and not only that, but I would be opposed to it on the fur-
ther grounds that it was discriminating against the real miners of
the country, miners' organizations; they are more nearly miners
than members of this Mining Men's Association or more universally
KO, for -the reason that many of the members of the Mining Men's
Association are actually not directly associated with mining; they
are indirectly perhaps because they are living in a mining country,
hut there is perhaps very few members of the miners' union but
what are actively engaged in mining, all of them, and of course P
would be opposed to discriminating in favor of any organization
connected with mining as against the miners' union. I think we
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 113
should put everyone that is actively engaged in the mining industry
on the same footing, whether it is a mining men's organization or
whether it is any other organization in a mining country composed
largely of mining men. As I understand it, the proposed by-laws
limit these organizations to the appointment of three delegates which,
it seems to ,me, that is limiting the number to a reasonable amount
and that ought to give us a good representation from all other or-
ganizations.
MR. RUSSELL, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: It seems to me that it
is wise and right that there should be a distinction in this delegate
representation between men that are identified with mining in any
way and between organizations that consist of mining men or miners'
organizations. I have no discrimination to make between miners'
associations or the miners; place them on an equality; but I do believe
that associations of this kind are entitled to a greater representation
here than boards of trade, chambers of commerce, county commis-
sioners and concerns of that kind. I feel that our representation
should be based on mining men's organizations, whether they be
the mining associations as we distinguish them or miners' unions,
make no discrimination there at all, but I do wish a discrimination
made in favor of strictly mining organizations against trade or-
ganizations.
MR. GEORGE, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: With the consent of
the chair I will withdraw my motion to amend.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: Of course the chair has no control
of the matter, but if I hear no objection we will consider it withdrawn.
MR. BUCKLEY, OF MISSOURI: I wish it understood my second
to the motion was simply to bring it before the house. I shall be
very glad to withdraw my second.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: Then if there is no objection we will
consider the motion withdrawn.
MR. RUSSELL, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: I would suggest that this
be passed for the present time.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: If there is no objection we will pass it.
Secretary Mahon read the first section of Aricle 5.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: Hearing no objection Article 5 will
stand adopted.
Secretary Mahon read Section 1 of Article 6.
MR. GEORGE, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: I offer a substitute for
that whole article which I will ask the secretary to read.
Secretary Mahon read the substitute offered for the whole article.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS : I have heard no second to this motion
to substitute.
MR. BUCKLEY, OF MISSOURI: Mir. President, I would move
you the adoption of Section 1 of Article 6 of the by-laws as read by
the secretary.
Which motion was seconded and carried.
Secretary Mahon read Section 2 of Article 6 of the proposed
by-laws.
MR. BROWN, OF COLORADO: I move the adoption of the
section as read.
The motion was seconded, stated by the president and carried.
Secretary Mahon read Section 3 of Article 6.
It was moved and seconded that Section 3 of Article 6 of the
proposed by-laws be adopted, which motion was carried.
114 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
Secretary Mahon read Section 1 of Article 7.
MR. BROWN, OF COLORADO: I move the adoption of Section
1, Article 7 of the proposed by-laws.
The .motion was seconded.
MR. PATTERSON, OF NEBRASKA: Let me inquire who is
meant by "except an active member of this association in good
standing."
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: The aim of the executive committee
was to include only legal members, that is those who became active
members of the corporation by paying annual dues, which makes
them in good standing. The dues are five dollars for the member-
ship fee and two dollars annually thereafter.
The motion was stated by the president and carried.
Secretary Mahon read Section 2 of Article 7 and there being no
objection the section was declared adopted by the president.
Secretary Mabon read Section 3 of Article 7 and there being no
objection the section was declared adopted by the president.
Secretary Mahon read Section 4 of Article 7 and there being no
objection the section was declared adopted by the president.
Secretary Mahon read Section 5 of Article 7 and there being no
objection the section was declared adopted by the president.
Secretary Mahon read Section 6 of Article 7 and there being no
objection the section was declared adopted by the president.
MR. GEORGE, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: I move the adoption of
the whole of Article 7.
MR. RUSSELL, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: I second the motion.
The motion was stated by the president and carried.
Secretary Mahon read Section 1 of Article 8 of the proposed
by-laws.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: If there is no objection Section 1
will stand adopted.
Secretary Mahon read Section 2 of Article 8.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS If there is no objection it will stand
adopted.
Secretary Mahon read Section 1 of Article 9.
MR. BUCKLEY, OF MISSOURI: I would move you that this
section be amended so as to read as follows:. "The treasurer of
this Congress shall give bonds for an amount to be determined by
the board of directors of not less than five thousand dollars, said
bond to be approved by the board of directors."
The motion was duly seconded, stated by the president and
carried.
Secretary Mahon read Section 2 of Article 9.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: There being no objection it is adopted.
Secretary Mahon read Section 3 of Article 9.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS There being no objection it is adopted.
Secretary Mahon read Section 1 of Article 10.
There being no objection it was declared adopted by the president.
Secretary Mahon read Section 2 of Article 10.
There being no objection it was declared adopted by the president.
Secretary Mahon read Section 3 of Article 10.
There being no objection it was declared adopted by the president.
MR. HOLMES, OF MISSOURI: I do not understand that either
Articles 9 and 10 have been adopted as a whole, and I would therefore
move the adoption of Articles 9 and 10 as a whole.
The motion was seconded, stated by the president and carried.
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 115
Article 11 was read by the secretary, and there being no objec-
tion was declared adopted by the president.
Secretary Mahon read Section 1 of Article 12.
MR. RUSSELL, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: It seems to me that there
might arise at some time in the sessions of .the Congress a desire
on the part of the Congress to defer a decision in selecting the place
of the annual meeting and I would like to ask you whether this
section would prevent the Congress from referring that matter to
the bord of directors, if at any time in the future it saw fit.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: Miy understanding would be that
whatever this Congress can do directly it can do indirectly in matters
of that kind. Therefore I would assume that if they can vote di-
rectly for the place they can authorize the board of directors to
select it.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: If there is no objection Section 1
of Article 12 as read is declared adopted.
Secretary Mahon read Section 2 of Article 12.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: If there is no objection Section 2 of
Article 12 as read is declared adopted.
MR. GEORGE, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: I move that Article 12
be adopted as a whole.
Which motion was seconded, stated by the president and carried.
Section 1 of Article 13 was read by Secretary Mahon.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: The section will stand adopted, there
being no objection.
Secretary Mahon read Section 2 of Article 13.
MR. HOLMES, OF MISSOURI: I move that this part of Sec-
tion 2 of Article 13 be amended to read as follows: "The first day's
session of this Congress shall be under the auspices and control
of the local committee at the discretion of the board of directors."
Which motion was seconded, stated by the president and carried.
It was .moved and seconded that Section 2 of Article 13 as
amended be adopted, which motion was stated by the president and
carried.
Secretary Mahon read Section 3 of Article 13.
It was moved and seconded that Section 3 of Article 13 be
adopted, which motion was stated by the president and carried.
MR. GEORGE, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: I move that Article 13
be adopted as amended.
Which motion was seconded, stated by the president and carried.
Article 14 was read by the secretary and by the president de-
clared adopted, there being no objection.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: This closes the discussion of the
by-laws section by section, except Article 4 and we are now ready
to take that matter up.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: While we are waiting I will state
Congress instructed the chair to appoint five members to constitute
a committee to have charge the next year of organizing local mining
organizations in the various mining camps of the country and re-
port this morning. In studying that matter over it was of so much
importance to know who could serve and meet their expenses that
the chair without intending to disobey your instructions, is not yet
ready to report. I did not know but what we might find some means
of meeting the expenses. For instance you might select one man
to do that work and possibly make some provision for his expenses.
I am not prepared as yet to select that committee to carry out the
116 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
best interests of the Congress and therefore I am not ready to re-
port unless you so instruct and then, of course, I will gladly obey
and do the best I can.
MR. BROWN, OF COLORADO: I would move that Article 4 be
adopted as it is printed.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: There has already been one amend-
ment made substituting the word and figures "ten" (10) in place of
the word and figures "fifteen" (15).
MR. BROWN, OF COLORADO: Then I move that the section be
adopted as it is printed with the amendment.
The motion was seconded.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: It has been moved and seconded that
this section be adopted as amended.
MR. RUSSELL, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: I feel as I stated before
that there should be no discrimination in this delegate representation.
I feel that boards of trade, chambers of commerce, mayors of towns
and county commissioners should be restricted even further. We
want a representation from them, it is true, but I believe that the
number of their delegates should be restricted to two instead of
three. Then I believe that the mining organizations, whether they
be mining men's associations or miners' unions or scientific asso-
ciations, should be entitled to a larger delegation. I believe that we
ought to maintain the delegate representation of this body. There is
a danger if we cut our representation down too low in these matters
that we will pass over completely along the lines of a scientific asso-
ciation and reach that line of work; we desire a delegate representa-
tion. Is there a motion before the house?
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: There is a motion before the house.
MR. CONZETTE, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: I desire to offer the
following as an amendment to the proposed amendment, as follows:
"And the mayors of cities or towns, boards of trade, boards of county
commissioners, chambers of commerce and such other business organi-
zations as may from time to time be designated by the executive com-
mittee, may each appoint two such delegates; scientific associations,
mining bureaus, mining men's and miners' organizations shall be enti-
tled to appoint five delegates and each delegate attending and prop-
erly accredited shall be entitled to participate in the deliberations of
the Congress."
MR. MARTIN, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: I second the motion.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: Now, in order that you may under-
stand clearly the question to be voted upon, I will state it. It has
been moved and seconded to adopt this section as amended. The
amendment was in the fore part of the section by substituting "ten"
in lieu of "fifteen." Now it is moved to amend that amendment so
that it will read as follows: "And mayors of cities or towns. bonrJs
of trade, boards of county commissioners and such other business
organizations as may from time to time be designated by the exe-
cutive committee, may each appoint two such delegates and scientific
associations, mining bureaus, mining men's and miners' organizations
shall be entitled to appoint five delegates." Are you ready for the
question?
MR. RUSSELL, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: Mr. Chairman, I do not
wish to be on the floor all the time, but I would like to separate this
question of representation from boards of trade, etc. from the ques-
tion of the miners' representation. I think that the house is united
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 117
on part of that amendment and I would like to ask the author of the
amendment whether he will not separate it in that way, so that
they may be voted upon separately.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: If there is no objection we will con-
sider it separated into two motions and vote upon the first one now,
which is : "And the mayors of cities or towns, boards of trade, boards
of county commissioners and such other business organizations as
may from time to time be designated by the executive committee
may each appoint two such delegates."
MR. PATTERSON, OF NEBRASKA: Well, I am in favor of
doing the thing to a finish when we get at it. I am in favor of
striking out "mayors of cities or towns, boards of trade, boards of
county commissioners, chambers of commerce" and not having a re-
presentation from them, and I make that as a motion.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: The chair will be compelled to rule
it out of order at this time.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: The question now is to amend the
amendment so as to read as follows: "And mayors of cities or towns,
boards of trade, boards of county commissioners and such other
business organizations as may from time to time be designated by
the executive committee may each appoint two delegates."
MR. BROWN OP COLORADO: I rather insist that we should
adopt this as it is printed. I find that there is a tendency for a good
many men to come to these Congresses and to all public meetings
that have no organization definitely arranged, to present the most
extraordinary things. As a member of the resolutions committee of
the Trans Mississippi Congress for several years, our principal busi-
ness has been to turn down resolutions and this question is going to
come up this way; we are drifting along towards socialistic lines
in sections of the country.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: M*. Brown, the question is not perti-
nent to the one you are about to vote upon; it is proposed to reduce
the representation of boards of county commissioners and so on
from three to two.
MR. BROWN, OF COLORADO: Well, I am opposed to that.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: Then confine yourself to the dis-
cussion of that.
MR. BROWN, OF COLORADO: These will be men representing
the community and most likely a majority of them will be appointed
in that way; in some of our great mining camps there are no miners'
organizations or mining men's associations and there would be no
delegation here at all in case you deprive the boards of county com-
missioners, mayors of cities and so forth, from appointing delegates
to this Congress, so that the change that is recommended would be
all wrong; it would take away the delegation from a great many
mining camps by not allowing the mayors or commissioners to
select a delegation to represent them. I think the article as printed
is as it should be and the committee evidently has given a good deal
of thought to this subject, and I move you that all amendments or
proposed amendments be laid on the table.
The motion was seconded and carried.
MR. LYNCH, OF MONTANA: I believe that we have all been
agreeing but not quite understanding each other in our amendments.
I move you now that Article 4 be amended so as to insert the word and
figure "two" (2) instead of the word and figure "three" (3).
118 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
MR. BROWN, OF COLORADO : I second the motion.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: It has been moved and seconded to
insert the word "two" and the figure "2" in lieu of the word "three"
and the figure "3." Are you ready for the question?
MR. BUCKLEY, OF MISSOURI: I simply wish to say with re-
gard to the delegate membership that I have always had a feeling,
and I still maintain that feeling, that I believe was expressed in exe-
cutive committee meeting, that it was hardly in keeping with the
dignity, if I may use that word, of this American Mining Congress
that we should request the mayors of cities or towns, boards of trade,
boards of county commissioners or miners' organizations to appoint
delegates; I believe that our delegate membership should come from
county, state and territory and from bureaus of mines and mining,
scientific organizations and mining men's associations, and I would
therefore move you as an amendment to the amendment made by
the gentleman from Montana that the words "and mayors of cities
or towns, boards of trade, boards of county commissioners, chambers
of commerce and miners' organizations" be stricken out of this article
and there be added in lieu thereof "mining men's associations."
MR. PATTERSON, OF NEBRASKA: I second the amendment.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: It has been moved and seconded that
the amendment be amended to read as follows: "And the mayors of
cities or towns, boards of trade, boards of county commissioners,
miners' organizations and chambers of commerce" be stricken out
and insert in lieu thereof "mining men's associations."
MR. RUSSELL, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: Mr. President, remem-
bering the suggestion of the gentleman from Colorado that there are
mining camps without mining men's associations, I desire to say
I regret such a situation very much. I would like to see a mining
men's association in every county, every section of the state and in
every state, but it would seem to me that it would be right to
render it impossible for those representative men interested activly
as they are in mining, from obtaining some appointments, and if this
power is taken away from the mayors, county commissioners, boards
of trade and chambers of commerce entirely, that will be the result.
Those people are entitled to their representation. Again, in cities
like Omaha, St. Paul and other large cities there are many gentlemen
very actively interested in mining; it might be they would not re-
ceive an appointment from the governor and there is no mining men's
organizations or miners' unions in those cities; if they have no
power to receive an appointment in this way they may not appear
as a delegate and for reasons of their own they may choose to ap-
pear as a delegate rather than a member, and I am opposed positively
and decidedly to taking away that power entirely from the mayors,
boards of county commissioners and chambers of commerce. I would
limit it to two, but I would not take it away entirely.
MR. BUCKLEY, OF MISSOURI: I would like to say that if
there is a locality which is interested in mining it will be an incentive
for them to organize a mining men's association so that they may
have a representation at this Congress. They can at any time be-
come a member of this organization if they are sufficiently interested
in mining and have all the rights and privileges of membership,
even if they are from St. Paul or any other city in the East or West.
MR. MARTIN, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: I am opposed to both of
these amendments and if we are not intending to enlarge the repre-
sentation from the strictly mining organizations or mining men,
I am entirely in favor of the original motion which is to adopt the
section as it now is amended, reducing the representations appointed
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 119
by governors to ten and leaving the balance of the section as it is.
I have attended now three of these Congresses up to the present
time; it has been entirely a delgate session. At the last meeting it
was endeavored to give permanency to the organization by incorpora-
tion and adoption of by-laws, which we are now doing. Those en-
gaged in that task realize it was vastly important to preserve in its
broadest scope the delegate representation. The time .may come
when you have got sufficient men to come here, strictly from miners'
organizations and to have no other representation at all, but thus
far you have not been suffering by over representation of delegates.
On the other hand, it is very important that delegates appointed by
mayors, etc. should attend the Congress and come in contact with
the active work. My observation from attending three sessions of
the Congress is that we are more in need of enlarging our repre-
sentation to this Congress than of decreasing it. I am, therefore,
in favor of three delegates to be appointed by mayors, boards of
trade, etc. as it has been and if I could increase it I would be in
favor of doing so.
MR. DONALDSON, OF COLORADO: I am in favor of three
at the present time. I wouldn't have been appointed if it had not
been for the mining committee of the chamber of commerce, and the
mining committee is annually appointed by the president of the cham-
ber of commerce and that is the last we hear of it unless there is
something like this comes up.
MR. SELB1E, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: It appears to me that
since this Congress has been put on a corporate basis, that what
we ought to do is to work up a large membership all over the United
States and confine our representation to strict members of the Con-
gress. I believe the Congress can be increased by proper effort all
over the country and let our representation come from the mem-
bers of Congress, not from the outside. I am in favor of confining it
to members of this Congress and working up a large membership.
MR. GOODNER, OF WISCONSIN: Just as an example of the
difference between the delegate system and the membership system,
I want to state this, which is correct as far as my knowledge goes,
that there were twenty-three delegates appointed from Wisconsin;
of those twenty-three one person was already a member of this Con-
gress ; of the twenty-three so appointed but one person has attended
the Congress and that one is the one who is already sufficiently in-
terested to be a member.
MR. PATTERSON, OF NEBRASKA: It seems to me the propo-
sition as I gather it is the stimulation of this Congress and to get
that stimulation is the question. I contended this , morning at the
outset that we wanted to increase the dignity of this Congress and
by so doing we wanted to increase the quality of the members that
were nominated to come here and thereby reduce the quantity. I
think I made the suggestion that we reduce the number from fifteen
to ten and the Congress adopted the amendment. Now speakms:
about stimulation; if you ask every organization, state and town and
everybody to send members here or delegates here, it is too common.
People don't care to come; do you know you won't go where you
are invited to gc for nothing? If you put the price up to get into
this hall at $1.50 you will find the hall filled right from Lead here;,
they would think we have something to show. Don't make it so
common that everybody can get in; let the man that has an interest
here put up his five dollars and become a member and he will then
feel some interest.
MR. GARBER. OF WASHINGTON: It seems to me, Mr. Presi-
dent, that the membership in the American Mining Congress comes
very cheap when you can get it for a dollar. Any man that wants
120 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
to come to the American Mining Congress can have all the rights
and privileges of a delegate to this Congress for the price of a dollar.
I want to ask who has the most dignity, the man that comes to this
Congress a representative of a board of commerce of his city or
the man who reaches down in his pocket and pays his dues an-
nually and comes in here; which is the least likely to be the repre-
sentative man of his district? The chambers of commerce of this
country have done more towards building up the mining industry
of this country than any other organization probably in existence.
Those men sit there day after day and night after night without
pay, going without sleep, sending out literature of their districts and
bringing immigration, capital and investment to their cities. Do you
wish to bar chambers of commerce who are daily doing the work
that this body seems to do for membership here. If you want to
become an exclusive body, an exclusive four hundred if you please,
I think, Mr. President, you are going to make a mistake. We cannot
afford to ignore chambers of commerce and governors of states and
executives of counties. There was even a motion made here to
ignore the agricultural interests of this country a few minutes ago.
Some have even intimated that no farmer was interested in mining
stock. It might be so in some states, but in the state of Washington
there is many a farmer who has enough gray matter up here in his
cranium to invest in mining stocks. Now you are not over-
flooded here with delegates. It looks to me if you could take
every chair in this hall, if you could fill that gallery and have no
standing room, that the American Mining Congress would go up in
the estimation of the world 50 per cent to say the least of it. Let
us seek to bring representative men of the country to this Congress
and the only way to get them is to get them through chambers of
commerce, executives of cities and counties, because they will not
appoint a man that is not a representative man to come here. A
tramp might get in here for a dollar if you did not know his past,
record, but a man can't get an appointment from a chamber of com-
merce unless he has some one to recommend him.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: The question now is with reference
to the amendment to strike out the words "mayors of cities or towns,
boards of trade, boards of county commissioners, chambers of com-
merce" and inserting the words "mining men's associations." Are
you ready for the question?
The motion was lost.
. PRESIDENT RICHARDS: It recurs now to the original motion
to insert the figure and word "two" (2) in lieu of the word and figure
"three" (3).
The motion was carried.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: You will now vote on the motion to
adopt the section as amended as a whole.
The motion was carried.
It was moved and seconded that the by-laws be adopted as
amended as a whole, which motion was carried and the by-laws as
amended were adopted.
MR. THORNBY, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: I move that we adjourn
to 1 : 30, September llth, 1903.
MR. MARTIN, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: Before that motion is put,
I desire to state that the committee on resolutions have finished their
work so far as the resolutions that have been referred to them are con-
cerned, and will be ready to report at such time as Congress will
be ready to receive their report.
Mr. Russell announced the program for the afternoon on behalf
of Mr. Elder, the chairman of the program committee.
The motion to adjourn was carried and the meeting was ad-
journed until 1:30, September llth, 1903.
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 121
By-Laws of the American Mining Congress
OFFICERS.
Hon. J. H. Richards, President, Boise, Idaho.
S. W. Russell, First Vice-President, Deadwood, S. D.
E. R. Buckley, Second Vice-President Rolla, Mo.
Thomas Ewing, Third Vice-President, Los Angeles, Cala.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.
Hon. J. H. Richards, Boise, Idaho.
S. W. Russell, Deadwood, S. D.
E. R. Buckley, Rolla, Mo.
Col. Thomas Ewing, Los Angeles, Cala.
Irwin Mahon, Carlis^ Pa.
Charles W. Goodale, Butte, Mont.
J. Frank Watson, Oregon.
W. L. Kendall, Cleveland, O.
L. K. Armstrong, Spokane, Wash.
Submitted for approval by Executive Committee in session at
Deadwood, South Dakota, December 17, 18 and 19, 1902.
J. H. RICHARDS, President.
IRWIN MAHON,
Secretary of the Congress.
E. R. BUCKLEY,
Secretary Executive Com.
122 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
BY-LAWS.
ARTICLE I.
NAME.
This organization shall be known as "The American Mining
Congress."
ARTICLE II.
OBJECTS.
This corporation is formed for Ihe purpose of advancing the
mining and metallurgical industries, in all their various branches,
within the United States.
To assist in bringing about a more perfect co-operation between
the government of the United States and the development of mining
and metallurgy; to encourage education in practical and scientific
mining and metallurgy and the dissemination of scientific information
in relation to mining, metallurgy and their allied industries; to ac-
quire and disseminate trustworthy information bearing upon the
development of the metallic and non-metallic mining resources of the
United States; to promote a more co-operative tendency in the evolu-
tion of agriculture, mining, manufacturing, transportation and com-
merce; and for the particular purpose of bringing the mining men
of the United States into closer relation with one another, and of
promoting a freindly feeling for one another through social inter-
course and the discussion of mutual interests.
ARTICLE III.
MEMBERSHIP.
Section 1. Any person actively associated with mining, who,
after his application has been approved by the committee on mem-
bership, shall pay an initiation fee of five ($5.00) dollars, shall be-
come an active member of this Congress and thereafter he shall pay
in advance an annual fee of two dollars ($2.00) and shall vote and
enjoy all other rights and privileges usual to members.
Section 2. Any person entitled to active membership in this
Congress may, upon the payment of fifty dollars ($50.00), become a
life member, and shall, without the payment of further annual dues,
be entitled to all the rights and privileges of active membership.
Section 3. Any person actively associated with mining, with the
approval of the committee on membership, shall, upon the payment
oa fee of one dollar ($1.00) per annum, become an associate member
of this Congress, and shall be entitled to attend the sessions and
participate in the deliberations of the Congress, but shall not be en-
titled to vote or hold office.
Section 4. Honorary membership may be conferred upon each
penons as this Congress shall deem worthy of such distinction.
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. }23
Honorary members may be elected at any regular meeting of .the Con-
gress upon the recommendation of the committee on membership
and the approval of the board of directors.
Section 5. No person who shall comply with the requirements
of this article shall be denied membership to this Congress.
ARTICLE IV.
DELEGATES.
A chief executive of any country, state or territory may appoint
as delegates to any annual session of this Congress, fifteen (15) per-
sons actively associated with mining; and the mayors of cities or
towns, boards of trade, beards of county commissioners, scientific
associations, miners' organizations, mining bureaus, chambers of
Commerce, and such other business organizations as may from time
to time be designated by the executive) committee, may each appoint
three such delegates, and each delegate, attending properly accredited
shall be entitled to participate in the deliberations of the Congress.
ARTICLE V.
DUES.
Life members shall pay a fee of fifty ($50.00) dollars; members,
an initiation fee of five ($5.00) dollars and annual dues of two ($2.00)
dollars; associate members, annual dues of one ($1.00) dollar; and
delegates, nothing.
ARTICLE VI.
OFFICERS.
Section 1. The government and management of the Congress
shall be committed, first, to a board of directors of nine members,
to be elected annually by the Congress; second, to a president and
three vice-presidents, to be elected by the board of directors from its
members; and, third, to a secretary and treasurer, to be chosen by the
board of directors.
Section 2. It shall be the duty of the board of directors to an-
nually elect as president, vice-presidents, secretary, and treasurer,
such persons as may be recommended by the Congress.
Section 3. For the purpose of facilitating the selection of officers,
there shall be annually elected by the Congress at its second day's
session, a committee of five members to be known as a nominating
committee, whose duty it shall be to present to the Congress for
its consideration the names of such, persons as such committee may
deem advisable to act as directors and officers of the Congress for the
ensuing year.
ARTICLE VII.
DUTIES OF OFFICERS.
Section -1. The board of directors shall have power to do every
act and thing which the business interests of the Congress may re-
quire except to amend or repeal these by-laws, but nothing in these
by-laws shall give the board of directors the right to do any act
or thing that is contrary to any motion or resolution adopted at any
previous meeting of the Congress or that is contrary to any of the
provisions of the charter of this Congress or of the by-laws. No
person shall be eligible to be a member of the board of directors
or 10 hold any other office in this Congress, except an active member
of this association in good standing.
124 OFFICIAL, PROCEEDINGS
Section 2. A vacancy occurring in an office or in the board of
directors shall be filled by the remaining members of the board,
and the officer or member of the board so elected shall hold office until
the next annual meeting or until his successor is elected.
Section 3. The president shall preside at all meetings of the
Congress and of the board of directors and shall enforce all the laws
the regulations of the Congress. At the annual meeting of the Con-
gress he shall report for the board of directors upon its proceedings
during the year and recommend such measures as the board may deem
advisable.
Section 4. In the absence of the president, the first vice-presi-
dent shall perform his duties; in the absence of both president anrl
first vice-president, the second vice-president shall perform the duties
of the office; in the absence of the president and first and second
\ice-presidents, the third vice-president shall preside and perform
the duties of the office; and in the absence of the president and vice
presidents, the board of directors may select a chairman from its
members.
Section 5. The secretary shall conduct all of the official cor-
respondence of the Congress. He shall keep a record of all meetings
and proceedings of the Congress and the board of directors; shall
collect all moneys due to the Congress, receipt for and transmit the
same to the treasurer; and shall perform such other duties as may be
assigned to him by these by-laws, by the Congress or by the board.
At the annual meeting he shall report in detail upon the membership
and condition of the Congress.
Section 6. The treasurer shall receive all moneys from the sec-
retary, pay all bills as directed by the president and countersigned
by the secretary and keep proper vouchers for all payments. He
shall, at each meeting of the board of directors, present a statement
of the financial condition of the Congress and shall at the annual
meeting submit a detailed report, approved by the finance committee:
and the said statement and reports shall, at all times after their
presentation or submission, be open to tthe inspection of any of the
members of the Congress.
ARTICLE VIII.
COMMITTEES.
Section 1. The following additional committees shall be elected
by the board of directors:
An advisory committee, to be composed of one member from
each state.
A committee on legislation, of five members.
A committee on .membership, of seven members;
A committee on transportation, of five members;
A committee on auditing and finance, of five members;
A committee on program of five members, to which committee
each paper to be presented before any meeting of the Congress shall
be submitted for approval in advance of said meeting, except such
papers as may be presented on invitation of the program committee.
Section 2. The president shall appoint annually, a committee
on credentials of three members, and a committee on resolutions of
twenty members. The names of the members comprising these com-
mittees shall be in the hands of the secretary at the opening of each
session of Congress.
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 125
ARTICLE IX.
BONDS OF OFFICERS.
Section 1. The treasurer of this Congress shall give bond for
an amount to be determined by the executive committee, of not less
than five thousand ($5,000.00) dollars; said bond to be approved by
the executive committee.
Section 2. The secretary shall give such bond as may be re-
quired by the board of directors, not less than one thousand ($1,0000
dollars.
Section 3. Bond fees of the treasurer and secretary shall be
paid by the Congress.
ARTICLE X.
PUBLICATIONS.
Section 1. There shall be published annually a report of the pro-
ceedings of this Congress, including such papers, presented at the
annual session, as may be approved by the program committee, and a
list of the names, occupation and address of all members and delegates.
Section 2. The board of directors shall have the proceedings of
each session copyrighted.
Section 3. All members and delegates shall be entitled to a
copy of the proceedings of each annual session covered by their dues.
ARTICLE XI.
RESOLUTIONS.
All resolutions shall be submitted to the secretary in writing,
read by him before the Congress and referred to -the committee on
resolutions for consideration and recommendations.
ARTICLE XII.
TIME AND PLACE OF HOLDING ANINUAL SESSION.
Section 1. The place of holding the annual session shall be deter-
mined by the Congress.
Section 2. The time of holding the annual meeting shall be
determined by the board of directors.
ARTICLE XIII.
ORDER OF PROCEEDINGS.
Section 1. The sessions of this Congress shall be governed by
Roberts' Rules of Order.
Section 2. The first day's session of this Congress shall be under
the auspices and control of the local committee. The order of busi-
ness for the remaining sessions shall be as follows:
1. Report of committee on credentials.
2. Unfinished business.
3. New business.
4. Reading of resolutions.
5. Reports of committees.
6. Addresses and papers.
7. Adjournment.
126 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
Section 3. The selection of a place of holding the next session
of the Congress shall be a special order for 2 o'clock on the after-
noon of the last day. This shall be followed by tne election of the
board of directors and the adoption of a resolution addressed to the
board of directors naming those to be elected by the board as officers
of the Congress for the ensuing year.
ARTICLE XIV.
AMENDMENTS.
These by-laws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the mem-
bers present upon twenty-four hours' notice in writing containing the
amendment proposed.
Lead, South Dakota, September llth, 1903, 1:30 P. M.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: Congress will be in order.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: We will now hear the report from
the committee on resolutions.
MR. MARTIN, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: Mr. President, the com-
mittee on resolutions have considered the various resolutions re-
ferred to it by the Congress and will report them in order. As to the
following resolution introduced by Mr. Ed. F. Browne, the committee
recommends its adoption by the Congress:
RESOLUTION CALLING FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A DE-
PARTMENT OF MINING.
Resolved, That we call upon congress to pass the necessary leg-
islation that would create a Department of Mining along the same
lines as the Agriculture Department is at present established.
That this department be made one of the executive departments
of the goverr-ment, with a member of the cabinet at its head.
It was moved by Mr. Browne, of Colorado, and seconded by Mr.
Patterson, of Nebraska, that the resolution be adopted, which motion
was carried.
MR. MARTIN, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: The committee also re-
conr mends the adoption of the following resolution relative to the
mineral statistics:
RESOLUTION RELATIVE TO THE COLLECTION OF MINERAL
STATISTICS.
To the President:
The members of the American Mining Congress realize that
the mineral statistics of the country can be intelligently and accu-
rately collected only by persons familiar with mineral and mining
conditions; and they believe that the work of government in re-
lation to mining interests should be concentrated and strengthened,
and not weakened by the separation in integral parts, and,
Whereas, it has been proposed that the president of the United
States, acting under the authority recently conferred upon him by
congress, should remove from the geological survey the work of
collecting the mineral statistics of the country and transfer the
?arae to the newly established Department of Commerce; it is
therefore
Resolved, That the American Mining Congress respectfully peti-
tions the president that he permit the collection of mineral statistics
to remain a part of the work of the geological survey; and further,
Resolved, That this Mining Congress asks the president to use
his influence to so strengthen and enlarge the work of tnis branch of
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 127
the government service that it may the better meet the various needs
of our rapidly growing and complex mining industry.
It was moved by Mr. Brown, of Colorado, and duly seconded
that the resolution be adopted, which motion was carried.
MR. MARTIN, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: The committee also re-
commends the adoption of the following resolution:
Whereas, in the report of the Treasury Department giving the
classification of exports for 1902-1903 the following audits were given
the different industries, viz.:
Agriculture $873,285,142 62.72 per cent.
Manufactures 408,187,207 29.32 per cent.
Mining 38,814,759 2.79 per cent
Forest 57,830,778 4.15 per cent.
Fishery 7,755,232 .56 per cent.
Miscellaneous 6,328,579 .46 per cent.
$1,392,201,637 100.00 per cent.
And in the same report the following articles are specified
having been exported:
Brick $ 429,908
Cement 419,351
Coal 21,206,498
Coke 1,912,459
Copper ore 927,417
Copper ingots and bars 37,356,061
Phosphates 6,344,224
Iron ore 266,982
Pig iron 362,068
Ingots and blooms 68,064
Lead pigs and bars 15,527
Lime 32 ; 694
Marble, stone and slate 1,565,244
Nickle and matte 864,221
Mineral oil 6,329,899
Mineral oil refined 60,357,519
Mineral residium 566,115
Quicksilver -. 762,201
Salt '. '. 70,446
Zinc 1,386,694
$141,241,602'
And whereas, it is evident that all of the foregoing items should
have been credited to the exports of mining product and not to manu-
factures, thus making the amount of mining products exported react
$141,241,602 instead of $38,814,759 or 10.15 per cent of the aggregate
of articles exported instead of 2.79 as reported, it is
Resolved, that this Mining Congress calls attention of the
statisticians at Washington to the fact that great quantities of the
production of mines, through an error, is being credited to exports
of manufactures, and that we earnestly request that a change be
made which will allow our official statistics to credit to the mining
industry these products which are directly the result of mining.
It was moved by Mr. Patterson, of Nebraska, and duly seconded
that the resolution be adopted, which motion was carried.
MR. MARTIN, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: The next is a resolution
asking the congress of the United States to enact a law to establish
mining experimental stations to aid in the development of the mineral
resources of the Unitea States and for other purposes. Upon the
128 OFFICIAL, PROCEEDINGS
back of this resolution is an endorsement: "To establish mining ex-
periment stations to aid in development of the mineral resources of
the United States, and for other purposes," in the form of a legislative
act, introduced by James A. George. The committee entirely favored
ths purposes of the proposed bill and have prepared what they re-
commend as a substitute resolution, embodying practically the form
of the resolution with a little addition, expressive of the purposes
of the bill, but without going into the details of the bill in its en-
tirety in the report.
The following is the resolution submitted and following that is
the resolution proposed by the committee:
SUBSTITUTE RESOLUTION.
Resolved, That the congress of the United States be asked to
enact a law to establish mining experiment stations in the various
mining states of the union to aid in the development of the mineral
resources of the United States, the benefits of which shall be gratui-
tously furnished to prospectors and others engaged in the discovery
and development of mines.
The resolution submitted by the committee on -resolutions was
adopted.
MR. MARTIN, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: The following resolution
upon the subject of improved roads is also recommended by the
committee on resolutions:
RESOLUTION.
Recognizing that properly constructed highways are vitally im-
portant to the highest development of the mining industry and be-
lieving that the state and the nation which share in the benefits
should contribute their equitable proportion of the cost; therefore,
be it
Resolved by the American Mining Congress in convention as-
sembled at the cities of Deadwood and Lead, S. D., that we* emphati-
cally approve a system of highway improvement under competent
engineering supervision, embodying the general principles of state aid,
now successfully practiced in many of the older states; and that we
believe that the general government ought in equity to assume its
pro rata of the burden of cost; and we request the active support of
our representatives in congress for this policy.
JAMES W. ABBOTT,
It was moved by Mr. Patterson, of Nebraska, and seconded by
Col. Ewing, of California, that the resolution be adopted, which motion
was carried.
MR. MARTIN, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: The adoption of the fol-
lowing resolution is recommended:
RESOLUTION AS TO MINERALIZED TIMBER LANDS.
It is hereby resolved by the American Mining Congress in conven-
tion assembled, at Deadwood and Lead, South Dakota, in the year A.
D. 1903, that, whereas,
(Under what is known as the Timber and Stone Act, a statute of the
United States meritorious in itself for the purpose for which it was
enacted, great abuses of the privileges granted thereby are being con-
stantly practiced by many of those who are availing themselves of its
benefits in that in the mining states and territories vast tracts of land
are being secured by timber speculators and syndicates in the very
heart of the various mineral sections, some of which tracts are known
to be mineral in character, and other tracts are so situated with refer-
ence to known mineral lands as to create a positive conclusion that
they too are mineral lands, and, whereas,
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 129
Under the land grants by the United States government to
territories at the time of their admission into the union as states,
more or less of such timber lands are granted to such new states
by right of selection, which are afterwards sold to said timber specu-
lators by the states, and, whereas,
Said practices are daily withdrawing from the people their
heritage of undeveloped mineral wealth, vesting the same at a nomi-
nal price, in great syndicates not identified with the mining industry,
and in whose possession such lands are likely to remain after the
removal of the timber therefrom for an unknown period of time,
without development of the mineral possibilities therein, to the serious
detriment of the mining industry and of commerce, and greatly cur-
tailing the natural limit of the mining field as created by nature.
Now, therefore, we hereby declare that this Congress views with
alarm the said practices and subversion of the law from its real
and beneficent intent to selfish and speculative designs, detrimental
to the mining industry and the public welfare, and hereby petition
the congress of the United States at its earliest convenience to make
such enactments of United States law, that all United States grants,
or sales of timber or stone lands in the mining states and territories,
whether to states, territories, individuals or corporations, shall pro-
vide that the purchaser or grantee only shall have the right to re-
move timber or stone from such lands, all mineral rights to be re-
served to the United States government together with such lands,
the same to be disposed of to the mineral claimant, and subject to
the prospecting rights as other mineral lands of the United
States, subject only to the right of the grantee or purchaser, by other
than the mining acts, to remove the timber or stone for which the
grantee or purchaser secured such timber or stone lands.
It was moved by Mr. Patterson, of Nebraska, seconded by Mr.
Ewing, of California, that the resolution be adopted, which motion
was carried.
MR. MARTIN, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: The following resolution
is proposed for adoption:
To the President of the Senate and to the Speaker of the House of
Representatives, Washington:
In view of the incalculable benefits to agriculture that have come
from the establishment of agricultural schools and experimental
stations, and,
In view of the increasing importance and complexity of the
mining interests as the other basal industry of the country;
Resolved, That the American Mining Congress respectfully peti-
tions the congress of the United States to provide for the mainte-
nance of one or more institutions in each state and territory, the
purpose of which shall be the giving of instruction in subjects relating
to mining and metallurgy, and for carrying on investigations in
these subjects.
It was moved by Mr. Patterson, of Nebraska, seconded by Mr.
Ewing, of California, that the resolution be adopted, which motion
was carried.
MR. MARTIN, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: The following resolution
as amended is proposed for adoption:
"Resolved, That the American Mining Congress, assembled in
Deadwood and Lead City, protests against any legislation by this
country tending to further restrict the use of silver as real money
or to drepress its value upon the market."
MR. CONZETTE, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: I accept the amendment.
The resolution upon motion duly seconded was adopted.
130 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
MR. MARTIN, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: The following resolution,
with one modification which I will refer to, is recommended for
adoption: "That a committee of five of our active members be selected
by our chair to form a law to derive means by which suitable men
be employed to visit all mining camps and organize local mining
organizations to co-operate with this Congress in obtaining paid
members." The words that we recommend to be omitted from the
resolution are "to form a law." It seemed to the committee that
the words "to form a law" would not add to the strength of the
resolution.
MR. DIGNOWITY, OF PENNSYLVANIA: I accept the amend-
ment and move its adoption.
The following is the resolution:
Resolved, That a committtee of five of our active members be
selected by our chair to devise means by which suitable men be
employed to visit all mining camps and organize local mining or-
ganizations to co-operate with this Congress in obtaining paid
members.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: I do not know what provision you
are going to make yet, or what we can make for that committee.
I do not know myself what that committee should be composed of,
whether one or more; it would depend upon the amount of money
you have. As to the question of the number of that committee I do
not know what is best. It strikes me that if you make it five and
only have money enough for one, that it is hardly proper, and perhaps
it might be well to let the executive committee or board of directors
determine the number in proportion to the money they have to ex-
pend. I only say this as a suggestion.
MR. BUCKLEY, OF MISSOURI: I have given that matter a
little thought since talking the matter over with you yesterday and
I feel that this committee should be the advisory committee of the
American Mining Congress; that in reality we should make a member
and every member of the advisory committee a member of this com-
ii.iit.tee, that would mean one man for each state in the union. I do not
believe that we are going to have sufficient funds to pay the ex-
penses of any committee to go through the United States to carry
on this work and I think if the executive committee are careful in the
selection of their advisory committee, this committee might per-
form those duties.
The resolution upon motion, duly seconded, adopted.
MR. MARTIN, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: The following resolution
has been under consideration by the committee: "Resolution favor-
ing home -rule and statehood for the territories of Arizona, Oklahoma
and New Mexiro. Resolved that we favor home rule for, and the
immediate admission into the union as states, the territories of
Arizona, Oklahoma and New Mexico."
RESOLUTION FAVORING HOME RULE AND STATEHOOD FOR
THE TERRITORIES OF ARIZONA, OKLAHOMA AND NEW MEXICO.
Resolved, That we favor home rule for, and the immediate admis-
sion into union as states, the territories of Arizona, Oklahoma and
New Mexico.
So far as personal opinions expressed by the members of
the committee are concerned, I think the committee practically is
entirely unanimous in favor of the admission of these territories,
but it has seemed to the committee that this resolution is not within
the purposes of the rule of our by-laws and the committee therefore
reports back this resolution without acting as not within the purposes
of the Congress.
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 131
The resolution was not acted upon by the Congress.
The following resolution was recommended by the resolution com-
mittee and adopted by the Congress:
Whereas, one of the most important achievements in the history
of the government of the United States was consummated in the
year 1805, by the peaceful occupation of the great Pacific Northwest,
then and long afterward known as the "Oregon Territory," by the
expedition sent by President Thomas Jefferson, and headed by Cap-
tains Merriweather Lewis and William Clark, and,
Whereas, the acquisition of the said "Oregon Territory," com-
prising the present states of Oregon, Washington and Idaho, and
part of Montana, Wyoming and Dakota, extended the domain of-;
the United States, from the western boundary of the then recent
"Louisiana Purchase" to the Pacific ocean, thereby compassing the
continent from the Atlantic to the Pacific seas, and,
Whereas, the possession of the "Oregon Territory" rendered the
acquisition of other contiguous territory possible and inevitable, and,
Whereas, the world's commerce, industries, finance and policies
have been revived and improved, and our own government mightily
strengthened to the accomplishment of a matchless destiny through
the great volume of valuable metals, digged from the mines and the
fields of those vast domains, and,
Whereas, the industry of mines in the United States is as po-
tential for good as ever heretofore; and,
Whereas, on being informed of a desire on the part of the people
of the Pacific West to appropriately mark and celebrate the centennial
anniversary of the unequaled achievement of Captains Lewis and
Clark in leading the willing feet of Columbia to the verge of the
sunset sea this Congress at its last annual session, by appropriate
resolution, unanimously adopted, approved such patroitic endeavor and
pledged co-operation and support of the organization and its mem-
bers; and,
Whereas, since said approval and endorsement by this Congress,
strong organizations have been perfected, and moneys appropriated
and subscribed, by the legislature of the state of Oregon and by
voluntary subscription by her citizens, for the purpose of honoring
said centennial anniversary in 1905, by a great exposition to be held
in Portland, near the point where the valiant captains reached the
Pacific; and,
Whereas, several of the legislatures of the Rocky Mountain and
Pacific states have recently endorsed said proposed exposition and
contributed moneys for the purpose of participating therein.
Now, Therefore, Be It Resolved, That this Congress In sixth annual
convention assembled, renews its approval of the purpose and en-
deavor to celebrate the epoch in American history, popularly known
as the Lewis and Clark expedition across the continent and com-
pleted in 1805.
Resolved, That this Congress as a body and its members as indi-
viduals pledge support and participation in such exposition.
Resolved, That this Congress is of opinion ffiat all the mining
states, particularly those in all the region of the Rocky Mountains
to the Pacific sea and from Canada to Mexico, should seize hold of
this first opportunity to make a full exposition of the mining industry
and its products, and every effort made to instruct the people in the
importance, extent, progress and present status of this great in-
dustry and its relations to the progress of the world.
The following resolution was recommended by the resolution com-
mittee and adopted by the Congress:
Resolved, That the American Mining Congress is against fake min-
ing companies and the exploitation of mining stock based solely upon
options for the purchase or levies of mining property, and that w,e
call upon the legislators of the several states and territories of the
132 OFFICIAL, PROCEEDINGS
United States to pass such legislation as may be effectual to remedy
tbe evil here mentioned, thus protecting alike investors and legitimate
mining enterprises.
The following resolution was recommended by the resolution
committee and adopted by the Congress:
4 Resolved, That we view with approbation the purchase of silver
by the government in the open market and their co-operation with the
committee appointed by the Mexican government to secure a staple
value and world wide market for silver by the co-operation of all the
staple governments of the world.
MR. MARTINI, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: One of the subjects we
Tiave had under consideration is a document entitled "A Solution of
Our Interests in Money" and the sub committee of the general com-
mittee on resolutions went through this document with care and
made report to the committee in session, the result of which is that
the committee report to the Congress presenting this resolution back
with the statement that in the view of the members of the committee
it does not come within the purposes and intent of this organization
as defined by its by-laws.
The following is the resolution:
A SOLUTION OF OUR INTERESTS IN MONEY.
CONFIDENTIAL.
Chas. Albert Long, Pomeroy, Washington.
AN ACT.
Entitled an Act:
To revise the present monetary measure and system of the United
States of America and Territories to accord and comply with the
fundamental principles of money itself and provide:
First For a money and a monetary system of a definite standard.
Second To provide for a subsidiary coin and currency of identical
and of inseparable representative value of the primary without liability
or less to the government.
Third To provide for the free and unlimited use of all money
metals and thereby permit our people the right and privilege of pro-
viding themselves with the greatest possible volume of money.
Fourth To place our money metals in the care and keeping of
the government and provide for their most economic and for their
most efficient public use.
Fifth To provide for the liquidation of our interest-bearing bonds
and to forever place the government above having again to borrow.
Sixth To relieve the government from the present burden and
expense of circulation.
Seventh To dispense with endless redemption.
Eighth To relieve the government from all unnecessary coinage,
and especially from the useless and senseless coinage of silver dollars
\\hich will not now Circulate, and never will.
Ninth To provide a national banking system which will insure
depositors against loss in the event of failure or of suspension without
immediate liquidation.
Tenth To provide our national banks with government protection
from depositor's panic.
Eleventh To provide for an elastic emergency currency.
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS 133
Twelfth To provide for a separate coloring for each kind of
currency and for a separate design for each denomination of every
kind, and for other purposes, and especially to invite the whole world
to unite in the adoption of a universal standard of money, and th'e
provision of a coin currency of identical parfty tor. every nation.
EXAMPLE.
ARTICLE FIRST.
STANDARD OP VALUE.
Section 1st. Resolved and be it enacted by the Senate and House
of Representatives of the United States of America Assembled in
Session of the Fifty-eighth Congress:
That on and after the Fourth day of July, A. D., 1904, the legal
standard measure of all values within these United States and Ter-
ritories shall be and consist of gold coin of the United States of
America.
Section 2nd. That on and after the said Fourth day of July, A.
D., 1904, the legal unit measure of all value within these United
States and Territories shall be and consist of the gold dollar of the
United States of America.
Section 3rd. That the gold dollar of the United States of America
shall be and consist of 23 22-100 grains! troy weight of pure gold and
shall be coined in denomination of $100, $200, $500, and $1000.
Section 4th. That gold coin of the United States of America shall
be and consist of pure gold lOOOths and of alloy lOOOths, com-
posed as follows, to wit:
ARTICLE SECOND.
COINAGE.
Section 1st. That if any person or persons, corporation or asso-
ciation, shall deliver and deposit to the credit of the United States of
America at our treasury, or any sub-treasury, or any mint, or at any
national bank of these United States or Territories, pure gold of the
weight and measure of 2322 grains troy weight, or any multiple there-
of, or shall so deliver and deposit gold coin of the United States of
America, and of legal weight, in amounts of one hundred dollars or
any multiple thereof, 'or shall so deliver and deposit other coin con-
taining pure gold of the weight and measure of 2322 grains troy weight,
or any multiple thereof, or shall so deliver and deposit United States
notes of present issue, in amounts of one hundred dollars, or any mul-
tiple thereof, such depositors shall be entitled to and may receive
therefor at our nearest mint gold coin of the United States of America
in denominations of $100, $200, $500, or $1000, as hereinafter pro-
vided a legal tender for all dues and demands, public and private
(and the legal standard measure of all values within these United
States and Territories), or in lieu thereof such depositors shall be
entitled to and may receive therefor at our nearest mint gold cer-
tificates of the United States of America in denominations ot $100,
$200, $500, or $1000, a legal tender for all dues and demands, public
and private, receivable for all dues of government and redeemable upon
presentation and demand at the treasury, or at any sub-treasury, or
at any mint of the United States in the gold coin of the United States
of America, or in pure gold, or in pure platinum, or in pure silver, of
the approximate value of the gold coin of the United States of Amer-
ica, at the option of the secretary of the treasury.
Section 2nd. That if any person or persons, corporation or asso-
ciation, shall deliver and deposit to the credit of the United States
of America at the treasury, or any sub-treasury, or at any mint, or at
134 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
any national bank, of these United States or Territories, pure plati-
num of the approximate value of fifty gold dollars of the United
States of America, or any multiple thereof, such depositors shall be
entitled to and may receive therefor at our nearest mint, platinum
coin of the United States of America, in denomination of fifty dollars,
of any weight and composition of alloy congress may hereinafter
adopt, a legal tender for all dues and demands, public and private, to
any amount not exceeding one hundred dollars, or in lieu thereof,
such depositors shall be entitled to and may receive there-
for, at our nearest mint platinum certificates of the United
States of America in denominations of fifty dollars, a legal tender for
all dues and demands, public and private, receivable for all dues of
government, and redeemable upon presentation and demand in amounts
of one hundred dollars, or any multiple thereof, at our treasury, or at
any sub-treasury, or at any mint of the United States, in gold coin
of the United States of America, or in pure gold, or in pure platinum,
or in pure silver, of the approximate value of gold coin of the United
States of America, at the option of the secretary of the treasury.
Section 3rd. That if any person or persons, corporation or asso-
ciation, shall deliver and deposit to the credit of the United States of
America at our treasury, or at any sub-treasury, OT at any mint, or at
any national bank of these United States or Terriones, pure silver
of the approximate value of one gold dollar of the United States of
America, or any multiple or "fraction thereof, OT shall so deliver and
deposit United States silver dollars of present issue, or silver certi-
ficates, or coin certificates, or treasury notes, or other demand obli-
gations of these United States, in any amount, or shall so deliver and
deposit interest-bearing bonds of the United States of America at
their market value, or shall so deliver and deposit national bank cur-
rency of the United States of America, in any amount, or shall so
deliver and deposit pure gold, or gold coin, or gold certificates, or pure
platinum, or platinum coin, or platinum certificates of the United
States of America in any amount, such depositors shall be entitled
to and may receive therefor at our nearest mint, silver coin of the
United States of American, in denominations of half-dollars, quarter-
dollars, dimes or half-dimes, each and all of the weight and fineness
congress may herein or hereafter adopt, a legal tender for all dues and
demands, public and private, to any amount not exceeding twenty-five
dollars for half-dollars, or ten dollars for quarter-dollars, or of one
dollar for dimes, or of one half-dollar for half-dimes, or in lieu thereof,
such depositors shall be entitled to and may receive therefor at our
nearest mint, minor coins of the' Uaited States tff America, in denomi-
nations of three cents or of one cent, of any metal, size and design
congress may adopt, a legal tender for any amount not exceeding one
dime for both, or in lieu thereof such depositors shall be entitled to
and may receive therefor at our nearest mint, silver certificates of
the United States of America in denominations of $1, $2, $5, $10 or
$20, a legal tender for all dues and demands, public and private, re-
ceivable for all dues of government and redeemable upon presenta-
tion and demand in amounts of $100, or any multiple thereof, at our
treasury, or any sub-treasury, or at any mint of the United States, in
gold coin of the United States of America, or in pure gold, or in pure
platinum, or in pure silver of the approximate value of gold coin of
the United States of America, at the option of the secretary of the
treasury.
ARTICLE THIRD.
REDEMPTION OF MONEY METALS.
Section 1st. That all money metals received by the United States
of America at any bank, as provided In this act, shall always be subject
to the actual expense of transmission, including insurance of delivery
at our nearest mint.
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 135
Section 2nd. That all gold bullion or gold coin received as bul-
lion by the United States of America, under the provisions of this act
shall always be subject to a charge of the actual cost to government
of the alloy necessary to effect its coinage.
ARTICLE FOURTH.
APPROXIMATING THE VALUE OP MONEY METALS.
Section 1st. That the value of all subsidiary money metals re-
ceived by the United States of America, under the provisions of this
act, and the value of all money metals disbursed by the United States
of America, under the provisions of this act, shall always be reckoned
at the highest price quoted in open market, or, if special bid be asked,
and which shall obtain if more than $10,000 be offered, shall always
be reckoned at the highest price bid in gold coin of the United States
of America for the amount offered, at the nearest exchange to the
place of offering.
Section 2nd. That it shall always be the option, privilege and duty
of the secretary of the treasury to either accept or to reject, in the
interest of government, any and all bids for money metals deposited
to the credit of, or being offered on disbursement by the United
States of America.
ARTICLE FIVE.
ALT.OY OF COIN AND DESIGN OF CURRENCY.
Section 1st. That the secretary of treasury is hereby authorized
and requested to appoint a committee of one or more (as in his
discretion may seem necessary) to determine, if possible, the most
practical design of coin and composition of alloy necessary to render
all coin issued under the provisions of this act the least susceptible
to wear and waste by abrasion, and the secretary of treasury is hereby
authorized and requested to pay all legitimate expense incurred by
such commissions out of any credits of the public treasury and charge
the same to the account of design and coinage.
Section 2nd. That each kind of currency hereafter issued by the
United States of America (as hereinbefore provided) shall be of a dis-
tinct and separate coloring, and that each denomination of every kind
shall be of a distinct and serarate design, so that each kind and each
denomination of every kind may be readily discernible from both
design and coloring, and the secretary of treasury is hereby author-
ized and requested to appoint a commission of one or more, as in his
discretion may seem necessary, to determine, if possible ; the most
desirable size, design and coloring of each respective kind of cur-
rency, and for their several denominations, as hereinbefore provided,
and to pay the expense incurred by such commission out of the public
treasury and charge the same to the account of designing of currency.
ARTICLE SIXTH.
RETIREMENT OF PRESENT ISSUE.
Section 1st. That it shall be unlawful and a misdemeanor for
any person or persons, corporation or association, to pay or to offer
in payment, or to circulate or to offer in circulation, on or after the
First day of January, A". D.. 1905, any other coin or currency than as
hereinbefore provided for (except national bank currency) and that
every person or persons, corporation or association, having United
States of America's coin of present issue (except national bank cur-
rency) and wishing to obtain money or lawful subsidiary coin or cur-
rency therefor shall, before the said First day of January, A. D., 1905.
present the same at some United States depository for exchange in
136 OFFICIAL, PROCEEDINGS
coin or currency of the United States of America, as hereinbefore pro-
vided for, and any violation of this act shall render the offender liable
to a fine of not less than 10 per 1 cent of the amount so offered.
Section 2nd. That the secretary of treasury shall provide each
national bank, express paid, with whatever kind of coin and currency
hereinbefore provided for, which the public may require in exchange
for their present issue, and charge the expense of such expressage to
the account of retirement of present issue.
ARTICLE SEVENTH.
DIVISION OF TREASURY'S CREDITS.
Section 1st. That all accounts in relation to the reception and dis-
bursements of money metals, and all accounts in relation to the issuo
and redemption of currency, shall be kept separate and apart from all
other accounts and transactions of the treasury, and in a department
to be known as the Department of Issue and Redemption, and to
which all gold and gold coin, and all platinum and all silver bullion,
and silver dollars of present issue, now in possession of the govern-
ment, or which may hereafter be received or acquired in payment of
any dues, or otherwise, shall be accredited in exchange for currency,
and all of said coin shall be reduced to bullion and recoined as fast,
if possible, as the demands of the public may require, in gold, plati-
num, or silver coins of the kind and denomination hereinbefore pro-
vided for, or currency may be issued in lieu thereof to suit the demands
of the public, but that no issue of permanent or regular currency, ex-
cept as hereinbefore provided for, shall ever be without a direct and
specific act of congress authorizing such excessive issue.
ARTICLE EIGHTH.
NATIONAL BANK GUARANTEE FUND.
Section 1st. That all national banks now existing, or which may
hereafter be authorized by the United States of America, shall in ad-
dition to all other acts of regulation and supervision be subject to an
annual tax of 1-10 of 1 per cent of their -respective loans and dis-
counts which shall be paid to the secretary of treasury in quarterly
installments, beginning with the Fourth day of July, A. D., 1904, and
being reckoned upon the monthly average of their respective loans
and discounts for the three preceding months and becoming perpet-
ually due and payable upon the fourth day of every third month there-
after, the proceeds of which shall be accredited to a fund to be known
as the National Bank Guarantee Fund, the intent and purpose of which
shall be to guarantee the prompt and certain payment of all national
bank deposits, and which shall be kept distinct and separate from all
other money and accounts in the care and keeping of the secretary of
treasury, and used only to pay depositors of national banks in the
event of their failure or of suspension without immediate liquidation
and adjustment of all deposits, and in the event of such failure the
secretary of treasury shall, as soon as possible, ascertain such bank
depositors due, and issue to each a certificate of United States de-
posit, payable to order upon endorsement, and such claims against
any bank shall be a first lien upon all assets of whatever nature and
kind, due or belonging to any such bank, and upon all of the lawful
obligations of the respective stockholders, and in the event of the
National Bank Guarantee Fund ever becoming insufficient of meeting
the demands of failing bank depositors, then each and every national
bank shall be subject to an emergency assessment equal to their pro-
portion of the amount then due such depositors.
Section 2nd. That all national banks of the United States of Amer-
ica may continue, and all other banks of these United States and Tei 1 -
ritories may hereafter organize and continue as national banks with-
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 137
out a deposit of government bonds by simply subscribing to the Na-
tional Bank Guarantee Fund, as hereinafter provided for, and by
complying with ail other lawful requirements of national banks of the
United States of America.
ARTICLE NINTH.
EMERGENCY CURRENCY.
Section 1st. That any national bank of the United States of
America in good standing and holding a lawful reserve, may, upon
application to and recommendation by the comptroller of currency be
permitted at any time to issue short time notes of not longer than
six months' circulation, and upon the following terms and conditions:
1st. That such bank shall pay in advance to the treasury of
the United States one-fourth of the lawful or regular bank rate of
interest for the entire time of such issue's limit, and said limit of
issue's time shall always be designated at the time of application.
;2nd. That all such bank issues shall be made for a specific pur-
pose, such as the harvesting of crops of grain, picking and preparing
for market crops of fruit, or other absolutely necessary transactions
requiring an abnormal local circulation for a short season of the
year, and which purpose shall always be specified with application for
an issue,
3rd. That every bank making application for an issue of currency
shall agree and sign an agreement to never loan more than .50 per
cent of the market value of securities taken and to insure to keep
insured to double of the amount loaned all of such securities taken,
and to keep subject to the order of the comptroller of currency a dis-
tinct and separate account of all loans for which bank currency ;s
used, and to keep all notes and securities taken for such loans separate
and distinct from all ordinary transactions and obligations of the
bank, and to hold all of such notes and their securities, together with
the insurance, or the funds received in tEeir payment as a redemption
fund and a guarantee that each and every note of the bank currency
shall be promptly redeemed, and the comptroller of currency is hereby
authorized to hold each and all of such obligations and proceeds or
bank currency loans until such currency is redeemed, or until United
States coin or currency is deposited with the secretary of treasury
for their redemption, and the government hereby guarantees their
certain and prompt redemption, or exchange for United States
currency.
4th. That a violation of any obligation to the government herein
required of banks of issue by any officer, or employe of such bank,
shall render each and all of such offenders guilty of felony and pur-
ishable by imprisonment for a term of not less than fifty years at
hard labor, and confiscation of each and all of such offender's property
towards, or to the amount of such defalcation.
5th. The national bank currency of the United States of America,
which may be issued under the provisions of this act, shall read:
"The National Bank of , county or , state of . $ . Limit
of circulation, . Legal tender for all dues and demands, public and
private, receivable for all dues of government, and exchangeable at
the treasury of ttie United States for regular coin or currency of the
United States of America, af the option of the holder."
6th. National banY emergency currency, as provided for in this
act, shall be issued by secretary of treasury at the expense of the ap-
plicant, and in denominations of from one to twenty dollars, but shall
be of a distinct and separate design and coloring.
138 OFFICIAL, PROCEEDINGS
ARTICLE TENTH.
GOVERNMENT EMERGENCY CURRENCY.
Sebtion 1st. That our president is hereby authorized to order an
issue of emergency currency of the United States of America when-
ever the exigencies shall have convinced himself, the comptroller of
currency and a majority of the cabinet, that an issue of emergency
currency may be necessary to save borrowing in providing for the
public defense or in the promotion of the public welfare, but such
issue shall always be limited to the actual necessities of the govern-
ment in the emergency, and pending the convening and action of con-
gress providing for a special revenue and collection of the permanent
or regular currency for the retirement of the emergency currency,
but no emergency currency shall ever be issued except for some ne-
cessity in the interest of all the people of our United States, such as
the purchase of the right of way and construction of an isthmian
canal, or like investment, involving the general welfare of all the
people, or wherein the protection of the public defense is at stake.
The intent and purpose of this act being to enable the legitimate ex-
ercise of government credit in the interest of the general welfare with-
out having to borrow.
Section 2nd. That no issue of national emergency currency shall
ever be made for a longer time than five years from the date of such
order, unless a specific act of congress authorizes an extension of said
time and such issue shall be retired at maturity, and at the option
of the secretary of treasury at any time before maturity whenever
rnd as fast as current receipts or a special revenue, or both, shall have
collected of the regular currency an amount in excess of the gov-
ernment's current requirements.
Section 3rd. Emergency currency of the United Slates of America
shall read:
United States of America emergency currency. Limit of circula-
tion, years, a legal tender for all dues and demands, public and
private, and receivable for all dues of government, exchangeable at the
treasury for regular coin or currency of the United States of America,
at the option of the holder.
Section 4th. In the event of an issue of an emergency currency
it shall be the duty of the president to have the secretary of treasury
to furnish congress witE an estimate of the amount of revenue neces-
sary to retire all of the emergency issue within the limit of its auth-
orized circulation, and whenever a special revenue provided for the
retirement of an emergency currency shall have collected of the regu-
lar currency an amount equal to the emergency currency to be retired,
then it shall be the duty of our president to suspend a further cl-
lection of such special revenue.
Section 5th. The national emergency currency provided for in
this act shall be of a specific coloring of its own, but may be in any
denominations to suit the purposes of the government.
Section 6th. In the event of an emergency currency issue the
president may have silver or minor coins issued to any amount neces-
sary to accommodate the needs of government, and all such coins shall
be a legal tender as hereinbefore provided for such coins.
ARTICLE ELEVENTH.
UNIVERSAL COIN AND CURRENCY.
Section 1st. Resolved that our president is hereby authorized and
requested to appoint a commission of three or more, as in his disc-re-
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 139
tion may seem advisable, to negotiate with every nation for the
adoption of a universal standard of money and the provision of a coin
and currency of identical parity for the world, and the sum of $100.000
is hereby appropriated to defray the expenses of such commission,
and the secretary of treasury is hereby authorized to pay the same
out of and credit of the government not otherwise appropriated, and
charge the same'to the account of international currency.
ARTICLE TWELFTH.
Section 1st. That all acts and parts of acts existing contrary to,
or conflicting herewith, are hereby annulled and repealed.
EXPLANATION.
In explanation of the principles of fact involved, and upon which
the foregoing measure is written, and in its comparison with our pre-
sent monetary act, or with that which the Hon. C. N. Fowler, chair-
man of the house committee of banking and currency, or any one else
has ever introduced or recommended, I submit:
1st. That my .measure is written not only in recognition of the
necessity of a definite standard of money for the sake of knowing
positively what valuable, and what quantity of that valuable, all kinds
of our coin and currency shall represent; but this:
2nd. It is written in recognition of the fact that the highest or
most valuable standard of money possible is absolutely necessary to
even permit of providing for the present possible volume of money,
and because the principles of business is that all subsidiaries or in-
feriors are and of right ought to be subject to their superiors, and con-
sequently may forever properly act subject to their superiors; but
that no superior can ever properly act subject to an inferior, so if we
would properly employ two or more factors in our volume of money,
we must honor the most valuable one with being money, and then em-
ploy the less valuable ones with being assistants; for if we honor the
least capable with the authority of dictating to the most capable, we
cannot enjoy the ability of the more capable, so that as I see it, the
gold standard of money instead of being a financial cross of unnec-
essary contraction 'upon which to crucify the people, it is a financial
couch of the greatest capacity and comfort yet discovered, and in-
stead of being a crown of financial thorns with which to distress ^ e
brow of the poor, it is a financial bower of sweetest roses, permitting
tl rift and intelligence to decorate home not only with the acquirements
and accomplishments of the locality or of a state, or even a nation,
but of the world, and with the greatest degree of convenience possible
in anything known, and enjoying an existence above condition.
3rd. My measure is written in recognition of the fact that the
highest or most valuable standard of money possible is absolutely ne-
cessary to even provide for a money of the greatest possible conven-
ience, for the greater the value the greater the convenience in a money
of great quantity, three principles and conditions in money fundamental
and absolutely indespensible in providing for a satisfaction of business
intelligence in a montetary measure and system for any people, for
it is impossible that intelligence could ever be satisfied with anything
as a measure for either quantity, dimension or weight, without having
the measure defined so as to know positively what it was to represent,
and to also know that everyone alike must comply with the same meas-
ure, and so with money, for no one would loan dollars of the value
of 23 and 22-100 grains of pure gold and be satisfied with a law which
would permit his debtor to pay him back in another kind of dollar
not worth over ten grains of gold, and which the 16 to 1 would have
compelled every creditor to accept.
140 OFFICIAL, PROCEEDINGS
Neither can intelligent people be satisfied with an amount or
volume of anything as good and useful as money and know that they
might just as well have more and the advantage of a greater volume
of it to enjoy, and especially so if they know that the only cost of
having more would be to simply write the permission and conditions.
Neither can intelligence be satisfied with the use of anything for
the sole purpose of a business convenience and also know that the
only cost of providing for the thing in a form of greater convenience
would be to write the conditions and dimensions.
But not only is my measure written in recognition of the funda-
mental principles of money itself, but it is also written^' in recognition
of five principles of fact involved in the use of one or more factors
as an assistant money.
The first is that anything entitled to use as a money at all is of
right entitled to free and unlimited use; for intelligence not only
needs their assistance, but must have their greatest possible assist-
ance if we would enjoy what the Author of Nature has provided for
our comfort, convenience and intelligence.
2nd. It recognizes the fact that to provide for the free and un-
limited use of any subsidiary and have its own coin and currency al-
ways a representative of the identical value of the primary, and have
it so without involving a liability or even the possibility of loss to
the government, it must be made responsible for its own transactions
and responsible for the redemption of its own currency, that is to
say, each subsidiary must be made receivable at its primary value and
its coin and currency must .be made redeemable in the primary value
of its own self, and the same principles applied which will provide
for the free and unlimited use of one subsidiary without liability or
even possibility of loss to the government will, of course, provide for
the free and unlimited use of any number of subsidiaries without
liability or even a possibility of loss to the government, and conse-
quently, then, if this can be done, any nation, however weak or poor,
can adopt the highest possible standard of money and enjoy the ad-
vantages of the free and unlimited use of everything entitled to use
as money at all, and can do so just as easily and just as safely as the
greatest nation of the world could.
3rd. It recognizes the fact tEat each factor entitled to use as an
assistant money at all is of right entitled to a distinct and separate
share and interest in transacting the nation's business, for they are
each individuals to be honored as an agent of intelligence with the
performance of a specific job in the service of mankind, and conse-
quently the value and usefulness of each will depend upon its being
permitted of doing just all it possibly can with acceptable convenience
to its employer, for they are each possessed by divine authority with
qualifications, recommendations and interests each of tneir own, so
to permit any one of them to be defrauded and deprived of any part
of what it could acceptably do for use would be not only to lose its
service and consequently unnecessarily deprive ourselves of what il
could do for us, but also to wrong and depreciate the value of the one
defrauded.
4th. It is written in recognition of the fact that to obtain and
enjoy the greatest possible service and profit of a number of monetary
credits, the least capable or least valuable one must first be accorded
and protected in just all it can possibly do within a respectful regard
to the convenience of the employer, and then the next more valuable
one must have just all it can do within a respectful regard to the
convenience of its employer and so on up to the primary. This will-
accord to and protect each in a share and proportion of business
which will forever insure each one an opportunity for doing their
greatest and" most valuable service to man and will consequently
insure to their producers the greatest possible demand and price for
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 141
and profits on their product, so if we honor silver with the entire re-
sponsibility of our domestic circulation we should afford to it the
greatest possible opportunity in the service of mankind, and conse-
quently restore it to the greatest possible value, for money metals,
like mules, to be valuable must have profitable employment.
5th. It is written in recognition of the fact that though all sub-
sidiaries are of right entitled to free and unlimited use and coinage,
no subsidiary is of right entitled to a legal tender authority above the
first demonstration of its first predecessor, that is to say, if silver be
of less value than platinum, then silver's greatest coin should not be
allowed a legal tender authority above the first denomination of plat-
inum, and if platinum be of less value than gold, then platinum's
greatest coin should never be allowed a legal tender authority above
the first denomination of gold, so then, if we should ever find anything,
or any number of things, of greater value than gold, and entitled to
use as a money, we should honor the most valuable one with being
our money and limit the legal tender authority of gold to the first de-
nomination of its first predecessor. It seems this ought to be plain
to every one, for the principles involved are the same as the prin-
ciples involved in the office of president, 1st vice president, 2nd vice
president, and so on to any number, so to permit any assistant the
authority of disputing the dictation of even its first predecessor would
be to destroy the office of the predecessor.
But in addition to the fundamental principles of money itself and
in addition to the fundamental principles of subsidiary money, my
measure is written in recognition of the following principles and con-
ditions involved in the reception, disbursement, and economic, and
efficient use of all money metals:
1st. It recognizes the fact that the relative value of all things may
fluctuate because of the fluctuation in the relative supply of either
of them and that too, even though the demand be practically fixed
and unchanged toward either or any one of them.
2nd. It recognizes the fact that the relative value or usefulness
of any number of things may fluctuate because of fluctuations in the
demand for either or any one of them, and that too, even though the
relative supply has remained unchanged.
3rd. It recognizes the fact that the relative value of all things
may depend upon where they are, that is to say, that gold and silver
may not be of the same relative value at Butte, Mont., that they are
upon the same day at New York, because it might cost proportionately
more to get one delivered from the .mines than it would for the other
for instance, it now costs the government $7.75 expressage on a
thousand dollars of silver from the mint at San Francisco, Cal., to the
bank at Pomeroy, Wash., while it only costs the bank $1.50 per thou-
sand dollars expressage on gold, a difference of $6.25 per thousand!
and a difference of $6,250 on a million dollars.
4th. It recognizes the fact that the amount offered may effect
the relative value of any number of things, for no one will ever give
as much relatively for more than they need of anything as they
would for just what they need.
5th. It recognizes the fact that though a currency, if issued by
a responsible holder of the money it represents, may be just as val-
uable in any domestic transaction as the money itself, nothing but
actual money or its assistant can possibly serve a nation as a monetary
credit, because the nation is the source of authority and declares what
shall be money and what shall be honored as assistant money, and also
must, to have their currency as good as money, declare that every
holder "of the nation's currency shall have either money or the value
of money in it as assistant money at any lime in exchange for their
142 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
currency, if they wish, so while no person, corporation or association,
could afford to undertake to be responsible for the care and keeping
of so vast a quantity of property without being paid for so doing, the
nation can well afford to take the responsibility of the care and keeping
of all the people's money and without charge, because it is kept for
the benefit of all the people, and the best interest of the people de-
mands that their money be placed to tneir public credit and kept in
the care of their government.
6th. It recognizes the fact that if the people of any nation shall
honor their money with protection from domestic circulation and place
all they have to their public credit, and subject only to the demands
of their government, that then their government will constantly and
perpetually have all the money that they all have, and consequently
then their government will not have to run out and borrow of Tom,
Dick and Harry at every emergency in excess of current receipts and
subject the whole nation to taxation for the payment of interest to
individuals, corporations or associations, as we and every nation o?
the world have ever done.
7th. It recognizes the fact that in the case of our own govern-
ment, if we had at the time of our present measure's enactment, or
if we should now provide for a condition which would induce every
one of us to place our money to the credit of the government, an3
which can be done without cost or inconvenience to any one, that then
our government would have more than a billion dollars in gold, and
half as many dollars' worth of other metals money enough to pay
our interest-bearing bonds of $868,000,000, and hundreds of millions of
dollars left, instead of refunding them for thirty years, as we did,
and" would have saved to our public credit the hundreds of millions
in interest our present measure now compels us to pay.
8th. My bill is written in recognition of the fact that a condition
provided in a monetary measure which would induce every one having
gold, or gold coin, to place it to the credit of their government and
take a currency, because the currency would better accommodate
their business convenience, would also induce the holder of govern-
ment bonds, if he wished to do business rather than draw interest,
to deposit his bonds to the credit of his nation and take a currency
instead of gold coin, though his bond called for gold coin, simply be-
cause the currency would better accommodate his convenience also,
so that the government could have liquidated our interest debt at ma-
turity, or at any time before upon presentation and have had almost
every dollar of our gold still left to our public credit, for under the
operation of my bill no one will ever again want gold v as a money,
unless they are going to leave the country.
9th. My bill is written in recognition of the fact that though the
government only of any people could afford to assume the responsibil-
ity of keeping and perpetually care for their money, without being
paid for doing it, the government of any people can well afford to,
because to do 30 would forever place the government above having
again to borrow, at least until they had exhausted their entire mone-
tary credit.
10th. It recognizes the fact that if any people will honor their
money with protection from all unnecessary use as a currency, sucfi
protection would result in saving to the perpetual credit of the world
all that is now worn out and wasted by its unnecessary use as a
currency.
,11th. It recognizes the fact that all classes of every people are
of right entitled to an absolutely safe place for the deposits of their
monetary credits and that every government ought to of right pro-
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 143
vide for a national banking system which would insure every depositor
the certain and prompt payment of his deposit, even though the bank
should fail.
12th. It recognizes the fact that every national bank is of right
entitled to government protection from a depositor's panic.
13th. It is written in recognition of the fact that to make the
national bank the only safe place of deposit will insure the banker the
constant and perpetual use of his customers' deposits, and bring from
their hiding place the millions that are now kept secreted in private
vaults.
14th. It recognizes the fact that to insure the depositors of a
bank against the possibility of loss and then to insure the banker
against the possibility of a depositor's panic will provide for the
greatest possible stability to business and provide for the greatest
possible protection against financial panics.
15th. Tt recognizes the fact that to compel the miner to toil un-
til he gets 23 and 22-100 grains of pure gold, or the value of it in some
other valuable before he~can get credit for a dollar, and then to make
the banker a present of a credit for a dollar to go out in competition
with the .miner's hard earned dollar, and simply because the banker
was fortunate enough to own and control a dollar which the miner
had produced, is both unfair and unjust to the miner.
But this is not all, for after we have provided for the very best
money the Author of Being has created for us, and have provided for
the greatest possible volume of it, and then provide for the most
economic and for the most efficient use of all we may ever get, and
then provide for an absolutely safe place of deposit, and then insure
the banker against the possibility of a depositor's panic, and by it
provide for the greatest possible business stability and security
against financial panics and their awful consequences, we are still
entitled to two emergency currency rets to enable legitimate exercise
of government credit without having to pay interest to individuals,
corporations or associations.
The first we need in the interest of local affairs with which to
meet the abnormal demands of harvest, or other kindred local re-
quirements, which often demand millions of dollars in a locality for
only tv/o or three months of the whole year, and which if supplied by
the government for a share of the profits, would not only insure us
a, currency equal to the demands of any harvest expense, but it would
do so without distressing or interfering with the financiers of our
money centers, and without interfering with the permanent and con-
stant employment of our regular currency, and besides would enable
us to keep at home the millions of dollars we must now pay to the
people of other nations for the use of their money with which to har-
vest, and for my part, I would much rather pay to the public credit
of my own people whatever interest I must pay for the use of an
emergency currency than to pay interest to any other people of the
world.
The second we need in the interest of government with which to
meet the emergencies of war or other demands upon the government in
excess of regular receipts.
That an act of this kind would have enabled our government to
have met the expense of the Spanish-American war and without bor-
rowing a dollar of any individual, corporation or association, is ^oo
apparent to even warrant a mention, and that it would have saved
the interference with the local business interests and intentions we
imposed upon our people of almost every county of our entire nation
by asking them to subscribe to a loan for government, and which
very greatly interferred with the normal development of local enter-
prises both on the farm and in the factory, and besides which such
an act would have saved to the public credit the interest we must
144 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
now pay to the individuals, corporations and associations who loaned
our government their money, so as a people we have not only had to
suffer the self-denial imposed by a postponement of the local business
interests, comforts and conveniences to the two hundred .million dol-
lars we subscribed for our public defense would have enabled us to
have accomplished and provided, but now after suffering the self-
denial of our interests and wishes for years we are subject to a tax
for the interest to be paid those who loaned the government their
funds, yet ihe tax we contribute for the interest on our Spanish-Amer-
ican war debt is insignificant compared with the consequences and
costs to business of withdrawing hundreds of millions of dollars of our
permanent currency out of the ordinary channels of business enter-
prises; and if there can be any safe way of meeting the demands of
any such emergency with an emergency currency and permit the
regular currency to remain in tBe regular employment of domestic
industry, we are of right entitled to it, and should be permitted to
enjoy its advantages.
To Recapitulate: My bill will provide for a money and a monetary
system of a definite standard and illustrates the principles involved
in providing for the greatest possible convenience in money and in
providing for the greatest possible volume of it, and in providing for
the most economic use of it, and providing for the most efficient
use of all we may ever get. It shows how to accord each factor with
its respective rights and interests; it shows how to liquidate our
interest-bearing bonds with our present monetary credit, and how to
keep from ever again having to borrow; it shows how to provide an
elastic emergency currency, equal to the demands of any harvest,
and how to do so to the advantage of our public credit instead of to
the money-lenders of other nations; it shows how to exercise gov-
ernment credit in its own defense, or in promotion of the general wel-
fare, without paying interest until it has at least exhausted its entire
monetary reserve, and does so without injury, cost or inconvenience
to any one; it provides for a banking system with all the advantages,
and with even greater security to the depositor than a pa-rent banking
system, and does so without subjecting any place or locality to the
competition of any kind of a parent banking trust not to mention one
>uch as Mr. Fowler proposes, in which one set of directors, if not one
man, may dictate the entire currency issue of a nation, and then enter
into competition with the banking interest of any other nation who
may permit us a franchise and charter, a condition which would permit
the banking interests of the whole world to unite in the interest of a
monopoly, when and whereas the only security to any people of accom-
modation at reasonable compensation is that of competition.
My bill provides a banking system which will forever insure every
national bank against the possibility of a depositor's panic, for it pro-
vides a condition which will induce every one to bring out of hiding
and out of private keeping to the bank every dollar that can be
spared from their pockets and their tills, and then to let them forever
stay subject to the use of the bank, unless absolutely needed, for
under my bill the national bank is to be the only safe place on eartfi
to the individual, corporation or association, for monetary credit
consequently no one will ever take a dollar from the bank until com-
pelled to use it, and then it will be brought back just as soon as one
gets it who does not need it in the pocket or in the till, and conse-
quently there can never be another financial panic caused by the
depositor's withdrawal of his deposit through fear of the bank's failure.
My bill will unite the entire banking interests of the nation in
a common cause to defend themselves against all kinds of reckless-
ness, mismanagement and rascality, and which ought to result in so
uniform, rigid and comprehensive a regulation that, instead of bank's
failing every month, we shall not have a, bank failure in months, and
intelligently managed there need never be another.
My bill enacted will relieve the j7overnment from repeated or
endless redemption, which in the past has cost us many millions; It
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 145
will relieve us from all expense of circulation, which now costs us be-
tween a third and a half million dollars a year; it will also relieve us
from all unnecessary expense of coinage, which now costs us thou-
sands of dollars annually.
My bill is applicable to the whole world and provides a condition
in which every nation from the least to the greatest may unite and
adopt the highest possible standard of money, provide a coin" and cur-
rency of identical parity and enjoy the free and unlimited use of
everything entitled to use as a money.
Our present monetary act and system does not provide for a
single condition of the twenty-five herein enumerated, but Mr. Fowl-
er's proposed bill would provide for two of them, viz.: a definite stand-
ard and relief from endless redemption. His bill would also provide
for an issue of permanent currency upon a bank capital, which may be
squandered at any time, but he would deny the miner the privilege
of exchanging his indestructible money metal for a currency. My
bill would say to all alike, that if any one, corporation or association,
wants to increase the coin or currency of our United States you must
bring to the credit of the government gold or some other valuable
entitled to the credit of money before you can have it. And which of
the two conditions do you believe will be best? Which would you
rather have, a currency of your nation, the representative of a val-
uable, in the care and keeping of your nation, and which you or any
one else might get at any time if needed, and when not needed be a
perpetual credit to your government, and always available for the
protection and promotion of your public welfare, without waiting
to borrow or having to pay interest, and the only limit of our volume
of such credit to be the value of the money metals we may mine?/ Or
would you prefer a currency issued upon the credit of a bank, which
would be a constant liability and fruitful source of panics and then be
denied the privilege of credit for the production of our mines, and be-
sides have our nation a helpless one, dependent upon and subject at
every emergency to the dictation of a set of bankers? 1 would choose
the currency of our nation, issued for gold, or the gold value of some
other valuable, which fire cannot burn, nor frost blight, nor hot winds
parch, nor rascality squander, but which may endure as a monetary
credit and source of financial independence to our nation forever; and
now let all understand that it is up to the American people to decide at
our next congress which of the two policies and conditions we shall
have, and let all understand that if we permit a parent banking trust
to be fastened upon us that we shall subject ourselves to a trust
that will fleece every locality for the benefit of the parent, and to
which our nation may be as helpless a dupe as is England to the Bank
of England.
To provide a banking system which shall permit the government
to insure them against the possibility of a depositor's panic will
provide a stability to banking and to business and a security to invest-
ment hitherto unknown.
My bill will relieve every national bank from tKe obligation of
holding or maintaining a gold reserve.
My bill would forever place our government above having to
borrow, while our present act, or that which Mr. Fowler proposes,
would forever subject us to the necessity of borrowing at every emer-
gency exceeding current receipts. Would it not be a pleasure to
see our nation out of interest debt and with more than a billion
dollars in gold and with half as many gold dollars' worth of other
money metals to our public credit, or would you rather see our nation
with only one hundred and fifty million dollars to our public credit
and subject to an interest-bearing debt of practically one billion dol-
lars, drawing an annual interest of at least twenty million dollars?
I would like to see Uncle Sam free from ever having to pay another
cent of interest, and. out on the highway of possibility with billions
of dollars to his credit, and I would like to see our people enjoying the
privilege of increasing the volume of their public credit to the value
146 OFFICIAL, PROCEEDINGS
of all the money metals our energy and enterprise may inspire us to
produce, for if permitted the privilege of unlimited use of all .money
metals we would increase our monetary credit by at least fifty million
gold dollars' worth annually above what we will do, or can do, under
the present act, or under the bill which Mr. Fowler proposes, so that
as I see it, my bill enacted at the time of our present act would have
saved to our public credit the interest on our present debt, amounting
to about twenty million dollars annually, and which for thirty years
would have amounted to more than $500,000,000, and besides would
have saved the expense of circulation, which now amounts to more
than a million dollars, and all of which I offered to show Secretary
Gage of what and how to do, if he would only agree to recommend
that congress allow me something for the suggestion; but he replied
that it was impractical to offer any compensation for a suggestion on
.the improvement of our monetary or currency interests, and which
I understood to mean that he thought y>e certainly knew as well as
I possibly could, and I judge that I might, as far as his reason con-
ceived, just as well have said, "Here, secretary, I will ehow you how
to make Niagara run straight up," as to have offered any plan for
the liquidation of our bonds instead of refunding them. It was so
far ahead of any conception of his, and the offer of providing for the
free and unlimited use of silver, under a gold standard, was, I 3udge,
to him, little or no less absurd. But I believe that even a casual
glance at my bill will convince any expert that it will provide every
claim enumerated, and if so, it solves the monetary interests of the
world forever.
There is but one question involved, it seems to me, which any
financier would stumble over and fail to comprehend, and that is, if
great quantities of silver should be received at, say one dollar an
ounce, and then eventually it should ever decline to fifty cents an
ounce, would not the government lose the decline? It seems so, but
I answer no; for under the conditions provided the government can
never lose a cent, and for several reasons, among them which are,
first, that we do not give anything for it, we only receipt for it in
currency, so that before we could ever lose in the deal the currency
must come back and the silver be all withdrawn from the government,
so as to compel the government to buy to make up the deficiency,
and, secondly, we have provided a condition in which it would be
as impossible to return the currency so as to take the silver away
from the government as it would to invert the law of gravity and
compel the rivers to flow to the summit of the mountains, for the
rivers are no less subject to the law of gravity than our currency,
under my bill, is subject to the law of necessity. I believe that it
will be plain to every student of currency that under my "bill to ever
take a monetary credit from the government, the one taking it must
retire his currency, and consequently forego and give up the business
opportunity his currency would afford him, for my bill will make of
the government an ocean into which all money metals must be placed
before they can be made available as a monetary or currency credit,
and consequently when placed to the credit of the government it will
be for the sake of a currency^ and so before they can ever be taken
from the government the people must decide to give up their currency
and abandon business absolutely, and to abandon business absolutely
would mean death to all at once, for the world cannot live without
the transaction of business; and under my bill the only way to get a
currency at all with which to do business is to place some money
metal to the credit of the government, and then the only way to keep
a currency with which to transact business is to let the money metals
stay to the credit of the government, and, as has been said, the trans-
action of business is an absolute necessity of life itself, not to mention
any of the comforts 01 conveniences of civilized life, or means of in-
formation, or education, each and all of which" are absolutely depend-
ent upon the use and employment of a currency, for without a cur-
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 147
rency it is utterly impossible to have a book, a paper, or any other
means of education, or in fact anything else beyond the natural pro-
visions of nature, for without a currency it would be impossible to
have an implement, or shop of manufacture, or any vehicle of con-
veyance, or ship of commerce; so it seems to me that the impossibility
of ever taking the money metals from our government, under the
operation of my bill, will be plain to all students of the question, and
if my bill is an improvement on what the world has ever had so far,
its enactment does not involve, like most improvements, an outlay or
investment of great capital in its provision, for the only expense ne-
cessary to its enactment is merely its writing, and then its operations
will be cheaper by many thousand dollars annually than what we now
have, and best of all it is in the interest of every person and against
no one; while to do anything less in a monetary measure in this age
of reason than to provide for the very best money the Author of
Being has provided for us, and then at least to provide for every con-
dition of its enjoyment, enumerated in my bill, would be to disgrace
ourselves, expose our ignorance to the world and unnecessarily de-
fraud and deprive ourselves of what the Author of Being haa pro-
vided for us. Very Respectfully submitted,
CHAS. ALBERT LONG.
Pomeroy. Wash.
PRESIDENT RIOHARDS: Mr. Drake, of Oregon, desires to
make a few remarks at this time.
MR. DRAKE, OP OREGON: Mr. President, Gentlemen of the
Convention and Delegates: I appreciate the necessity for those who
have anything to say to be brief and to the point. The 100th anni-
versary of the acquisition of the Oregon territory originally by the
United States, which was acquired by Captains Lewis and Clark,
appointed by President Jefferson, will soon be here. It was a great
event. I have no time now or inclination to discuss fb or to deliver
a lecture to you. Some eighteen months ago the people of Idaho,
Washington, Oregon and Montana in a general way began to discuss
the 100th anniversary and some appropriations were made to celebrate
that glorious event. At the last session of this congress this question
came up and it was one of the first organizations to take cognizance
of the propriety of the observance of that anniversary and by reso-
lutions adopted at Butte, declared itself in favor of the observation
of that anniversary by the people of the Northwest. Since that time
an organization has 'been perfected in Oregon by an incorporation
to which private subscriptions have been made in large sums of money
for the purpose of celebrating that event at Portland, its chief city.
The state of Oregon has appropriated $500,000 in furtherance of this
object. Every one of the mining states through its legislature has
appropriated moneys and funds for the purpose of mineral exhibits
and for the exploitation of this industry at St. Louis and Portland.
All this has been done since the first recommendation on the part of
congress and I desire now, if you will kindly permit me, to read a little
review of this action in the form of pamphlets and a further declara-
tion on behalf of this Congress on the propriety of the furtherance
of the objects of that organization, and ask you to adopt them.
The resolution was referred to the committee on resolutions.
MR. MUIR, OF OREGON: As one of the delegates from Oregon,
I wish to read a telegram from the representative of the State Mining
Congress that is now in session at Portland.
"Portland, Ore., Sept. 7th, '03.
Oregon Delegation A. M. Congress, Deadwood, S. D., Franklin Hotel:
State Miners' Association perfected today with large representa-
tion from all parts of state sends greeting to American Mining Con-
gress and desires that Portland be its next meeting point. A cordial
reception will be given. A. L. MORRIS, Secretary."
148 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
We come here from Oregon to attend this Congress for the benefit
of the mining interests of this territory. We do not come here to
represent any* exposition that may come in 1905 or any other year.
It is to the advantage of the state of Oregon or any other state to get
this Congress to meet at the very first opportunity and we desire the
Congress to be held at Portland in 1904. We desire that *he American
Mining Congress will receive the entire attention that can be given it
when the city is at itself and not when other matters require its
attention as it will be in 1905. Nineteen hundred and four is the year
we want it. (Cheers.)
MR. BENNETT, OF MINNESOTA: I have a short resolution I
would like to offer if it is in order. I would like to state what prompted
that resolution by stating the circumstances. There came to our city
a few years ago from Washington and I am going to divide the honors
of this case between Washington and South Dakota, the statutes
under which the organizatin was made, and Idaho. The gentleman
came to Minneapolis and of my knowledge he did not have enough
to pay a month's rent for rooms. In a year, and a half he had organized
four corporations, wheels within wheels, with nothing under heaven
but options on property. The last corporation he organized was for
a half billion dollars, then our attorney general aroused himself and
the public examiner cleaned him out of town; but in the meantime
he had cleaned out the servant girls, stenographers and clerks and
some of the old ladies and widows and a few preachers, and took
away about $250,000. They couldn't find he had any money; it was
gone. Those things do not tend to create confidence of the general
public in mining enterprises. It creates quite the reverse. The miner
gets the benefit of it by having to sacrifice at least half of his property
before he gets in a position where he can realize anything, so it oc-
curs to me that the Congress ask the various legislatures to protect
their own people and at the same time protect the miner by such
legislation as they may pass to check this evil, for it is a general evil,
not confined by any means to any one place.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: The resolution will be referred to the
committee.
MR. PATTERSON, OF NEBRASKA: Apropos to that resolution
I would like to suggest this, that corporations organized for the pur-
pose of selling mining stocks are not the only ones that are over-
capitalized and largely inflated. You need only to go down to New
York and New Jersey to find organizations capitalized for millions and
billions, as the gentleman has suggested, many, many times more
than their intrinsic value, so that I would suggest that resolution be
for all organizations.
MR. CONZETTE, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: The principle involved
in this resolution is all right, there is no question about that, but it
strikes me that our organization cannot constitute itself the guardian
of the people and if we attempt to constitute ourself the guardian of
the people we couldn't do it. The suckers will bite, no matter what
sort of protection, legal or otherwise, you .might throw around them,
and another thing, I don't like to advertise in a resolution of this
kind that the mining countries are full of those things. If you will
amend the resolution to simply state that this Mining Congress pro-
tests against over-capitalization or anything of that kind, I am with
it. But to go on in that resolution and specify that the mining coun-
tries are overrun with that sort of thing, you are conveying an idea
to the people outside that may give them a wrong impression.
A short recess was taken.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: In order that the committee on nomi-
nations may have an opportunity to work over the evening, I have
appointed on that committee Mr. Patterson of Nebraska; Mr. Grayson,
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 149
of Oregon ; Mr. Rinehart, of Colorado, Mr. Jackson, of Idaho, and Mr.
George, of South Dakota, to- make recommendations to this body.
MR. PATTERSON, OF NEBRASKA: I would like to have that
committee meet at their convenience at the Franklin Hotel at 8 o'clock
this evening.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: We will now listen to an address
from Dr. Stephen de Zombory on "Aerial Tramways as an Economic
Means of Transportation."
.Ladies and Gentlemen: In addressing you upon the subject of
aerial tramways as an economic means of transportation, it is not my
object to enter into a technical discussion of the subject but rather
to discuss the conditions which warrant the construction of such aids
to mining enterprises and those types which will give 'the most satis-
factory results from the mine operator's point of view, as well as some
Df the many advantages of this system of transporting ores from the
mine to the reducing plant.
The time is too short to enter into an extended discussion of
tramways and their development. As a curious fact we could mention
that wire ropes served for transportation methods many centuries past
and research among the ruins of Pompeii have brought to light wire
rope, specimens of which are to be seen in museums in Naples at this
day. Or I could mention, too, that there are woo-i cuts in some of
the medieval German books which show perfectly developed tram-
ways. The early sciences of this method of transportation passed into
oblivion, however, and it was not brought again into extended use
until the 40s of the lust century.
Almost from the origin of trams we find that two distinct types
were known the single and the double rope trams. The home of the
former was in England, while the double rope system is extensively
used in Germany and the whole world. So widely spread is the use
of rope tramways that it is also interesting to note that in Germany
there is a single manufacturing concern which during the quarter of
s century it has been in existence has turned out over 1,800 tramways.
The experience of the past two or three decades have shown
marked advantages of this type of transportation. Discussing the
merits of both the single and double rope types the advantages might
be expressed thus:
Undulated profile is of little importance, since these tramways
are equally effective on plains or in a very mountainous country:
Expensive understructures, viaducts or trestle work is absolutely un-
necessary, the ropes being suspended on wooden towers which are of
simple construction, erected at intervals of two or three hundred feet.
If the formation of the ground does not permit these distances, it is
possible to construct spans of even as many thousand feet. Deep
gulches and ravines, which are effectual barriers to transportation
means of other types, offer no obstruction to a rope tramway 'and
some of the finest tramways in the country have solved just such
problems for mine operators. Climatic conditions in no manner inter-
fere with the action of a tramway, permitting the continuous oper-
ation in most inclement weather. Thus the heavy expense of keep-
ing mountain roads open during the winter are avoided. Being eco-
nomical both of construction and maintenance, it proves to be the
real friend of mine operators who are operating on even a moderate
capital.
Another marked advantage is the fact that the ti^ie occupied in
construction is much less than for the construction of other systems
of transportation, specially is this true in mountainous country. The
adaptability of the tramway is so great that it will meet v the most
urgent demands made upon it and, unlike rail or wagon roads, should
occasion demand, the plant can be wrecked and installed in a new lo-
cation at moderate cost and with a surprisingly short loss in oper-
ating time.
150 OFFICIAL, PROCEEDINGS
In the main these advantages apply to both the single and double
rope types. I do not feel myself entitled to condemn^ either type.
Both have their advantages. I only will compare. Th~e single rope
type being much simpler in its construction, having less parts, has
the advantage in being cheap in primary cost and erection. Its prin-
cipal drawback is that it can convey only a limited amount of ma-
terial. There are tramways of this system with an hourly capacity
of 35 tons, yet these particular tramways did not get beyond the
experimental stage and it is not advisable to deliver more than 20
tons an hour. The practical mine operator wbose hope and ambition
is to vastly increase the output of his mine would hardly consent to
install a system which in itself was so limited in capacity. Yet its
main advantage, as stated, is its cheapness of construction, a fact
which always must be taken into consideration.
Another disadvantage of this system is the fact thaf the strain
upon the parts is heavy, with consequent expense of repairs and loss
of time in operation, itself no small item in working costs.
The double rope system, which is of far more extensive use, is
more costly in installation but is always advantageous on account of
its capability of increased capacity as occasion demands in the future
development and output of a mine. Speaking of capacity, I could
mention that there are lines which deliver 250 tons of ore per hour,
which is really a tremendous output. This special line has been in
almost continuous operation since the fall of 1898 and since its in-
stallation, Its repairs have been of such trifling cost that eveff its
builders have been surprised. (Vivero span), English syndicate. Oper-
ating costs are low. Ore Colorado tramway, which traverses a very
rought, mountainous country, approximately 10.000 feet in lenglh, is
handling ore at a cost of 17.6 cents per ton, with the cost of mainte-
nance 1.5 cents per ton. These admirably low figures are due to the
fact that the systems now being perfected require the services of very
few men on the entire line. The addition of automatic devices which
perform the work of loading and dumping have gradually decreased
the labor costs until now only one or two men are required to watch
the loading of the buckets. As is generally understood, most of the
double rope tramways which are in operation through the mining
districts of the country require no power, being operated by gravity
entirely. Even then the power which is nroduced bv the weierht of
the buckets can be turned in a source of profit, being sufficient to
meet demands for ventilating purposes, for the operation of dynamos
for lighting plants and operating mine pumps, as can be seen in some
of the larger Western mines.
The division of the strain upon the ropes of thi* double rope sys-
tem reduces the repair bills and at the same time renders the stop-
pages less frequent.
Returning for a moment to the matter of automatic systems:
There is today a tendency to render these tramways more and more
automatic in their operation. It is a question in the mind of the
trained engineer just what is the limit. What is of more concern to
the prospective or actual owner of a tramway? How far can we go
in making the tram entirely independent of human control but then
take the risk of the eventualities which are connected with all such
machinery?
Reduction of labor costs is always an object in considering oper-
ating costs, but yet, in the opinion of many engineers, it will not be
advisable to entirely dispense with it. The aim of the constructing
engineer should be to plan a tramway which would be as nearly auto-
matic as consistent, with due regard for the safe conveyance of its
traffic.
In all the double rope systems which are in general use, tSe
principle of construction is the same. That is, the ropes, pullevs
and sheaves, as well as the other machinery in use, perform their
duties in the same general fashion, differing only in design. The
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 151
difference between the systems is chiefly in the manner of attaching
buckets to the rope. Therefore, double rope tramways might be
divided into three general types:
First, that system in which a clip or lug-nut is permanently at-
tached to the running rope which drags the bucket suspended on a
standing or immovatle rope.
Second, that system in which a clutch fastened to a bucket
seizes the running rope and remains attached thereto by means of
friction. This latter system might be further subdivided into two
classes: One in which the friction is created by an eccentrically
operating lever locked and released automatically, securing a constant
friction, that is, independent olf the angle which the traction rope
forms with the horizontal; second, one in which the clutch exerts
friction on the traction rope by a lever on which the weight of the
bucket is transmitted. This friction varies with the cosinus of the
angle the line forms with the Horizontal.
The third and latest development is that system in which the
buckets are fastened permanently at certain distances to the traction
rope. On this system the buckets are loaded with a walking bin
which runs simultaneously on parallel rails above the buckets in the
station, loading the same.
It is here impossible to enter again into extended discussion of the
merits of these three systems of double rope tnmways. As my time
is drawing to a close, I will cnly mention some of the most marked
differences. The clip system enables us to handle the buckets at
exactly the same intervals. This prevents accidents which might
result from the failure of laborers to keep the bucKets loaded and
moving at the proper distances. One marked disadvantage of this
type is the fact that the weai on the traction rope is constantly in
the same place, thereby weakening the strength of the rope at these
points. Shifting the clips from time to time is icsorted to in an
effort to overcome this difficulty but with a more or less extended
loss of time. In the second class this difficulty is not encountered
because the grip seldom ever clutches the same spot on the traction
ropes twice in succession. Slight alterations, also, in the relative
positions of the buckets on the rope work no disadvantage in the
operation of the second type. To secure an even distribution of the
buckets along the line, signals are easily arranged by which the
workman is enabled to estimate the proper intervals. Witfi the as-
sistance of the eccentrically working frictional grip arrangement, as
well as with the clip, all grades can be overcome, because the fric-
tion on the rope is constant and uniform. In the type in which the*
weight of the bucket is transferred by means of a lever on the clutch
and is transformed to friction, the limitation of grades which can
be overcome is confined to those not in excess of 4 degrees.
The third system, that in which the buckets are attached perma-
nently to the traction rope, is probably the most promising one, as
here the loading as well as the unloading of the buckets is auto-
matic, with corresponding saving in operating expenses. The more
or less complicated clip catchers and grips are done away with. It
requires buckets of less expensive construction and overcomes any
grade that any other system of rope tramways can traverse. This
last type of construction is of such recent development that com-
paratively few plants are in operation in this country. As far as is
known it renders most successful service.
And now a word as to the costs of installation of rope tramways.
Naturally, the single rope tramway is the cheaper type of construc-
tion but popular opinion is more favorable towards the double rope
tramway, as evidenced by the number of that type which have been
and are being installed by mine managers. The heavier the traffic
to be handled, the heavier and more substantial parts must be used
in the construction work. Many other considerations, based upon
the peculiar conditions which attend the installation of tramways at
different mines, muse be considered in the individual case. Generally
152 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
speaking, we are within limits when we say that including all the
machinery parts the average price per foot of a line constructed may
be regarded as ranging from $1.80 to $2.00 per foot. These figures
include the necessary wire cables, towers, sheaves and buckets. To
these figures must be added the construction cost, which vary ac-
cording to freight rates, prices of timber, labor and delivery to the
point of construction. Very naturally this affords a wide variation
in costs but as an example it might be cited that in Colorado the
construction costs would probably be from $1 to $1.15 per foot. There-
fore, it is safe to estimate the entire cost of a tramway per foot in this
region, where the conditions are approximately the same as in Colo-
rado, at from $3 to $3.10 per running foot.
The rope tramways and their application to mining and manu-
facturing industries the world over is a subject upon which any engi-
neer might talk for hours. The economics which are effected in all
industries in which their use is possible are so generally recognized
that no argument in their behalf is necessary. Every mining man
of the West can probably cite examples of mines whose profitable
operation without the aid of tramways would not be possible. The
time which has been allotted me is now drawing to a close and there-
fore, in conclusion, let me repeat a poetic tribute to the tramway, the
work of a fellow engineer unknown to me, whose beautiful allegory
is more expressive th~an language of my own :
"Nestled silently in the clouds, away up above the timber line,
nature has hidden almost unaccepsibly its treasures. Deep down in
a valley stands a reduction plant which day by day with the aid
of human genius converts ore into wealth. Reluctant to give up her
treasures, nature wages a constant warfare with man, calling to her
aid the snows and ice of winter, altitude, precipice and ravine. But
man won the fight. Two slender wire cables, puny in appearance
despite their strength, span ravine, rise over precipice and scale the
heights, disappearing among the clouds. With their aid man has
encompassed the defeat of nature. Silently, unpretentiously, dis-
dainfully ignoring the grumbling of nature over her defeat and her
efforts to overthrow the work of man, the buckets modestly move for-
ward; they are the connecting links between mountain and valley;
real private soldiers of the miring industry, always alert, always per-
forming their duty, always obeying their commands and rendering
invaluable service in adding to the wealth of the nation."
Ladies and gentleman, I thank you for your courteous attention.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: We will now listen to a fifteen min-
utes address by A. H. Elftman, Ph. P., of Colorado, on "The Gold Ores
of San Juan County."
THE GOLDEN SAN JUAN.
By A. H. Elftman, Ph. D.
Upon the arrival of our delegation from Colorado we were in-
formed that we had landed in the richest one hundred square miles
on earth. This area we are told is one hundred miles square and
in addition the Black Hills include a large slice of the state of
Wyoming.
Coming from Colorado, where all that glitters is not gold, we were
somewhat skeptical in believing such statements, and decided to
make good use of the generous offer of the mine managers of this
section and inspect the mineral resources so far as the time would
allow.
After examining a large number of prospects in the southern
Black Hills in Custer and Pennington counties and seeing the de-
posits of the northern Hills on the surface and in the deep workings
of the Clover Leaf, Galena District, Golden Crest, Columbus. Hidden
Fortune, Homestake, Bald Mountain, Spearfish and others and then
looking at the large probable mineral areas, scarcely prospected,
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 153
we cannot be other than strongly impressed with the fact that the
Black Hills people do not seem to realize the enormous possibilities
of the future for their section. Year by year additional gold fac-
tories will be erected and the Black Hills section is bound to become
cne of the most important manufacturing centers of the world. Its
product will never be a drug on the market and its value will continue
at $20.67 an ounce for several generations at least.
In Colorado, gold is mined and not manufactured. The state
is so far developed tbat the arithmetic taught in our schools neglects
imagination and multiplication but emphasizes dividends and extrac-
tion. When we hear of one hundred square miles, instead of squaring
it we prefer to extract the square root and then compare the size
with a district which in an area of fifteen square miles in less than
one half the time has produced more gold than the Black Hills and
which is now annually producing nearly double the annual output of
the Black Hills. I do not know whether this area is on earth but
it is sometimes called Cripple Creek.
Let us take our genial host, the Black Hills mining man, to the
top of Pike's Peak. Looking to the north and west we see three
other massive peaks rising over 14,000 feet above the sea. Mt. Prince-
ton, Mount of the Holy Cross, and Long's Peak. These form the "bear-
ing trees" for the corner stakes of Colorado's mining claim, "one
hundred miles square No. 1." On this claim several discovery cuts
Eave been dug: among them we see Cripple Creek, Clear Creek, Gil-
pin, Boulder, Leadvil?e, Aspen and others, which during 1902 pro-
duced $22,000,000 in gold and $13,000,000 in silver, lead, copper, zinc
and other mineral products. During the last thirty years this claim
has produced about $600,000,000 in mineral values, or six times as
much as the Black HHls. What Colorado's claim No. 1 will do when
developed is beyond fhe imagination even of the mining promoter.
Turning to the south and west as the rays of the morning sun
climb the Sangre de Oristos and dance from the silver lined clouds
to summits of Uncompahgre, Sneffles, Wilson anc 1 the Needles, we
have before us in rega! splendor Colorado's claim "one hundred miles
square No. 2," the Golden San Juan, home of the tunnel, the aerial
tramway and the concentrator.
Taking red mountain as a center, a circle with a ten mile radius
will include most of the producing mines of Ouray, San Miguel and
San Juan counties. Prominent among the mines are the Camp Bird,
Virginus, Revenue, Smuggler-Union, Tomboy, Ears'ow, Yankee Girl,
Guston, Silver Ledge, Hennrietta, Gold King, Sunny Side, Esmeraldo,
Silver Lake, Highland Mary, North Star and others. Between these
are numerous prospects, the development of which was begun during
the last three years and many of which are now nearing completion
of the dead work and will soon enter the list of producers. This
prospect work has been especially active in San Juan county.
The San Juan district, embracing the southwest portion of the
state, produced in 1902. 22 per cent of the output of Colorado This
area produced $5,490,000 in gold and about the same value in other
metals. During thirty years this area has produced $200,000.000.
One half of all the copper produced in Colorado came frolm this
district. Its gold vr.lue was three times the value of its silver. It
paid 26 per cent of its production as dividends.
The ores of the San Juan country occur principally in fissure
veins which traverse the country in well defined systems traceable
often for distances of five miles or more. The veins are well mineral-
ized and at frequent intervals form large ore shoots. The veins vary
in width from one foot to two hundred feet. Ore bodies twenty-five
to fifty feet wide are of common occurrance. The ore shoots are fre-
quently 1,000 to 1,500 feet long.
Generally speaking the ores of the San Juan country are milling
ores. The ores which are or have been worked vary in value from a
probable minimum of $6 to several thousand dollars per ton. A few
illustrations will not prove out of place. The ore from the Camp Bird
154 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
is all milled and runs from $40 to $200 per ton. The Tom Boy ore
runs from $7 to $20 per ton. The Gold King ore averaged over $25.00
per ton in 1902 and this will be materially increased during the present
year. The Sunny Side ore last j'ear averaged $35 per ton. Silver
Lake ore varies from $8 to $70 per ton.
The cost of mining and milling the ore varies from $4 to $7 per
ton. The mining is principally carried on by tapping the ore bodies
at depths of 1,000 feet or more by tunnels. The ore is then trans-
ported to the concentrators by aerial tramways.
In milling, the ore is crushed by drop stamps or rolls, then passed
over copper plates to the concentrators. About one-third of the
values are saved by amalgamation, the balances being saved as con-
centrates which are shipped to the smelters. The tailings run from
$2 to $5 per ton. The cyanide process is being applied to these tailings
with satisfactory results.
I have only attempted to call your attention to the existence of
the San Juan country. In many ways the size of the ore bodies and
the original mineralization are the same as those found in the Black
Hills. While the San Juan country has always been looked upon as
a silver camp it is, however, a unique fact that the deeper the mines
go, the proportion of the gold value increasing and free gold becomes
more abundant.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: We will now listen to an address by
Mr. C. O. Bartlett, of Cleveland, Ohio, on the subject "Mechanical
Drying of Minerals."
While the mountains of cur country are rich in deposits of gold,
silver and other precious minerals, while zinc ^nd lead are found in
many of our rich prairie sections, as well as in the mountains, and
coal and oil in nearly every section, all of which have been and are
now being searched lor in every nook and crook, by an army of the
ablest men on the face of God's green earth, yet these very places
in many instances, rich in deposits of the finest kinds of clays, suit-
able for the very best quality of fire brick and sewer pipe, crockery
ware, paints, and Portland cement. Beds of the finest quality of
fuller's earth, marl chalk, travertin, graphite, and mica; and miles
of peat in nearly every state from Maine to California, waiting to be
made into the very finest kind of fuel for almost any purpose, yet very
little attention has been given these so called common stuffs by these
energetic and capable engineers.
All of these minerals are rapidly coming into general use, and will
very soon command the best brains of our country, in fact the time
is right here now.
Ten years ago the manufacture of Portland cement in this country
was almost unknown, and we were paying exhorbitant prices for Eng-
lish and German brands. Then our engineers began to investigate, to
dig and bore, and almost immediately found the finest quality of
clays, marls, limestones and chalk, just suited for making Portland
cement. In Ohio, in Indiana, and in the swamps of Michigan, in the
Lehigh Valley, Pa., in New York, on the Hudson River, within tide
water, in Illinois, and Missouri, within a few miles of Chicago and
St. Louis, in Arkansas, Colorado, Montana, California, and in
many other places, were found plenty of the finest kind of material
for making Portland cement. Capitalists were ready to put dollars
into the business, and the result has been that last year more than
fifteen millions of barrels of the finest qualitv of Portland cement
were manufactured in our country, and of a better quality than could
be produced in England or Germany, in fact this might almost be
called the Cement Age. Whole buildings are being made of it, at
three-fourths the cost of brick, and many railroads are using it in
their culverts and bridge work, and foundations are using $1.50 com-
mon labor, instead of $4 and $5 expert labor.
To work these clays, limestones, etc. into cement it was found
necessary to dry them; it would not do to guess at the amount of
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 155
moisture in limestone or in clay, the mixture must be exact, no guess-
ing could be allowed. One per cent too much or too little of this or
that product would spoil the cement. Clay varies in moisutre from 10
to 25 per cent, limestone from 6 to 12 per cent, hence the actual ne-
cessity for some kind of mechanical dryers. As it is with clays for
Portland cement, so it is with clays for paints. I know of a certain
so called clay near Bedford, W. Va., so rich in iron and aluminum
that by simply drying and calcining, in other words, burning out the
vegetable matter, leaving iron, aluminum and sileca, and afterwards
mixing in oil, it makes the finest kind of paint, and so rich alumi-
num is this particular product that a pine board painted with one
coat will stand an excessive heat for some time without burning
the wood, in fact it seems to be better than the purest kind of graphite.
I have seen so called clay paint, in Madison county, Montana, so
rich in aluminum and iron that by simply drying, pulverizing and
mixing with oil, that it has stood a severe weather test for years,
in fact it seemed to be as good as the metallic paint, made from the
best Lake Superior iron ore.
There are three ways to mechanically dry minerals:
1st. By direct heat; by this is generally meant the use of the
Rotary Dryer, or a horizontal cylinder, set in brick-work, with front
and grates, similar to a horizontal boiler. The cylinder is set on an
incline, and revolves very slowly, from five to eight revolutions a min-
ute. The material to be dried is fed into the cylinder at the front
end and at each revolution of the cylinder is carried forward toward
the discharge end of the dryer, being continually picked up by the
inter elevators, and cascaded while passing through the cylinder.
2nd. By heated air, which has first been heated, either by direct
heat or by steam pipes, and afterwards passed through, the material
to be dried.
3rd. By steam hf.at direct; by bringing the material to be dried
in direct contact with the steam cylinder pipes.
The first method is by far the cheapest, for the reason that by
using direct heat a temperature of 2500 to 3000 degrees can be had,
while by using heated air the temperature is very much less, and by
using direct steam heat, the temperature is only from 230 to 330 de-
grees, according to the amount of steam pressure, and this tempera-
ture is on the inside of the pipes or cylinder, which means consider-
able less temperature on the outside, where the material is. By first
superheating the steam the temperature can be made much higher,
but the cost of superheating the steam will nearly or quite counter-
balance all gain in temperature.
Great care should be taken in the construction and erection of all
direct heat dryers, otherwise no end of trouble will be had; all iron
parts should be so constructed as to allow for contraction and ex-
pansion, otherwise they will soon break. All settings and bearings for
the dryer should be extremely substantial, on iccount of the liabilitv
to get out of place by the settling of the brick-work and by the ex-
treme heat.
The steel sheets of the cylinder should be of the entire length,
and all seams should run to the longitudinal way of the cylinder.
There should be no cross seams at all, for they ?re liable to break.
In building steam dryers great care must be taken with every
joint or rivet, otherwise the contraction and expansion will soon
cause the joints and rivets to leak.
In drying any and all kinds of minerals they should first be
broken or crushed into two inch cubes or less, as it does not pay to
dry large pieces of anything so let it be understood that all ma-
terial is supposed to have been crushed before entering the dryer.
It is difficult to dry anything in a body; it is necessary to have
as large heating surface as possible, and to keep the material being
156 OFFICIAL, PROCEEDINGS
dried constantly in motion, cascading through ^e heat and dropping
on other hot surfaces, so that the heat can easily penetrate through
a thin body of material, carrying off the moisture.
The cost of drying minerals depends, first, upon the amount of
water or moisture contained therein. In other words, concentrates,
ores, or silica substances will not carry more than 10 to 12 per cent
moisture, while clays and -marls will carry two or thfee times as much,
and peat will sometimes have as much as 80 per cent moisture. It
is generally safe to estimate on evaporating 10 pounds of water for
one pound of coal used, or its equivalent, when drying concentrates,
ores, limestones and other similar products, where the products of
the fire can pass through the material to be dried: therefore, it will
be readily seen that it will not pay to dry any kind of material con-
taining 80 per cent moisture, unless it be very valuable. It can be
dried, but the cost of doing it will be more than the finished product
is worth.
To illustrate: We wish to dry peat we start with 100 tons of
peat, containing 80 per cent moisture, and reduce to 5 per cent, which
.means to evaporate 75 tons of water, leaving 25 tons of dried peat.
It will take one pound of coal, or its equivalent for fuel, to evaporate
10 pounds of moisture, which means no less than 15,000 pounds of
coal for fuel to dry the 100 tons of peat, and it is difficult in drying
peat to evaporate 10 pounds of moisture with one pound of coal,
or its equivalent used, for the reason that after it is nearly dry it
becomes somewhat combustible and is liable to burn, consequently it
requires slow firing, otherwise you will burn it up.
I wish to speak particularly about peat, for the reason that there
are a lot of learned fellows who honestly believe that it is an easy
matter to dry two or three hundred tons of peat a day, that by some
peculiar system and manner it can be dried very cheaply, and I wish
to say to all such that they had better go slow, for it is much easier
to say than to do. You might far better store the peat in large sheds,
or even out of doors, where it will drain and dry by the winds and
sun down to 40 per cent moisture, after which it can be profitably
dried on mechanical dryers.
It is quite a different matter to dry 100 tons pf concentrates, ores,
or silica substances, lor here we have only from 8 to 12 per cent
moisture, which we wish to reduce to 2 per cent or which means
about six or seven tons of moisture, requiring about 1500 pound? of
coal, or its equivalent, to dry it, which is really a very small factor,
find as the freight rates are frequently very high, especially in the
mountain regions, it v ill pay to dry out the moisture before shipping.
In other words, it does not pay to ship water in ores and concentrates
if the cost of drying them is less than the cost of freight.
The second important matter as to the cost of drying minerals is
whether the minerals to be dried will admit of passing the products
of the fire through the minerals or not without injury. In other
words, it will be readiJy seen that better results can be obtained from
the same amount of fuel by first passing the heat around the out-
side of the drying cylinders, then through the material. By this
means, the temperature of the gases passing off, the dryer can be
brought down to 125 degrees Fahrenheit, which of course means that
nearly the entire heat of the coal, or its equivalent it utilized, but
if used on the outside of the drying cylinder only, not quite so gocd
results can be obtained.
Most minerals, such as concentrates, ores, and clays, are not
injured, by passing the products of combustion through them. Some
fine clays and even some kinds of sand, used for glassware, will not
admit of it, on account of the danger of coloration by the fire products.
In all such cases it is necessary to use oil or gas for fuel, or to keep
the products of combustion on the outside only.
The third important feature is, whether the material to be dried
is of silica or clay nature. If it is of a silica nature, the moisture is
easily given off, if of a clay nature, it will be more difficult to evapor-
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 157
ate the moisture, besides the sticky material is liable to adhere to
the parts of the dryer, causing trouble, and consequently is more
expensive to dry. It is seldom, however, that anything will stick to
a heated surface.
The next, or fourth feature as to the cost of drying, is whether
the material is of an explosive nature, or whether there is danger of
burning, such as coal, peat and similar materials. If so, the heat
must be of a low degree. There is no danger of burning anything,
when it contains a considerable amount of moisture, and finishing on
another dryer with light firing.
The fifth feature, regarding cost of drying, is whether it be neces-
sary to dry down to a very low degree of moisture, in other words ft
is much harder and more expensive, to dry down to one-half per cent,
than to two per cent. Generally speaking, however, it is not necessary
to go below from two to five per cent, on most materials.
DRYING COAL.
Coal is one of the most peculiar and interesting of all the mater-
ials that we have to dry. With some materials, it is simply to drfve
off the moisture, in others, to drive off the moisture and not injure
the color, while with coal, the object is to drive off the moisture, and
preserve the gases, also the fine particles, which are the most val-
uable parts of the coal.
The use of the Rotary Kilns, for roasting ores and far burning
Portland cement, has of late years increased very rapidly, and the use
cf powdered coal in annealing furnaces, and also the use of coal, in
a pulverized state, under boilers has caused a rapidly increased
demand for pulverized coal. From observations taken during
the last year, I fully believe that in all large and medium sized plants,
the power will be supplied with coal dust, burned similar to gas. I
feel sure that this is the only way to get perfect combustion, and that
a very large saving can be made by using coal dust. This branch of
the subject, however, it distinct by itself and cannot be treated in this
paper.
Coal, to be satisfactorily and economically pulverized, should first
be thoroughly dry. To get the best results from grinding machinery,
there should not be more than one per cent moisture in the coal.
The grinding capacity of mills is nearly double on coal of one per cent,
moisture to what it is with .moisture of two per cent. There can be
no set rule to be followed in drying coal, as it is rarely that we find
two lots of coal which will dry alike. Some coal will give up its
moisture easily and freely, and other grades will apparently grow
wetter as they grow hotter. Within the past six months we have been
called upon to dry in one dryer, coal from which we could remove
eight per cent, moisture at the rate of 15 tons per hour, and other
coal from which it was impossible to remove mare than six per cent,
at the rate of 8 tons per hour. We have seen coal which has lain
under cover for two months, develop from six per cent, to eight per
cent, moisture on being heated, and put into the storage bins, and
have seen water run in a stream from the hopper.
From the best determinations we have been able to make, it seems
that coal in which the ash is composed largely of silica, will give
up its moisture easily and thoroughly, while that in which the asfc
is high in lime or clay, is very difficult to dry, and the moisture really
has to be sweated out.
It is very important that coal be handled in such a way, that warm
air in large quantities, can be brought in contact with every particle
of it, and can be made to absorb the moisture, and carry it off as fast
as it is released. This is best accomplished by passing the currents
of air from the dried material, through that which is wet. Further-
more, the currents of air should be subject to regulation, in order that
the heat will not become so intense as to release any of the volatile
matter.
158 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
There is no question, but what there is always a certain amount
of risk in handling coal, both in drying and pulverizing, but this can
be reduced to a minimum by using the proper precautions. The first
and greatest precaution, is not to get the idea that "Any Old Thing"
is good enough to dry coal. One notable experiment of this kind, in
the east, during the last year, cost the lives of seven men, besides a
large loss of property. Another point: Do not use a dryer in which
particles can get caught, for they are liable to ignite, if held in con-
tact with a heated surface for any length of time. Do not use a dryer,
whose rated capacity is just enough to supply your needs. Better
with this, as with all other machinery, to have it large enough to be
able to do a little more, than to be obliged to force things on regular
work.
Still another point: It is never safe to pass the products of com-
bustion through the drying coal. With some coal it might be done,
and in fact has been done with coal of 54 degrees volatility. It is best,
however, to stay on the safe side, and not sacrifice safety for efficiency.
It is generally safe to estimate on evaporating from six to eight
pounds of moisture to one pound of coal, or its equivalent used for
fuel.
I have heard of evaporating as high as 12 pounds of moisture with
one pound of coal, but I have the best of reasons to doubt it.
It is difficult to tell at just what temperature, coal will begin to
give off gas, and indeed_this point varies with different coal, but it is
generally safe to say th~at it can be delivered from the dryer at about
150 degrees Fahrenheit without losa of gas. We have been asked to
discharge at 225 degrees and have found that this can be done but not
without loss of a small percentage of gas, and this cannot be recom-
mended as good practice.
It is necessary to use a Ian-blast to get sufficient air, to carry
off the moisture, and this will carry the dust produced by crushing
with it. This dust amounts to from 3 to 5 per cent of the total amount,
and is worth saving. This is accomplished by placing the fan-blast
above the receiving hopper, using suction on the cylinder and forcing
the dust and moisture into a settling chamber, made of non-conduct-
ing material, preferably brick. The wall of this chamber will retain
sufficient heat to prevent the .moisture from condensing, and should
be large enough to allow thQ dust to settle. The bottom of the set-
tling chamber should slant at least 45 degrees to the center, which
will cause the dust to slide to the middle, where it can be carried off,
either by screw or chain conveyor.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: I will state at this moment that Mr.
Holmes, who was to address you this evening, said that he would not
occupy more than ten or fifteen minutes and suggested he would do
that in the morning. I told him I thought that would be agreeable to
the Congress and there being; no other papers to be read, there will
be no need of further business tonight.
MR. MARTIN, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: Would it not be better
to have Mr. Dignowity's paper or whatever it is at some time tomor-
row, in the hope that we might have more suitable weather and a
chance for a better gathering?
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: Would it please you, Mr. Dignowity,
to do it that way?
MR. D1GNDWITY: It will make no difference to me.
MR. MARTIN, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: The Committee on Res-
olutions has further reports it can make at this time or some other
time at the pleasure of the Congress.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: We will listen to the report.
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 159
MR. MARTIN, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: The resolution introduced
by MT. Drake, of Oregon, upon the subject of the acquisition of the
Oregon territory and the exposition in Portland in 1905 has been
adopted by the committee and recommended to the Congress with
the exception of the reference in that resolution to the holding of the
American Mining Congress in Portland or in the vicinity in 1905, that
we have eliminated, deeming it best to leave the whole subject to this
Congress to be determined at the proper time.
It was moved by Mr. Drake, of Oregon, and seconded by Colonel
George, of South Dakota, that the resolution, as amended, be adopted
which motion was carried.
MR. MARTIN, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: The resolution of Mr.
Bennett, which was read a short time ago, upon the subject of the
exploitation of valueless mining stocks, has been under consideration
by the committee, and the committee recommends a substitute for the
resolution offered. It is as follows:
MR. BENNETT: The substitute is perfectly satisfactory to me
and I move its adoption.
The adoption was duly seconded and the substitute resolution
was adopted.
MR. DONALDSON, OF COLORADO: I move you that by rising
vote we extend our thanks to those who have given us papers this
afternoon.
The motion was seconded and unanimously carried by rising vote.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: Senator Morgan, of Alabama, in an-
swer to the invitation of the Secretary, wrote a letter which perhaps
you would like to hear, in answer to the invitation and the Secretary
will read that portion of it which pertains to the Congress, with your
permission for a moment. The letter is as follows:
Warm Springs, Virginia, August 15, 1903.
Mr. Irwin Mahon, Secretary of the American Mining Congress;
Dear Sir: The invitation, extended through you as Secretary,
to attend the sixth annual meeting of the American Mining Congress,
on the 7th of September, is very highly appreciated and would be glad-
ly accepted if I could be present.
Other public duties will, however, deprive me of the opportunity
to witness the proceedings of an assemblage, that is second to none
of the movements of our people, in their efforts to promote and
secure the general welfare.
I deeply regret that I must forego so excellent an opportunity to
gain the knowledge that will be placed in reach of, even, a casual ob-
server on that occasion, relating to mines, metals and metallurgy
which, today, are far more important to our country than they have
ever been.
The subjects that are included in the field of research and the
other work of the American Mining Congress, are at the foundation
of every important industry, and are at the beginning of all real
progress in civilization.
The minerals and metals are the actual, elementary predicate of
all useful labors in all the economic arts and they are the indispen-
sable agents, instruments and facilities of all practical science.
No effort, that is sincere and thoughtful, in the study and manip-
ulation of minerals and metals, can ever fail to benefit mankind;
because each failure to realize their best uses and the best method
of treatment, is a guide that points the inquirer to a more certain
course of investigation, until the best results are finally reached.
Failure, in one direction, is only proof that success lies in a different
direction.
It is the purpose of such scientific inquiry to develop the laws
that will save the prospector, the miner and the metallurgist, the
160 OFFICIAL. PROCEEDINGS
heavy cost and the disappointments of wasted time, labor and capital,
which are so frequently met; and the wastage of minerals that, once
they are lost, are seldom recovered. For, the store of minerals in
land and water, when it is lessened, from any cause, is not capable
of being replaced by all the art and wisdom of men.
In this vast field, in which the American Mining Congress has
assumed a work that is so important, its interests and its present
duty are more conspicuous, than it was ever before, in making min-
ing pursuits of permanent value to all who are engaged in such indus-
tries and to all who are employed in all other industrial enterprises.
This Congress, in our free and very great country, has the power
to perform this duty, effectually, through the guidance it can give fo
scientific research, to practical demonstration, and to the government-
al action of those who, as representatives of the people, are charged
with the duties of legislation in the Congress of the United States',
with reference to gold and silver in their capacity, as money.
As I view this subject, in connection with the industrial, financial
and social conditions in American and, more particularly, in the
United States, the American Mining Congress is now in the position
to secure permanent and supreme advantages and blessings to all
classes of industrial people, in all the vast diversity of their pursuits.
The power to which I refer, is that imperial and autocratic sway,
and social conditions in America, and, more particularly, in the
future by gold and silver in controlling men and nations. They are
the magnets that guide the voyages of all the ships of state, and will,
forever mark their courses.
The "drill" and the "pick" of the miner resurrect his power from
the deep and hidden recesses where it has been buried by the hand
of the Creator, for the use of man, and set apart by Divine Wisdom as
an essential factor in his dominion over all other creatures.
These carefully stored reserves of power are the true, vital fac-
tors in all the social, governmental, moral and industrial progress,
that is included in true civilization; whose march would come to a
dead halt, in the absence of the compelling power of gold and silver
money.
There are no potentates so powerful in their sovereignty, as
money coined from these metals and none who caif wear this dual
crown of supremacy, by "divine right," or by any other means than
the drill and the pick of the miner.
No civilized state can exist; no army or navy can be formed or
moved; no civil or penal code can be enforced; no interchange of
commerce, among men, or nations, can be conducted; no trade con-
tract can be legally enforced; no schools, or churches can be sup-
ported without the use of one or both of these metals.
The miners toil is, therefore, the supremest form of labor.
These two metals, that are almost barren of practical usefulness,
for the supply of our physical wants, are placed above all other
things in estimated value, by the universal consent of men and nations.
It was so in the beginning. It has 'continued through all time,
and it will so continue to the end.
The unwritten law that governs all the world, has made them the
supreme ruling powers in the affairs of actual^ life, and in all gov-
ernment, with a sovereign power that no autocrat can deny or success-
fully resist.
Whether these unchanging conditions are fixed and proclaimed in
the revealed will of God, or whether they are the contrivances of men
it is, perhaps, needless to enquire; but it is certain that they cannot
be changed by the power of man, so as to destroy the precious quality
of gold and silver as money metals.
It is their quality, as money metals, that is indestructible and
precious. They possess no other quality that is even important to
mankind.
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 161
No nation has openly attempted to destroy this precious quality,
of either of these metals, and none will ever do so, effectually. They
will outlive all opposition and 'defy destruction, while they scorn the
neglect of nations.
With these facts, established in the judgment and with the con-
sent of all civilized mankind, in all ages, it seems to be a heresy
against the order of nature, to attempt to deprive either gold or silver,
of its precious quality as a money metal.
It is equally disparaging to the law of equal personal rights ancl
privileges, accorded to all men, the right to exist, and the right to
the pursuit of happiness, that we should so legislate, and so discrimi-
nate, as to make silver the cheaper money of labor, and gold the
money of those who live on the labor of others, instead of living by
the labor of their own hands.
This is done, when the coinage laws and the legal-tender laws dis-
criminate against silver, as a money metal, or as a legal-tender for
debts.
Our laws make these discriminations, by refusing equal privi-
leges to silver, in the coinage of money, and by limiting the legaT-
tender power of silver coins.
Whatever privileges of coinage are given to one metal, should be
given to the other; and the rule should be the same and not different
as to the legal-tender power of gold and silver coins.
It is the constitutional right of Congress to provide for the coinage
of money, and to regulate its value, as between these metals, but it
is not within the constitutional authority to destroy the value of either,
by its legislation.
Congress can fix the relative value of the coins of either metal,
according to weight and fineness, but when the coins are struck,
Congress cannot change the value of a gold dollar, or a silver dollar,
by discriminating between them, as to their purchasing power, or
debt paying power, or by legal-tender laws that lessen either coin
below the value stamped on its face.
We make these discriminations against silver, both in our coin-
age regulations and in our legal-tender laws and we, thereby, discrim-
inate against silver and destroy its precious quality as a money metal.
We do, by indirection, what no nation dares to do by open and
repressive legislation, at the peril of the safety of its government.
A law to punish the use of silver money in trade, as a crime,
would wreck the most powerful nation in the world, because it would
starve the poorer classes; and a law that gives to gold a purchasing
and debt-paying power, that it refuses to silver, would destroy any
government, but for the fact that in order to prevent the resentment of
the people, in all countries where such discrimination exists, the full
legal-tender power of silver coin is conceded to them as to the smaller
transactions that are necessary to supply the poor with bread, raiment
and shelter. Their daily necessities do not mount up to the forbidden
line, above which, gold is a legal-tender, and silver is not. Having
no hope of rising into the upper atmosphere where the holders of
accumulated wealth enjoy dominion, they prefer humility and peace.
The people are thus classified by law, according to wealth. They
do not rebel because they despair of becoming rich, and are content
to live on a moderate share of food, raiment and shelter, which they
have no real power to increase.
These conditions are inimical to silver, as a money metal, and
they violate the natural and economical laws, that have always assist-
ed, most effectively, in the civilization of the world.
For the justification of such a policy, we must impeach the Divine
Wisdom that created two precious money metals for the use of man-
kind, when one of them would have answered all the uses of botfi,
according to our feeble conceptions of omniscience.
With equal presumption, we could, as well impeach the wisdom of
creating many cereals to provide bread for mankind such as wheat,
162 OFFICIAL, PROCEEDINGS
corn and rice when either of them could have been made to supply
necessary food for man and beast.
A short supply of either precious metal, at once increases the
value of the other, to meet the deficiency; and a full supply of both,
is never excessive, but only adds to the volume of the world's trade,
the discovery and production of new and desirable articles of com-
merce, which absorb the apparent -redundance of money and add to
the comfort and elevation of mankind, by providing additional methods
of replenishing the earth, so as to multiply its population.
The miner's "pick" and "drill," which are the real producers of
gold and silver, in the hands of the laborer, are too slow and toilsome
to be resorted to for the purpose of inflating the supply of gold and
silver coin and they cannot cause such inflation, even in countries
that are as thinly populated as the Transvaal or Australia or Alaska,
where the production of gold is so disproportionate to the local
demand.
The danger of the inflation of gold and silver is an argument that
has no support in the experience of mankind. There is as much
danger of piling up the waters of the oceans, in permanent mountain
ridges, as there is of making gold and silver accumulate in any country
where they are not needed to supply the wants of trade and
civilization.
The highest wisdom of men and of nations is to leave the laws
of nature undisturbed, and to make the best use of things that are
provided by the Creator to promote and secure man's dominion of tire
earth; and the worst folly, is to destroy or cast aside what has been
given us for any useful purpose.
In the American sense, this sort of folly is not only suicidal, but
it is craven, when it disparages silver as a money metal, because,
while the Eastern Hemisphere has, possibly, the lead of the Western
Hemisphere, in gold producing areas; the Western Hemisphere is, in
fact, almost the exclusive depository of silver ores.
The rights of silver as a money metal are, therefore, the especial
care and charge of the American Mining Congress, within the purview
of their noble task.
If legislative favoritism should be shown to any class, fn respect
of gold or silver, the miner should have the preference; because he
produces the precious metals that drive the machinery and strengthen
the arms of all industry.
When the miner puts a dollar in circulation its work never ceases,
and the good it accomplishes is limited to no class or condition of
people; while the covetous hoarder of wealth, who demands the
assistance of unjust laws .to satisfy his greed, produces nothing but
discord and oppression, through the unnatural war between gold and
silver, which he provokes.
He cares not whether gold or silver wins, so that he has a share
in looting the camp of the defeated combatant.
Such unjust contentions necessarily establish lines of clearage
between the richer and the poorer classes, or between the wise and the
ignorant, in "business methods," (as is sometimes contended) that
divide the people into warring classes, such as are now demarking the
line of a social gulf, that is as deep and as wide as the gulf whicTK
separated Dives from Lazarus.
These laws should be changed and the peace and friendship
between gold and silver should be restored to the condition that
existed during the first half century of our national life.
As our system of finance is now regulated by law. if a laborer does
a days work, to be paid in coin; when his wage is due, he must accept
it in silver coin, because the coinage of gold dollars is abolished.
If he thus accumulates fifty dollars, to pay a debt, or to support
a family beyond the seas, he must change the money into gold coin, or
he must purchase exchange. In either case he is at the mercy of the
bankers or brokers who deal in money as a commodity of commerce.
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 163
The losses and disadvantages that are imposed upon the poorer
classes, by our laws that discriminate against silver as to coinage
and as to legal-tender power, appear in almost every transaction tfi
which they engage.
They are too numerous for recital, and far too obvious for denial
We cannot change, by our laws, the money systems of foreign
countries and, while we could do much in that direction, to give
strength to silver the American metal we have no higher duty than
to take care of our people, in their home work, by securing to them
all the benefits of the silver and gold that are so richly stored in OUT
mines.
To do this, we must change the basis of our present system oT
finance and national banking, so that our capital shall consist of gold
and silver, actually accumulated; instead of resting it solely upon our
national credit, based on the power of taxation, with pledges of na-
tional faith to provide the gold, or the gold and silver, to redeem our
obligations, on demand, or when they shall fall due.
We must change our currency system from a credit basis to a
specie basis of national banking, if we would make it just to all
classes and independent of the power of monopolistic combines.
Our system of banking is constitutional, and it is convenient and
secure, in that it provides for a reliable currency, but its foundation
is not money, or bullion, but credit, wherein it is greatly defective
This credit depends upon our power to redeem our promises in coin,
to be hereafter borrowed, or collected under laws of taxation. This
system is false and unjust to the living, and is still more unjust to
our posterity.
It is not our own credit that we pledge to meet these engagements
so much as it is the credit of our posterity. If the system Is to be per-
petual, we fasten upon our posterity a burden from whlcn they can-
not escape. This burden is simply the perpetual and exclusive right
to measure out to all coming generations the volume of paper money
they shall be permitted to use in their business and, unavoidably,
the power to inflate or contract that currency as the bankers may
choose. This power to create first money is thus assumed by con-
gress, in violation of the constitution.
Our national banking system was instituted to build up the na-
tional credit, by the employment of the credit of private persons at
a time when our national obligations were nearly 50 per cent below
par, in consequence of civil war.
The national credit, we have thus seen, is liable to very heavy
depression under political troubles. It is not safe to assume that
financial depression can never again occur. If sucn depression should
occur, they will bankrupt the people, by dragging down the whole
volume of national bank circulation to the extent that the national
credit is depressed.
We want a currency that will withstand all such emergencies,
and such currency can only be had by founding it upon a specie
basis and keeping that basis secure.
All our actual currency, which is handled by our people in their
daily business, is in paper promises, except silver coins, and an in-
considerable quantity of gold coins, and it will never be otherwise.
Bank issues and checks against deposits in the banks comprise
nearly the entire volume of our money in circulation. There is no
prospect of an entire change of our actual currency from paper money
to coins, because there is no good reason for the suppression of such
paper issues. The inconvenience of using gold coins in our daily
trade can only be avoided by the use of paper money, or silver coins,
and paper money has become a necessity in our country.
Paper issues, to circulate as money, must, therefore, be provided
as an essential part of our financial system and the basis of such
issues should be gold and silver, instead of national bonds or de-
bentures, which ultimately require coins of the precious metals for
their redemption.
164 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
It is not only safer to deposit coins as the basis of banking, in
advance of the paper issues they must redeem, but there is no na-
tional power that is so permanent, and no national attitude that is
more commanding, than that of possessing an abundant store of gold
and silver coins, in banks, that are under the control of the gov-
ernment.
A government is not deserving of confidence if its failure, by
revolution, or conquest, must be attended with the bankruptcy of its
people.
Our national banking system on a permanent specie basis, would
be a stronger system than that of Great Britain, in connection with
the Bank of England, because our deposit of coin would be held in
the treasury, or subject to the control of the government, for the re-
demption of the issues of the national bank, and our pledge of re-
demption would make every legal tender coin, of either metal, equal
to the best, whether the test is gold or silver.
As the situation is at present we exclude silver from all par-
ticipation in the redemption of our national promises, except those
made in silver certificates, and, thereby we demonetize silver.
We refuse to accept its support of the public credit, while we
compel our own people to accept it as legal tender for small de-
mands and tax them to borrow gold for the payment of our large
debts, for bonds and currency, in favor of wealthy creditors here and
in foreign countries.
We borrow gold and lock it in the treasury, paying interest on
it in order to prepare to meet demands for the redemption of treasury
notes and national bank notes, wherever they may, hereafter, be pre-
sented for payment. We create an insurance fund for the benefit of
creditors, on which we pay interest.
We also lock up the gold we get from our revenue laws, for these
purposes; thus depleting the currency that ought to be in circulation;
while waiting the pleasure of our bond holders to demand payment
so as to release it from confinement. We put a golden break on th13
endless chain that empties the treasury into the lap of Europe, and re-
fuse all assistance from silver, because it is only the poorer people
of Europe who want silver. We produce the silver in America that
the world needs for coinage, and refuse to use it as money, because
it is for the advantage of Eurepean capitalists that money should be
scarce, that bonds should be abundant, even at low rates of interest,
and should be payable in gold because such payment is impossible,
and their investment in the tax paying power of the people will,
thereby, become permanent. We conform our financial system to that
of Europe because our capitalists prefer it, for like reasons.
While doing this, we take silver dollars on deposit, from our own
people, issue silver certificates to them to circulate as money, to
supply nearly all their needs and we pay nearly all the expenses of
the government in these certificates.
That they have so frequently saved the government from default
in its current expenses, is a conclusive reason for the use of silver
coins, in the vaults of the national banks, or in the treasury vaults,
to fortify the basis of redemption of bank issues, which it would do,
as perfectly, as if it were gold.
All of our paper obligations, in all their varied forms, except
silver certificates, are now sustained by the pledge of the United
States to pay them in gold coin. Yet silver coin, with an emascu-
lated legal tender power, as compared with gold, has a much wider
circulation, dollar for dollar, among our people, and is sustained in
its purchasing power, among all our industrial classes, by the im-
perative demand of all forms of domestic trade for silver coins, to
meet the requirements of their business, and to purchase the ne-
cessities of life. They get silver coins and use them, despite the
effort of the holders of gold to destroy their value. If they could
not get the silver coin of the United States, they would use the Mex-
ican coins, as is done by the Chinese and Filipinos.
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 165
No man in this country is so rich that he can dispense with the
use of silver coin in providing his supplies and, to the poor, it is the
equivalent of their daily bread, raiment and shelter.
But our laws discredit both gold and silver, as the basis of all
banking, by prohibiting issues of paper money by private and state
banks, and by refusing charters to national banks on any basis except
that of national bonds.
This is a revolution and new departure in finance, that no other
great nation has ventured upon. No other great nation has seemed
willing to inflict almost universal bankruptcy on its people, if the
exigencies to which they are exposed should cause their credit to
sink below par.
This has been attempted by some of our states, with the result
of a discredited currency, followed by bankruptcy and repudiation,
with enormous losses to the people and, in the end, by "asset" bank-
ing, on private credits and worthless promises, culminating in the
financial degeneracy of issuing certificates of indebtedness by private
persons, known as "shin plasters," to circulate as money.
It is only the present growth, prosperity, prestige and power of
the United States that gives to its credit the strength to prevent a
similar lapse in the value of our national bank issues. If we were
financially as weak as Colombia, or as the confederate states became
towards the close of the civil war, our bank issues would drop to a
low standard of value as our credit had dropped, at the same period.
No nation has a sufficient assurance of continued power to give
a moral justification to laws that substitute its credit for the precious
metals, as the basis of industry, trade and commerce. We adopted
this false system of national finance, to meet the necessities of a ter-
rible civil war, and we continued it, to meet the demands of a coali-
tion between the brigands of finance in our country with those of
p]urope.
They have used the national debts of European states, enor-
mously swollen by the results of great wars that were fought to
destroy the old feudal system of land tenures and villieriage, and
they have transferred its powers and its arrogant supremacy to the
holders of consols and rents, and have turned over the authority
of its overseers to opepors and collectors of taxes, to gather the sub-
stance of the toiling, industrial classes, who are doomed to subordin-
ation and poverty.
The same interests, moved by the same purpose of subordinating
industry to the demands of hoarded wealth and employing the tax
laws as the instruments to enforce their requisitions, have planned
to keep our laboring classes in perpetual subordination, by increasing
the national debt of the United States, and by making their burdens
perpetual.
Gold and silver alike stand up to resist this power to oppress.
that is given to credit, in the form of bonds, which is also converted
into current money; and the friends of sound money protest, and
will forever decry this unnatural perversion of the chiefest temporal
blessing that God has given to man.
If we would prosper we must restore to the precious metals their
supremacy as money.
The joint resistance of the precious metals, to the usurpation of
those who are powerful enough to own the public debt, is rendered
futile by the plan of the monopolists (which is so far successful) to
divide gold and silver into competitive antagonists, and to place it
beyond the power of a single metal ever to pay the public debt.
The plan to increase and perpetuate the public debt, payable in
gold, is backed by organized capital, including the national banks
throughout the country.
Gold, representing the power of the organized few, against silver,
representing the power of the unorganized masses, is easily em-
ployed and controlled in the work of destroying the equal power of
silver as a money metal, and silver is thereby made useless in the
166 OFFICIAL, PROCEEDINGS
struggle of the people to pay the national debts, and to escape taxa-
tion. This is simply the old burden of feudal servitude, in a new form.
Gold, in such conditions, is also made, by our laws, the sole
arbiter of the price, or value, of all the leading fruits of Industry,
and the laborer earning money with limited purchasing power, is
deprived of all hope of becoming independent of his master th3
gilded capitalist.
Of course, it is now an established fact that all the gold and
silver in the Eastern Hemisphere is not equal to the payment of the
debts of those nations, if it was applied to their discharge.
This means the salvery of industry to capital, which is to be
perpetual.
In America the conditions are not so desperate, as yet, because
the balances of trade in our favor have enabled us to reduce the sum
of our national debt and, until recently, the imperialists, who make
gold their scepter-power, have not been bold enough to declare that
its sway shall be perpetual.
Now the monometalists feel strong enough to propose the increase
of the power of our national debt, as the capital of national banking,
by permitting such banks to issue more than dollar for dollar, in
paper money, upon the face of the bonds held by them. This can
only mean the perpetuity of our bonded debt, as a principle of gov-
ernment, and its conversion into a substitute for gold and silver
money, thereby adding 50 per cent to the burden of our debt, and creat-
ing a permanent necessity for the taxation of the people to pay in-
terest on it.
This tempting fallacy of banking on the "oasis of credit, instead
of gold and silver in the bank vaults, drives others of the monopolistic
class into "asset banking," which opens the door to the wildest pro-
jects that have ever found practical and disastrous illustration in the
frauds, bankruptcies and ruin inflicted upon the people by the
licentious abuse of their confidence, and the grind of their necessi-
ties, in the issue of "wild cat" and "pigeon roost" currency to cir-
culate as money.
It would require a long and very disgraceful chapter in our
history to record these desperate banking operations.
The citation of the specific facts of history is not needed to re-
mind our people of these sad years of ruin, that involved states and
people in the trouble and disgrace of a system of banking that was
based on credit, instead of gold and silver.
Our system of national banking based exclusively on the na-
tional credit, being unsound, dangerous and oppressive to tax payers,
the simple and effective remedy is found in the payment of the na-
tional debt, and tlie substitution of gold and silver, in place of the
debt, as the basis of national banking.
The exclusive legislative control of all banks of issue and r<T-
demption should be exercised by congress, as is now the practical situ-
ation. Congress should, therefore, provide for the payment of the
national debt and for the substitution of gold and silver in place of
that debt as the capital of all national banks.
If we intend to keep our promises to the world, and especially to
our own people, we will pay our national debt at the earliest prac-
ticable time. And if congress has any such purpose, it will not hes-
itate at once to declare it, and to provide for its execution as a
settled policy of our government.
When this debt was created this promise was made to our tax
payers and the sacred pledge was given to our posterity that the
national debt should be paid as soon as it was possible.
It is contrary to all just conceptions of the character of the
free, self governing and sovereign people of the United States that
congress should create such debts; saddle them upon posterity, mort-
gage the labor of our children for their payment; foster and protect
favored classes, by exempting them from taxation on that class of
property; and then, in the face of such solemn pledges to the con-
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 167
trary, maintain the debt, in perpetuity; increase its volume and
fasten it, as an irrevocable tax burden, on the present and future
generations, by making the debt the only basis for the supply of the
people with the paper currency, which is indispensable to all their
industrial pursuits. It cannot be just to starve the industries of the
country, unless the people will agree to pay taxes for the benefit
of favored classes.
A system thus founded upon the basis of broken pledges; that
gives to gold the utmost power; and dedicates it to the service of
the brigands of the stock markets and the feudal lords of finance:
while it destroys the purchasing and debt paying power of silver, is
a system that no true American can consent to tolerate longer than
it can be safely changed.
It should be impossible that the national debt should be per-
petual; and its payment will remove the whole foundation on which
the national banking system rests. There will never be a time when
this necessary change will be made more easily, or with greater ad-
vantage to the country. We have reached the point when our finan-
cial system will destroy the country, or will save it.
It requires at least 6 per cent per annum to be raised by taxation
to pay the interest on the face value of the bonds of the United States,
now held by the national banks, and to meet the loss in the public rev-
enues, state and federal, that is caused by the exemption of such bonds
from all taxation.
The premium on these bonds is at the rate of from 6 to 9 per
cent, in the money markets.
This includes interest at 2 per cent, tax exemptions, estimated at
4 per cent, and the convenience of holding bonds as a safe investment,
estimated at 1 to 3 per cent.
This premium would equal the face value of the bonds in about
eleven to fifteen years, thereby doubling the debt in such period.
This advantage, given to the holders of our bonds, added to the
advantage of circulating the face value of the bonds in the form of na-
tional bank notes, xrdeemable by the government in gold coin, and
loaned to the peopre at extortinate rates, adds enormously to their
value, as an exclusive privilege granted to capitalists. The per-
petuity of such a system is impossible and it should be now abandoned.
All this results from a system that excludes gold and silver from
the basis of banking, by adopting the national credit as the sole basis.
These special privileges cannot be long maintained against the will
of the people, when they understand the oppressive burden of in-
justice it imposes upon them.
We can pay the bonds now held by the national banks in gold,
without the feast strain upon the country, in ten years, or even in
five years, and require them, on pain of forfeiting their charters, to
deposit the amount of the bonds held by them, in their own vaults,
in the treasury of the United States in coin, as banking capital.
We can go much further, with benefit to the banks and with great
relief to the country, by accepting silver legal tender coins, on deposit,
as banking capital, in sums equal to the deposits of gold or bullion, or
approximately equal.
Under such conditions the banks could have no real Inducement
for refusing such silver coins in payment of their bonds, or, say, one
half of the amount.
A distinct forward step would be taken in the rehabilitation of
silver money, in its commercial value as money of redemption,
if it was united with gold, as capital, in the national banks.
We are now employing large sums of silver coin, deposited in the
treasury to redeem silver certificates in circulation as money, and with
such benefit to the country that the repeal of that law would cause
distress to the people and the government.
The transfer of such coins to the banks would not injure the
credit of bank notes issued, as silver certificates are now issued upon
their value as money and, if the option is given to the holders of na-
168 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
tional bank notes so issued, to demand redemption, in gold, at the
bank of issue, with the obligation of the government to redeem them
in gold, if the bank of issue refuses so to redeem them, every dollar
of silver so deposited would perform all the functions of a dollar of
gold, and, together, they would form an equal support to our national
b.ink, paper money.
Such an option, given to the holders of national bank notes, could
not in the least expose the banks or the government to the combina-
tion of speculators in money, to deprive the banks of their gold.
The necessity for .making the demand for gold, at the bank of
issue, would prevent the raiders from concerted action, or possible
success in any effort to withdraw gold from the country and ship it
back and forth, across the oceans, as a commodity of commerce, as
is now being done, to settle the balance of trade, or the losses, or
winnings, of the gambling schemes of dealers in stocks.
It is, in fact, to this inferior function that we have degraded gold,
by robbing it of its higher office of supporting the credit of our own
currency, and strengthening our home industries, and by using it as
a commercial commodity, in settling our balances of trade and the
gambling debts of stock brokers.
The true wealth of our country, as it is of all countries, depends
upon thrift, and the prosperity of our industries, accompanied with
permanent stores of the precious metals, sufficient to prevent injurious
depression in trade through our lack of a full supply of money for
proper purposes.
No country can suffer, or be disturbed in its industries, by panics,
that maintains a safe reserve of precious metals for the use of its
people, as money.
Such a policy is not a hoarding of idle wealth, but the accumula-
tion of financial power, that gives prestige to a nation and security to
its people.
If we place gold and silver, as the foundation of our currency, in
national banks controlled by our government, an^ pledge the faith of
the government to the redemption of the issues of the banks in gold
and silver coins, at the option of the holder, these depositories, in-
stead of being raided and depleted by speculators in coin and closed
by panics created for the purpose, will increase with the growth of our
country and will put capital at work for the benefit of the people.
Such a system, with balances of foreign trade in our favor, will
cause a steady and immeasurable increase of wealth, in which every
citizen will have the full share that is due to honest industry.
The battles of "the standards" will cease, and the ratio between
the metals, according to weight, will cease to trouble, and the pur-
chasing power and the debt paying power of the metals will all be
adjusted by the value of the currency they represent and support
and, in all these fluctuations, they will work together for the good of
the country.
The paper currency issued upon a joint specie basis of gold and
silver will always represent the highest -relative value that any coun-
try can attribute to gold, or to silver; and such paper issues, guarn-
teed by the government, as to its redemption in gold or silver at the
option of the holder, will be as good as the best money that any coun-
try can supply, and it will be current, without discount, in all the
commercial countries.
If we change our system of banking, from a credit basis to a
cash basis, using the precious metals for its foundation, and the
credit of the government to insure its integrity, we will forever close
the door upon the bickerings that cause distrust, antagonism and
panics in our financial affairs.
The payment of the national debt will clear the way far the adop-
tion of a system of finance that will compose all our difficulties and
give confidence to all v/ho toil and will secure the permanent welfare
of the country.
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 169
All proper financial reform, in our present sad condition, depends
upon this predicate, and I most respectfully, and with entire confi-
dence, present this as the question that is entitled to the immediate
and most careful consideration of the American Mining Congress.
The results that must follow the correct settlement of this long,
unnecessary and unhappy contest as to use of gold and silver as money
metals, on the terms of just equality, are so important, that I cannot
conceive of a higher honor that the Mining Congress could achieve,
than to lead in its final adjustment. Witn great respect,
JOHN T. MORGAN.
MR. GEORGE, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: I move we adjourn to
meet tomorrow at 9:30 A. M. at the City Hall at Deadwood.
The motion was seconded and carried and Congress adjourned
to September 12th, 1903, at 9:30 A. M.
Deadwood, South Dakota, September 12th, 1903, 9:30 A. M.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: Congress will be in order.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: If there is no objection we will take
up first any communications the secretary may have on his table.
Secretary Mahon read a letter from Fred J. Keisel with reference
to the National Irrigation Congress, as follows:
I have here which I merely will submit to you letters in connec-
tion with the American Mining Congress, extending congratulations
from nearly every civilized nation in the world. I have also letters
here from all the departments at Washington, with that of an addi-
tional letter from the president of the United States. I have letters
here from nearly every United States senator. I have complimentary
letters from the greater portion of our representatives in congress or
the lower house. I will not read them, except the first one, from our
ex-president, L. Bradford Prince. Here is also another package of let-
ters from distinguished men all over the country, which I will submit
to our stenographer who will include them all in the publication of
the proceedings of this session. There is also a letter from our ex-
president, Mr. Schaffner, of Cleveland, Ohio, on the same lines as the
one I read from ex-Gcvernor Prince.
Ogden, Utah, Sept, 7th, 1903.
Judge J. R. Richards, care of American Mining Congress, Dead-
wood, S. D.
My Dear Sir: We were delighted to hear through Mr. A. M. Moss,
of Payette, that you will favor us with an address at this congress.
We are sending you, under separate cover, two posters advertis-
ing the congress, and would ask that you display same to the best
possible advantage at Deadwood, and also read our official call, copy
of which we inclose herewith, and extend an invitation to the delegates
at the American Mining Congress to attend the llth National Irriga-
tion Congress. We would appreciate your compliance with these re-
quests as a very great favor.
This congress is assuming now an International aspect; Spain,
France and Mexico will all be represented here by officially appointed
delegates, who are also students of irrigation.
Thanking you for your courtesy, very truly yours,
FRED J. KIESEL.
170 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
White House, Washington.
The president regrets his inability to accept the courteous invi-
tation of the American Mining Congress to be present at its sixth an-
nual session, September 7th-12th, 1903.
Grove, Hamilton Co., N. Y., July 28th, 1903.
Mr. Irwin Mahon, Secretary American Mining Congress, Deadwood.
Dear Sir: I regret very much that my engagements are such that
it will be impossible for me to attend the Congress in September, i
trust that the session may be productive of that great good which the
Congress has it in its power to do by inviting the attention of the
public to the important industries of mining and by making such sug-
gestions to congress in Washington as may affect national legislation.
Very respectfully,
WILLIAM H. HUNT.
Mexico, Julio 15 de 1903.
Sr. J. H. Richards, Presidente The American Mining Congress, Dead-
wood and Lead, South Dakota, U. S. A.
Muy Distinguido Si. Mio: Tuve el honor de recibir la atenta in-
vitacion que se ha servido Ud. dirigirme para concurrir a la Sexta
Sesion del Congreso que tan dignamente preside, la cual debera tener
lugar del 7 al 12 de Septiembre proximo; y al tener la pena de mani-
festar a Ud. que no me sera posible asistir a dicha Sesion por impe-
dirlo las atenciones del Despacho de la Secretaria de Guerra y Marina
que es a mi cargo, me apresuro a dar a Ud. las mas cumplidas gracias
p ji- su galante atencion.
Con esta oportunidad, me es grato suscribirme de Ud. afmo. v
atento seguro S. S. J. F. MENA.
Chicago, July 15th, 1903.
Mr. J. H. Richards, Pres., The American Mining Congress, DeadwooT!
and Lead, S. D., U. S. A.
Dear Sir: I have the honor to receive your kind invitation to the
sixth annual session of the American Mining Congress, over which you
preside and which takes place from 7th to 12th of September.
I am sorry to say that it is impossible for me to attend the same
Congress on account of the attention that the ministry of war and
marine now under my charge demands.
Thanking you for your attention, I am, Yours,
F. Z. MENA.
Santa Fe, New Mexico, Sept, 5, 1903.
To the President of tte American Mining Congress.
Dear Sir: It is with deep regret that at the last moment I find
it impossible to attend the Congress, on account of business matters
which cannot be postponed. Until within a day or two I have never
doubted being present.
As an original member, and its first president, I naturally take
a great interest in the success of the Congress, which is certainly one
of the most important of our national gatherings.
I trust that this session may be fruitful of good results, especially
in the modernizing of our mining laws, and in the establishment of a
national Department of Mines.
With best wishes, respectfully yours,
L. BRADFORD PRINCE.
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 171
Carlisle, Pa., August 11, 1903.
Irwin Mahon, Secretary, Deadwood S. Dak.
My Dear Mr. Mahon: Accept my thanks for the kind invitation
to attend the next annual session of the American Mining Congress,
to be held in Deadwood in September.
I had hoped to be &ble to attend the Congress, and would probably
have done so if it were held during the summer, but on account of cpurc
business I am so busy here in September that I cannot leave without
great inconvenience.
Hoping that the convention will be fraught with good results, and
with kind regards for yourself, I remain, Yours very truly,
E. W. BIDDLE.
Springfield, Aug. 17th, 1903.
Mr. Irwin Mahon, Secretary to the American Mining Congress, Dead-
wood, S. Dak.
Dear Sir: I beg to acknowledge your kind invitation of some time
ago to attend the cession of your Congress at Deadwood and Lead.
I regret, however, to have to state that previous engagements for
that date make it impossible for me tc attend your meetings, much as I
should desire to do so. Yours very truly,
C. H. CRANTZ.
St. Louis, August 26, 1903.
To the President and Members of the American Mining Congress,
Deadwood, South Dakota.
Gentlemen: The Business Men's League of St. Louis has the
honor to invite the American Mining Congress to meet in St. Louis
in 1904.
The great Louisiana Purchase Exposition will then be open, and
the city in this and other respects will be most attractive. The hotel
and hall facilities will be adequate and railway rates will be low.
Very truly yours,
WM. FLEWELLYN SAUNDERS, JONATHAN RICE,
Secretary and General Manager. President
Saint Louis, August 26, 1903.
To the President of the American Mining Congress.
Sir: On behalf of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition I desire to
extend to the American Mining Congress a cordial Invitation to hold
the annual meeting of the association for 1904 in the city of St.
Louis.
In that year will be held at Saint Louis the Universal Exposition
in commemoration of the one hundredth anniversary of the purchase of
Louisiana territory. The exposition management will be prepared
to furnish without charge a satisfactory hall for the holding of the
sessions of the association. The committee on ceremonies will, if de-
sired, recognize the presence of the American Mining Congress by
setting apart a special day, or by providing some distinctive feature
of the program.
172 OFFICIAL, PROCEEDINGS
The information service, conducted without charge by the expo-
sition management, will assist delegates in obtaining satisfactory ac-
commodations at reasonable prices. The fair name of St. Louis for
hospitality will not be marred in 1904. Assurances given by the rail-
rcads warrant the promise of very low rates in transportation.
Respectfully,
D. A. FRANCIS, President.
St. Louis, Mo., Aug. 25th, 1903.
To the President and Members, American Mining Congress, Dead-
wood, S. D.
Gentlemen: In behalf of the* city of St. Louis I take pleasure
in extending to your association a cordial invitation to hold your
meeting for the year 1904, in this city. Yours truly,
J. S. KADDUSBY,
President of the Council and Acting Mayor.
Irwin Mahon, Esq., Sec.
My Dear Sir: Please accept my thanks for the very polite and
cordial invitation of the American Mining Congress to be with you at
Deadwood and Lead at your coming annual session in September.
. Absence in Europe makes it impossible for me to accept, but I
none the less appreciate tEe compliment of your invitation and eT-
tend my most hearty wishes for a very successful gathering.
Believe I remain, Yours very truly,
H. K. PORTER, 31st. Dist. of Pa.
St. Moritz, Switzerland, Aug. 6th, 1903.
Hacienda Del Pozo De Verona, Pleasanton, Calif.
Mrs. Hearst regrets that absence makes it impossible for her
to give herself the pleasure of attending the American Mining Con-
gress to be held in Deadwood and Lead during September, 1903.
August sixteenth.
Buffalo, N. Y., Sept. 1, 1903.
Hon. JT. H. Richards, President American Mining Congress, Dead-
wood, S. D.
My Dear Mr. Richards: On account of some important shipping
matters in which I am interested here, I find it will be impossible for
me to attend the Congress meeting at I expected and intended. I trust
that the meeting will prove of great and lasting benefit to those who
are deeply interested in practical mining and who will attend this ses-
sion of the Congress. I have talked with a number of Eastern dele-
gates who have promised me they will attend, some of them from ttie
states of Ohio, New York and as far east as the Atlantic sea board
cities. I bespeak for this session of the American Mining Congress a
large, enthusiastic and practical meeting, and with kindest regards and
well wishes to the delegates who so ably assisted in making the last
year's meeting such a grand success and of which I had the honor to
be president, I remain, Sincerely and cordially yours,
Cleveland, Ohio E. L. SHAFNER.
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 173
Elkins, West Virginia, July 13, 1903.
Irwin Mahon, Seoretai-y, The American Mining Congress, Deadwood,
S. Dakota.
Dear Sir: Your letter of invitation to the sixth annual session oT
the American Mining Congress, addressed to Hon. S. B. Elkins, is re-
ceived. On behalf of Senator Elkins I wish to thank you for the cour-
tesy and to assure of regret that an extended European tour will not
permit of his enjoying the occasion. Yours very truly,
F. L. DANISON, Secretary.
Wheeling, W. Va., July 13, 1903.
Mr. Irwin Mahon, Deadwood, S. D.
Dear Sir: I have your kind invitation to attend the American
Miners' Congress convention, to be held at Deadwood, September 7th
to 12th. Owing to previous engagements at our state fair which will
be held about these dates it will be impossible for me to attend.
I should have been pleased to attend the convention, as I have
been interested in mining for the past 45 years.
Hoping you will have a pleasant and successful meeting, I am,
Yours very truly,
W. B. SCOTT.
Cheyenne, Wyo, 7 13 03.
Irwin Mahon, Secretary, Deadwood, South Dakota.
My Dear Sir: I beg to thank you for your kind invitation to at-
tend the sixth annual session of the American Mining Congress, to be
held in Deadwood and Lead, South Dakota, between the 7th and 12th
days of September.
I regret exceedingly thaf business and other engagements will
serve to prevent my acceptance of your Invitation.
Very truly yours,
F. E. WARREN.
Omaha, July 11, 1903.
Irwin Mahon, Esq., Secretary, Deadwood, South Dakota.
Dear Sir: I take pleasure in acknowledging receipt of your kind
invitation to attend tie American Mining Congress, the sixth annual
session of which will be held in the cities of Deadwood and Lead be-
tween the 7th and 12ht days of September, 1903.
It would afford ire great pleasure to attend this session, but I
find it impossible ?.t this time to state definitely whether I shall be able
to do so.
Thanking you for your courtesy, I remain, Yours truly,
J. A. MILLARD.
Fort Dodge, Iowa, July 11, 1903.
Mr. Irwin Mahon, Secretary, American Mining Congress, Deadwood,
S. D.
Dear Mr. Mahon: I have your letter inviting me to attend the
annual meeting of your Congress during the early part of September;
and in reply will say that my engagements are such for that time that
174 OFFICIAL, PROCEEDINGS
I will be unable to be with you, although I greatly appreciate the kind-
ness of your invitation.
With cordial personal regards, I am, Yours very truly,
J. P. DOLLIVER.
Dubuque, Iowa, July 14, 1903.
Mr. Irwin Mahon, Secretary, Deadwood, S. D.
My Dear Sir: I hrve your favor inviting me to be present at the
sixth annual session of the American Mining Congress to be held at
Deadwood, South Dakota, between the seventh and twelfth days of
September.
I regret exceedingly that other engagement? about that time will
prevent me from having the pleasure to be present. I hope the results
of the convention may be valuable to those interested in mining.
Very truly yours,
W. B. ALLISON.
Salt Lake City, Utah, July 15th, 1903.
Mr. Irwin Mahon. Secretary, The American Mining Congress, Dead-
wood, So. Dak.
My Dear Sir: I have the kind invitation of the American Mining
Congress to attend its sixth annual session in September next. I should
be very happy indeed to be present at the session of the Congress but
it would be difficult for me to say positively at this time whether I
could be present or not, but if I can arrange to attend I will notify
you some time before the session convenes.
Trusting that the Congress will be a most profitable " one ancl
thanking you for your remembrance of me, I am,
Very truly yours,
THOMAS KEARNS.
Hartford, Conn., July 15, 1903.
Mr. Irwin Mahon, Secretary, The American Mining Congress, Dead-
wood, S. D.
Dear Sir: In the absence of Senator Hawley, on the water, where
he is endeavoring to secure a pleasant and restful vacation, I b~eg to
acknowledge your very kind invitation to him to attend the Mining
Congress in September, and regret to advise that owing to previous
engagements it w?ll bo impossible for him to attend. Yours truly,
R. W. THOMPSON,
Secretary Hon. J. R. Hawley.
Indianapolis, Indiana, July 15, 1903.
My Dear Mr. Mahon: Senator Beveridge directs me to thank you
for your thoughtfulness in sending him an invitation to the American
Mining Congress to be held in Deadwood, South Dakota, in September.
The senator regrets that other engagements will make it impossible
for him to attend, but he is appreciative of your invitation.
Very truly yours,
THOMAS R. SHIPP, Secretary.
Mr. Irwin Mahon, iteadwood, S. D.
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 175
Washington, D. C., July 15, 1903.
The American Mining Congress, Deadwood, South Dakota.
Gentlemen: I am in receipt of you-r very kind invitation to the
sixth annual session cf the American Mining Congress to be held in
the cities of Lead and Deadwood, South Dakota, between the 7th and
12th days of September, and regret exceedingly thai I will be unable
to be with you during that time. Yours very truly,
M. tf. QUAY.
Hueneme, California, July 15, 1903.
Mr. Irwin Mahon, Secretary, The American Mining Congress,, Dead-
wood, South Dakota.
Sir: In the absence of Senator Bard, and in his behalf, I acknowl-
edge the receipt of, and thank the American Mining Congress, for its
cordial invitation to attend the sixth annual session of the Congress
to be held in the cities of Deadwood and Lead, South Dakota, between
the 7th and 12h days of September, 1903.
Senator Bard is not expected to return to the United States before
October next. Respectfully,
WM. M'HILLIKER, Stenographer.
Meadville, Penna., July 16, 1903.
Mr. Irwin Mahop, Secretary, The American Mining Congress, Dea3-
wood, S. D.
Dear Sir: Your invitation on behalf of the American Mining
Congress to attend the sixth annual session of the Congress, to be held
in the cities of Deadwood and Lead, South Dakota, and addressed to
Senator Penrose, is at hand, replying to which I beg to say the senator
is absent in British Columbia, and will not return until after the event
referred to. I, therefore, regret that the invitation cannot be brought
to the senator's attention until after his return. Yours truly,
W. R. ANDREWS, Private Secretary.
Tacoma, Washington, July 16, 1903.
Mr. Irwin Mahon, Secretary, The American Mining Congress, Dead-
wood, S. D.
Dear Sir: J desire to thank you very cordially for invitation of
the American Mining Congress to be present at its sixth annual ses-
sion, to be held *t the cities of Deadwood and Lead, South Dakota, be-
tween September 7 and 12.
If it is at all possible I shall be only too glad to be with you; but
at the present time the indications are that I will be prevented from
doing so by previous engagements.
Wishing the Congress every success, I remain,
Yours very truly,
A. G. FOSTER.
176 OFFICIAL, PROCEEDINGS
San Francisco, July 18, 1903.
Irwin Mahon, Esq., Secy., The American Mining Congress, Dead-
wood, South Dakota,.
My Dear Sir: I am in receipt of your kind invitation to be present
at the sixth annual session, to fie held in September, and wish to state
that I accept with pleasure, and will surely attend.
With best wishes, believe me, Yours very truly,
W. C. RALSTON.
Elizabeth, N. J., July 21st, 1903.
My Dear Sir: I regret extremely that I am unable to accept the
kind invitation of the officers of the American Mining Congress to be
present at the sixth annual session of the Congress to be held in the
cities of Deadwood and Lead, South Dakota, between the 7th and 12th
days of September, 1903. Very truly yours,
JOHN KEAN, U. S. S.
To Mr. Irwin Mahon, Secretary, The American Mining Congress.
Deadwood and Lead, So. Dakota.
June 26th, 1903.
Mr. Irwin Mahon, Sec., Deadwood, S. D.
My Dear Sir: I have your favor of the 24th and note your re-
quest for photographs. Very much do I regret that I have none and
cannot readily secure photographs suitable for your purpose.
Truly yours,
A. B. KITTREDGE.
Wallace, Idaho, June 29, 1903.
Irwin Mahon, Esq., Deadwood, S. D.
Dear Sir: I have yours of June 24tti requesting that I shall let you
have half a dozen of my photographs, unmounted, for newspaper work.
I have no unmounted photographs. However, I send you a copy of
my latest and best photograph, and I suggest that you have a cut
made of it for the several newspapers.
I hope that you are progressing nicely with your preparation, i
am unable to say whether I will be with you this year or not. It will
depend upon the courts. Yours truly,
W. B. HEYBURN.
Cleveland, Ohio, August 1, 1903.
Mr. Irwin Mahon, Secretary, American Mining Congress, Deadwooft,
S. Dak.
My Dear Sir: I have just received your committee's invitation to
attend the annual session of the American Mining Congress at Dead-
wood and Lead, South Dakota, September 7th to 12th. Please be as-
sured of my appreciation of the courteous rememberance and my re-
gret at not being able to accept tHe Invitation. I shall be busily en-
gaged, however, at that time in our state campaign and am compelled
to decline all invitations, having placed my time at the disposal of our
state committee.
With best wishes for a successful session, I am, truly yours,
M. A. HANNA.
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 177
Washington, D. C., August 5, 1903.
Mr. Irwin Mahon, Secy., The American Mining Congress, Deadwood,
S. Dak.
My Dear Sir: I thank you for the kind invitation to attend the
sixth annual session of the American Mining Congress, between the
7th and 12th day*; of September, and greatly regret my engagements
are such it will be impossible for me to be present.
Very truly yours,
A. P. NORMAN.
Department of State, Washington, July 13, 1903.
Dear Sir: I bave received the kind invitation of the American
Mining Congress to attend the sixth annual session in September;
next, and very much regret that it will not be possible for me to avail
myself of it.
With many thanks, I am, Yours very truly,
JOHN HAY.
Irwin Mahon, Esquire, Secretary.
The attorney general regrets his inability to accept the invitation
of the American Mining Congress to be present at the sixth annual
session, September 7th 12th, Deadwood and Lead, South Dakota.
18 July. 1903.
The secretary of commerce and labor regrets his inability to ac-
cept the courteous invitation of the American Mining Congress to be
present at its sixth annual session from September seventh to twelfth,
1903.
Department of Commerce and Labor, Washington, July 11, 1903.
Dear Sir: I beg to extend, through you, my thanks to the Ameri-
can Mining Congress for the invitation to attend the sixth annual ses-
sion. It would afford me much pleasure to accept if the press of of-
ficial business did not prevent. Very truly yours,
JAMES RUDOLPH GARFIELD, Commissioner.
Mi. J. H. Richards, President, American Mining Congress, Dead-
wood, S. D.
Office of the Postmaster General, Washington, July 24, 1903.
Mr. J. H. Richards, President, The American Mining Congress, Dead-
wood, S. D.
Dear Sir: I am directed by the postmaster-general to acknowledge
receipt of invitation, extended to him, to attend the sixth annual ses-
sion of the American Mining Congress to be held in the cities of Dead-
wood and Lead, South Dakota, from the 7th to the 12th of September.
1903. inclusive.
The postmaster-general appreciates the courtesy of the invitation,
but desires me to say that it will be impossible for him to be with
you on that occasion. Very truly yours.
F. H. WHITNEY,
Private Secretary.
178 OFFICIAL, PROCEEDINGS
Department of the Interior, United States Geological Survey.
Washington, D. C., July 15, 1903.
Mr. Irwin Mahon, Secy., American Mining Congress, Deadwood, S. Dak.
Dear Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of the in-
vitation of the American Mining Congress to attend its sixth annual
session between the 7th and 12th of September, 1903.
I very much regret that engagements previously made make it
impracticable for me to be present at that time.
Very respectfully,
CHAS. D. WALCOTT, Director.
Honolulu, Aug. 17th, 1903.
Mr. Irwin Mahon, Secy, American Mining Congress, Deadwood, S. D.
Sir: Your kind invitation to attend the sixth annual session of
the American Mining Congress to be held at Deadwood and Lead, South
Dakota, from the seventh to the twelfth days of September, has been
received, and I thank you very sincerely for it.
It would give me great pleasure to be present at your deliberations
but it is impossible for me to be away from the territory for some time
to come.
Hawaii is not a mining country as-, yet, though it has a considerable
quantity of iron in the soil and evidences of other metals.
A friend of mine, Mr. Eben Parker Low, who has mining interests
in Nevada, is going to leave in a few days for the mainland, and I
have suggested to him that he visit the Congress as my representative.
He has received the proposition with pleasure and will arrange his
plans to be present. I take pleasure in introducing you to him. He was
born and has grown up here and has made a conspicuous success in
ranching. His mining interests are an inheritance from his father
in addition to which he has taken out claims himself.
He will be able to furnish reliable information in regard to this
territory, should your body be interested in hearing from him.
Very respectfully ?
SANFORD B. DOLE, Governor.
Siamese Legation, Washington, D. C.
Mr. Edward Loftus presents his compliments to the president of
the American Mining Congress and much regrets that he is unable
to give himself the pleasure of accepting their kind invitation to at-
tend the annual session of the Congress, in South Dakota, between the
7th and 12th days of September, 1903.
July 24th, 1903.
Russian Imperial Embassy, Washington.
Mr. Hansen begs to thank the American Mining Congress for their
kind invitation to attend the sixth annual session of the Congress
and regrets not to be able to accept, as it will be impossible for him
to leave the city in the month of September.
July 21st, 1903.
THEODORE HANSEN.
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 179
, Siamese Legation, Washington, D. C.
Phya Akharaz Varadhara, the Siamese minister, presents his com-
pliments to the president and vice-presidents of the American Mining
Congress and much regrets that his engagements render it impossible
for him to accept their kind invitation to attend the sixth annual ses-
sion of the Congress, between the 7th and 12th days of September next.
July 24, 1903.
The Weirs, N. H., 25 July, 1903.
Sir: With reference to the invitations you sent for H. E. von
Holleben, Count Amadt, Baron von Ritter, Consul Montgeles and Herr
von Rebear, I am desired by H. E. the German ambassador, Baron von
Sternberg, to let you know that all these gentlemen have left Wash-
ington for good and will therefore not be able to accept your kind
invitation to attend the Mining Congress at Deadwood and Lead.
Yours very sincerely,
BARON V. I. BUNOKE,
Councilor to the German Embassy.
Castle Hill, Newport.
Mr. Agassie regrets extremely that it is not in his power to accept
the invitation of the American Mining Congress to attend the meet-
ing to be held at Deawood in September.
July 15.'
Chinese Legation, Washington, July 23, 1903.
The Chinese Minister, Sir Chentung Liang-Cheng, regrets that the
pressure of official business prevents his acceptance of the invitation
of the Amrican Mining Congress to attend its sixth annual session to
be held in the cities of Deadwood and Lead, South Dakota, between
the 7th and 12th days of September, 1903.
Irwin Mahon, Esq., Secretary, American Mining Congresss, Deadwood,
South Dakota.
Manchester, Mass., August the 1st, 1903.
Dear Sir: I beg to acknowledge receipt of your most kind invi-
tation forwarded to me to assist at the American Mining Congress to be
held this year at Deadwood, South Dakota, between the 7th and 12th
of September.
In a few days I shall go to Europe for a leave of absence and so I
am very sorry I shall not be able to attend your important Congress. I
hope, however, you will accept, also on behalf of the other mem-
bers of the executive committee, my best thanks, as well as the ex-
pressions of my high regards.
THE R. ITALIAN AMBASSADOR MAYOR.
Mr. J. H. Richards, President of the American Mining Congress,
Deadwood, South Dakota.
Imperial German Embassy, Washington, D. C.
The imperial German embassy presents his compliments to the
Secretary Irwin Mahon and begs to inform him that the following
gentlemen: Herr von Holleben, Count Quadt Wykradt Isny, Freiheor
Ritter zu Grauenstein, Count von Montgelas, Lieut.-Com. von Rebeur-
Paschwitz, have left their post.
Washington, D. C., July 29, 1903.
Mr. Irwin Mahon, Secretary of the American Mining Congress, Dead-
Wood, S. Dak.
180 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
Legation del Peru, Bay Port, Long Island, N. Y., July 25th, 1903.
Mr. Irwin Mahon, Secretary of the American Mining Congress, Dead-
wood, S. D.
Dear Sir: I beg to thank you and the representatives of the Amer-
ican Mining Congress for the honor extended to me in the invitation
I have the pleasure to answer.
While my official duties at Washington will make it impossible for
me to attend the meetings of the Congress, I am deeply interested in
everything concerning mining, and I therefore take the liberty of ask-
ing you that all the proceedings, records and other literature that will
be published thereafter be sent to this legation.
Thanking you in advance for your kindness,
Very truly yours,
MANUEL ALVAREZ CALDERON.
Legacion de Costa Rica, en Washington, July 21, 1903.
Mr. Irwin Mahon, Secretary of the American Mining Congress, Dead-
wood, South Dakota.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of the kind in-
vitation sent me to attend the sixth annual session of the Congress
to be held in the cities of Deadwood and Lead, South Dakota, between
the 7th and 12h days of September, 1903, and in answer thereto I
am very sorry that notwithstanding my desire I would not be able to
be present at the said session.
Thanking you very much and all the other members of the com-
mittee for your courtesy I remain, dear sir,
Yours very respectfully,
J. B. CALVO.
Belgium Legation, Newport, R. I., August the 6th, 1903.
Dear Sir: I thank you for the kind invitation which you have
directed to me, in the name of the committee of the Mining Congress,
which will meet in Deadwood and Lead, South Dakota, between the
7th and 12th days of September, 1903. I would feel very much honored
and flattered to join that interesting meeting of so many prominent
men of this country, but I am afraid that I will not be able to under-
take such a long journey, and on that account, I do not think that I dare
accept your kind invitation.
If I felt that I can avoid that difficulty it would, indeed, be a great
pleasure for me to join and attend your most interesting and dis-
tinguished meeting.
In renewing you, and the members of the committee of the Mining
Congress my best thanks for the kind invitation which has been be-
stowed upon me, I beg to remain with my highest consideration,
Yours very sincerely,
The Belgian Charge d' Affaires,
CHAS. C. WAUTERS.
Mr. Irwin Mahon, Secretary Mining Congress.
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 181
Chihuahua, Agosto 18 de 1903.
Senor J. H. Richards, President de Am erican Mining Congress,
Dead wood, South Dakota:
Muy Senor Mio: Doy a Ud. las mas expresivas gracias por la bondadosa
invitacion que se servia dirigirme para que como Primer Magistrado de-
este Estado concurra a la sexta sesion anual del respetable Congreso
que Ud. dignamente preside, y que tendia lugar en las Cindades de
Deadwood y Lead, South Dakota, en los dias del 7 al 12 del proximo
mes de Septiembre.
Recororco le grande importancia del objeco y fines propuestos per
esa respetable corporacion, y quisiera corresponder a la atencion de
Ud. asistiendo a dischas sesiones, mas como hace tan poco tiempo que
me he hecho cargo del Gobierno de iste Estado, siento positivamente
que los nogeoics publicos de esta Entidad Federativa de la Republica
Mexicana, me impadan separarme del questo que ocupo.
No pudiendo pues concurriT, por la raron antes expresada, de todos
modos, quedo muy obligado por su flnera y cortsia al invitarme, y
deseandole el mejor exito a ese H. Congreso, le suplico que al aceptar
para si mis agradecimientos, se sirva hacerlos presentes tambien a
los demas miembros que to componen.
Aprovecho esta ocasion para suscribirme de Ud. afmo atento y S. S.
LIUS FERRAZAST.
Chicago, Sept. 1st, 1903.
Mr. Irwin Mahon, Sec., American Mining Congress, Deadwood, S. D.
Dear Mr. Mahon: The Spanish professor who usually does our
translating is out of the city but the sense of the inclosed letter Is as
follows:
"Your invitation to attend the seventh annual session of the Amer-
ican Congress is received but on account of my duties as acting gov-
ernor of this state I willl be unable to attend this meeting. I appre-
ciate the great value of such a convention and would like very much
to represent this state. Express my kindest regards to all of your mem-
bers and your honorable self.
Legation of Japan, Washington, September 3, 1903.
Sir: I beg to acknowledge the receipt of your cordial invitation
to attend the sixth annual session of the American Mining Congress
to be held shortly. While appreciating very highly your courtesy in
this matter, I greatly regret that my official duties will not permit
my absence from this city for availing myself of your invitation.
Very respectfully yours,
MUTSU.
P. S. Owing to my absence from Washington for the last two
months I was unable to reply to your favor earlier.
President J. H. Richards, The American Mining Congress, Deadwood,
South Dakota.
182 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
Melrose Cottage, Narragansett Pier, R. I., September 6, 1903.
American Mining Congress, Deadwood and Lead, South Dakota.
Gentlemen: Thanking you heartily for the kind invitation you
sent my predecessor, Baron Farsen, I regret to say it is quite impos-
sible for me, his successor, to attend the sixth annual session of the
Congress this year.
Hoping the session will be successful, I beg to remain,
Yours truly,
A. J. BOUNTAKOFF,
Commander Russian Navy.
New York, July 13, 1903.
Irwin Mahon, Esq., Secretary, American Mining Congress. D"ead-
wood, South Dakota.
Dear Sir: The invitation so kindly extended to Judge Henry
M. Goldfogle has duly come to hand.
Inasmuch as Judge Goldfogle sailed for Europe on July 7th, I can
only acknowledge the receipt of the invitation and say that the invi-
tation will be brought to his attention at the first opportunity.
Very truly yours,
CHAS. J. OLEN, Secy.
Athens, Ohio, July 13, 1903.
Irwin Mahon, Esq., Sec., Deadwood, S. D.
My Dear Sir: I am very much obliged to you for your polite invi-
tation, just received, to attend the sixth annual session of the Mining
Congress.
I shall be absent from the United States, I think, at the time, and
hence it will be impossible for me to attend, but none the less I feel
a deep interest in the success and welfare of your organization.
With kind regards. Yours truly,
C. H. GROSVENOR.
Oakland, Cal., July 13th, 1903.
Dear Sir: I beg to acknowledge the receipt of your invitation to
Mr. Metcalf to attend the meeting of your Congress. Mr. Metcalf is
away from home upon his vacation at this time and will be gone for
several weeks. On his return I shall call his attention to your polite
invitation, which I am sure he will greatly appreciate, not being able
to attend personally the sessions of your Congress, I am,
Yours sincerely,
FRED M. CAMPBELL, Secretary.^
Mr. Irwin Mahon, Secretary, American Mining Congress, Deadwood,
South Dakota.
San Francisco, Cal., July 13, 1903.
Irwin Mahon, Esq., Secretary American Mining Congress, Deadwood,
South Dakota.
Dear Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your
kind invitation to attend the sixth annual session of the American
Mining Congress to be held in the cities of Deadwood and Lead. SoutB
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 183
Dakota, between the 7th and 12th of September, 1903. Owing to a
previous important engagement for those dates, it will be impossible
for me to attend. This I regret very much, as I most cordially ap-
prove the aims of the Mining Congress and should take great pleasure
in attending.
Thanking you for your kind invitation and regretting my in-
ability to accept the same, I remain, Very sincerely yours,
WILLIAM J. WYNN, M. C.
/
Richmond, Virginia, July 14, 1903.
Honorable Irwin Mahon, Secretary, The American Mining Congress,
Deadwood, South Dakota.
Dear Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of the very
cordial invitation, extended by the officers of the American Mining
Congress on its behalf to attend the sixth annual session of the Con-
gress, September next. I deeply regret that my engagements are
such that it will be impossible Tor me to be present on this occasion.
We are undoubtedly living in the metallic age, and the mining
industries of our country have doubtless contributed more than any
of the other resources of the country to the unprecedented develop-
ment and prosperity of the nation. Such a Congress as is contemplated
by the officers of your organization will inevitably be productive of
great good to the material interests of the nation at large, and should
receive the encouragement of all our people.
With assurances of my high consideration, and appreciation of
your cordial invitation, I have the honor to be
Most sincerely yours,
JOHN LAMB, M. C.
Newark, July 14, 1903.
Irwin Mahon, Esq., Secy., The American Mining Congress, Deadwood,
South Dakota.
Dear Sir: I beg to thank you and the members of the American
Mining Congress for their kind invitation to attend their sixth annual
session to be held in the cities of Deadwood and Lead, South Dakota,
on September 7th to 12th Inclusive, and regret very much that other
engagements will prevent my acceptance.
With best regards and wishes for the success of your session,
believe me, . Yours sincerely,
R. WAYNE PARKER.
Norristown, Pa., July 14, 1903.
Hon. J. H. Richards, President, Irwin Mahon, Esq., Secretary, Dead-
wood, S. D.
Gentlemen: The courteous invitation of the American Mining
Congress to its sixth annual session to Be held in Deadwood and Lead,
S. D., 7th-12th September, 1903, is at hand and I should be delighted
to attend but it will probably not be possible for me to do so in con-
sequence of the demands of public and private business.
With best wishes for the success of the session and of the enter-
prising cities in which it is to meet. Yours very respectfully,
IRVING P. WANGER.
184 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
Albuquerque, N. M., July 16, 1903.
Irwin Mahon, Esq., Secretary, American Mining Congress, Deadwood,
South Dakota.
My Dear Sir: I am in receipt of your kind invitation to attend
the American Mining Congress to be held in the cities of Deadwood
and Lead, South Dakota, between the 7th and 12th of September, 1903,
inclusive.
I return my sincere thanks for the same, and assure you I take
great interest in the Congress, and it will be a pleasure for" me to
attend if I can, which is doubtful.
I am engaged in making the fight for the admission of New Mexico
to the union, our bill having been talked to death last session of Con-
gress, but we intend to renew it immediately. I will be under great
obligation, Mr. Mahon, even if I don't attend the Congress, if you
will cause a resolution to be introduced and passed in the Congress
favoring the immediate admission to the union as states of New
Mexico, Oklahoma and Arizona. The West is our friend in this mat-
ter, and the West should make its demands known. I will be thankful
if you will take a note of the matter for action at the proper time.
With assurances of my highest regard, I have the honor to be,
Sincerely yours,
B. S. RODEY.
49 East 19th St., New York, July 16th, 1903.
Irwin Mahon, Sec'y American Mining Congress, Deadwood, S. D.
Dear Sir: I beg to acknowledge the receipt of your kind invita-
tion to attend the American Mining Congress, to be held at Deadwood
and Lead, South Dakota, between the 7th and 12th days of September.
1903.
Would say that your organization is one that I take much interest
in, for the reason that I have been superintendent of a mine in former
years, and am a member of the American Institute of Mining Engi-
neers. But I regret that on account of business reasons, and serious
illness in my family, I will not be able to attend the coming meeting,
but I hope to meet with them at a future time. I appreciate your
courtesy in sending me the invitation and remain, Yours truly,
WM. H. WILEY,
Member of Congress, 8th Dist, New Jersey.
Ashland, Pa., July 16th, 1903.
Mr. Irwin Mahon, Sec'y, American Mining Congress, Deadwood, S. D.
My Dear Sir: I am in receipt of your invitation to attend the
annual meeting of the Mining Congress, and regret that it will be im-
possible for me to be present. Yours truly,
GEO. R. PATTERSON, 12th Pa.
Bradford, Pa, July 16th, 1903.
Dear Sir: I regret that pressing business engagements will not
permit me to accept your very kind invitation to attend the sixth an-
nual session of the American Mining Congress.
Thanking you for the invitation, I am, Very truly yours,
S. R. DRESSER.
Irwin Mahon, Secretary, Deadwood, South Dakota.
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 185
Fall River, Mass., July 17, 1903.
Irwin Mahon, Esq., Secy., American Mining Congress, Deadwood, So.
Dakota.
My Dear Sir: I thank you for the invitation to attend the sixth
annual session of the Congress, but regret that business engagements
at that time will prevent my acceptance. Yours respectfully,
WM. C. GREENE.
Salt Lake City, Utah, July 21, 1903.
J. H. Richards, President, The American Mining Congress, Deadwood,
South Dakota.
Dear Sir: I acknowledge herewith receipt of an artistic invita-
tion to be present at the sixth annual session of the American Mining
Congress, to be held between the 7th and 12th of September, in the
cities of Deadwood and Lead, South Dakota. It will be quite impos-
sible for me to attend, which I very much regret. But I shall certainly
be there in spirit, for I appreciate the fact that such congresses do
much for the industry of mining, to which the West owes so much of
its prosperity.
Thanking you for the invitation, and with best wishes for a bene-
ficial session, I remain, Yours very truly,
JOSEPH HOWELL. .
Milton, Pa., July 21st, 1903.
Mr. J. H, Richards, President, The American Mining Congress, Dead-
wood, S. D.
Dear Sir: I beg to thank you for your kind invitation to attend
the American Mining Congress at Deadwood, S. D., between the 7th
and 12th days of September, 1903, inclusive. I regret very much that
imperative engagements will prevent my acceptance of your kind in-
vitation. Yours very truly,
* C. H. DIEHLMAN.
Riverside, Cal., July 24th, 1903.
Hon. J. H. Richards, Pres., Deadwood, S. D.
Dear Sir: Replying to your kind invitation of recent date, beg
to say that I regret that it will be impossible for me to be in Deadwood
and Lead, South Dakota, to attend the session of the American Mining
Congress in September next. Assuring you of my interest in the work
of the Congress, I remain, Yours very sincerely,
M. J. DANIELS.
Cleveland, Ohio, July 24th, 1903.
Mr. Irwin Mahon, Secretary of the American Mining Congress, Dead-
wood, South Dakota.
Dear Sir: In the absence of Mr. Burton in Europe, I am in receipt
o your communication, requesting Mr. Burton's attendance with you
upon the occasion of the sixth annual session of the Mining Congress
in the cities of Deadwood and Lead, South Dakota, between the 7th
and 12th days of September, 1903, inclusive.
186 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
Mr. Burton does not expect to return from Europe until October
first, which makes it quite impossible for him to join with you on
this occasion. Very truly yours,
JAS. H. CASSIDY, Private Secretary.
Walden, New York, July 29, 1903.
Mr. Irwin Mahon, Secretary, American Mining Congress, Deadwood,
S. Dakota.
Dear Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of an invita-
tion extended by tlie American Mining Congress for dates between
September 7th and 12th.
Prior engagements prevent my acceptance.
With thanks and regrets, Very truly yours,
THOS. W. BRADLEY, M. C.
Telluride, Colo., July 30, 1903.
Irwin Mahon, Secy., Deadwood, S. D.
Dear Sir: I wish to thank you for your kind invitation to attend
the American Mining Congress to be held at Deadwood in September.
Unfortunately my affairs are in such shape that it will be impossible
for me to attend. Thanking you for your kind courtesy and trusting
that great good may come from the meetings of the Congress, and
assuring you of my hearty accord with the objects of the meeting, I
remain, Yours sincerely,
H. M. HOGG.
Washington, D. C., Aug, 10, 1903.
My Dear Sir: Mr. McClellan is now traveling abroad, and will
not return in time to accept the most courteous invitation of the Amer-
ican Mining Congress to attend its sixth annual convention to be held
in the cities of Deadwood and Lead, South Dakota, between September
7th and 12th. Yours very truly,
WADE M. SPELSHOUSE, Private Secretary.
Irwin Mahon, Esq., Secretary, Deadwood*, S. Dakota.
MR. PATTERSON, OF NEBRASKA: Your committee on nomi-
nations would like to make their report at this time. We called the
committee together last night at 8 o'clock in the Franklin Hotel, which
consisted of the Honorable John T. Grayson, Colonel George, Mr. Rine-
hart, Judge O. E. Jackson, of Boise, Idaho, and your humble servant,
Mr. Patterson. We had a very pleasant meeting. We took the mat-
ter up without any prejudices or biases, without anybody to punish or
anyone to favor, with the sole object in view, that being the good of
the American Mining Congress. There was not one member of the
committee who desired office, no one hinted at such a thing, which is
a little unusual; the sole object and thought of the meeting and the L
spirit of the meeting was how can we advance the interests of the
American Mining Congress and make it one of the most interesting
conventions that may be called together from year to year. We talked
it all over pro and con. We talked over the past and present officers,
those of us who knew them. I did not have the pleasure myself of
knowing them all except at this meeting and it seemed to be the uni-
versal wish of the committee from their various reports that they had
gathered from the other members of the Congress that our present
president, Mr. Richards, should be named as a director (applause) and
also that we should recommend and present his name to your hon-
orable body for the next president of the Congress. (Applause).
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 187
There is only one name on the list of directors and officers that
I have any objections to and I voted against him but the committee
being the majority have overruled my vote and I was obliged of course
to submit to their wishes or make a minority report, so I submit
herewith the report of the committee which was unanimous with the
exception of the one name, which you will probably recognize as you
hear it read. The gentleman named was a member of the committee
and he voted otherwise all the way through, so I beg, Mr. President
and members of the Congress, to make the following report.
(The report was read).
With these names I submit the report, Mr. President, and the
committee asks to be discharged.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: Of course, any member will under-
stand that this is simply a recommendation. You have a right to dis-
pose of the report as any other report and change or substitute other
names as the Congress may deem proper at the right time.
MR. MARTIN, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: Under the rules does this
report have to be acted on at 2 o'clock?
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: My recollection of the by-laws is it
comes, up after lunch. The selection of place of meeting is at 2
o'clock and the election of officers immediately following.
MR. GEORGE, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: I would move, as the
weather is bad arid some delegates want to get away this afternoon,
to suspend the rules and immediately proceed to act on the report of
the committee on nominations.
The motion was seconded.
MR. RUSSELL, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: With all due deference
to the motion, t will object to it on the ground that it may be taking
a precedent for some future time and this is the first of our morning
hours of this meeting and many delegates are not present who have
a right to be present and this is one of the matters which is named in
our by-laws to be disposed of at a special hour and at a special time,
and for those reasons, not with any objection at all to the nominations
or with any idea of delaying matters, I certainly hope that motion
will not prevail.
MR. GRAYSON, OF OREGON: I would like to say I concur in
Mr. Russell's idea. I believe that this matter should be postponed
until after the place of holding the next meeting is selected. I believe
the election of officers should be after the other matters are disposed
of, anyhow.
MR. GEORGE, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: With the consent of my
second I will withdraw the motion.
MR. MARTIN, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: The committee on resolu-
tions have one other resolution which has been reported to it for con-
sideration. The resolution is by Mr. Dignowity upon the subject of
"Better protection of the Lives of Miners" and the committee has
prepared a substitute embodying the same purpose which they report
favorably .
The resolution was read.
MR. EDE, OF ILLINOIS: Mr. President, I have another resolu-
tion if it is in order.
MR. BUCKLEY, OF MISSOURI: I think it is rather unnecessary
to present that in the form of a resolution. I think if it were in the
form of a motion it would be sufficient, simply making a motion that
the secretary be requested to have the proofs of the papers and ad-
188 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
dresses which have been presented before this Congress sent to the
persons who gave those addresses and papers, before they are pub-
lished in the proceedings, and have the proofs sent to the persons
delivering the papers and addresses. Heretofore these proofs have
not been sent to the individuals giving the papers and addresses and
it has been customary in all publications to have this done.
MR. EDE, OF ILLINOIS: I will consent to put it in the form of
a motion.
MR. BUCKLEY, OF MISSOURI: I will second the motion.
The motion as follows was stated by the president and duly
carried :
That the secretary be and hereby is instructed to send proofs of
papers and addresses to all persons presenting such papers and ad-
dresses before tlie same are published in the proceedings of this
Congress.
MR. RUSSELL, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: I would move the adop-
tion of the substitute resolution recommended by the committee on
resolutions upon the subject of the better protection of the lives of
miners.
COLONEL GRAYSON, OF OREGON: I second tfie motion.
The motion was stated by the president and carried.
At this time opportunity was given all persons interested to be-
come members of the American Mining Congress.
MR. COLLINS, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: I have a resolution here
that I would like to have read to the meeting.
The motion was read.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: Do you wish it in the form of a mo-
tion or resolution?
MR. COLLINS, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: I will make it in the
form of a motion.
The motion was seconded by Mr, Elder of South Dakota.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: It has been moved and seconded that
the directors of the American Mining Congress be instructed to pre-
pare a button to be worn by the active members of this Congress and
to turn it over to such members upon terms fixed by the board of
directors.
The motion was carried.
MR. JACKSON, OF IDAHO: Mr. President, upon Tuesday last
the chair, by order of the Congress, appointed a committee to draft a
resolution of thanks to the president of the United States for send-
ing his representative to this Congress. Owing to my illness yester-
day I was unable to report but desire to do so now. I will read the
report of the committee and also the resolution.
The report and resolution of the committee was read, which is
as follows:
It was moved by Colonel George and seconded by Colonel Gray-
son that the Mining Congress adopt the resolution by rising vote,
which .motion was stated by the president and unanimously carried.
COLONEL GRAYSON, OF OREGON: As resolutions are in or-
der I move you that we extend a vote of thanks to the Homestake
Mining Company for the courtesy extended this Congress in allowing
this Congress an opportunity to visit their great mine.
MR. O. P. TH. GRANTZ, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: I second the
motion.
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 189
The motion was stated by the president and carried.
MR. PATTERSON, OF NEBRASKA: There have been some
new members come in since we had a little social talk here a while
ago. They might desire to be informed of what has been going on and
I should not feel like slighting them. They might be offended and
I would like, Mr. President, that you tell them what has been done.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: The question that has been considered
f,-r a short time this morning is the question of membership. I think
I know the mining men of the West. I have worked with them in
the mines, I have chopped wood with them on the mountain tops
I have slept with them on the mountain side, simply lulled to sleep
by the music of the pines tf-nd nothing to guide us but the silent stars
in our slumber. I know those mining men. I have met them every-
where. When I meet mining men like Jack Gray or Colonel Ewing,
my heart goes right out to them. I understand them because I have
labored with them, lived with them, endured hardships with them,
invested my money with them that never came back. These are
the types of the Western mining man and no just cause was ever ap-
pealed to them without a wholesome response. The question in my
mind is how to get before that class of mining men the aims and pur
poses of this Congress that we might get their sympathy. With their
sympathy I know what the future of this Congress would be and for
a long time I have been studying the question of how to reach such
men at Mr. Gray and Mr. Ewing and the many others like them. When
we get their sympathy and support I know the future of this Congress
is going to have a mighty influence in placing mining on the proper
plane and making it take its place among the great industries of the
country. If you can tell me in any way that I can reach that class of
men then everything looks well for the future. I am willing to do all
I can to reach that class of men because 1 know them when we reach
them I know we will get their support. I have been thinking of these
mining men and as to how we can reach them and elevate the industry
of mining, because I see that there is an opportunity for the West
when I see the great financial interests that are reaching across the
Pacific. This Western country is going to be the center, the pivot
of the greatest industrial development ever seen during the next
twenty-five years and out of it are going to come up in this Western
country the Western mining men that will take a large part in direct-
ing that development. We desire to appeal to them to give us their
support by becoming members of this Congress. The first thing we
can do in a body of this kind is to make ourselves first respectable,
then honorable, so that it will be a badge of honor to any man who
becomes a member of the Congress. In watching the great contest
that is going on between labor and capital it strikes me that I see
one great weakness. of the labor organizations. My heart is in sym-
pathy with their efforts in every department but I would help them
and not hinder them. One of the great weaknesses of the miners'
federation is that it is ceasing to be an honor to be a member of that
organization. When you see a Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers
you see one of the greatest labor organizations this world has ever
seen. It is a badge of honor to be a member of that organization.
When the mining federation see to it that it becomes an honor to be-
come a member of that body then they will have power and truly re-
present the interests of labor and not until then in my judgment, and
I state this merely as a suggestion to the mining organizations that
they may look to it to have quality a question in their organizations
rather than quantity and we must do the same. Therefore we want
the mining men. If this Congress is ever going to succeed it will be
because the miners make it a success and when they make it a suc-
cess the capitalists will come in for admission at its doors and not
until then. It is not capital that ever leads the way into great de-
velopment; it is the individual. You have the great Homestake mine
190 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
here. It was not brought to the attention of the world by capital but
by the miner that did the work in that great Homestake. It was his
faith that gave the Homestake to the world and not capital. Capital
came in after the miner had demonstrated the wealth of that great
mine and it is true of this Congress, and it will be the miner who will
demonstrate the worth of this Congress, and when it does capital will
come to its doors for admission, for it will find it to its interests, and
in that spirit we want the miners of this Western country to join this
Congress, give us the support of membership, that we may have dig-
nity added to it by such membership, and it is upon that plane that I
would appeal to you.
I would like to have had time to have prepared a careful address
on that line. This has simply come as a spontaneous thought of the
moment but in it is the kernel of our success in my judgment, and when
another year has come around I may be able at that time to more
carefully suggest to the miners of the West some thoughts along this
line. I believe we are going to reach those miners and every miner
that is in sympathy with us should send his name to the secretary and
ask to become a member of this Congress. I have never been treated
so generously and so kindly in my life as I have by miners. I have
been entertained in the palaces of the rich but I never knew what
true hospitality was until I stepped across the threshold of the miner
in his cabin. I found there nothing but mother earth for a carpet,
nothing but boughs for his couch and nothing but hope to lift him
above the struggles of every day, but there was true hospitality. I
knew I was welcome to the best that he had on earth. Those are
the men that we want and it is by meeting these men in these cabins
in the West and having them become members that you are going to
make this Congress a success. I am thoroughly convinced of that. I
came here without any desire to express my conviction on the ques-
tion of the place of meeting, but the more that I have heard the more
I have thought in the inception or starting out of this Congress it
must be cradled in the arms of the miner if you are going to make
a success. That is my hope and that will be my ambition.
MR. DRAKE, OF OREGON: Nearly all of these gentlemen pre-
sent have had some of the same experiences you have just expressed
with regard to miners and I would move now that the gentlemen and
ladies present stand up and give three cheers for the sentiments that
our president has so well expressed and which concur with our ideas.
Which was given.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: If there is no further business
matters at this hour we will recur to the postponed paper by Mr. C.
L. Dignowity, of Boulder, Colorado.
MR. C. L. DIGNOWITY: Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen:
As a preface to my paper I wish to make a few remarks. In the
first place I wish to cheerfully co-operate and acquiesce in the senti-
ments expressed by our worthy president here this morning in regard
to our Congress and its future. I have been engaged in mining for a
good many years. My vocation has been that from Alaska to Central
America and from the Atlantic to the Pacific in search of gold and
silver mines and other mining properties for the last fifteen years in
the interests of Eastern investors. In doing so it has given me an
opportunity to visit all the mining properties of interest to the mining
sections throughout that broad territory and I have listened here with
a great deal of interest to the worthy and able papers by those emi-
nent gentlemen that have preceded me here in their discouses and
papers on the Black Hills, which have given me a great deal of knowl-
edge in that line, and I have made it a rule to attend every mining Con-
gress that I possibly could in order to gain information. I have at-
tended five of these Congresses and have been a member and done all
I could for it. In my paper here it is somewhat broad and covers
a good deal of territory, not only the gold fields of North Carolina but
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 191
taking in all of the Eastern range as well as Western interests. While
I have no personal interest whatever financially in the Eastern fields
my labor and my interests as far as I am personally concerned have
all been confined to California, Nevada, Utah and Colorado, where I
have had large mining interests, but we can go back to our boyhood
days and we will remember that there are several mountain ranges
upon this continent, one of which is in the Eastern section of the
United States. Throughout that mountain range exists mineral fields
of all classes, more particularly on the eastern slope and there is where
I will confine my subject.
GOLD FIELDS OF THE EAST AND THEIR LOW GRADE ORES.
WESTERN COMPARISONS AND ITS VARIOUS ABUSES
Mr. President and Members: Much valuable information has
been presented to this Mining Congress regarding these Black Hills,
their geological formation and richness of mineral deposits, by the
able geologists and mining men preceding me. I am surprised at the
lack of papers representing other sections of our great American
mining districts. As we are gathered here to learn, and expound all
we can for the general good and development of the mining interests,
we must recognize all fields. These Black Hills cover but a small
section of the vast mineral territory of our country. Therefore, I
shall take for my subject those vast gold deposits of the Atlantic coast
range that are waiting for intelligent mining to bring to the productive
stage.
Many of the eminent geologists and minerologists will support me
in my claim; that abundance of gold in its various forms, is known to
exist along the eastern slope of the Atlantic coast, making its greatest
deposits in North Carolina.
After twenty-five years of active mining life in all its branches,
given to the West and Old Mexico, one feels as if he could pass judg-
ment upon the large mineral zones of this continent as well as on some
of the serious abuses connected with mining in America.
Of late years ,my attention and labors have been called to the East-
ern and Southern gold fields, and I shall try to present their conditions
as found.
The records of compiled mining testimony at Washington, D. C.,
covering Virginia, No-rth and South Carolina and Georgia are accessible
to any desiring information upon these subjects. The Southern states
will gladly send compiled mineral data, free of charge, to anyone
upon application; which reports will show as great if not greater, gold
deposits, in the same area, along the middle Atlantic slope, as is found
in the West, a fact not realized by the majority of the Western" mining
fraternity, and which is worthy of their investigation. Gold was dis-
covered in Virginia in 1782 and in North Carolina in 1793. Prior to"
1848 the gold production of this country all came from the East,
principally from North Carolina; that state alone producing all our
gold up to 1827. A nugget, history tells, was found in this state in
1792 that weighed seventeen pounds and many more since of smaller
sizes.
That human nature has not changed since the rush for the gold
fields of California in 1849, is quite evident, for today as then the
distant fields seem the greener and more enchanting. Miners and
raining talent flocked from the Eastern fields, westward. Investors and
money followed. Some succeeded, others failed; and were unable to
get work. History repreats itself. We know today how good fields
are abandoned to follow a rumor, and begin the mad chase of the
will-o'-the-wisp. So the South became a neglected field by the rest-
less miner, and was soon absorbed by the planter. Slave labor and a
virgin soil made cotton and other products yield such handsome profits
to the planter that the gold treasury vaults were soon plowed over
and quickly neglected. The South offered no inducement to the
prospector.
192 OFFICIAL, PROCEEDINGS
We know the prospector and his shyness of ready cash. Unless
GRUB STAKED by some prosperous investor, his vacation is a hard
one. The Southern gold fields now passed into rich plantations, and
it took too much money to acquire land, therefore fne PROSPECTOR
was doomed.
Quite different was it in the West. Uncle Sam, with his large
and ever generous* heart, offered his public domain to those seeking to
civilize and develop it, and also gave most liberal inducements to the
prospectors. Surveyors, geologists, and scientific men were put to
work; maps and other data were compiled at government expense,
and all given to the gold seekers free of cost. Soon the West was ablaze
with prosperity. Time rolled on until the sad civil war brought wreck
and ruin to the South. Investments there ceased entirely, and has
only begun again within the last few years.
Today money is flowing southward as never before and is build-
ing up every kind of industry. So it now behooves the mining man to
follow the van, and bring forth the hidden gold from those vast mineral
zones and reefs.
The Eastern formation of the Appalachian range of mountains ex-
hibits one continual belt from Virginia to Alabama, or red, brown and
yellow slate and schists. Argillacrous and micaceous in origin. With
no mountains or great uplifts or distorted formation like those of the
Black Hills, Rockies or Sierra Nevada Ranges.
This belt consists of low rolling hills quite soft, and decomposed
above the water line. The Oxidized ores in this Southern country can
be worked today under our advanced methods at good profits, with
gold valued as low as $3 a ton. If the same quantities of ores and val-
ues can be made to pay large profits at the great Homestake mine,
that has yielded over $80,000,000 independent of its kindred institu-
tions, why not, in those Eastern fields under more favorable conditions ?
I have learned by personal investigation, and from the able papers
and illustrations, presented at this Mining Congresis by the various
geologists and mining men that these Black Hills slates and schist's
and other rocks are identical with those of North Carolina and the
Eastern Appalachian mountain range, and likewise the gold deposi-
tion therein.
The old mint records from the South shows that gold in abundance
was produced under the most primitive methods, by the old Spanish
drag mill (arrastra) hand rocker, (wooden troughs) Chilian mills
(round rockrollers) and later by the stamp mills. No shaft mining
could be profitably worked in those days that did not produce a gold
value above $15 per ton, and this ore had to be oxidized, or of a loose
and free nature. Nothing but shallow workings were attempted.
Deep mining for the sulphurets of a much higher gold percentage
per ton, could not be undertaken, owing to the refractory nature of
the metals and lack of machinery for pumping and hoisting at that
period.
Now, it is quite different. No mining is too deep or "ores too re-
fractory to be profitably managed under our up-to-date methods.
The mineralized zones or reefs within that vast slate and schist
belt, consists principally of finely divided stringers and lenses of
varigated quality, from 1-10 inch to three feet in thickness, following
the cleavages as well as cross and criss-crossing the zones, which
are found 20 to 500 feet in width and in places miles in length, all of
which is decomposed and easily mined above water level.
The gold occurs largely in chlorides and finely disseminated flour
which was undoubtedly deposited in its precious condition by ascend-
ing gases and mineralized fluids.
Taking these mineral zones as a whole, they will in most in-
stances, average from $3 to $6 per ton in gold, and as this ore gives
but little slimes, the precious metals can easily be recovered by
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 193
cyanide acids. This slate formation crops out from ten to fifty miles
wide, uniformly, not having been distorted or displaced to any greai
degree. Their course bears northeasterly and southwesterly and dip-
ping mostly westerly from 30 to 55 degrees.
There are evidences of much mining having been done in early
days, along the eastern slope, but rot to any great depth. Prof. E.
Emmons tells of Telluriums and Telluride ores in Virginia and North
Carolina as far back as 1837 that were mined on a small scale.
The miners confined their work mostly to the veins containing
free gold, which they saved by their aforementioned rockers and drag
mills.
The primitive mill methods are still found in numerous localities
gone to decay and relegated to the past.
Placer mining seemed quite popular in by-gone days and much
free gold is still obtained by the farmers after a hard rain or during
the flood period. I saw a full quart of medium-sized nuggets purchased
in one locality last May that were picked up by the farmers during the
spring season.
The oxidized portion of these vast gold zones are from fifty to two
hundred feet in depth or to water line. Below the water line forms
the sulphurites and bluish quartz highly imbedded with fine grains and
stringers of gold. The veins seem to concentrate with depth and im-
prove in value. This condition should i-aturally improve as has been
the case in these Black Hills and of late in certain sections of North
Carolina where the ore bodies have been followed downwards for three
and five hundred feet.
It is an established fact that sulphurates penetrate the rock from
below, therefore it is conclusive that the heaviest gold values lie deep.
And hence better results will be gained by depth.
"Recent geological researches tell us that the Southern slate and
schists formation is no less than two thousand feet deep and within
this mass of rock must exist precious metals which cannot be exhaust-
ed for ages and is one of the most important gold deposits upon this
continent (California not excepted)."
Could one-half of the idle mills of the West be transported to the
Southern field along that broad gold belt there would be a transforma-
tion in gold productions of such a vast magnitude that the most skep-
tical "Doubting Thomas" would stand amazed.
There are no custom mills or samplers to treat or purchase these
Southern ores which greatly retard the mining industry for that
country.
There is abundance of capital in the Eastern and Middle States,
waiting and willing to go into active mining propositions. Show them
an investment that will yield a moderate profit and reasonable dura-
tion and they are ready to buy.
Statistics show over $20,000.000 paid in dividends by mining com-
panies to investors since 1902.
These facts coupled with the spring shearing of weak and bogus
lambs by the various stock centers, and the subsequent fall skinning of
their pelts by the shrewd manipulators, has naturally placed the
market in a better condition to receive the legitimate proposition that
might be offered. This, with the return of moneyed men from their
vacations, ought to open the money vaults and allow mining to pros-
per as it should deserve.
Nothing could be safer than the vast low grade ores of these East-
ern or Southern states, especially in North Carolina, with its mineral
area of over 20,000 square miles. Where the cyanide reduction method
has already made its advent, and is today, producing the yellow metal
with large profits to the investor.
We will take, for example, the Colossus mill, located near Wax-
haw, N. C., at the mine formerly owned by Commodore Stockton,
which mine, according to the mint records of North Carolina, produced
up to the beginning of the civil war, about $700,000 (Bulletin No. 10
of the North Carolina Geological Survey, as compiled by the United
194 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
States mint, shows no less than $21,830,528 in gold and silver, bullion
credited to North Carolina alone). This is certainly conclusive testi-
mony that gold in abundance exists in that state.
The Colossus mill has a capacity of one hundred tons per day, and
is constructed for straight cyanic ing by perculation.
The gold solution is forced upwards through the bottom of steel
tanks of fifty-ton capacity. 15-100 of 1 per cent of cyanide solution
is used; and from seventy to seventy-two hours required for leaching
these tailings before the gold solution is passed over the zinc shavings,
for deposition. From 90 to 92 per cent of the gold values are recovered.
This mill was built to treat a large deposit of tailings, some 40,-
000 tons in extent which came from this property prior to the civil
war.
These tailings receive a straight roasting in order to free the ore
from vegetable matter, they average about $6 per ton in gold and after
treatment, leave but 40 cents of their precious values to the ton, in
the residue.
The gold product or auro-cyanide, after two weeks' run showed
close to $30,000 per ton in gold.
The mill had been in commission about one month, when these
results were attained, and it had not got down to its best work as is
the case with all new plants. This property consists of 1700 acres of
highly improved farm land, through which traverses northeast and
southwest, a gold reef or zone for 5,000 feet, which averages about
400 feet wide, and 60 feet above the level plain.
This reef is of a gray and reddish micaceous schist which is
quite decomposed and easy to mine and dips westerly about 55 de-
grees which when sampled by cross cuts from end to end gave a
value of $5 in gold and two ounces of silver per ton and is thor-
oughly adapted to the cyanide treatment. Mill tests there gave 88 per
cent extraction under a 70 hour leach with a 15-100 per cent cyanide
solution.
The Colossus Gold Mining and Milling Company, a Philadelphia
concern, is now arranging to erect, at an early date, a 1,000-ton plant,
to treat this vast gold reef, and will use the present 100-ton mill 1o
work up the present tailing deposits.
During my various investigations of this Eastern field various
similar propositions to that of the Colossus property presented them-
selves, principally in Virginia and North Carolina, any of which can
be .secured at reasonable price and upon favorable terms.
These Southern lands can be bought at ten to thirty dollars per
acre. In most instances, titles are perfect, conveying in fee-simple,
all minerals and everything they contain. The timber and agricultural
values alone are worth the price, not taking into consideration the
minerals.
Choice pine lumber, cut to dimensions, is delivered at $7 to $12
per 1,000 feet. Hard woods at $1 to $1.50 per cord. Coal, $2 to $3
per ton delivered.
The climate is delightful, seasons are open the year round, tem-
perature ranges from 80 to 90 degrees in summer and 45 to 60 degrees
in winter.
Commodities of every kind are raised there, making living very
cheap. Being in the center of civilization, near the sea, and railroads,
transportation is reasonable, making the markets convenient.
Water for milling and domestic uses is bountiful and pure, com-
petent labor, white or black, is plentiful at $1 to $1.50 per day, of ten
hours, (without board).
The laborers are farmers, with fixed homes, who do not drift
from place to place.
When these facts become fully known to the interested public
MANUFACTURING gold will become as much an industry in that
section as it is in the Black Hills. I have no personal interests in
those Southern fields; my investments are all in Colorado, Utah 'and
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 195
Nevada, but by special request I was called upon to give some attention
at this Congress to the open advantages offered by those Southern
gold fields, and so consented.
Mineral lands in the West are acquired by fliscovery and location,
and a mineral claim consists of ten to twenty acres, according to its
state law.
To acquire patents from our government, each claim costs about
$700 or from $70 to $100 per acre.
After all these expenses, one is not then sure of his title to tne
mineral therein, as the "Apex" or Extra Lateral Rights may rob him
of the ore.
This vexed Apex question is the curse of OUT Western mining in-
dustry and "should have died in its borning." As it was permitted to
live, we should, without delay, wipe it from our mining code, for it
has driven and will continue to drive millions of dollars from our
Western fields, into Old Mexico, and other foreign countries where
the dreaded nightmare does not exist.
It is authoritively stated and recorded, that the population of
America is not as large as the rumber of dollars tied up in law suits
in the West, owing to the Apex law. This Apex farce, in conjunctitin
with the entanglement of location claim lines, makes "countless thou-
sands weep."
It is a well known fact that many hundreds of reduction mills
have been erected in the West, and are standing idle today, for want
of proper ores to feed them.
A large percentage of promoters and .mechanical engineers are
responsible for these "cemeteries of mills," whose headstones mark
their sad mistakes and not the legitimate mining man's.
It is so much easier to get the tender-footed investor from the
East separated from his cash, by the alluring promise of "dividends
as soon as the mill, now being built, is running."
The prospective buyer seldom investigates the advisability of sucli
a mill, the amount of ore available nor its adaptability to the proposed
treatment. The unscrupulous "engineer" or expert encouraged by a
large and liberal "rake off" from the manufacturer naturally advises
building the mill the first thing.
The Gugganheims for the Smelter Trust, are far-seeing mining
men; they, with others, show their wisdom in reaching out for all
mines of great ore tonnage for their plants, otherwise their mills would
soon close for want of materials.
Developed ores are far behind the present milling capacity, not
counting the many mills in course of construction.
Much more money and energy will have to be spent in developing
ores; otherwise, there will be a great shortage of all kinds and closed
mills must follow.
It is the duty of this Mining Congress, now in session, to use its
best influence and power to correct and check these abuses; this clone,
you will have accomplished wonders for the mining interests of
America.
"Seing is believing." "Seek and you shall find."
The mining man and his co-investor should view those Southern
lands before casting his lot and money into those far distant fields
of Alaska and South America, from whose mountains of myths he
derives an annual dividend of experiences and an occasional clean-up
of confidences as his reward.
MR. GRAYSON, OF OREGON: I would move a vote of thanks ttl
Dr. Holmes for his able address, by rising vote.
The motion was seconded, stated by the president arid unani-
mously carried. '
196 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
It was moved and seconded that this Congress express its ap-
preciation of the paper by Mr. C. L. Dignowity by rising vote of
thanks, which motion was unanimously carried.
It was moved and seconded that Mr. Patterson, of Nebraska,
be extended a vote of thanks for his excellent address in behalf of
membership, which motion was carried.
MR. PATTERSON, OF NEBRASKA: I will make a motion that
the chair appoint a committee to attend the St. Louis Exposition on
behalf of the American Mining uongress, with Colonel Thomas Ewing
as chairman of the committee, and also would suggest the name of
Honorable John T. Grayson, of Oregon, as a member of the commi^ee,
and that committee be composed of not less than fifteen members of
the Congress.
MR. GEORGE, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: I second the motion.
The motion was stated by the president and carried.
MR. J. A. HOLMES, OF NORTH CAROLINA: i would like to
ask whether it is impossible to move to suspend the rules and proceed
at once with the part of the work of this Congress which is set for
2 o'clock.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: I would make this suggestion; pos-
sibly we might do that if we would let the records show we met here
at 2 o'clock and comply with the by-laws by voting at 2 o'clock, Con-
sidering the matters now.
MR. HOLMES: I would move, Mr. President, thai we now pro-
ceed to consider the place of meeting.
MR. PATTERSON, OF NEBRASKA: I second the motion.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: It has been moved and seconded that
tnis Congress consider the question of a place of meeting for the
next session of this Congress, the final vote to be taken at 2 o'clock.
Which motion was carried.
MR. PATTERSON, OF NEBRASKA: It is with great pleasure
that I have been requested by the committee to place before this Con-
gress the name of the place that will be a pleasure I know for all of
us to hear and I trust and believe it will be a double pleasure for all
of us to attend the next meeting of the American Mining Congress.
The city to which I vfill call your attention and which I will name
is one that we all know about. It is one that is surrounded by beau-
tiful scenery and has a beautiful river running through it and by it.
It is a city that has railroads running to it from all directions as well
as the ships of the sea. It is a place you can enjoy yourself. It is a
place you can visit any season of the year and pluck a flower from the
yards without permission, as I have been informed oy our distinguished
guest, Colonel Grayson. The name of the city, Mr. President, to
which I would call your attention for the next meeting of this impor-
tant body is Portland, Oregon, and I would move you, sir, that this
Congress meet in Portland, Oregon at a time next season, 1904, that
the directors of this organization will hereafter name, probably in the
latter part of July or the first veek in August, or perhaps some other
time that may be thought more agreeable, and at a time when people
can attend.
MR. HOLMES, OF NORTH CAROLINA: I second the motion.
I desire to say it has been my pleasure to be in Portland several
times and I certainly will look forwafS to the hope that I may be able
to break away from the St. Louis Exposition or get somebody to take
me away from it so that I myself might go to Portland. It is a most
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 197
beautiful place to go to. What we want to do is to go there and
mingle with its generous people, see what they are doing, tell them
what we are doing and ask them to join us in the great purposes we
have in view.
MR. GRAYSON, OP OREGON: I thank the gentlemen very much
for the honor to Portland. We will try to give them a royal time and
entertainment. We are prepared to do it in 1904 but we would not
be prepared in 1905 when the exposition is on. It would be like St.
Louis; we would be smothered up, covered up, an unknown quantity,
but as it is I will guarantee you one of fhe best times I don't say
the best because nobody could do any better than our friends here
have done for us, but I thank you and hope that every member will
try and be present. I will hope to meet you all and see you all in
Portland in 1904.
MR. DRAKE, OF OREGON: I presume that there may be an
impression among some of the members that there was a division of
opinion, something serious among the delegates from Portland. I had
hoped that the convention might be held in 1905, because at that
time there is to be a centennial celebration which I referred to in a
resolution yesterday, noting and marking one of the most important
epochs of the American people. One of my ideas was that by holding
the convention at that time we would promote and strengthen the
mining industry by displaying our mineral resources and informing
the people of the interests that this American Mining Congress has
in the development of the mining industry and thereby increase the
membership of the Congress and promote the business in which the
Congress is engaged by gathering together at Portland for the first
time a mineral display such as has never yet been prepared and to
make that one of the features of the centennial celebration. Thfs
was the idea I had entertained and hoped would have been carried.
I certainly shall not do or say anything against this Congress going
to Portland, I only say that in my judgment I had believed that the
people of Portland and all of the state of Oregon and of all the
Northwest, the Pacific states, would prefer to have had a meeting
of this Congress there in 1905 for that reason. But I am glad that
you are inclined to come there in 1904 and I want to invoke the co-
operation of all of the mining states of the great Northwest to join
with us and to make this Mining Congress in 1904 a success. What
we need is to arouse all interests of the people and mining men in the
great NortEwest, in all the country from Canada to Mexico, from Hie
Atlantic to the Pacific, and to impress upon them the importance
of the mining industry in which so many of us are engaged. In as much
as the opinion seems to be that the Congress should be held in Port-
land in 19D4 there can b'e no objection and we heartily wish you to
come as well as the states of Idaho, Washington and all the Western
mining states. We will all be pleased to have you come there in
1904. You will all meet a cordial welcome. There will be no locks
on the doors, and therefore I second also the motion to have the con-
vention held in Portland in 1904.
MR. JOHN T. JONES, OF CALIFORNIA: Hailing from the
little modest city, Los Angeles, which at one time aspired to have the
next meeting of the Congress held there, I desire to second the motion
for the next meeting to be held at Portland, Oregon. I desire, on
behalf of Los Angeles, to second the motion that the next meeting of
this Congress be held in Portland. I desire to say further, Mr. Presi-
dent and gentlemen, that the latch string of Los Angeles always hangs
outside the door. When the year of 1905 rolls around we will be
more than pleased to show you whr..t genuine hospitality is in Southern
California. Los Angeles is the home of a great many miners. The
fact is many of them when they have made money enough to -retire
come to Los Angeles to live. If you will come to Los Angeles we will
show you how they do live.
198 OFFICIAL, PROCEEDINGS
MR. LYNCH, OF MONTANA: On behalf of the state of Mon-
tana I rise to second the motion that the city of Portland, Oregon,
be our next meeting place.
MR. BROWN, OF COLORADO: We/the people of Colorado, are
perched on the summit of the divide, and as we are greatly interested
in mining we of course enjoy entertaining and are delighted at being
entertained, and having a central geographical position in this great
mining country and being on tfie summit so that we can slide down
hill in any direction to any point that may be suggested for the meet-
ing of the Congress, we feel it is satisfactory to us wherever the
Congress will be called, and we heartily second the nomination of
Portland.
MR. JENKINS, OF IDAHO: On behalf of Idaho I rise to second
the nomination of Portland.
MR. RUSSELE, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: On behalf of the state*
of South Dakota, on behalf of the people of the Black Hills, the mining
men of South Dakota and on behalf of the Black Hills Mining Men's
Association, on behalf of those who have had the pleasure and the
honor of entertaining this Congress at this time, believing that the
welcome this Congress will receive in the city of Portland, while it
cannot excel the welcome that has been in our hearts, will equal it,
heartily and sincerely do I second the nominating of Portland as the
place of meeting of the next session of this Congress.
MR. DIGNOWITY, OF PENNSYLVANIA: On behalf of Penn-
sylvania, the Keystone state, I piedge my hearty support as far as I
am able to assist in the next Congress and its work to be held at
Portland. .
MR. GARBY, OF WASHINGTON: On behalf of the chamber o!
commerce at Spokane in the state of Washington, having myself at
one time the idea that I might possibly have had the privilege of in-
viting you to come to our own state, but the time being sHort, we were
unable to make the arrangements, and as our sis'ter state was in he
race, it affords me great pleasure to second the motion for this Con-
gress to meet at Portland.
MR. BENNETT, OF MINNESOTA: On behalf of the state of Min-
nesota I second the nomination.
MR. GOODNER, OF WISCONSIN: There may be a time when
our little city by the lake, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, will be glad to wel-
come this Congress, but in the meantime I assure you that Wisconsin
will not be second to anybody when it comes to Portland next year.
The motion was stated by the President.
It was moved and seconded* that the secretary be instructed to
record the vote as given at 2 o'clock this day, which motion was
carried.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: It now recurs to the original motion
as amended that the next session of this Congress be held at Port-
land, Oregon, in 1904 ancl that the secretary be instructed to record
the vote as given at 2 o'clock.
Which motion was carried.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: I am authorized to state on behalf
of Portland that to assist this Congress in meeting its liabilities for
the coming year, they will pay into the treasury of this Congress
three thousand dollars.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: The next business in order is the
election of officers. A motion is not necessary, it being a special
order of business by the by-laws. Are you ready for the question
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 199
as to adopting the report of the committee on nominations for the
officers of this Congress for the ensuing year. All In favor of that
motion say "aye."
The motion was carried and the report was adopte'd.
MR. PATTERSON, OF NEBRASKA: Since making the report
this morning I regret' to say that we have received the declination of
Dr. E. R. Buckley as director, which we are sorry for, but he states
that it is impossible for him to give the time that he would feel that
he should to the Congress and sends in his regrets. I have consulted
with the other members of the committee in reference to a name to
be substituted in his place and we have agreed upon the name of
Honorable John Bern, of Salt Lake City, Utah, who is president and
general manager of the Consolidated Mercury Mines, and I move that
he be nominated.
MR. DIGNOWITY, OF PENNSYLVANIA: I desire to second the
nomination.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: As Mr. Buckley has declined are you
ready for the question as to substituting Mr. Dern for Mr. Buckley?
The motion was carried.
MR. PATTERSON, OF NEBRASKA: Mr. President, I made a
motion to have fifteen appointed from this Congress to attend the
St. Louis Exposition and it was carried. I also stated in that motion
that Colonel Ewing be named as chairman and Mr. Grayson be
named as one of the members. I forgot one little thing that I now wish
to correct with" your permission and with the permission of the Con-
gress, and that is to suggest that the name of our president be also
included in that number of fifteen and it has been suggested by Mr.
Grantz that one member from each state as far as fifteen would go
would be a good idea on that committee. I suggest that for your
consideration.
MR. EWING, OF CALIFORNIA : I would say to the Congress as
I am fortunate to be appointed on that committee, I very much prefer
the president of this Congress be chairman of that committee.
MR. GEORGE, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: I second the motion.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: Gentlemen, no man in this Western
country has been treated so kindly and generously as I have been by
the mining men during the past. I appreciate more than I can tell
what you have done, not because you have placel me in this position
but because I feel that back of it you think I have rendered some
service. I feel at this time, and I am more than ever impressed with
the truth of the statement, that it is more blessed to give than to
receive.
You have given me your votes and I accepted this position. I
recognize that that man is greatest always in any place whether his
duty has been to carry the hod or presiding over the destiny of a
nation, who renders the highest service In the position in which he
is employed. Therefore I appreciate it because I feel that whatever
service I may have rendered you have appreciated it and that he who
serves best is always the greatest. Therefore he who would be great
among you let him be your servant. It is upon that theory and that
theory alone that I accept. There is no man in the West so promi-
nent in mining, no man more fitted to preside over that committee
than Mr. Ewing, no man better to take us to St. Louis as a body
than Colonel Ewing.
President Richards at this time asked for a suggestion from the
Congress as to the appointment of a member from each state on
the committee to visit St. Louis.
200 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
MR. MARTIN, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: If you have not named
anyone from the state of South Dakota, I desire to present a name as a
member of that committee.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: I have named Mr. Russell.
MR. RUSSELL, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: Allow me to withdraw my
name from this committee. I have been highly honored by the Con-
gress. There are many men in the Black Hills Mining Men's Asso-
ciation who have worked just as hard and faithfully as I have in this
matter all the way through, and as I have been so largely honored
1 trust that you will name the gentleman Mr. Martin had in mind.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS You deserve this honor if any man in
this Congress does. I want to say this, that while I feel honored
very much that honor is largely due to such men as Mr. Russell and
cur secretary and to the inspiration that has been given us by the
mining men and I desire that you accept.
MR. MARTIN, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: He is the very man whom
I had in mind and as an additional reason I would like to see him on
the committee for the reason he is chairman of our state commission
to the world's fair in St. Louis, and above all other citizens in South
Dakota would therefore be in a position to facilitate the very things
for which this committee is appointed.
MR. FARGO, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: I wish to very heartily en-
dorse the appointment of Mr. Russell.
It was moved by Mr. Jenkins, of Idaho, and duly seconded that
Mr. Bennett, of Minnesota, be made a member of that committee,
which motion was carried.
It was moved seconded and carried that S. B. Kemper be ap-
pointed on the committee.
It was moved by MT. John Gray that Mr. Buckley, of Missouri,
be proposed as a member of that committee, which motion was sec-
onded and carried.
Other suggestions of persons to become members of the com-
mittee were made and appointed by the president and the committee
is as follows:
Ewing, Arizona; Grayson, Oregon; Russell, South Dakota; Kem-
per, Montana; Trask, California; Jenkins, Idaho; Dignowity, Penn-
sylvania; Bennett, Minnesota; Brown, Colorado; Borttell, Ohio;
Buckley, Missouri; Garby, Washington; Webster, Nebraska; Dern.
Utah; Malko, New Mexico.
Mr. Martin spoke as follows:
Mr. President, and Gentlemen of the American Mining Congress:
The Black Hills Mining Men's Association are not willing that thfs
Congress should come to its close without bearing testimony in some
degree to the high appreciation that they feel, individually and col-
lectively, as an association, for our honored president, Mr. Richards.
During^ the past year, having a large responsibility in the preparation
for these meetings, the Black Hills Mining Men's Association have
come into very close contact with our president, and they have found
in him a gentleman always, a man of the highest type of character,
brave and courageous in his plans and equally ready in their exe-
cution. And so, casting about us to how in some manner express in
a permanent way these feelings, they hTave this moment commis-
sioned me with the pleasant task of giving them expression.
It is the purpose of the Black Hills Mining Men's Association
to have prepared at once a badge like this delegate's badge except
that it will be marked as the badge of the President, with his name;
to manufacture this of Black Hills gold and to transmit it as speedily
as we can to our president.
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 201
We realize, gentlemen of the Congress, that of all the product,
of the mining industry in all the generations of the world, the best
products have been the mining men. Indeed, it seems to have been
the task of the mining prospector throughout all history to be thp
forerunner of civilization. By some marvelous disposition of Pro-
vidence the precious metals, gold and silver, essential to the money
systems of the world, have not been confined to any one locality,
but distributed throughout the world and generally in the most in-
accessible and improbable places, and as a result the brave men of
the world in all generations have been the men who have been at-
tracted to the frontier and have been the first to place their feet
upon untrodden places. They have been the first to scale the moun
tain peaks. In the history of, our own United States the discovery
of gold in California in 1849 was" the magnet that drew the brave men
of that period across the Sierras and the matchless Rockies to begin
the days of civilization on the far away Pacific coast. As a result
came the first and then the next and the next transcontinental rail-
road until we are today banded by five or six of these great iron high-
ways, and much as we talk of the West and the East it is but a com-
parative term. All points between San Francisco and New York are
East and all points between New York and San Francisco are West.
In all of this march of progress the miner in his cabin upon the fron-
tier, with his disposition at all times to law and order, has been the
pioneer in establishing American institutions and in laying the foun-
dation for the administration of American law. Indeed, they are the
pathfinders who have hewn down the trees, and thrown up the high-
ways over which the marching forces of civilization have passed in
subsequent years to possess this wonderful land. And so we realize
that the best product of the mining industry, not excepting its gold,
silver and metals of utility, is the type of brave, courageous, hospit-
able manhood that has always been in the fore in making the way
for the civilization of this country. (Applause).
And we of the Black Hills Mining Men's Association, an associa-
tion recently organized, but now some five hundred strong, and to
grow to a much larger membership we have no doubt *I now but ex-
press the sentiment which is one in common with every member of
this Congress, when we recognize in our worthy president the best
type of that manhood that has in these days gone to the frontier to
build up and give character and success to this great empire of the
"West. (Applause). And so we present to you, Mr. Richards, todav
this advance token of what is to follow as a very inadequate, but
I trust a permanent suggestion of the deep feelings of our hearts in
tendering you this note of our sincere regard. (Applause).
Mr. Richards made response as follows:
Again I am impressed with the one thought, as I have been before
in my experience, that there is nothing so certain in this material
world as the unexpected. I scarcely comprehend why this should be
done, but I recognize that thought that true worth is in being, not
seeming; to do each day that goes by some little good, not dreamine
of great things to do bye and bye. That has been my aim in my own
state, in my own home, politically and otherwise. I have never
sought distinction for myself. It has been bestowed apon me per-
haps more in my own home than any other section where I have been.
I recognize that whatever of best qualities a man may possess, their
merit is expressed through the highest service to his fellow men.
That has been my ambition and aim. Some places are #ood to live
in; some to die in. That was most. pertinently expressed I think I
intimated here at one of our executive committee meetings when mf-n
of the Black Hills gave that committee a reception. We had a little
play in the opera house in Boise City and the hero of that play was
about to die and he called his friends around his dying bedside. He
said he had one last request to make and that was to take him back
202 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
to Nampa, a little place surrounded with sage brush, that he might
die there. They said, "Why do you make such a request as that?"
He said, "I would leave the spot with less regret than any other spot
on earth." Now while Nampa may be a good place to die in the Black
Hills is a good place to live in. (Applause). I shall, as I have be-
fore, leave these Hills with regret.
That is a beautiful token of a beautiful sentiment and I will
simply say to the men of the Black Hills I will wear it with honor.
MR. JACKSON, OF IDAHO: In behalf of Idaho i would like to
make a few remarks to the gentlemen of the Black Hills Mining
Men's Association who have so highly honored Idaho in paying tri-
bute as it has to one of our citizens. I have often heard that the
raining men of the Black Hills were good prospectors. Now I know it,
for they have prospected Idaho and found some of our ablest, bright-
est and brilliant manhood whom you have made president of this
session. (Applause). If you* would have such prospecting done in
Idaho we might soon hope in some portions of the state at least to
rival the Black Hills in its gold production, but I wisn to say, gen-
tlemen, that you have made no .mistake in honoring Honorable John
H. Richards as you have. We know him as you see him here. He
never puts the best foot forward but one time and that is all the
time. His domestic life is all that it should be. We have honored him
there repeatedly. We have made him mayor of our city, we have
made him judge of our district court and we have never, I say, made
any mistake. I can only liken him to one who I believe, irrespective
of politics, you are all pleased to honor and his .memeory revere today;
one who has gone where he is free from the trouble of private life or of
statesmanship, Major William McKinley. (Applause).
It was moved and seconded that Congress be adjourned until
2 o'clock, September 12th, 1903, which motion was carried.
September 12th, 1903, 2 o'clock P. M.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: Let Congress be in order. I would
like to suggest that immediately upon adjournment the new board of
directors hold a session at once for the selection of their officers.
Secretary Mahon at this time cast the unanimous vote of tnft
Congress for the next session of the Congress to be held at Portland,
Oregon, in 1904. The secretary also cast the unanimous vote of the
congress for the election of the officers of this Congress as recom-
mended by the committee on nominations.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: The chair has no further business oi>
the table. If there is anything to be presented at this time the oppor-
tunity is given.
MR. GEORGE, OF SOUTH DAKOTA: We have been distributing
bouquets around expressing our appreciation of the able manner in
which our officers of this Congress have done their duty, but there is
one officer of this Congress who in season and out of season has de-
voted his best time and talent to the Congress and under the direc-
tion of the president and board of directors has discharged every duty
incumbent upon him and therefore as a mark of appreciation of this
Congress I move that a rising vote of thanks be extended to our able
and efficient secretary of this Congress, Irwin Mahon, of Pennsylvania.
MR. PATTERSON, OF NEBRASKA: I second the motion.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: It has been moved and seconded that
as a mark of appreciation of the services rendered by our secretary
that we express it by rising vote of thanks. Before that question is
put I want to say to you that I have labored with Mr. Mahon now
for one year. I have never met a man .more willing to sacrifice his
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 203
own personal convenience, his time, his energy, his hopes, as he has
shown far this Congress. I Lave spent with him a year in studving
the wants of this Congress, together with such men as Mr. Buckley
and Mr. Russell, and we see now something of the fruits of it in the
expressions that have been given here. I now feel more hopeful and
sanguine than ever before as to the success of this Congress, all
largely due to the energy and intelligent action of our secretary rind
I take pleasure in putting this motion.
The motion was again stated by the president and unanimously
carried.
SECRETARY MAHON: Mr. President and gentlemen of the
Congress, I thank you.
MR. EWING, OF CALIFORNIA: If there is no further business
before the Congress I now move that we adjourn sine die.
The motion was seconded and carried.
The American Mining Corgress adjourned sine die.
MEETING OF BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF AMERICAN MINING
CONGRESS, DEADWOOD, S. D., SEPTEMBER 12, 1903.
Meeting called to order by President J. H. Richards.
Present at meeting: J. H. Richards, Thomas Ewing, R. C. Pat-
terson, John Gray, J. A. Holmes and James H. Lyn'ch.
It was moved by Mr. Ewing, seconded by Mr. Patterson that the
present president, Hon. J. H. Richards, be elected as president of this
association, which motion was unanimously carried.
It was moved by Mr. Patterson, seconded by Mr. Gray that
Thomas Ewing be elected first vice president of the American Mining
Congress, which motion was unanimously carried.
It was moved by Ewing, seconded by Mr. Lynch that Mr. Patterson
be elected as second vice president of the American Mining Congress,
which motion was unanimously carried.
It was moved by Mr. Patterson, seconded by Mr. Ewing that Mr.
Grayson be elected third vice president of the American Mining Con-
gress, which motion was unanimously carried.
It was moved by Mr. Ewing, seconded by Mr. Gray that Thomas
K. Muir be elected treasurer of this organization for the ensuing year,
which motion was unanimously carried.
It was moved by Mr. Patterson, seconded by Mr. Ewing that Mr.
Mahon be elected secretary of this association for the ensuing year,
which motion was unanimously carried.
It was moved by Mr. Ewing, seconded by Mr. Gray that the presi-
dent be authorized to accept the bond that may be given by the secre-
tary and treasurer without the presence of the balance of the board,
which motion was carried unanimously.
It was moved by Mr. Holmes* seconded by Mr. Ewing that the
secretary be instructed to receive bids for the printing of the pro-
ceedings of this Congress and then, with the approval of the presi-
dent, let such bid to such person as he may deem best, which motion
was carried unanimously.
It was moved by Mr. Ewing, seconded by Mr. Gray that the salary
of the secretary be temporarily fixed at $150 a month, until the next
meeting of the board of directors, which motion was carried unani-
mously.
It was moved by Mr. Ewing, seconded by Mr. Patterson that this
meeting be adjourned, which motion was carried unanimously.
OFFICERS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
J. H. Richards, Boise, Idaho, president.
Thomas Ewing, of California, 1st vice president.
R. C. Patterson, of Nebraska, 2nd vice president.
John T. Grayson, of Oregon, 3rd vice president.
204 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
Irwin Mahon, of Carlisle, Pa., secretary.
Thomas K. Muir, of Oregon, treasurer.
E. F. Brown, Colorado.
J. A. Holmes, St. Louis.
John Gray, Terraville, S. D.
James H. Lynch, Montana.
John Bern, Utah.
NOTES ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF BUTTE.
C. W. Goodale.
(This paper was overlooked by the printers in the publishing of the
proceedings at Butte, Montana.)
The history of the development of Butte mines is an interesting
chapter in the story of the Northwest. The first discoveries of placer
gold in Montana were made in the early sixties,, and in 1863 gold was
found in the Butte district. The period of greatest activtiy in placer
mining here was in 1864 and 1865, and the town of Silver Bow was a
lively place at that time. The town of Butte was located in the fall
of 1864, and in 1867 the townsite was laid out, and Butte as a placor
camp reached its climax. The producton of placer gold decreased
rapidly from this date, and in 1880 it had become almost insignificant.
The low grade of the placer gold, which sold for only $14 to $18 per
ounce, gave some indication of the origin of this gold. That is, the
prospecting for silver may have been suggested by the belief that
gold of this grade must have come from veins carrying considerable
silver, although it should also be stated that the prominent outcrops
of black manganese ore, which were very noticeable, induced the
prospector to explore them below the surface for silver ore.
TBe first lode location was made in the winter of 1864 and 1805,
when W. L. Farlin located a claim, calling it the Asteroid, having found
gold in the outcrop. This claim was afterward re-located by hm,
and called the Travona, in June, 1866. Some of the ore was roasted
and amalgamated, and an ounce of silver bullion produced; but noth-
ing was done towards tfie development of this property until 1875,
when Mr. Farlin erected a 10 stamp mill and furnace near the mine,
and began to treat the ore by chloridizing roasting and amalgama-
tion. This mill did not turn out much bullion until 1876, when the
Hon. W. A. Clark furnished the means to complete the Dexter mill,
as it was called, and the first successful treatment of the base silver
ores of the district was commenced.
In 1868 the Lexington mill was built for the treatment of ores
by the free milling process. This mill was situated in a gulch near
Wyoming street, between Broadway and Granite. It was purchased
by the Lexington Mining Company when that corporation was former]
in France, and a 50 stamp mill with roasting furnaces was built near
the mine in 1881.
In the meantime, discoveries of other silver veins had been made,
and in 1875 Menery and Parckard came to Butte from Salt Lake
and located a claim called the Aquisition Spur. They took out some
rich silver ore, which they sent to Walker Brothers in Salt Lake.
When this lot was sampled the returns were so satisfactory that
Walker Brothers sent Mr. Marcus Daly to this district to look into
the mining prospects generally. He arrived here in 1876, took a bond
on the Alice mine for $5,000, zoid notified Walker Brothers. Robert
Walker and Prof. John E. Clayton came to Butte, and, after looking
over the property, selected the site of the present main shaft of the
Alice mine as a suitable place for sinking, and work was started in
the summer or fall of 1876. Prof. Clayton gave a name to the great
lode on which the Alice, Magna Charta, Veldemere and Moulton claims
are located. He called it the "Rainbow" lode, Irom the broadly,
sweeping curve of the outcrop.
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 205
In 1877, the shaft having reached a depth of 200 feet, an old 20
stamp mill was brought up from Ophir Canon, Utah, and was erected
on the Alice property. It was arranged for dry crushing (water in
sufficient quantities for wet crushing not being available) and the
treatment of the oxidized or free milling ores was begun in the fall
ol 1877. In 1878 and 1879 a White-Howell roaster was added, thus
providing for the chloridizing roasting of the sulphide ores. The 60
stamp mill of the Alice Company was built in 1880, and was equipped
with two White-Howell roasters and revolving dryer.
The Moulton mill was completed about the same time as the
Alice, and was equipped with 40 stamps and White-Howell roasters.
In 1884 the Blue Bird mine was purchased by a London company,
and a 90 stamp mill was built for the property in 1886.
The mill of the Silver Bow Mining & Milling Company was "built
in the early eighties for the treatment of ore from the La Plata and
other mines owned by the company.
The climax of the production of silver ores in Butte was reached
in the year 1887, when the Alice Company was running 80 stamps, the
Moulton 40, the Lexington 50, the Blue Bird 90, and the Silver Bow
30, or a total of 290 stamps. The amount of ore worked in these mills
was nearly 400 tons per day, and to this should be added shipments
of silver ore to the smelters probably 100 tons per day.
All of this ore carried gold in considerable quantities, and the
yield was probably about $25 per ton in gold and silver.
The Anaconda Company was first organized as 'the Anaconda
Silver Mining Company, for the outcrop of the vein, while showing
some copper, seemed to give promise of being more productive in
silver than in copper. In the year 1881 the Dexter mill was leased for
a year by Mr. Daly, manager of the Anaconda Company, and shipments
to that mill amounted to 8,000 tons of oxidized silver ore, containing
about 30 ounces of silver per ton. It is interesting to note that this
ore contained just enough copper to make it unnecessary to add blue-
stone, in the raw amalgamation of this ore the resulting bullion was
very base sometimes running only about 400 fine. The ore shipped
to the Dexter mill came from where the Neversweat hoist now stands,
which was the location of Mr. Daly's first opening of the great Ana-
conda lode. At a depth of 100 feet a drift running northeast, ran into
copper glance a few inches wide, which was followed about 200 feet.
About this time Mr. George Hearst visited the district, and a
place was selected for sinking a shaft for the deep exploration of
the lode.
The present location of the main Anaconda shaft was determined
upon as the most suitable place for this development. A cross cut
was run from this shaft, when it had reached a depth of 36o feet.
In this cross cut five feet of copper glance was discovered, and ship-
ments to Swansea began. While the silver veins were being developed
the surface showings of copper ore were receiving some attention,
and an effort was made as early as 1867 to smelt same of the ore from
the Parrot lode in a little furnace built near that property, but nothing
of practical importance was accomplished.
Mr. Clark turned his attention to the copper veins of the district
in 1872, and in 1873 and 1874~be began the development of the Original,
Colusa, Mountain Chief and Gambetta claims. The ore produced was
shipped 400 miles in wagons to Corinne, thence by rail to Swansea,
and to buyers of copper ore in this country, among them tne Bostot)
& Colorado Smelting Company, of Black Hawk, Colorado. In 1878
Mr. Clark suggested to the management of that company the con-
struction of a custom copper smelter in Butte. and Mr. Henry Williams
206 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
was sent here to examine and report on the outlook. He reported
favorably, and in 1879 the Colorado & Montana Smelting Company
was formed, the present site of the Colorado smelter was purchased,
and a local market for copper, as well as the silver ore of the dis-
trict, was established.
The importance of this market in the development of the district
is shown from the fact that one shipment of 35 per cent copper ore,
from the Green Mountain claim to Baltimore works in 1877, gave no
profit to the shipper after mining, freight and reduction costs were
paid, and yet the gross value of the ore was about $130 per ton in
copper, for the average price that year was 18% cents per pound.
In silver and gold the ore carried not less than $50 per ton. The
works charged a high price for treatment, owing to the presence of
arsenic, which made the metal brittle.
Soon after this the Parrot, Montana Copper, Clark's Colusa and
Bell companies began smelting operations. The matte product of all
these smelters was shipped to Eastern markets for refining. In 1884
the Anaconda smelter added its output to the stream of copper, and
the prosperity of Butte increased rapidly. The formation of the Butte
Reduction, Boston & Montana, Butte & Boston, and Montana Ore
Purchasing Companies a few years later, greatly increased the Butte
production of copper.
Important events in the development of Butte were the comple-
tion of the Utah & Northern Railway, from Ogden to Butte, in De-
cember, 1881, the connection of this road with the Northern Pacific
at Garrison September 8th, 1883; the coming" of the Montana Central
in 1888, and the completion in 1890 of the Northern Pacific direct
outlet to the East, over to Homestake Pass to a connection with the
main line at Logan.
The metallurgical treatment of Butte ores Has been very progres-
sive. In the case of the treatment of silver ore we had first a free
milling plant, which would only treat ore by raw amalgamation; then
followed the chloridizing roasting in the Dexter mill with the rever-
beratory furnace; following this the White-Howell furnaces in the
Alice and Moulton, while at the Lexington and Blue Bird, Stetfeldt
furnaces were adopted. These mechanical furnaces were a great im-
provement upon the old methods of roastfng.
In the metallurgy of copper more important improvements have
been made. For instance, in calcining, the first work done in the dis-
trict was in the old furnaces of the reverberatory type, and the cost of
treatment was not much less than $2 per ton. The first mechanical
furnace introduced in Butte was the old O'Hara calciner, which was
erected by Mr. Clark at his Colusa works in Meaderville. Then came
the Breuckner furnace, which brought the cost of calcining down to
about $1.2B per ton. Soon after this, improvements were made in
the O'Hara by Messrs. Allen and Brown, and furnaces we're built
which treated 50 tons or ore per day at a cost of 50 cents per ton.
Then came the Pearce turret furnace in 1892, with a cost of treatment
about the same a-j in the O'Hara above mentioned. Following this
were furnaces of other designs, notably the Keller, Wethey, and
Wethey-Holthoff; and finally the McDougall, which has a capacity of
40 tons per day, and in which the cost of treatment has been brought
down to about 35 cents. No fuel is used after the furnace is thoroughly
heated up and feeding of the ore has begun. The Pearce multiple
hearth furnace should be mentioned in this connection, a furnace of
this type having been recently built at the works of the Colorado
Company, where it is giving very satisfactory results.
In reverberatory smelting the capacity of furnaces has beeTi
greatly increased by enlargement and better applications of the heat,
and furnaces are now running on Butte ores which treat more than
150 tons per day.
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 207
Blast furnaces have also been, greatly improved and enlarged,
and 400 tons of ore and flux per day are now run through many of the
larger furnaces of the district.
Up to the year 1883 the product of the Butte copper smelters
went out in the form of matte but in that year the Manhes patents
for Bessemerizing were adopted at the Parrot smelter, and the con-
verting of matte into black copper was commenced. The first converters
built at those works had a capacity of only 3,000 pounds of matte per
charge, while at the Great Falls works, which were built in 1890,
converters were installed which handled an average charge of 10,000
pounds. These were regarded as very large, until the new works at
Anaconda were built, where the converters have a capacity of 20,000
pounds per charge.
Early in the year 1891 electrolytic refining works were added to
the Anaconda plant, and in February of that year the first refined
copper from this state was shipped. This department was rapidly
increased to a capacity of 9,000,000 pounds per month. For several
years the electrolytic residues were refined at Anaconda, and the gold
and the silver separated. The electrolytic works of the Boston &
Montana Company at Great Falls, with a capacity of about 4,000,000
pounds per month, commenced shipping cathodes to the East in March,
1893, and a year later the refined copper was made into "wire bars."
In the following tables, which have been compiled from all avail-
able sources of information, it may be noted that no production of
copper is given prior to 1879, although shipments of copper ore in con-
siderable quantifies were made before tKat year. It will be interesting
to note the average price of the metal in earlier years.
The importance of Butte as a producer of silver and gold at the
present time, although the silver mines are closed down owing to this
low price of the metal, is shown in the fact that our copper contains
about .0375 ounces of silver and $.0025 in gold for each pound of copper
produced, or, approximately, 2*4 cents in the precious metals for each
pound of copper. On this basis the Butte copper yielded in 1891,
8,550,000 ounces of silver, which, at 55 cents per ounce, amounted to
$4,702,500, and $570,000 in gold, or a total of $5,272,500.
We have no figures at hand to show how many tons of ore were
mined in producing the 2,841,791,572 pounds of copper shown in the
table, but it may be taken as a safe estimate that the average yield
of copper has been about 100 pounds per Ion of ore, and on this basis,
over 28,000,000 tons of copper ore have been mined in the Butte dis-
trict Sown to the close of 1901.
Production of gold and silver in the state of Montana from the
year 1862 to 1900, inclusive
Year Gold. Silver. Total.
Coin value $1.2929 per oz.
1862 to 1881, inc $200,000,000 $11,000,000 $211,000,000
1882 2.550,000 4,370,000 6,920,000
1883 1,800,000 6,000,000 2,400,000
1884 2,170,000 7,000,000 9,170,000
1885 3,400,000 11,500,000 14,900,000
1886 4,422,000 13,849,000 18,271,000
1887 5,978,536 17,817,548 23,796,084
1888 4.200,253 15,790,736 19,990.989
1889 3,500,000 19,393,939 22,893,939
IS90 3,300,000 20,363,636 23,663,636
1891 2,890,000 20,139,394 23,029,394
1892 2,891,386 22,432,323 25,323,709
1893 3,576,000 21,858,780 25,434,780
1894 3,651,410 16,575,458 20,226,868
1895 4,327,040 22,886,992 27,214,032
1896 4,380,671 20,324,877 24,705,548
208
OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
Year Gold. Silver. Total.
Coin value $1.2929 pen oz.
1897 4,496,431 21,730,710 26,227,141
1898 5,247,913 19,159,482 24,407,395
1899 4,819,157 21.786,835 26,605,992
1900 4,736,225 18,482,211 23,218.436
$272,337,022 $332,461,921 $599,398,943
257,144,343 ozs.
MONTANA COPPER PRODUCTION.
Lbs. fine Lake Cu.
Year. Copper. Av. price. Amount.
1870 20 5-8
1371 225-8
1872 23
1873 29
1874 231-4
1875 221-2
1876 21
1877 185-8
1878 161-2
1879 , 9,452,800 17 1-8 $ 1,618,655
1880 6,294,400 201-8 1,266,667
1881. 14,631,680 181-8 2,652,050
1882 9,058,284 181-2 1,675,782
1883 24,664,346 15 7-8 3,915,464
1884 43,093,054 137-8 5,979,161
1885 , 67,797,864 111-8 7,542,512
1886 57,611,485 11 6,337,263
1887 78,700,000 111-4 8.853,750
1888 98,504,000 162-3 16,410,766
1S89 104,589,000 133-4 14,380,987
1890 112,700,000 153-4 17,750,250
1891 112,383,420 177-8 20,088,536
1892 158,413,284 11 1-2 18,217,527
1893 159,875,499 103-4 17,186,616
1894 185,194,385 9.56 17,704,583
1895 197,190,659 10.76 21,217,149
1896 228,886,962 10.88 24,902,901
1897 236,826,597 11.29 26,737,722
1898 216,648,077 12.03 26,062 78,3
1&99 ^ 245,245,908 17.61 43,187,804
1900 245,998,365 16.19 39,827,135
1901 228,031,503 16.53 37,693,607
2,841,791,572 Ibs.
$381,209,650
1,420,895 1572.2000 tons.
INDEX
Page.
Title Page 1
Sessions of the Congress 2
Roster of Officers Seventh Annual Session 3
Roster of Officers Sixth Annual Session 4
Proceedings of Sixth Annual Session 5
Address of Welcome by Mayor E. McDonald, of Deadwood 7
"America's Mining Man," by Ella Purkiss Dignowity 9
Committee on Resolutions 15
Committee on Credentials 15
President's Annual Address 16
Address by Hon. Leslie M. Shaw 22
Address by Col. Ed. F. Brown 25
Secretary's Report 29
Address by Russell, of North Dakota 31
"Good Roads for Mines,-" by Dr. J. W. Abbott. 32
"Ore Deposits of the Northern Black Hills," by Dr. J. D. Irving;
read by Dr. E. R. Buckley 38
"South Dakota," by Dr. J. E. Todd 51
Address by John Blatchford 60
Address of Welcome, by Hon. E. F. Irvin 62
Response to Address of Welcome, by President Richards 63
"Pyritic Smelting," by Dr. F. R. Carpenter 71
Address, by Hon. E. W. Parker 75
"The Geology and Minerology of the Black Hills," by Cleophas C.
O'Harra 87
"The Money Metals and Their Influence Upon Civilization," by
Hon. John L. Webster 94
Report of Committee on Credentials 103
By-Laws of The American Mining Congress 121
Resolution Relative to the Collection of Mineral Statistics 126
Resolution as to Mineralized Timber Lands 128
Resolution Favoring Home Rule and Statehood for Arizona,
Oklahoma and New Mexico 130
"A Solution of Our Interests in Money," by Chas. Albert Long... 132
"Aerial Tramway as An Economic Means of Transportation," by
Dr. Stephen de Zombouy 149
"The Gold Ores of San Juan County" by A. H. Elftman, Ph. D.. . . 152
"Mechanical Drying of Minerals," by C. O. Bartlett 154
Letter from Senator Morgan, of Alabama 159
Communications 169
"Gold Fields of the East and Their Low-Grade Ores," by C. L.
Dignowity 190
Speech by Mr. Martin 200
Response by Mr. Richards 201
Meeting of Board of Directors 203
"Notes on the Development of Butte," by C. W. Goodale 204
REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS
OF THE
9
SEVENTH ANNUAL SESSION
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CONTENTS
Title Page 1
Sessions of the Congress 2T
Roster of Officers 5
Roster of Officers Seventh Annual Session 7
Articles .of Incorporation 8
By-Laws 9
PROCEEDINGS OF SEVENTH ANNUAL SESSION.
Address and Invocation. Rev. Father McDevitt 13
Address of Welcome, by Governor George E. Chamberlain, of Oregon. . . 14
Address of Welcome, by Mayor George H. Williams, of Portland 16
Response, by J. T. Small, of Maine 18
Response, by J. E. Talmage, of Utah 19
Response, by Zach Lamar Cobb, of Texas 20
Response, by J. T. Cornforth, of Alaska 21
Address and Presentation of Gavel, by B. B. Beekman, of Oregon 2?
Response, by President Richards 24
Resolution Urging Creation of a Department of Mines and Mining 27
Resolution Urging Creation of Assay Office at Portland 28
Report of Committee on Permanent Headquarters 33
Resolution Urging Transfer to the Department of Agriculture the Care
and Management of All Government Forest Reserves 35
Resolution Urging Appointment of Congressional Delegate for Alaska. 37
Resolution Urging Amendment of U. S. Laws Relating to Patenting
Mining Claims 48
Report of the Committee on Credentials 50
Address on Permanent Headquarters, by President J. H. Richards 55
Resolution Urging Opening to Settlement of South Half of Colville
Reservation 6T
Secretary's Report * 71
Report of Nominating Committee 71
Address Acknowledging Vote of Thanks, by President Richards 72
Address and Benediction 7(>
INDEX TO PAPERS AND ADDRESSES OF 1904 WILL BE FOUND
ON PAGES 3 AND 4 OF PART II. OF THIS REPORT.
President J. H. Richards,
Boise, Idaho.
OFFICIAL ROSTER
F THE
OFFICERS AND COMMITTEES
OF THE
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS
1905
OFFICERS
Hon. J. H. Richards, President Idaho
Col. Thomas Ewing, 1st Vice-President California
Dr. E. R. Buckley, 2nd Vice-President Missouri
Mr. A. W. Gifford, 3rd Vice-President Texas
Jas. F. Callbreath, Jr., Secretary Colorado
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Hon. J. H. Richards, Idaho; Col. Thomas Ewing, California; Dr. E.
.H. Buckley, Missouri; Mr. A. W. Gifford, Texas; Mr. John Dern, Utah;
-Mr. J. Frank Watson, Oregon; Mr. Joseph T. Cornforth, Alaska; Mr. Geo.
W. E. Dorsey, Nebraska; Mr. William Lennpx, Colorado.
PROGRAM COMMITTEE.
Dr. E. R. Buckley, Rolla, Missouri; Seeley W. Mudd, Los Angeles, Cali-
fornia; J. F. Callbreath, Jr., Denver, Colorado.
LEGISLATION COMMITTEE.
J. H. Richards, Boise, Idaho; J. M. Wright, San Francisco, California;
.J. Warner Mills, Denver, Colorado; O. W. Ppwers, Salt Lake City, Utah;
P. W. Kimberly, Chicago, Illinois.
TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE.
A. W. Gifford, El Paso, Texas; Col. A. G. Brownlee, Denver, Colorado;
John C. Spry, Chicago, Illinois.
FINANCE COMMITTEE.
Col. Thomas Ewing, San Francisco, California; Jas. W. Malcolmson, El
Paso, Texas; F. Wallace White, Cleveland, Ohio; Geo. W. E. Dorsey, Fre-
mont, Nebraska; David H. Moffat, Denver, Colorado.
AUDITING COMMITTEE:
W. F. R. Mills, Denver, Colorado; Lyman White, Denver, Colorado;
-Jjohn Dern, Salt Lake City, Utah.
MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE.
E. A. Colburn, Denver, Colorado; H. H. Nicholson, Lincoln, Nebraska;
M. P. Kirk, El Paso, Texas.
EIGHTH ANNUAL SESSION
Meets at El Paso, Texas, Nov. 14 to 18, 1905.
PERMANENT HEADQUARTERS, DENVER, COLORADO.
OFFICIAL ROSTER
OF THE
OFFICERS AND COMMITTEES
OF THE
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS
Seventh Annual Session
HELD AT
Portland, Oregon, August 22-27
1904
OFFICERS
Hon. J. H. Richards, President * Boise, Idaho
Col. Thos. Ewing, 1st Vice-President Los Angeles, California
R. C. Patterson, 2nd Vice-President Omaha, Nebraska
J. Frank Watson, 3rd Vice-President Portland, Oregon
Merchants National Bank, Treasurer Portland, Oregon
Irwin Mahon, Secretary Carlisle, Pennsylvania
BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
Hon. J. H. Richards, Idaho; Col. Thomas Ewing, California; R. C.
Patterson, Nebraska; J. Frank Watson, Oregon; Col. E. F. Brown, Colo-
rado; Dr. J. A. Holmes, North Carolina; John Gray, South Dakota; Hon.
James H. Lynch, Montana; John Dern, Utah.
LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE.
Hon. J. H. Mitchell, United States Senator, Chairman, Oregon; Hon.
J. H. Richards, Idaho; Col. Thomas Ewing, California.
PROGRAM COMMITTEE.
R. C. Patterson, A. M., Chairman, Nebraska; J. Frank Watson, Oregon;
John Gray, South Dakota.
TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE.
Irwin Mahon, Chairman, Pennsylvania; Hon. J. H. Lynch, Montana;
Capt. Thos. K. Muir, Oregon.
BUILDING COMMITTEE.
Col. Thos. Ewing, Chairman, California; David H. Moffat, Denver,
Colorado; J. R. Leonard, Pittsburg, Pennsylvania.
ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION
OF
THE AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS
Know all men by these presents, That we, the undersigned, citizens
of the United States, have this day voluntarily associated ourselves for the
purpose of forming a private corporation, not for profit, under and by vir-
tue of the laws of the State of Colorado, and we do hereby set forth and
declare, as, follows:
First.
That the name of this corporation is and shall be The American
Mining Congress.
Second.
That the objects for which this corporation is formed are:
For the purpose of advancing the Mining and Metallurgical Indus-
tries, in all their various branches, within the United States.
To assist in bringing about a more perfect co-operation between the
government of the United States and the development of mining and;
metallurgy; to encourage education in practical and scientific mining and
metallurgy, and the dissemination of scientific information in relation to>
mining, metallurgy and their allied industries; to acquire and dissemi-
nate trustworthy information bearing upon the development of the metal-
lic and non-metallic mining resources of the United States; to promote
a more co-operative tendency in the evolution of agriculture, mining,
manufacturing, transportation and commerce, and for the particular pur-
pose of bringing the mining men of the United States into closer relations
with one another, and of promoting a friendly feeling for one another
through social intercourse and the discussion of mutual interests.
To acquire, hold and own such real and personal property as may be
necessary to properly carry into effect the purposes hereinbefore set forth,
and to perform all such other acts and things as may be necessary to the
full carrying into effect the said purposes.
Third.
That the corporate powers of this corporation shall be vested in a board
of nine directors, and the names and residences of those who are ap-
pointed as directors for the first year of the life of this corporation and
until their successors are elected and qualified, are as follows:
Name. Residence.
J. H. Richards Boise, Idaho
S. W. Russell Deadwood, S. D.
E. R. Buckley Rolla, Mo.
Thomas Ewing Los Angeles, Cal.
Irwin Mahon Carlisle, Pa.
Charles W. Goodale. ^ Butte, Mont.
John T. Grayson Portland, Ore.
W. L. Kendall Cleveland, O.
L. K. Armstrong Spokane, Wash.
In Witness Whereof we have hereunto set our hands and seals this
25th day of February, 1903.
J. H. RICHARDS.
S. W. RUSSELL.
E. R. BUCKLEY.
THOMAS EWING.
IRWIN MAHON.
CHARLES W. GOODALE.
JOHN T. GRAYSON.
W. L. KENDALL.
L. K. ARMSTRONG.
BY-LAWS
ARTICLE I.
NAME.
This organization shall be known as "The American Mining Con-
gress. "
ARTICLE II.
OBJECTS.
This corporation is formed for the purpose of advancing the mining
and metallurgical industries, in all their various branches, within the
United States.
To assist in bringing about a more perfect co-operation between the
government of the United States and the development of mining and
metallurgy; to encourage education in practical and scientific mining
and metallurgy and the dissemination of scientific information in relation
to mining, metallurgy and their allied industries; to acquire and dissemi-
nate trustworthy information bearing upon the development of the metal-
lic and non-metallic mining resources of the United States; to promote
a more co-operative tendency in the evolution of agriculture, mining,
manufacturing, transportation and commerce; and for the particular pu
pose of bringing the mining men of the United States into closer rela-
tion with one another, and of promoting a friendly feeling for one another
through social intercourse and the discussion of mutual interests.
ARTICLE III.
MEMBERSHIP.
Section L Any person actively associated with mining, who, after
his application has been approved 'by the committee on membership, shall
pay an initiation fee of five dollars ($5.00), shall become an active mem-
ber of this Congress and thereafter he shall pay in advance an annual fee
of two dollars ($2.00) and shall vote and enjoy all other rights and privi-
leges usual to members.
Sec. 2. Any person entitled to active membership in this Con-
gress may, upon the payment of fifty dollars ($50.00), become a life mem-
ber, and shall, without the payment of further annual dues, be entitled to
all the rights and privileges of active membership.
Sec. 3. Any person actively associated with mining, with the ap-
proval of the committee on membership, shall, upon the payment of a fee
of one dollar ($1.00) per annum, become an associate member of this
Congress, and shall be entitled to attend the sessions and participate in
the deliberations of the Congress, but shall not be entitled to vote or
hold office.
Sec. 4. Honorary membership may be conferred upon such persons
as this Congress shall deem worthy of such distinction. Honorary mem-
bers may be elected at any regular meeting of the Congress upon the
recommendation of the committee on membership and the approval of
the board of directors.
Sec. 5. No person who shall comply with the requirements of this
article shall be denied membership to this Congress
10 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
ARTICLE IV.
DELEGATES.
A chief executive of any country, state or territory may appoint as
delegates to any annual session of this Congress, ten (10) persons ac-
tively associated with mining; and the mayors of cities or towns, boards
of trade, boards of county commissioners, scientific associations, miners'
organizations, miring bureaus, chambers of commerce, and such other
business organizations as may from time to time be designated by the
executive committee, may each appoint two (2) such delegates, and each
delegate attending, properly accredited, shall be entitled to participate in
the deliberations of the Congress.
ARTICLE V.
DUES.
Life members shall pay a fee of fifty dollars ($50.00) ; members, an
initiation fee of five dollars $5.00) and annual dues of two dollars ($2.00);
associate members, annual dues of one dollar ($1.00); and delegates
nothing.
ARTICLE VI.
OFFICERS.
Section 1. The government and management of the Congress shall
be committed, first, to a board of directors of nine members, to be elected
annually by the Congress; second, to a president and three vice-presidents,
to be elected by the board of directors from its members; and, third, to a
secretary and treasurer, to be chosen by the board of directors.
Sec. 2. It shall be the duty of the board of directors to annually elect
as president, vice-presidents, secretary, and treasurer, such persons as
may be recommended by the Congress.
Sec. 3. For the purpose of facilitating the selection of officers, there
shall be annually elected by the Congress at its second day's session, a
committee of five members to be known as a nominating committee, whose
duty it shall be to present to the Congress for its consideration the names
of such persons as such committee may deem advisable to act as directors,
and officers of the Congress for the ensuing year.
ARTICLE VII.
DUTIES OF OFFICERS.
Section 1. The board of directors shall have power to do every act
and thing which the business interests of the Congress may require ex-
cept to amend or repeal these by-laws, but nothing in these by-laws shall
give the board of directors the right to do any act or thing that is con-
trary to any motion or resolution adopted at any previous meeting of the
Congress or that is contrary to any of the provisions of the charter of
this Congress or of the by-laws. No person shall be eligible to be a mem-
ber of the board of directors or to hold any other office in this Congress,
except an active member of this association in good standing.
Sec. 2. A vacancy occurring in an office or in the board of directors
shall be filled by the remaining members of the board, and the officer or
member of the board so elected shall hold office until the next annual
meeting or until his successor is elected.
Sec. 3. The president shall preside at all meetings of the Congress
and of the board of directors and shall enforce all the laws and the regula-
tions of the Congress. At the annual meeting of the Congress he shall
report for the board of directors upon its proceedings during the year and
recommend such measures as the board may deem advisable.
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 11
Sec. 4. In the absence of the president, the first vice-president shall
perform his duties; in the absence of both president and first vice-presi-
dent, the second vice-president shall perform the duties of the office; in
the absence of the president and first and second vice-presidents, the
third vice-president shall preside and perform the duties of the office;
and in the absence of the president and vice-presidents, the board of direc-
tors may select a chairman from its members.
Sec. 5. The secretary shall conduct all of the official correspondence
of the Congress. He shall keep, a record of all meetings and proceedings
of the Congress and the board of directors; shall collect all moneys due to
the Congress, receipt for and transmit the same to the treasurer; and
shall perform such other duties as may be assigned to him by these
by-laws, by the Congress or by the board. At the annual meeting he shall
report in detail upon the membership and condition of the Congress.
Sec. 6. The treasurer shall receive all moneys from the secretary,
pay all bills as directed by the president and countersigned by the secre-
tary and keep proper vouchers for all payments. He shall, at each meeting
of the board of directors, present a statement of the financial condition of
the Congress and shall at the annual meeting submit a detailed report,
approved by the finance committee; and the said statement and reports
shall, at all times after their presentation or submission, be open to the
inspection of any of the members of the Congress.
ARTICLE VIII.
COMMITTEES.
Section 1. The following additional committees shall be elected by
the board of directors:
An advisory committee, to be composed of one member from each
state.
A committee on legislation, of five members.
A committee on membership of seven members.
A committee on transportation, of five members.
A committee on auditing and finance, of five members.
A committee on program of five members, to which committee each
paper to be presented before any meeting of the Congress shall be sub-
mitted for approval in advance of said meeting, except such papers as
may be presented on invitation of the program committee.
Sec. 2. The president shall appoint annually, a committee on creden-
tials of three members, and a committee on resolutions of twenty mem-
bers. The names of the members comprising these committees shall be
in the hands of the secretary at the opening of each session of Congress.
ARTICLE IX.
BONDS OF OFFICERS.
Section 1. The treasurer of this Congress shall give bond for an
amount to be determined by the executive committee, of not less than
five thousand dollars ($5,000) ; said bond to be approved by the executive
committee.
Sec. 2. The secretary shall give such bond as may be required by
the board of directors, not less than one thousand dollars ($1,000).
Sec. 3. Bond fees of the treasurer and secretary shall be paid by
the Congress.
ARTICLE X.
PUBLICATIONS.
Section 1. There shall be published annually a report of the pro-
ceedings of this Congress, including such papers, presented at the annual
session, as may be approved by the program committee, and a list of the
names, occupation and address of all members and delegates.
12 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
Sec. 2. The board of directors shall have the proceedings of each
session copyrighted.
Sec. 3. All members and delegates shall be entitled to a copy of the
proceedings of each annual session covered by their dues.
ARTICLE XL
RESOLUTIONS.
All resolutions shall be submitted to the secretary in writing, read by
him before the Congress and referred to the committee on resolutions for
consideration and recommendations.
ARTICLE XII.
TIME AND PLACE OF HOLDING ANNUAL SESSION.
Section 1. The time and place of holding the annual session shall be
determined by the board of directors.
ARTICLE XIII.
ORDER OF PROCEEDINGS.
Section 1. The sessions of this Congress shall be governed by Rob-
erts' Rules of Order.
Section 2. The first day's session of this Congress shall be under the
auspices and control of the local committee. The order of business for
the remaining sessions shall be as follows:
1. Report of committee on credentials.
2. Unfinished business.
3. New business.
4. Reading of resolutions.
5. Reports of committees.
6. Addresses and papers.
7. Adjournment.
Section 3. The election of the board of directors and the adoption
of a resolution addressed to the board of directors naming those to be
elected by the board as officers of the Congress for the ensuing year, shall
be a special order for two o'clock on the afternoon of the last day.
ARTICLE XIV.
AMENDMENTS.
These by-laws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the members
present upon twenty-four hours' notice in writing containing the amend-
ment proposed.
REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS
of the
Seventh Annual Session of the American Mining Congress
Held at Portland, Oregon, August 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 and 27, 1904.
The Congress convened at the Armory, Portland, Oregon, August 22,
1904, at 10 o'clock a. m., with President J. H. Richards in the chair.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: Reverend Father McDevitt will invoke
the divine blessing upon our proceedings.
REVEREND FATHER McDEVITT: Mr. President and members of
the American Mining Congress:
To his Excellency Governor George E. Chamberlain has been com-
mitted the pleasant task of welcoming you to the great State of Oregon.
To his Honor, George H. Williams, mayor of this city, has been com-
mitted the pleasant task of bidding you welcome to the beautiful city of
Portland. To your humble servant has been committed the sacred, sol-
emn, pleasing task of bidding you welcome in the name of the living God.
I realize, friends and fellow citizens, that I am in the presence of splen-
did human intelligence. I believe there are grand, noble and generous
hearts throbbing here this morning. I do not forget that we are all chil-
dren of a great eternal God, and that without His divine blessing, no mat-
ter how wise we may seem to ourselves to be, our work in the end will
be futile if His blessing descends not upon us.
Allow me just these few moments, these few preliminary remarks. I
hold in my hand here what many choose to term the almighty dollar. Man
has stamped it ,but man has not made the metal of which it is composed.
Bright though you may be, grand, noble American citizens, no one of you
has the wisdom nor the power to bring into existence the metal of which
that little dollar is composed.
Now, my dear friends, from the depths of a heart that is throbbing
within, I implore from our Heavenly Father his blessing upon you this
morning. Long ago he told us, "Unless the Lord build the house he labors
in vain that builds it." So it will be with your Mining Congress. If He
blesses you not, then in vain, I repeat, will be your labor, no matter how
wise it may seem to you to be. Mighty is the power of prayer, my dear
friends. You have not given unto yourselves the grand intelligence that
presides in your brains. You did not place that human heart within
your bosoms. Without His divine aid you cannot think aright and you
cannot feel right.
I welcome you then in the name of the living God as I trust you are
true patriots, that you have not come here with any selfish motives, but
for a grand and a glorious purpose; that the influence of this Congress
may be spread far and wide, not only for your own benefit, but for the
benefit of the poor men who are this morning laboring in the darkness
of the mines. May the great eternal God who has given wealth to the
world, who has made the universe and who 'rules it, may He bless you
this morning. I ask you most respectfully to re-collect yourselves whilst I
turn to that great Heavenly Father with all the energy of my immortal
soul and say that grand old prayer that you learned in your childhood:
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom
come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our
daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who tres-
pass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from
evil. Amen.
14 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
May the blessing of Almighty God, Father, Son and Holy Ghost, de-
scend upon you all here this morning and remain forever.
At this point the visiting Philippine Commission, under the charge
of Dr. Arthur W. Ferguson, came upon the stage.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS : We have the honor of having with us the
Honorable Philippine Commission to the St. Louis Exposition. Dr. Fer-
guson, who is with us, will state to you the purpose of this Commission's
visit to our country.
Dr. Arthur W. Ferguson then made a short address, stating the pur-
pose of the visit of .this Commission to the United States.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: We will now listen to an address of wel-
come by George E. Chamberlain, Governor of the State of Oregon.
GOVERNOR CHAMBERLAIN: Mr. President, Ladies and Gentle-
men: It affords me great pleasure to extend to you, the delegates to
the American Mining Congress, on behalf of the people of Oregon, a cor-
dial welcome to our state.
It matters not from whence you come, nor what flag floats over you
when at home, the genial breezes of Oregon are balmy enough, the homes
of our people hospitable enough, and the hearts of our citizens warm
enough to insure each and every one of you a hearty reception and a
pleasant stay amongst us.
Oregon feels that in honoring you she is honoring herself, for it is
seldom indeed that any state has an opportunity to welcome as her guests
a body of men so distinguished, not only in the fields of commercial and
industrial enterprise and activity, but as well in governmental affairs of
state and nation.
You have assembled here to consider problems affecting one of the
.greatest industries of our country, and to take steps looking to its ad-
vancement. It is well that to the settlement of these problems and the
promotion of an industry so vital to the welfare of the world you have in-
vited none but men who have achieved distinction in the various activities
to which each has bent the best energies of his life.
Permit me to assure you that it is peculiarly gratifying to our people
that Oregon was selected as a place for holding this, the seventh annual
session of the American Mining Congress. Without disparagement to the
phenomenal strides which, in the past few years, most of our sister
states have made in wealth and population, I think I may safely claim
that Oregon occupies no second place. For many years, and until quite
recently, she occupied an almost isolated place in the sisterhood of states,
cut off by lack of railroad and other transportation facilities from the great
world of business and commercial enterprise. Truly, her motto, "Alis
volat propriis," was peculiarly appropriate. She had none of those adven-
titious aids which other states have been able to claim to push her to the
forefront, with the result that, while our neighbors have advanced more
rapidly in material prosperity, Oregon now stands with outstretched
hands, inviting those who will to come and exploit her practically unde-
veloped resources.
Even if my time were not limited, it would hardly be proper for me
to do more than merely to call your attention to strides which our people
have made in the last few years in everything that goes to the upbuilding
and enrichment of a magnificent commonwealth. Immense bodies of land
which until the past eighteen months have never felt the impress of the
footsteps of man, and were considered as fit only for the desolate habita-
tions of the coyote, the prairie dog and the jackrabbit, have been re-
claimed from the desert, and with abundance of water, snatched by the
cunning hand of man from snow-capped peak and mountain streams, are
.mantled with crops of cereals, hay and fruits, furnishing homes for thou-
sands of sturdy men and women.
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 15
Sections of the state which in years gone by were deemed unfit for
cultivation, have proven to be the most productive and of wonderful capa-
bility in the growing of cereals and other food crops.
The livestock interest, although many of the ranges have been con-
verted into wheat, fruit and alfalfa fields, continues to grow in volume and
value/as the facilities for breeding and feeding the vast herds of horses,
cattle and sheep improve each year. Hills and valleys that were once
deemed best adapted to the culture of wheat, have been reluctantly but
profitably abandoned for these purposes, and here may now be seen mag-
nificent orchards of apples, peaches, pears, prunes and cherries, which are
coming to be known the world over for their excellence of form and
flavor.
Portland, a few years since, without a single line of transcontinental
railway to bring to her merchants the wares of the East or the products-
of the interior, now finds practically centered here five transcontinental
railways and a line of steamers connecting them with the Orient. From
a city of little importance she now occupies the fourth place in the United
States, and promises you that in the next few years that she will not only
occupy the first place in this regard, but will step rapidly to the front as
a great exporting and importing point for the commerce between the new
and the old East.
And how is it with the mineral resources of the state? They, too, are
in the infancy of development. Notwithstanding this, she occupies the
tenth place in the roll of states for the year 1903 as a gold producer,
having credited to her score $1,364,341, and the twelfth place as a silver
producer, having credited to her account 125,000 fine ounces, of the com-
mercial value of $67,500. What a remarkable showing for a state that
until a very recent date has practically made no effort to develop her
mining interests. The magnificent mountain ranges that parallel each
other from the northern to the southern boundaries of the state bear
in their bosoms not only untold millions of gold and silver ,but here,
too, are mines of coal and copper and iron. All that is needed for the de-
velopment of these is such splendid enterprise and brain and brawti as
characterize the distinguished gentlemen whom we are to-day proud to
hail as our guests. As a result of your visit to us I venture to predict that
within another decade Oregon will make rapid advances to a first position
as a rich producer of mineral wealth.
But how unfortunate it is that an industry of such vast importance
to national and international commerce, and so magnificent in promise,
has received so little attention at the hands of the lawmakers of state and
nation. What has been heretofore accomplished has been due to indi-
vidual enterprise and effort. Our country little realizes what it owes to
you, gentlemen of this Congress, and to others like you who have braved
the frost of winter as well as the prostrating and fever-laden heat of
summer; who have coveted death in all its forms and shrunk from neither
hardship nor danger in order to open up to an advancing civilization the
great storehouses of nature. But you have yet new fields to enter upon
and conquer, and you are here to devise the ways and means for successes
in the future.
And first, you should make your voices heard in the halls of Con-
gress. An industry of such importance to the world as is that which you
have the honor to represent, should have a place in the Cabinet of the
President. It was long before the rights of the great agricultural interests
of the country were recognized by Congress, but now all appreciate the
value of the Department of Agriculture. It was long before the law-mak-
ing power could be made to see and appreciate the value of a Department
of Commerce and Labor, yet who would now consent to its abolishment?
These great interests were able to make themselves heard and understood,
and constant knocking at the doors of Congress forced for them a reluc-
tant recognition. Why cannot the mining interests of this great country
of ours make their voices heard where others have been heard before?
16 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
Without the wealth that our mines afford and add each year to the capital
of the commercial world, all industries would shrink and stagnation in all
the fields of activity and enterprise would be the inevitable result.
And, second, there should be state recognition of the mining industry.
Here, too, is a field open for your combined effort and enterprise. A
bureau established with proper safeguards and restrictions so that it
would be for the benefit of a class engaged in exploiting the rich re-
sources of the state, and not for an individual whose sole aim and ambi-
tion is to draw a munificent salary, would do much to elevate, promote
and stimulate the mining industry.
I might suggest other matters for your earnest and united considera-
tion, but time and the proprieties of the occasion bid me leave such sugges-
tions to men of wider and riper experience.
In conclusion, gentlemen, I bid you most cordial welcome. All we
have to give is yours, while Oregon is honored by your presence. We ask
you to enjoy our wealth of fruits and flowers, our fertile hills and beauti-
ful valleys decked in gorgeous raiment of undying green; our lofty peaks,
snow-capped and sun-crowned, rearing their massive heads to heaven
here and there and everywhere, inspiring the hearts and minds of all be-
holders and bringing them to a realization of the near and majestic pres-
ence of the Almighty; our magnificent mountain ranges clad from crest
to base with abundant and towering forests and bearing within their gen-
erous breasts riches that rival the wealth of "Ormus or of Ind."
These and all the beauties of sky and landscape with which a benefi-
cent Providence has blessed us we bid you enjoy, and rest assured that
Oregon and her people will feel amply repaid if when you return to your
distant homes you will cherish none but pleasant memories of your visit
Jiere.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: As it is now necessary for our guests from
the Orient to take their departure, I suggest as a matter of respect that we
remain standing while they leave us.
(The audience thereupon arose and remained standing while its guests
departed from the hall.)
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: We will now be favored by an address by
George H. Williams, Mayor of the City of Portland.
MAYOR WILLIAMS: Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen: When we speak
of the Congress of the United States we understand that it is a body of
representatives from all parts of the American Union assembled to make
laws, and when we speak of the American Mining Congress we understand
it to be a body of representatives from all parts of the same Union assem-
bled to consider an industry in which all of the people of the United
States are mjore or less interested. To constitute what may properly be
called a Congress, a body assuming that name should have a national char-
acter.
Mining is the chief cornerstone of the business world. It is as much
the foundation of our manufacturing industries as the earth is the founda-
tion of the structures in which those industries are conducted. Mining
products in the various forms and agencies into which they have been
converted have done more for the advancement of trade and commerce
than all other causes combined. Without iron, coal and copper as the
basis of commercial appliances our transportation by land would go back
to the pioneer days of pack mules and our transportation by water to
the pettiness of the Indian canoe. Without iron there could be no steel,
and without steel the machinery of our factories would be on a grade
with the old-fashioned New England looms. Railroads, telegraphs and
telephones would be impossible if there were no iron, steel or copper to be
employed in their construction and use.
More than $500,000,000 worth of coal was mined in this country within *
the last year and some opinion of its usefulness may be formed from the
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 17
distressing results of the coal miners' strike in Pennsylvania in 1902.
No estimate can be made of the value of mining products in the trans-
mission of intelligence, the creation and transportation of commodities,
and in provisions for the comfort of the people.
All civilized nations refuse to recognize anything as real money that
is not taken out of the bosom of the earth by the toil and sweat of the
miner. Financial institutions everywhere depend upon gold and silver
for their support. The business world, without gold and silver for a
circulating medium, would be like the human system without blood in its
veins. Lately there has been a great agitation in this country over the
currency question, and we are told that it is settled. If it is settled, the
miners have settled it. The miners of the country and not the politicians
have established the gold standard. The gold miner with his pick ax has
answered the argument for a cheap and fluctuating, currency. Consider-
ing the interests involved, it seems that a mining congress is an appro-
priate if not a necessary institution. In a multitude of counsellors there is
wisdom. There is ,a decided advantage in the consultation of men who
have a practical knowledge of mining, for one man may know of ways
and means for profitably conducting the business not known to another,
and if each contributes what he knows to a common fund of knowledge,
then the knowledge of all becomes the knowledge of each, and the knowl-
edge of each the knowledge of all.
Science and experience produce new and improved methods of con-
ducting mining operations. Congress ought not be inattentive to the
mining interests of the country. Nature has stamped the country west
of the Rocky Mountains with rough and rugged features, but to com-
pensate for this has buried in its mountains, rocks and rivers, the precious
metals in unstinted prodigality. California, Nevada, Utah, Montana, Idaho,
Washington and Oregon are great states, all of which are bound together
by a network of metallic veins whose riches are not unlike the wealth of
"Orus and of Ind."
If it should be decided to fix a permanent place for the meetings of
the Mining Congress, it seems to me that it ought to be somewhere in
this large mining region, and I know of no location more desirable than
the City of Portland for that purpose. Time was in the early history of
the country when it was thought necessary for the convenience of the
people that the meetings of a state Legislature should be located as
nearly as practicable in its geographical center, but steam and elec-
tricity have exploded that idea, and the prevailing opinion now is that
such meetings should be in the most prosperous, healthful and beautiful
city of the state; but if geographical considerations are to weigh upon
this question, then it is only necessary to say that Portland is midway
between the vast mineral riches of Alaska, British Columbia and Wash-
ington and the mines of California, Nevada and Colorado. Portland is
easily accessible by land and water. For all purposes of travel it is the
terminus of three transcontinental railroads, and ocean-going ships from
all parts of the commercial world fly their streamers in its harbor. Now-
adays, when one starts on a journey it makes little difference whether
he goes 500 or 2,500 miles, as traveling in a Pullman car or on a palatial
steamship is little more than a luxurious respite from the labor and care
of business at home.
It is not a sin to combine pleasure with business. Assuming that
the meetings of the Mining Congress will be held in the summer time,
as they now are, I can confidently say that there is no city in the United
States in which the meetings of the Congress would be more pleasant
than they would be in this city. Some days our sunshine is as hot as it is
elsewhere, but the atmosphere is enlivened by a steady, cool breeze from
Northern latitudes, so that the heat of the day is not oppressive, and
the nights are always cool and comfortable. Our average summer tem-
perature is about 66 degrees. We have no cyclones or blizzards, and
storms accompanied by thunder and lightning are few and far between.
18 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
I have not witnessed more than a dozen of these since I came to Oregon
over fifty years ago. Our city is supplied with water from a mountain
stream thirty miles distant, and scientific examination shows it to be as
free from impurities as any water that flows.
Excursions seem to be a fashionable part of conventions, and for
such enjoyment you can go 100 miles up the Columbia River, whose mag-
nificent scenery of towering cliffs, deep canons and splendid water falls
is unsurpassed anywhere in grandeur and beauty; or you can go down the
Columbia River 100 miles to the seaside and revel in the freshening
breezes or bathe in the invigorating waters of the Pacific Ocean; or you
can go by electric car lines into the rural districts of the state. Prolific
sources of enjoyment for the sportsman may be found in forests, fields,
lakes and rivers, easily accessible from Portland.
Portland is a prosperous and healthful city, and in scenic beauty
and surroundings we believe it to be unequated by any city. We are de-
sirous of giving Portland that prominence to which it is entitled on ac-
count of its natural advantages and attractions, and we hope that the im-
pressions made upon the members of this Congress at this meeting will
be helpful to us in that direction. Portland feels flattered and honored by
your meeting here. We are pleased to have with us so many representa-
tive men from all parts of our great country. We feel a deep interest in
the subjects you will have to consider. Mining is one of the leading in-
dustries of Oregon. I am here to welcome you to this city. Whatever is
good here, we want you to have, and whatever is beautiful here we want
you to see. Make yourselves at home and be happy. I trust that your
meeting will not only be of advantage to Portland, but of benefit to the
whole country, and a credit and honor to the American Mining Congress.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: We will now listen to a response to these
addresses of welcome, by Honorable J. T. Small of the State of Maine.
MR. J. T. SMALL, OF MAINE: Mr. President and Gentlemen of the
American Mining Congress: This is really a surprise to me to be called
on so early in the proceedings of this Congress. I did not know until nine
o'clock this morning that I was to respond in behalf of the good old
State of Maine. I regret very much that our Chief Executive is not
present himself, because I feel my inability to represent the State of
Maine at this great Congress. But, Mr. President, I want to say
to you that I listened to the remarks of the Honorable Mayor of Port-
land with great pleasure. While we are not known as a great mining
state, we can produce the finest ice that is manufactured. We have the
finest mineral springs that flow out of the known earth, the Cold Springs
of Maine, only a few miles from the City of Lewiston, my native city,
We have also forests in Maine. We have the finest kind of spruce, but
it is getting a little scarce at the present time. We have sometimes to
come to Oregon to get the masts for o<ur ships that we build on the
Kennebec River at Bath. You gentlemen, probably recognize and know
the location of Bath. It is not only a lumber country and an ice country
and a spring country, but, after all, gentlemen, we have some mines down
in Maine; we have gold, we have silver, we have lead and we have cop-
per. But we are so modest in our demands that we do not dare to branch
out a great deal over this country and compete with you Western miners
to sell stock. I think that I am safe in saying that I could load a good
large roomy freight car with worthless mining stocks in New England.
Now, that may look, apparently, as though I had exaggerated, but I don't
think I have. I think they would have to be baled in order to get them
into a freight car. Now, we in New England, are very much interested
in this Congress and what is going to be done in regard to this matter
of mining stocks and mining. I say to you, gentlemen and I speak
guardedly that I have no doubt that there are more men in the State
of Maine interested in mining than there are in the State of Oregon, I
mean financially; men who have money invested in every mine I might
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 19
say, in the United States. Now, apparently, there are only a few of us
here, but, gentlemen, every honest citizen of the United States who has a
few dollars to invest is watching the actions of this Congress to-day to
see what our deliberations will be looking to the protection of the in-
vestor, and it stands us in hand that we, as it has already been stated
here this morning, use good sense and judgment and demand of the
national Congress a representative in the President's Cabinet, for the
greatest industry, in my judgment, the world knows to-day, mining.
Now, gentlemen, the State of Maine has sent out many people to
build up other states, men who are making their homes, and whose sons
and daughters are making their homes in this and other states, not only in
Oregon, but in every Western state. You may go in any state west of the
Rocky Mountains and find representative men from the State of Maine,
and I hope and trust they are an honor to the State of Maine. It is an old
saying that speech is silver, and silence golden, but dividends are the cli-
max of all. So, let us work hereafter for the dividends.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: We will now be favored by a response
from the State of Utah, by Dr. Talmage.
MR. J. E. TALMAGE (of Utah) : Mr. President and Members of the
Congress: I assure you it is with peculiar pleasure that I respond to
the request of my colleagues to step to the platform, make a graceful bow
and say thank you in behalf of Utah, the young sister in our grand collec-
tion of states. I was not aware until I came into this room that this honor
was reserved for me, but I embrace it all the more gladly and, in respond-
ing to the hearty welcome expressed by his Excellency, the Governor of
Oregon, and by the Honorable Mayor of Portland, I can simply say that
Utah appreciates the hospitality extended to our representatives here
and to those who have come from other parts of the great United States
of America.
Utah occupies a peculiar position, geographically speaking, in the
great inter-mountain region, noted the world over for its enormous min-
eral wealth. I am hardly prepared to say, as has been so eloquently de-
clared by the venerable Mayor of Portland, that we can claim so ex-
actly a central and geographical position for Utah or any one of its cities
as has been claimed, with respect to the great mining West; but I believe
that the State I represent is located within easy reach of the great mining
centers of the Rocky Mountain region, a region that tells of geological
changes in the past, of great upheavals and mighty convulsions that have
prepared the receptacles for gold, silver, copper and lead, and all the
metals that go so far in making our industries what they are. I believe
that Utah can express her thanks cordially because she hopes some day
to hear an expression of the same kind from some of you coming within
her doors.
Portland has been represented as an excellent city for the permanent
headquarters of the Mining Congress. It would be perhaps with poor
grace for me to take advantage of the opportunity offered me in speaking
these few words of response to the welcome, to urge the claims of my
own State in that connection. And since it may be invidious perhaps to
compare state with state, I will say that while Utah is not in Salt Lake
City, as some people have seemed to suppose, it is nevertheless a part of
it, and I will add that Salt Lake City is proud enough to think of herself
very much as Portland thinks of herself.
We have had many pleasant gatherings of this Congress in the past in
the different states of the West, and sometimes beyond the eastern limit
of what is generally known as the region of the Far West, and I believe
every one has been attended with great results. From the heartiness
with which the delegates have been here received, and from the kind assist-
ance promised, I have no doubt that this, the seventh annual session of
the American Mining Congress, of men interested in mining matters and
in the development of this great industry, will be likewise productive of
20 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
great and lasting results, and if such be the case, Portland will have
cause for an ever-living pride.
The words that have been spoken with respect to the establishment
of a Cabinet office, and the appointment of an officer therefor, tp repre-
sent the mining interests of the country, have been spoken in a proper
place, and at a fitting time and in a very eloquent manner. And should
any action taken here result in the attainment of that much desired end,
I believe that the Department of Mines and Mining will always be thought
of in future history in connection with Portland, the great City of the
West. Therefore, we beg that a continuation of the assistance that is
offered be rendered by Portland, and by Oregon, and by all the great
states and cities of the Western region, in the attainment of this pur-
pose.
Gentlemen, once again I say in behalf of Utah, I thank you most
heartily for the welcome, and earnestly ask you to give us of Utah a
chance to welcome you to our home.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: We will be favored by a response by Mr.
Zach Lamar Cobb from the great State of Texas.
MR. Z. LAMAR COBB, OF TEXAS: Mr. President and Gentlemen of
the Congress, Ladies and Gentlemen: I appreciate the honor of appearing
before you to respond to the cordial and eloquent words of welcome
which have been spoken this morning, and in assuming this responsibility
I only take courage through thinking of the people and of the region
which I have the honor and privilege to represent. We have come a great
distance to this Congress: from El Paso on the border of Mexico, to
Portland, your beautiful city on the Pacific Coast, is a distance of over
two thousand miles, and we have come every mile prompted by the in-
terest we have felt in the purposes of this Congress. Every word that
has been said by your honored Governor and by your distinguished Mayor,
has met with a hearty response in the appreciation of our delegation
from El Paso. What your Governor has said about the mountains and
valleys has impressed us upon our trip into the city. But, sirs, when we
return to Texas, when we leave Portland of the Northwest for El Paso,
the great city of the great Southwest, I will return remembering one thing
more than your highest mountains, more than your most fertile valley,
more than anything I have seen; I will return to Texas happy in 'the
rosebuds that I have seen in the cheeks of your Oregon women. And I
am here to tell you, fellow citizens, that the people of Texas that great-
est and largest State in the American Union are in accord with you in
the interests of the mining industry. I believe that when the time comes
Senator Bailey and Senator Culberson will be voting on the side of
"Aye" in favor of the establishment of a Cabinet office for this depart-
ment. I am here to say one thing more than that. When you, the people
of this great Rocky Mountain region, help us, the people of the great
Southwest, to give statehood to New Mexico and Arizona, there will be
four more votes for you in the United States Senate.
This is a congress of miners; in appearance, if not in practical ex-
perience, I am a miner. I come to you as the representative of El Paso.
While we are proud to be within the domain of Texas, it is not 'our claim
alone to be one of her cities, but we come as the metropolis of the great
Southwest. El Paso, seated on the border, is at the corner as it were of
Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and Northern Old Mexico. Situated there,
she is the metropolis of a vast region; it is six hundred miles before you
come to a city of equal size. For three hundred and more miles we are un-
rivaled. There is no city to compete with us in this region. And in
speaking to you a few words about mines this morning, within that region
of which El Paso is the proud metropolis and in which she has no com-
petitor, I come to contest the point advanced by your honored Mayor.
He tells you that Portland is the center of the mining region. I tell you,
fellow citizens, that taking as a whole the United States and Mexico
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 21
the mineral producing country of the American continent El Paso is the
center and hub of it all. I would say nothing in disparagement of my
friends from Salt Lake, but I ask you to look at the badges which they
wear, and you will see that the map printed upon their badge shows
that every claim of Salt Lake rests upon the staff of El Paso.. -The gen-
tleman from Maine has well .said that it would take a box car to hold the
stocks held in his country. I might answer that it might take a box car
to hold the mining stock sold from El Paso. But, friends and fellow citi-
zens, it takes nine great trunk railroads to haul the mineral that is pro-
duced around El Paso. A few years ago El Paso and her region were com-
paratively unknown in mining; Arizona had but begun in the industry of
copper mining. To-day around Bisbee and the other centers of Arizona, is
produced one-fifth of the entire copper output of the United States.
Across the artificial border between the United States and Mexico in
Northern Sonora, is a production of copper equivalent to that of Southern
Arizona. So, friends, Northern Sonora and Southern Arizona combined
produce copper equal to forty per cent, of the production of the United
States. This is in the territory of El Paso. A few years ago mercury had
never been mined in our portion of the country. To-day Texas, in her
mines at Shafter, produces mercury in such quantities that she ranks sec-
ond to only one state in the Union. Texas also, in her broad expanse, has
sulphur deposits of such quality and extent when developed, as to supply
the entire domain of the United States. New Mexico, with her variety of
minerals, with her iron, stands ready to back El Paso. But, greater than
this, Old Mexico, a place to be distinguished in the near future in the
mining industry, is supplied entirely through the American gateway, El
Paso, on the silvery Rio Grande. To-day Old Mexico produces more silver
than the United States. The Northern part of Old Mexico shows an in-
crease in the production of gold, while the United States shows a de-
crease for the past year. So, friends, I point you to El Paso, the mistress
of three hundred and more miles around El Paso, the center of mining
in the great Southwest El Paso, the gateway of Mexico, El Paso, the
proud city and the metropolis of the Southwestern country. Now, speak-
ing for the richest mining country on this American continent, .scarcely
started in its development as yet, a country of which I shall speak more
to you later in this convention, speaking for Texas, Arizona, New Mexico
and Northern Mexico; speaking for El Paso, the brightest jewel of an
international diadem; speaking for my home and my town; speaking for
the richest mining country of them all, El Paso, friends and fellow citi-
zens, brings you greeting.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: We will listen to a response from the
last but not least the Honorable J. T. Cornforth of Alaska, who had more
to do with promoting the American Mining Congress than any other in-
dividual.
MR. J. T. CORNFORTH (of Alaska) : Mr. President, Mr. Governor,
Mr. Mayor, and delegates to this American Mining Congress : It is so long
since I have met a body of mining men in session to discuss mining with
them that I feel almost out of place. When I first went to Alaska they
called me a "Che Chako." Afterwards they said I was a "Sour Dough."
Now, returning to this convention, which I had a proud part in organizing
seven years ago, I must say that I feel here that I am a "Che Chako"
again, and not a "Sour Dough." Mr. Governor and Mr. Mayor, we thank
you in the name of Alaska, but more particularly the Alaska Club of Seat-
tle, for extending to us the welcome that you have. We come from the
newest part of this great Republic representing a hardy and different set
of men than now mine in the Middle United States, if we call it the
Middle, for we in Alaska are yet nearly two thousand miles or more to
the west of the older possessions of the United States; it is these people
I represent, and for whom I am going to speak. You will bear with
me when I say I had no expectation of saying one word to this Conven-
22 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
tion. I have never spoken in a convention of miners' organization. My
voice has always been silent. I have felt that it would be more appro-
priate for scientific men to address you than a common mining man like
myself. But, I will start to business, for a mining man always likes to
commence business.
When this Mining Congress was first organized this country was
experiencing hard times. This Mining Congress had its origin because
of hard times. We felt that the miners were not receiving justice at
the hands of our Legislators in Washington, and we felt that something
must be done to restore mining to its proper position and so drive the
prospector into new fields for the discovery of that which our Legislators
demanded, gold. We in Alaska have given you gold, and we are going
to give you more gold in ten years from to-day than Johannesburg in
Africa gives to Great Britain. We organized this institution, believing it
was for the best interest of the mining community that a Department of
Mines and Metallurgy should be established to give to the miners the
same benefits as the Department of Agriculture gives to the agriculturists,
who send their soil to the Department for purposes of analysis and are
informed in return what the soil is capable of producing. But lo, the
poor miner receives no such consideration. I would like to qualify that.
We have a Geological Department that does much for us, but we don't
have a Department of Metallurgy to assist the prospector to the extent
that he should be assisted. We need a department where our ores can
be analyzed, not for gold arid copper alone, but for the by-products, which
are most profitable to the smelting interests. I remember an instance
many years ago in Colorado, where a friend of mine was selling ore to
be treated by a certain secret process, at about five hundred dollars per
ton. He took it upon himself to send one carload of that same ore across
the water to a foreign country, and after paying all charges upon that ore
for smelting. and separation, transportation and all other charges, he re-
ceived over fifteen hundred dollars a ton instead of the five hundred
that he had received from the same ore at home.
Gentlemen, I am speaking here for the prospector, the men who make
the trails, the men who blaze the trees, the men who clear land, the men
who make it possible for others to follow. The discoveries that have been
made in Alaska in the last six years are greater than those that have been
made in any other section of the world, under the same difficulties; and
I say to you in all consideration, in regard to the production of gold, that
I believe the production of gold in Alaska this year will be greater than
in any previous year. But, remember that much of the gold of Alaska
is- paid for purchases made in Dawson, which is in the British Yukon
country; and it is a great source of revenue to Dawson, in British Colum-
bia, to receive the trade of the miners of Fairbanks and other centers of
mining. That gold does not figure in the product of Alaska but is given
to the production of the Yukon.
Gentlemen, further on in the Convention there are some points I
desire to refer to. I wish to substantiate what the Governor of this great
State, and the Mayor of this most beautiful and magnificent City, in which
we are to be domiciled, have said. I should like to refer to the import-
ance of mining, what relation it has to the prosperity of the United States.
They spoke of the enormous production. But to simplify it so that we
can better understand it, I have noted these facts :
"The factories and the manufactories of the United States, the
varied industries, produce a tonnage for the railroads of one-seventh;
the great forests give to the great railroads one-fifth of the tonnage; the
farm products of which we hear so much, that there is an insufficiency
of cars every year to move, and as to which it is said that other inter-
ests must stop for the purpose of moving this grain, it only produces one-
ninth. The mines have produced more than one-half of all the tonnage
that the railroads haul from port to port, from city to city."
(Applause.)
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 23
These are not new statements, but they emphasize the importance
of mining in a way that should appeal to every man here, every delegate,
to raise his voice in behalf of a Department of Mines and Metallurgy. I
believe, if you will take these matters into serious consideration, you will
see that we will have hard times no more; we will never have hard times,
in my opinion, after the establishment of a Department of Mines and
Metallurgy. I believe that the production of gold or the coinage of money
in the United States will be of such importance that it will not only fur-
nish the balance of the Old World with gold, but it will so enhance the
value of everything that the farmer has to sell that the price of his
wheat will not be fixed in London, but will be fixed in the United States
of America. The miner likes to pay high prices; he wishes for high
wages, he wishes for all* Americans to prosper, and to have all of the good
things of this earth, and that is the reason he is not opposed to the value
of the products of the United States, enhancing in proportion to the pro-
duction of metallic money, of gold money, which he will produce to pay
ail the debts that we owe, to continue their prosperity, and to give to
every man everything that he desires, everything that will advance
him in education and intelligence, and make a better citizen of him.
Without money we have poor citizenship. We remember that it was the'
hard times that produced Coxey's army. We do not want these conditions
to return. It is due to the wisdom and intelligence of the mining men
who produce and give to the railroads something like fifty-three per cent,
of the whole tonnage of the United States, to see that hard times should
not be made at the pleasure of any one, but that the farmer and manu-
facturer and all classes and professions should go hand in hand, so that
we may go on to that brighter galaxy so fittingly portrayed in the address
given by the representative from the Lone Star State,
PRESIDENT RICHARDS then introduced Mr. B. B. Beekman of Ore-
gon, who addressed the Congress in part, as follows:
MR. BEEKMAN (of Oregon): Mr. President and Gentlemen of the
American Mining Congress: Imbued with a firm belief in the exceptional
mineral resources and wonderful possibilities of Southern Oregon, the
people of that section welcome with pleasure and delight the convocation
of the American Mining Congress in this State. In common with other
portions of Oregon they desire to attract attention to the opportunities
here presented for safe and profitable investment. Confident that an in-
vestigation of this field will secure the favorable opinion and consideration
of capital, the miners and the mining men of the State at large and of
Southern Oregon in particular, have looked forward with eager anticipa-
tion to this occasion. They are hopeful that this gathering shall not only
prove a source of pleasure, instruction and profit to delegates and visitors,
but that it will also materially contribute to the growth and upbuilding
of the mining industry throughout the State.
Acting upon the suggestion of Mr. George H. Himes, the assistant
secretary of the Oregon Historical Society, the Board of Trade of Jack-
sonville, the oldest town in Southern Oregon, and concededly the oldest
mining town in the State, now avails itself of the privilege and opportunity
of presenting to the President of your body an appropriate souvenir of
this occasion. As a native-born of that old mining town, and as the
representative of its people and its Board of Trade, and on 'behalf of the
people of Rogue River Valley and of Southern Oregon in general, I now
take pleasure in presenting to you as a token of appreciation of the pres-
ence of this Congress here, and of the aims and purposes of this organiza-
tion, this gavel, fashioned from the beautiful wood of a manzanita that
grew upon Rich Gulch, the scene of the first big gold discovery in this
State, and adorned with a plate made of gold dug during the spring of
this year from the despoiled but still somewhat auriferous bed of that
same old gulch. It bears appropriate inscription, and we trust that it
will serve as a pleasing reminder of a pleasant sojourn in our midst.
24 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
With it we extend our heartiest greetings and most cordial welcome to
you all, and express the hope that when your deliberations here are
ended many of you will find it convenient and opportune to visit the
scenes of the early days of gold mining in Oregon.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS responded in part, as follows: This gavel,
in the hands of him whose right it is to preside, typifies authority. When
wielded by intelligence, it commands respect and compels obedience; but
when wielded by ignorance there are none so poor to do it reverence.
It will only be through your kind assistance and generous consideration
of the many weaknesses your chairman may possess that I shall be able
to wield it with that character of intelligence which is fitting a body of
this kind.
This gavel, I am fully conscious, was not a gift to me personally so
much as to express an historical event relative to the progress of mining,
through the American Mining Congress, and in that light it speaks of the
explorers, Lewis and Clark, who revealed this great Northwest to the
civilized world; it speaks of those who followed them, the emigrant, the
pioneer that marked his pathway across the plains to the mountains, of
those who, grown weary with an almost endless journey and hardships,
fell by the wayside. It speaks of the prospector, the man who sleeps be-
neath the stars in the summer time, burrows in the snow in the winter,
and reveals to humanity the riches of the mineral world.
So far as this present pertains to myself, I have no adequate lan-
guage to express my gratitude. That can only come through fidelity
and fitness for the duties you have called upon me to perform. So far as
it pertains to the Mining Congress, I know that I have the right and au-
thority in the name of the Congress to thank those gentlemen for the
kindly sentiments they have expressed and the purpose they intended
to perpetuate as an historical event in the history of mining in this coun-
try, and in the name of the Congress I thank them.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: The Secretary has some announcements
to make, after which an adjournment will be in order.
MR. R. C. PATTERSON, OF OMAHA, NEBRASKA: Mr. President:
Before we adjourn this session I would like to make a motion that the Chair
appoint a committee whose duty it shall be to prepare a set of resolu-
tions, in memory and in honor of that one who has departed this life
since we last met, the Hon. John T. Grayson, a member of this body and
an honored officer. And I would move you, sir, that a. committe of three
be appointed by the Chair to prepare such resolutions and to present the
same to this body before the session closes.
The motion was seconded, and upon being put by the Chair, was de-
clared carried.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: I will announce the Committee at the in-
coming of the session this afternoon.
MR. STAPLES, OF FALL RIVER, OREGON: I would like to announce
that I have in my possession two thousand dollars' worth of specimens
from the section of which Mr. Beekman has just spoken, and as soon as a
place can be provided I intend to place them on exhibition.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: We will look after it. I announce the
following members to compose the Committee on Resolutions: Dr. E. R.
Buckley, Missouri; Prof. J. E. Talmage, Utah; E. G. Reinhart, Colorado;
Col. Thomas Ewing, California; J. Frank Watson, Oregon; C. L. Digno-
wity, Pennsylvania; J. T. Small, Maine; Hon. H. S. Hamlin, Colorado; F.
Wallace White, Ohio; Col. F. V. Drake, Oregon; Prof. E. Haworth, Kan-
sas; Hon. O. W. Powers, Utah; Hon. J. F. Callbreath, Colorado: M. D
Leehey, Washington; Jas. H. Lynch, Montana; Hon. G. W. E. Dorsey,
Nebraska; T. A. Rickard, New York; E. B. Braden, Montana; S. F. Em-
mons, Washington, D. C.; J. W. Malcomson, Texas.
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 25
To constitute the Committee on Credentials, the Chair announced
the following:
Philip S. Bates, Oregon; M. P. Gilbert, California; R. C. Patterson,
Nebraska.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: Relative to the question of resolutions,
under the by-laws of this organization, each resolution must be read in
open session and then will be referred to the Committee on Resolutions
for its action. A meeting of the Committee on Resolutions will be held
at 1:30 o'clock P. M., headquarters, Third Infantry, left side of hall
going out.
Thereupon, upon motion duly seconded and carried, an adjournment
was taken to 2 o'clock P. M.
FIRST DAY AFTERNOON SESSION.
August 22, 1904, 2 o'clock P. M.
The Congress was called to order by the President.
The Secretary announced that regular meetings of the Committee on
Resolutions would be held daily at 8 o'clock A. M. in the Field and Staff
Office near main entrance of the Armory.
That a special meeting of said committee would be held at the same
place immediately after adjournment of the morning and afternoon ses-
sions.
The Secretary read the following resolution offered by O. W. Powers
of Utah:
Resolved, that the special order of business for Thursday at 2
P. M. shall be the consideration and determination of the permanent
headquarters of the American Mining Congress.
The Secretary also read Resolution No. 4, offered by Dr. E. R. Buck-
ley, amending Article 12, Section 1, and Article 13, Section 3.
Also a resolution known as Resolution No. 1, introduced by J. H.
Richards, advocating a Department of Mines and Mining.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: Under our by-laws these resolutions will
be referred to the Committee on Resolutions. The question relating to
the amendment of the by-laws requires twenty-four hours' notice, so that
after the expiration of twenty-four hours' notice the question which has
just been read can be taken up.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: At the suggestion of the Executive Com-
mittee it becomes my privilege and duty to present to you the annual
address of the President of this Congress. It is also suggested by the
Committee, perhaps for reasons best known to them, that I read this
address so that it may be exact, expressing clearly just what was in-
tended to be expressed. So, if you will bear with me for a time I will read
this address.
The President's address will be found in Part II. of this report.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS then introduced Mr. W. D. Fenton of Ore-
gon, who delivered a very interesting address on the subject, "The Lewis
and Clarke Exposition."
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: We will listen to an address by Mr. Har-
vey W. Scott of the Oregonian. His subject is "The Relation of Mining to
the World's General Advancement."
This address will be found in Part II. of this report
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: This closes the program as provided by
your Committee on Program for this session. What is your further
pleasure?
26 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
MR. HARRY S. JOSEPH, OF UTAH: I would like to ask with refer-
ence to resolutions, what is the decision of the Chair as to when resolu-
tions may be introduced by members.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: They may be introduced at any time
when no other business occupies the attention of the Congress, then read
and referred to the Committee on Resolutions.
MR. HARRY S. JOSEPHS, OF UTAH: Mr. Nichols has a resolution
to introduce.
PROFESSOR NICHOLS: I have the following resolution to intro-
duce this afternoon:
Resolved, that Thursday afternoon at 2 o'clock be fixed as the
time for determining where the permanent headquarters of the American
Mining Congress shall be fixed."
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: I have been requested by the Chairman
of the Committee on Credentials to request you at the close of this
session to bring your credentials into the corner room as you go out of
the hall.
MR. H. S. JOSEPH, OF UTAH: Mr. President: I have a resolution
to offer, which I will read:
"Whereas, by the late decision of the Secretary of the Interior, upon
the interpretation of the Teller law relating to the survey of mineral lands
whereby monuments on the ground should govern, and not the descrip-
tion of the patent thereof in the survey of an adjoining claim; and,
Whereas, such interpretation will work vast injury to the present
patented mining lands by reason that it would open the way to falsify
positions of mining claims;
Resolved, that it be the sense of the American Mining Congress in
convention assembled at Portland, Oregon, August 22nd to 27th, 1904,
that such interpretation be reversed by the Secretary of the Interior, so
that the description of mining claims as indicated in the patent thereof
and on file in the office of the various surveyor generals of the different
States of the United States govern in a survey of all adjacent mining
claims.
Resolved, further, that a copy of this resolution, together with the
recommendation thereof, be forwarded to the Secretary of the Interior.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: The resolutions and the documents Will
be referred to the committee.
On motion duly seconded the Congress adjourned until August 23,
1904, at 10 o'clock.
SECOND DAY MORNING SESSION.
August 23, 1904, 10 o'clock, A. M.
The President called the Congress to order.
The Secretary read the following announcements:
Notice is hereby given that the regular meeting of the Committee on
Resolutions will be held daily at 8 A. M.
A special meeting of the Committee on Resolutions will be held Tues-
day immediately after adjournment of the opening session of the Con-
gress.
The following resolutions were offered:
By T. A. Rickards, of New York:
Whereas, this Congress earnestly desires to see the business of min-
ing placed on a safe basis; therefore, be it
Resolved, that this Congress records its appreciation of the success-
ful efforts of the Post Office Department of the National Government in
preventing the misuse of the mails for fraudulent mining schemes.
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 27
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: The resolution will be referred to the
Committee on Resolutions.
An invitation was extended to the Congress by George H. Himes,
Secretary of the Oregon Historical Society, to visit the rooms of the
Society at the City Hall.
The Secretary read the following report of the Committee on Reso-
lutions:
Committee Room, August 22, 1904.
The Committee on Resolutions respectfully reports back the following"
resolution, designated as Resolution No. 2, introduced by Hon. O. W.
Powers of Utah, and, by unanimous vote, recommends its adoption by the
Congress.
J. E. TALMAGE, Secretary.
E. R. BUCKLEY, Chairman.
RESOLUTION NO. 2.
By O. W. Powers:
Resolved, that the special order of business for Thursday at 2 P. M.
shall be the consideration and determination of the location of the per-
manent headquarters of the American Mining Congress.
Committee Room, August 22, 1904
The Committee on Resolutions respectfully reports back the follow-
ing resolution, designated as Resolution No. 1, introduced by Hon. J. H.
Richards, of Idaho, and, by unanimous vote, recommends its adoption by
the Congress.
J. E. TALMAGE, Secretary.
E. R. BUCKLEY, Chairman.
RESOLUTION NO. 1.
Whereas, the settlement of our vast public domain under the direction
of the Department of the Interior, has of itself more than justified the
creation of this department of our government; and,
Whereas, the benefits already received by the people of the United
States through the influence of the Department of Agriculture, demon-
strate the wisdom of establishing this "department as one of the great
executive branches of our government; and,
Whereas, the Department of Commerce and Labor is constantly pre-
senting conclusive evidence of the usefulness of such a department in
wisely directing the great interests coming within its jurisdiction; and,
Whereas, the successive establishment of these departments of our
government (at the different stages of economic development of the
United States) has fully demonstrated the usefulness of this manner of
co-operation by our government in meeting the ever-expanding industrial
needs of the people; and,
Whereas, the mining development of this country, if wisely directed,
will add a much needed element of permanency and stability to present
industrial progress; therefore, be it
Resolved, that The American Mining Congress in annual session as-
sembled, believing that the time has arrived when a Department of
Mines and Mining would be the means of placing the mining industry on
a plane commensurate with its importance to all industrial progress,
urges the Congress of the United States to at once create a Department of
Mines and Mining as one of the great executive branches of our govern-
ment.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: I now have the pleasure of introducing
to this audience the Hon. F. H. Newell, of the United States Reclamation
Service, who appears here at the request of the President of the United
States, who will now address you.
Mr. Newell's address will be found in Part II. of this report.
28 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: It gives me great pleasure to present to
you Mr. Gifford Pinchot, who represents the United States Forest Re-
serve, who will now address you.
Mr. Pinchot's address will be found in Part II. of this report.
The Secretary read the following resolution, offered by Mr. Frank
V. Drake, of Oregon:
Whereas, the establishment of assay offices, located with great care,
so as to best accommodate the great mining districts in the different sec-
tions of the United States, are great aids in the development of the min-
ing industry of America; therefore,
Resolved, that this Congress recommends to the Congress of the
United States the establishment of such assay offices at appropriate loca-
tions in different sections of the United States, the locations of which to
be selected with great care; and,
Whereas, at the last session of Congress, Senate Bill No. 280, en-
titled "A bill to establish an assay office at Portland, Oregon," was re-
ported unanimously from the Senate Committee on Finance, and passed
the Senate without a dissenting vote, which bill is now pending before the
Committee on Coinage, Weights and Measures of the National House
of Representatives; and.
Whereas, the State of Oregon is rapidly developing into one of the
richest mineral States in the Union, having, according to the report of the
Geological Survey, produced between the years 1862 and 1902, gold and
silver of the aggregate value of $115,000,000; and
Whereas, the State is divided into three great mineral districts,
namely, Eastern Oregon, Middle or Central Oregon and Southern Ore-
gon; and,
Whereas, the nearest assay office to any portion of these vast min-
eral districts is Boise, Idaho, on the east; Seattle, Washington, on the
north, and San Francisco, California, on the south; and,
Whereas, it is, in the judgment of this Congress, important in the in-
terest of the general development of the mineral industry of the United
States that an assay office should be established at the City of Portland,
in the State of Oregon; therefore, be it further
Resolved, that this Congress favors the passage of said bill through
the National House of Representatives at the next session of Congress,
and earnestly appeals to the House Committee on Coinage, Weights and
Measures, and to the National House of Representatives, to give said
bill favorable consideration at its next session.
The resolution was referred to the Committee on Resolutions.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: I know that you will all be pleased to
know that your Program Committee has been enabled to provide you with
an address from United States Senator John H. Mitchell, of Oregon, on
the subject of the last resolution.
HON. JOHN H. MITCHELL. OF OREGON: Mr. Mitchell then ad-
dressed the meeting at length upon the establishment of an assay office at
Portland.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: You will now have the pleasure of listen-
ing to an address on Mining Law by Mr. Maurice D. Leehey, of Wash-
ington.
This paper will be found in Part II. of this report.
MR. STEELE OF ALASKA: Mr. President, I have a resolution
which I would like to read to the Congress :
Whereas, the District of Alaska has a population of nearly 70,000
American citizens, a large majority of whom are miners and prospectors;
and,
Whereas, these pioneers have no way of obtaining redress for their
grievances, except by a personal appeal to Congress; and,
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 29
Whereas, these appeals must be made to Representatives or Sena-
tors from other localities who have the welfare of their own districts
and constituents to care for, and consequently these personal appeals
have as yet been of no avail or benefit; and,
Whereas, it is the wish and desire of all Alaskans that they be repre-
sented in Congress of the United States by a delegate elected by the
popular vote of the people, to the end that such laws may be enacted that
will be to the benefit of mining and other interests; therefore, be it
Resolved, that The American Mining Congress, in its regular con-
vention assembled in Portland, Oregon, August, 1904, does heartily in-
dorse this wish of Alaskans, as by so doing the great mineral storehouses
of the North Land will be more speedily developed; and, be it further
Resolved, that this Congress will use every honorable means to secure
to Alaska that representation our forefathers fought for at Bunker Hill;
and, be it further
Resolved, that this Congress appeal to the Congress of the United
States for their consideration at the next session, asking for immediate
action, to the end that these hardy Americans may enjoy the privilege of
representation according to the rights guaranteed in our Constitution
The resolution will be referred.
THE PRESIDENT: This closes the program arranged by your Pro-
gram Committee. The chairman of that committee desires to make an
announcement.
MR. R. C. PATTERSON, OF OMAHA: Mr. Patterson then made a
few remarks relative to the program, referring especially to the address
to be given by Chancellor E. B. Andrews.
A MEMBER: I move you that we adjourn until 2 o'clock.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: There are some resolutions that have
been presented and acted upon by your Committee on Resolutions which
we might act upon at this time if the Congress is ready to take them up.
MR. THOMAS EWING, OF CALIFORNIA: I move that the resolu-.
tion on the establishment of a Department of Mines and Mining, which is
the most important one, be taken up.
The motion was seconded.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: It has been moved by Col. Thomas Ewing
that the resolution in relation to the Department of Mines and Mining
be now adopted. Are you ready for the question?
MR. H. S. JOSEPH, OF UTAH: Let it be read.
The Secretary read the resolution and the report of the committee
thereon.
MR. E. R. BUCKLEY, OF MISSOURI: I wish to say with reference
to this resolution that I hope every member of the Congress who is
present this morning will vote "aye" on this resolution. Vote "aye" in no
uncertain voice, that the vote on this resolution may be heard from here
to the Congress of the United States.
MR. H. S. JOSEPH. OF UTAH: I move as an amendment to the
resolution that a copy of these resolutions when adopted be forwarded
to Hon. Theodore Roosevelt, President of the United States.
MR. J. T. CORNFORTH, OF ALASKA: I move a change in the
name. I move that the name of the Department shall be, instead of
"Mines and Mining," "Mines and Metallurgy." I believe that it would
better convey to the people the requirements of the department, in estab-
lishing a system of analyses and analytic work in chemistry, a subject
that is most essential for the success of the Department of Mines and
30 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
Metallurgy. Therefore, I make the motion to change the name, and
ask to refer it back to the committee on the wisdom of the change and
to present it here, if found desirable, with that name attached to it. I
am going to ask, at least, if my motion is not seconded, that it be referred
back to the committee for the discussion of the question of the change
of the name.
The motion of Mr. Cornforth was seconded.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: It has been moved and seconded that this
resolution be amended by striking out the word "Mining," and inserting
the word, "Metallurgy," so that it will read, "A Department of Mines and
Metallurgy." Are you ready for the question on the amendment?
MR. E. R. BUCKLEY, OF MISSOURI: I might say for the informar
tion of the members of the Congress, that that matter was taken up in
the Committee and thoroughly discussed. It is not the purpose of this
committee to dictate what that department shall be named. Whether it
be named a "Department of Mines and Mining," or "Department of Mines
and Metallurgy," we do not know. Throughout the history of this Congress,
throughout its seven years of existence, we have been asking the National
Congress to establish a Department of Mines and Mining, and the mining
fraternity throughout the country have known that we have been asking
for a Department of Mines and Mining. Therefore, it wa.s the purpose
of the committee to retain this name, in conformity with the other reso-
lutions which have been passed by this Congress at previous sessions.
When the department is established it will remain with the committee,
appointed by the Congress, to determine the name by which that depart-
ment shall be designated. That is why the Committee on Resolutions
adopted the name Department of Mines and Mining. We even went so far
as to consider the advisability of suggesting that the name be, instead
of a Department of Mines and Mining, simply a Mining Department, leav-
ing entirely optional with the Congressional Committee the naming of
that department. We eventually decided upon the name, "Mines and
Mining," in conformity with former resolutions adopted by this Con-
gress, and in conformity with the impression which has gone abroad
throughout the world that we are urging a Department of Mines and
Mining.
MR. JOHN DERN, OF UTAH: I fully agree with the gentleman from
Missouri. From the very beginning, all of our resolutions have read, that
we asked for a Department of Mines and Mining. It is not necessary in
creating a department of that kind that we shall designate all the different
parts of it. Metallurgy is part of mining, just as much as horticulture
is a part of agriculture. We have a Department of Agriculture. It does
not specify horticulture, or other branches of agriculture, but it is all
taken in the same field and for the same purpose, and I believe it is well,
inasmuch as we have asked for these several years for a Department of
Mines and Mining, under that title, that we should not change that now,
but leave it as it now appears in the resolution.
MR. R. C. PATTERSON, OF OMAHA: Gentlemen, I am opposed to
the change of the name from Mines and Mining to that of Metallurgy, for
the simple reason that metallurgy is a technical name, and the public
at large do not understand exactly what metallurgy means. Now, we
don't mean to confuse people by talking to them, but we mean to talk to
them in a manner that they will understand; and for that reason, if for
no other, I would oppose changing the name from Mines and Mining to
that of Mines and Metallurgy. Metallurgy applies largely to chemistry,
and is used by professors in that line of work, and if we wanted to de-
cide what kind of a mill to build for our ores, we would, as a rule, send
a carload of our ore to the metallurgist. Who is a metallurgist? many
of the people will ask. He is a man that is versed in that particular
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 31
speciality. Now, everybody understands the term Mines and Mining; the
boy understands it, the girl understands it, the father and the mother
understand it, and why should we change it to a technical name when
we are striving, as the gentleman from Utah has said, to get that which
we want and that which the people understand, and when the resolutions
that have been adopted from year to year and from time to time have
been under the head of Mines and Mining?
Now, Mr. President, I wish to make a motion, and move as an
amendment to the amendment that when this resolution is adopted that
a copy of the resolution, certified to by the President and Secretary of
this Congress, shall be sent, not only to the President of the United States,
but also to the President of the Senate of the United States, to the
Speaker of the House of Representatives, and to the Secretary of the
Interior, making four different departments, in order that they may
know what we have done and why we have done it.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: Would it not be well to withdraw that'
last amendment and let the question stand on its merits?
MR. R. C. PATTERSON, OF OMAHA: All right.
MR. J. T. CORNFORTH, OF ALASKA: I withdraw the motion. I
am very glad to hear the explanation from the gentlemen present. I
think we have cleared up a great mystery to everybody, what Mines and
Mining mean. I believe it embraces all of the departments of the reduc-
tion of the metals in general and I am only too glad to withdraw the
motion, in view of the explanations of the gentlemen from Utah and
Missouri.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: The gentleman from Alaska is out of
order. It is in the hands of the Congress. Are you ready for the mo-
tion, the amendment striking out the word "Mining" and inserting the
word "Metallurgy"?
A MEMBER: The gentleman withdrew his amendment.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: He has no right to withdraw it.
MR. R. C. PATTERSON, OF OMAHA: Please make that clear again
to us. 4
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: Mr. J. T. Cornforth of Alaska made a
motion to amend the resolution by striking out the word "Mining" and
inserting in lieu thereof the word "Metallurgy," so that it will read as
amended, "A Department of Mines and Metallurgy." Then the gentle-
man from Alaska offered to withdraw his motion, but it having been sub-
mitted to the Congress, the Chair ruled that out of order. The question
now recurs on the amendment, striking out "Mining" and inserting the
word "Metallurgy." (Putting the question.) It is lost. Now, the ques-
tion recurs on the original resolution. (Putting the question.) The
"ayes" have it, and the resolution is unanimously adopted.
The President recognized Mr. H. S. Joseph of Utah.
MR. H. S. JOSEPH, OF UTAH: I will give the floor to Mr. Patter-
son to offer a motion now to send a copy to the different offices of the
United States.
MR. R. C. PATTERSON, OF OMAHA: I was going to offer an amend-
ment to the amendment, but I believe that is not necessary now, is it?
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: No, the resolution has been carried and
your motion will now be in order, an original motion.
MR. R. C. PATTERSON, OF OMAHA: I would move you, sir, that a
certified copy of this resolution that we have just now adopted be sent
32 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
to the President of the United States, to the Speaker of the House of Rep-
resentatives, to the President of the Senate, and to each Senator of the
United States and to each member of the House of Representatives.
MR. H. S. JOSEPH, OF UTAH: I second the motion.
The President stated the motion, and upon its being put to vote de-
clared it carried.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: There are some further resolutions here,
if you desire to act upon them.
MR. PATTERSON, OF NEBRASKA: Mr. President, I will call up
Resolution No. 2 and ask for action upon it. It is the resolution in regard
to the location of the permanent headquarters.
The Secretary read the resolution and the report of the committee.
MR. JOSEPH, OF UTAH: I move that said resolution be adopted in
accordance with the recommendation of the committee.
The motion was seconded and the resolution was adopted. (Said
resolution and committee report are set out in the proceedings of yester-
day.)
The Secretary read a resolution offered by John M. Cleary of Clarke
County, Washington. (Said resolution is set out in the proceedings of
the third day, with the report of the committee thereon.)
PRESIDENT RICHARDS : The resolution will be referred to the Com-
mittee on Resolutions.
MR. JOHN G. GIBENS, OF WASHINGTON: Mr. President, I wish to
offer the following resolution:
Whereas, in view of the abuse in Alaska of the privilege of locating
claims by power of attorney; be it
Resolved, by the American Mining Congress, that we favor and rec-
ommend appropriate legislation by the National Congress amending the
mining laws and their application to Alaska, so as to afford relief from the
present, evils by location under the power of attorney.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: It will be referred to the Committee on
Resolutions. Senator Mitchell desires to say a few words.
HON. JOHN H. MITCHELL, OF OREGON: Mr. Mitchell then urged
a large attendance at the evening meeting, to listen to Chancellor An-
drews' address.
MR. E. R. BUCKLEY, OF MISSOURI: I wish to make an an-
nouncement. The Committee on Resolutions meets every morning at 8
o'clock. If there is any member of this Congress who desires to intro-
duce a resolution, that resolution should be in the hands of this commit-
tee by to-night. Please do not delay offering your resolutions. If they
are presented later than to-day they may not be acted upon.
Thereupon the Congress adjourned to 2 o'clock P. M. August 23,
1904.
SECOND DAY AFTERNOON SESSION.
The Congress convened August 23, 1904, at 2 o'clock P. M.
THE PRESIDENT: The first exercise on our program is an ad-
dress by Col. F. V. Drake on "Minerals and Mining."
Mr. Drake's paper will be found in Part II. of this report.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: I have the honor to introduce to you Mr.
T. A. Rickard of New York, the editor of the Engineering and Mining Jour-
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 33
nal, who was specially appointed by the President of the United States
as a delegate to this Congress.
Mr. Rickard's address will be found in Part II. of this report.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: The program now calls for an address by
Colonel Crawford, who is not present; an address by ex-Governor Daggett
of California, who appears not to be present, and also an address by Mr.
O. P. Brown on "Cyanide Ores of the Ragged Top District of the Black
Hills," who also is not present. The Secretary has an announcement to
make.
The Secretary read a communication from the Oregon delegation
concerning the Eddy Corporation Tax Law of Oregon, which was referred
to the Committee on Resolutions.
The following papers were read by title:
Concentration of Copper Ores in the Southwest, by Frank H. Probert.
The Geology and Mineral Resources of Idaho, by Robert N. Bell.
The Mineral Resources of Wyoming, by H. C. Beeler.
The Mineral Resources of Vermont, by G. H. Perkins.
It was moved and seconded that said papers be printed in the pro-
ceedings of the Congress. Carried.
These papers will be found in Part II. of this report.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: The Secretary -will now read the report of
the committee appointed on permanent location of business headquarters.
The Secretary read, as follows:
To the President, Officers and Members of the American Mining Congress:
Your Committee on Building and Location of Permanent Headquar-
ters for the Congress beg leave to report as follows:
The Secretary of the Congress has given notice to a number of cities
to make application through the proper channels expressing their desire
for such location of such headquarters. Of these only two cities have ex-
pressed a desire to obtain the honor Denver, Colorado, and Salt Lake
City, Utah, have taken up the matter and their representatives are here
to press their claims.
These cities are both favorably located in the central part of the
mining country, and either would be desirable. Both will offer desirable
land for the building of suitable buildings, as well as financial aid. No
doubt the Legislature of either of these states would appropriate money
for the aid of the Congress. When the headquarters is permanently lo-
cated there is but little question that large subscriptions can be obtained
from successful mining men and others, this money to be expended in the
construction of suitable buildings, and the support of the same, where
the ores of the country can be placed on exhibition to remain there per-
manently. This cannot be done .while we are tramping from place to
place, without buildings or headquarters of any kind.
The committee would strongly recommend that one of these two
cities be selected, and desirable terms made with 'them for the building
and grounds required by this Congress.
Respectfully submitted,
THOMAS EWING, Chairman.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: You have heard the report of the com-
mittee appointed on Permanent Headquarters read. What is your pleas-
ure with this report? A motion to adopt it will be in order.
MR. H. S. CLARKE, OF BUTTE, MONTANA: I move that the re-
port of the Committee be adopted.
The motion was seconded, and upon being put to vote by the Chair,
was declared adopted.
MR. R. C. PATTERSON, OF OMAHA: Has the Committee on Memo-
rial Resolutions reported?
34 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: The Chairman has not appointed that
committee, but I will attend to it at once.
A MEMBER: Was not there a Committee on Credentials appointed?
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: That committee has been appointed, but
lias not yet reported. Mr. Bates of Portland is chairman of that commit-
tee.
MR. R. C. PATTERSON, OF OMAHA: That committee will report as
soon as all of the credentials are in. There are more expected to be
here to-night and to-morrow, and the Committee on Credentials will prob-
ably not be able to report until Friday morning at 10 o'clock.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: It will probably be necessary to have
the report by Thursday noon.
MR. H. S. JOSEPH. OF UTAH: It seems to me the Committee on
Credentials have had ample time to attend to their duty. Other com-
mittees, and I am proud to say among them the Program Committee, have
attended to their duties in due time. It seems to me the Credentials
Committee ought to come in with their report not later than Thursday
morning.
MR. R. C. PATTERSON, OF OMAHA: I withdraw what I said about
Friday morning; I meant Thursday morning, because I knew there was a
vote to be taken here Thursday afternoon probably, and we will want to
know who are entitled to vote, and the committee will report not later
than Thursday morning at the opening of the morning session.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: I might suggest that it is going to be
an important question, as I understand, for you to consider whether you
can vote by proxy; that is one question under this character of incorpora-
tion; and the other question is whether or not a delegate who is not a
member can vote on a business matter of the corporation. Those two
questions, if possible, ought to be decided at this session.
MR. R. C. PATTERSON, OF OMAHA: I am glad you have made the
suggestion. Inasmuch as we seem to have a few minutes to spare, would
It not be wise to hear from those who hare something to say on that
point?
MR. H. S. JOSEPH, OF UTAH: In order to bring Mr. Patterson's
proposition before the Congress, I now move you that the report of the
Credentials Committee be made a special order for 10 o'clock Thursday
morning.
The motion was seconded, and upon being put to vote by the Chair,
was declared carried.
Thereupon the Congress adjourned to 8 o'clock P. M., August 23,
1904.
SECOND DAYNIGHT SESSION.
The Congress convened August 23, 1904, at 8 o'clock P. M.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: It is one of the pleasing duties of my
official experience to introduce the gentleman who will address you to-
night. He is of robust manhood, he met with an accident to-day, but I
am informed that he is not an object of sympathy, and he says he thinks
the audience is to be sympathized with to-night. I hare the pleasure of
introducing to you Chancellor E. B. Andrews of Nebraska, who will now
address you.
Chancellor Andrews' address will be found in Part II. of this report.
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 35
A MEMBER: I move that this audience extend a vote of thanks to
Chancellor Andrews for his masterly address.
The question was called for, and, upon being put by the Chair, was
declared unanimously carried.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: The Secretary has some resolutions he
desires to read.
The Secretary read the following resolution:
Committee Room, August 23, 1904.
The Committee on Resolutions respectfully reports back the follow-
ing resolution, designated as Resolution No. 4, introduced by Dr. E. R.
Buckley, of Missouri, and, by unanimous vote, recommends its adoption by
the Congress.
E. R. BUCKLEY, Chairman.
J. E. TALMAGE, Secretary.
Received August 23, Afternoon Session.
RESOLUTION NO. 4.
By E. R. Buckley: Amend Article 12 by striking out the word "Con-
gress" in the second line of Section 1, and all of Section 2, and inserting
in line one (1) of Section one (1) before the word "place" 4 the words
"time and" and substituting for the word "Congress" in the second line
the words "Board of Directors." so that the article as amended shall
read as follows :
ARTICLE XII.
Section 1. The time and place of holding the annual session shall
be determined by the Board of Directors.
Also amend No. 13, Section 3, by striking out all of the first sentence
and the first five words of the second sentence, including "This shall be
followed by," and adding to this sentence the words "shall be a special
order for two o'clock on the afternoon of the last day," so that the sec-
tion, when thus amended, shall read as follows:
Section 3. The election of the Board of Directors and the adoption
of a resolution addressed to the Board of Directors naming those to be
elected by the Board as Officers of the Congress for the ensuing year
shall be a special order for two o'clock on the afternoon of the last day.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: What is your pleasure as to the resolu-
tion as read?
MR. E. R. BUCKLEY, OF MISSOURI: I will move you that the re-
port of the committee be adopted.
The motion was seconded, and, upon being put by the Chair, was
declared adopted.
The Secretary read the following resolution and report:
Committee Room, August 23, 1904.
The Committee on Resolutions respectfully reports back the follow-
ing resolution, designated as Resolution No. 6, introduced by Judge Rich-
ards of Idaho, and, by unanimous vote, recommends its adoption by the
Congress.
E. R. BUCKLEY, Chairman.
J. E. TALMAGE, Secretary.
RESOLUTION NO. 6.
By Judge J. H. Richards: Whereas, the great majority of mines can
not be operated without timber, and their output of ore is limited by the
available timber supply; and,
Whereas, forest reserves are by law open to prospecting, locating and
development of mines, as other public lands, with the single exception
that large users of timber must pay a reasonable government charge
therefor; and,
36 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
Whereas, the cutting and export of timber from mineral regions by
large corporations constitutes a serious menace to the mining industry;
and,
Whereas, the Department of Agriculture has given special attention
to the question of timber supply for mining and other purposes, and is
the only government department equipped to deal with all the varied,
far-reaching and important problems involved in the continuous produc-
tion of timber from the soil; therefore, be it
Resolved, that The American Mining Congress heartily favors the
conservative use of forest resources, whether in public or private hands,
and in particular the creation and management of forest reserves under
practical, business-like rules and regulations to the end that local timber
supplies may be maintained for mining and other uses; and,
Resolved, that the interest of the mining industry, to which timber
and water are alike essential, the care and management of all govern-
ment forest reserves, except as to titles, should be transferred from the
General Land Office to the United States Department of Agriculture, in
accordance with the recommendations of the President, the Secretary of
the Interior, and the Commissioner of the General Land Office.
A MEMBER: I move that the resolution just read be adopted.
The motion was seconded, and, upon being put to a vote, was de-
clared adopted.
THIRD DAY MORNING SESSION.
! Thursday, August 24, 1904, 10 o'clock A. M.
^RESIDENT RICHARDS : The Congress will be in order. We have
some resolutions to announce that have been reported by the Committee
on Resolutions.
The Secretary read the following resolutions, together with the re-
ports of the Committee on Resolutions thereon, to-wit:
Committee Room, August 23, 1904.
The Committee on Resolutions respectfully reports back the .follow-
ing resolution, designated as Resolution No. 7, introduced by Mr. T. A.
Rickard, of New York, and, by unanimous vote, recommends its adop-
tion by the Congress.
E. R. BUCKLEY, Chairman.
J. E. TALMAGE, Secretary.
By T. A. Rickard, New York.
Whereas, this Congress earnestly desires to see the business of
mining placed on a sound basis; therefore, be it
Resolved, that this Congress record its appreciation of the success-
ful efforts of the Postoffice Department of the National Government in
preventing the misuse of the mails for fraudulent mining schemes.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: What is your pleasure with the resolu-
tion?
MR. DERN, OF UTAH: I move the adoption of the resolution as
read.
The motion was seconded and carried.
The Secretary then read the report of the committee on Resolution
No. 10, introduced by Mr. Cleary of Washington, and also the resolution.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: What is your pleasure with the resolu-
tion and the recommendation of the committee that it be not adopted?
MR. CLEARY, OF WASHINGTON: Mr. President and Gentlemen:
This resolution is offered in good faith. The object is this: You all
know what a prospector's trials are. He is a child of Nature. His will
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 37
and his energy, naught can compare with them. When he locates a min-
ing deposit in the wilds of Nature, the law says to him, "You shall be
guided in unsurveyed land by certain objects and monuments." He acts
according to that law. The land is surveyed in time. Perhaps the loca-
tor is at another place, following his lot, as you might call it. Behind
him comes the parasite which ever follows every ambitious man; he
finds a loophole; he can come in with agricultural scrip, timber or stone
scrip, or any other kind of scrip. Inside of two months he has passed
up his proof. What is that proof? Two men to declare that the land is
non-mineral. You can pick that kind of people up anywhere; they know
no more about mineralogy or geology than a jackass does of theology.
Now, where does the prospector come in? You know as well as any-
body that he is a poor man; he carries his fortune in his pocket or on his
back. He goes to the land office; it has passed up the patent. Is it not
fair that the sense of that resolution should prevail, that you must put
up your notices on the ground, on the trail, at the nearest postoffice, as
well as at the land office? The way it is now they publish a notice in an
obscure paper in an out-of-the-way column, three insertions, and your
prospector is nabbed. There are 800 claims across the river here, and
this whole country is wrangling over these scrip claims. Do you mean to
encourage this kind of work, comrades? It only requires an amendment
to our land laws. That is the sense of that resolution. I ask you to refer
it back to the committee. It was my misfortune to miss being here or I
should have presented the case before the committee. I ask you to refer
it back to the committee.
COLONEL CRAWFORD, OF OREGON: Mr. President, the matter
that my friend, Mr. Cleary, of Washington, spoke about, is to-day one of
the most important matters before this Congress. There is too much
patchwork all through this country of ours, and we miners are asserting
our rights before this magnificent body of men to-day in order that we
may find out where we stand and how we stand on the question of min-
eral deposits in the United States, that belong to the miner, and not to the
adventurer, not to the schemer, not to the plasterer of a location notice,
but to the hardy son of toil.
The motion to refer the resolution back to the Committee on Resolu-
tions was seconded, and, upon being put to vote by the Chair, was declared
carried.
THE SECRETARY: The Committee on Resolutions reports back the
following resolution:
Committee Room, August 23, 1904.
The Committee on Resolutions respectfully reports back the following
resolution, designated as Resolution No. 12, introduced by Mr. Steele, of
Alaska, and, by unanimous vote, recommends that it be not adopted by
the Congress.
E. R. BUCKLEY, Chairman.
J. E. TALMAGE, Secretary.
RESOLUTION NO. 12.
J. L. Steele, Alaska.
Whereas, the District of Alaska has a population of nearly 70,000
American citizens, a large majority of whom are miners and prospectors;
and.
Whereas, these pioneers have no way of obtaining redress for their
grievances, except by a personal appeal to Congress; ana,
Whereas, these appeals must be made to Representatives or Senators
from other localities who have the welfare of their own districts and
constituents to care for, and consequently these personal appeals have
as yet been of no avail or benefit; and.
Whereas, it is the wish and desire of all Alaskans that they be repre-
sented in Congress of the United States by a delegate elected by the
38 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
popular vote of the people, to the end that such laws may be enacted
that will be to the benefit of mining and other interests; therefore, be it
Resolved, that The American Mining Congress, in their regular con-
vention assembled in Portland, Oregon, August, 1904, do heartily indorse
this wish of Alaskans, as by so doing the great mineral storehouses of
the North Land will be more speedily developed; and, be it further
Resolved, that this Congress will use every honorable means to se-
cure to Alaska that representation our forefathers fought for at Bunker
Hill; and, be it further
Resolved, that this Congress appeal to the Congress of the United
States for their consideration at the next session, asking for immediate
action, to the end that these hardy Americans may enjoy the privilege
of representation according to the rights guaranteed in our Constitution.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: What is your pleasure with the report of
the committee?
MR. E. R. BUCKLEY, OF MISSOURI: I move you that the recom-
mendation of the committee be adopted, and that the resolution be not con-
curred in by this Congress.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS : It has been moved and seconded that the
report of the committee be adopted, and that this resolution be not con-
curred in by this body. Are you ready for this question?
MR. H. S. JOSEPH, OF UTAH: Mr. President and Members of the
Congress: I think as a body representing the mining industry of the
world, we are entitled to know the reason why the Committee on Reso-
lutions is turning down these resolutions. Let them give an explanation
here to the satisfaction of the Congress. That is what we are here for.
The Committee on Resolutions is composed of representatives from the
different delegations. At the time these resolutions are considered by
the committee those interested, or those who introduced these resolutions,
are allowed the privilege of presenting their claim, but you here ought to
be advised of the reason why these resolutions are turned down. We
want to know what is going on in the Committee on Resolutions. We
don't want any star chamber proceedings; we want everything open and
above board before this Congress.
MR. E. R. BUCKLEY: The Chairman of the Committee on Resolu-
tions has been called on to make a report. I think the gentlemen of this
Congress are entitled to an explanation of the position which was taken
by the Committee on Resolutions with reference to this resolution. I
wish to say that the Committee on Resolutions do not care to place them-
selves on record as opposed to Alaska having a representation in the Na-
tional Congress, and it would have been better, probably, if the Com-
mittee on Resolutions had recommended that the resolution be laid on
the table instead of recommending that it be npt concurred ' in. How-
ever, the Committee on Resolutions are opposed to passing any resolu-
tion in which matters of purely a local nature, and not of national inter-
est, are considered, and especially any resolution which affects at all the
political interests of the country. This Congress, if it is to be success-
ful, must be removed entirely and completely from politics; politics must
not enter into any of the considerations or deliberations of this Con-
gress, and the Committee on Resolutions will take this position with re-
spect to all resolutions which are presented to them for consideration.
MR. JOSEPH T. CORNFORTH, OF ALASKA, then addressed the
Congress at length, in favor of the adoption of the resolution.
MR. J. L. STEELE, OF ALASKA, then addressed the Congress at
length, in favor of the adoption of the resolution.
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 39
MR. J. E. TALMAGE, OF UTAH: I agree perfectly that this Con-
gress is entitled to know any reasons the Committee on Resolutions may
have for any action that it may take; as has been so strongly demanded
by my boisterous colleague from Utah. But I beg to add that the Com-
mittee on Resolutions, like your other committees, has been created, as
I understand it, for the purpose of saving the valuable time of this Con-
gress in open session, and that notices have been posted of these resolu-
tions and a copy of each resolution announcing the time at which the
committee would consider it, and inviting all who were interested to come
there and present their reasons in its favor. The Committee on Resolu-
tions have reported this back with the recommendation that it be not
adopted, not because they are not in sympathy with Alaska, but for the
simple reason that it is their conviction that they have no jurisdiction
of the matter.
Mr. Talmage addressed the Congress somewhat at length, explaining
that it was not the province of the Mining Congress to pass on the status
of States and Territories and districts with reference to representation in
Congress.
MR. IRWIN MAHON, OF PENNSYLVANIA, then addressed the Con-
gress, in favor of the resolution.
MR. STEELE, OF ALASKA: I want to move a substitute. , I move
you, sir, that the report of the Committee on Resolutions be not concurred
in, and that the resolution be adopted by this Congress.
MR. H. S. JOSEPH, OF UTAH: I second the motion.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: It is moved and seconded that a substi-
tute be adopted, that the report of the committee be not concurred in, and
that the resolution be adopted as read. Under the rules of this body
the chairman of the committee has the right to close the debate.
MR. E. R. BUCKLEY, OF MISSOURI: Gentlemen of the Congress:
I have listened with a great deal of interest to the remarks of the gen-
tleman from Alaska, and from our Honorable Secretary. I think that
each member of this committee appreciates the position which is main-
tained by the gentlemen from Alaska. We understand the magnificent
resources of Alaska, and, as individuals, we would do anything within
our power to further the interests of Alaska. But you come before our
committee asking us to pass favorably upon resolutions coming to us
from every part of the United States, which are local in their nature,
which are political in their nature, and which subordinate the one great
object of this Mining Congress the establishment of a Department of
Mines and Mining. You ask us, gentlemen, to curtail our influence with
the National Government for the establishment of that department, by
passing not one, but fifteen or twenty resolutions directed to that Na-
tional Congress pertaining to matters which are of local, and not na-
tional importance. I say to these gentlemen that as long as this commit-
tee, which you have appointed to pass upon these resolutions, is in ses-
sion, no resolution will be recommended which may in any way lessen
our influence in the establishment of a Department of Mines and Mining.
Gentlemen, I wish to say that this committee is in session every morn-
ing at 8 o'clock; it is in session until the Congress is convened in the
morning; it is in session at noon, and it is in session after the afternoon
session is completed, and that any member of this Congress interested
in any resolution which comes before that committee, may have a hear-
ing before that committee. We have posted the resolution on the bulletin
board; we have given notice when those resolutions are to be considered,
and that is the place and the time for the members who are interested in
those resolutions to appear and present their arguments in favor of or
against such resolutions. Gentlemen, I claim that it is wrong for mem-
bers to ignore the opportunity to appear before that committee and
40 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
speak in behalf of resolutions, and then come before this Congress in
session and take its time, especially in matters which do not pertain to
or come under the jurisdiction of this body. If the gentlemen from
Alaska desire a hearing upon this resolution, we would be glad to take
that resolution back and give them another opportunity to be heard; we
would be glad to reconsider that resolution; but I wish to give the mem-
bers of this Congress warning, at this time, that other resolutions which
are presented to that committee and returned unfavorably will not be
taken back, if you neglect the opportunity to be heard before that com-
mittee.
Gentlemen, this committee demands the respect of this Congress.
The actions of this committee can not be ignored by this Congress. You
cannot remain at your hotels in the morning until 10 o'clock while that
committee is in session, and, when a resolution is adversely reported,
pass these resolutions over the heads of that committee. If you want a
hearing before that committee you have the privilege. This committee
is not a close corporation; it is a committee appointed by this Congress,
and we stand ready to hear every argument that any man in this Con-
gress desires to make with respect to any resolution which comes before it.
A member of the Congress arose.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: The debate is closed. The Chair an-
nounced that the Chairman of the Committee on Resolutions had a right
under the resolution to close the debate. The question now is on the sub-
stitute.
MR. DITTMAR, OF CALIFORNIA: I should think, under the circum-
stances, other remarks are in order.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: That is all right, but it gives the Chair-
man of the Committee the right to close again.
SEVERAL MEMBERS : Let him close again.
MR. DITTMAR: Mr. President and Fellow Delegates: I have lis-
tened to the arguments advanced here by the members of the commit-
tee, and also the delegates from Alaska and their friends, and it seems to
me that this is not a question merely of considering the wishes of a
committee, but should first, last and always be a question of considering
the necessities of a great and important section of the mining industry
of the American nation.
While I agree with my friends of the committee in the argument that
they advance, that it is right and proper for any one who. presents a reso-
lution to appear before that committee and there present what they desire
to say, yet they certainly should have the opportunity thereafter, if that
committee should report adversely, to appear upon the floor of this Con-
gress and ask the delegates to pass their judgment upon it in a session at
large. That is a right and a rule recognized in all assemblages. I have
never seen an attempt made to delegate to a few men the rights of an
entire body.
My friends, so far as Alaska is concerned, in asking for a representa-
tive in the National Congress, Alaska is not going outside of the rights
of this Congress in asking for its endorsement. If this Congress has the
right to recommend anything, or to express its opinion on any subject,
it has a right to express its opinion on the subject at present under con-
sideration, and while I do not wish to suggest that this body act over
the heads of the committee, as it has been expressed, I believe that the
Committee on Resolutions, when it gives sober reflection to the question at
issue, will agree, that certainly the body which has created it is greater
than the body it has created. I wish, my friends, in closing these few
remarks on this line, to second the motion which was made by the gen-
tleman from Alaska I do not believe that motion has been seconded
to pass the resolution, and if the Committee on Resolutions wishes to
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 41
reconsider and report the resolution and let the body act without a rec-
ommendation, I am willing, out of consideration for the committee, to
make that as an amendment, or to stand for an amendment of that charac-
ter, and I believe that is the best thing for the committee to do, because
the resolution will most assuredly pass.
COLONEL CRAWFORD, OF OREGON: Taking the stand of a com-
mon miner, Mr. President, I do not know much about parliamentary rules,
and regulations. But our boys from Alaska wandered up there when Will-
iam Henry Seward bought Alaska, and when men in Washington said,
"My Lord! what are they buying Alaska for, for an ice house for the
United States?" I heard that when I was a young man on the streets
of Washington. Yet Alaska has paid more into the government treasury
than any other State we have purchased. We have a band of miners up
there who are struggling for representation. Without haggling about this
thing or that thing, let us as miners of the United States of America
endorse the request of our boys from Alaska, and do it with a will. That
is all I've got to say.
MR. JONES, OF ALASKA: Gentlemen of the Convention: I do not
believe for a minute that there is any delegate here that wishes to treat
the Committee on Resolutions with discourtesy, but you have heard their
explanation, that there has been little, if any, appearance on the part of
the movers of resolutions before that committee. They have also ex-
pressed to you that they are in hearty accord with the principles set
forth by the mover of the resolution, but believing that it was not ger-
mane to the questions for which this Congress has convened, they have
seen fit to recommend and, perhaps unfortunately, in the language
thereof, that it be not granted. Now, as a matter of justice and in the
interest of harmony, I think if the Chair could entertain a motion to re-
commit at this time I don't know whether it would be in order that
thereby it would remove what now appears to be an action on the part
of this Congress which is very discourteous to their Committee on Reso-
lutions, who have been doing really the work of this Congress.
SEVERAL MEMBERS: No. no.
MR. JONES OF ALASKA: You have all disapproved of one of the
recommendations of the Committee on Resolutions; this is the second
this morning for your consideration and there may be a great many
others. Are we not establishing a precedent that would practically mean
that you do not care for the further services of your Committee on Reso-
lutions? They are certainly worthy of some consideration from this
Congress, and I believe that the committee can word its report so as to
remove the seeming appearance of being adverse to the resolution, and
if the Chair will entertain the motion, I would move that it be re-com-
mitted to the Committee on Resolutions.
The motion was seconded.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS : It is moved and seconded that this report
be re-committed to the Committee on Resolutions for further consider-
ation.
MR. M. D. LEEHEY OF WASHINGTON: Mr. President, as a mem-
ber of the Committee on Resolutions and as an ardent advocate of the
proposition of a delegate from Alaska, I am opposed to the motion made
by my colleague, Mr. Jones.
The Committee on Resolutions have been compelled to take this
stand that the purpose of this resolution was foreign to the Congress.
They have taken that stand. Now, it will do no good to refer that to
the Committee on Resolutions, because I am satisfied that every mem-
ber of that committee is in favor of this motion, if it were within the
purview of this Congress. If this Congress sees fit to pass this motion of
42 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
Mr. Steele of Alaska, and not concur in the report of the Committee
on Resolutions, you will thereby say as a Congress that it is within the
purview of its work, and you will relieve the committee from further re-
sponsibility. (A Voice: Yes, that is right.) Mr. President, I am opposed
to the motion of Mr. Jones and prefer to have the vote taken on the
motion of Mr. Steele.
THE PRESIDENT: The question is on the motion to re-commit
this resolution to the Committee on Resolutions. Are you ready for the
question? (Putting the question.) The "noes" have it. It is lost. The
question now recurs on the substitute, that is, that the report of the
committee be not concurred in and that the resolution be adopted as read.
(Putting the question.) The "ayes" have it and the resolution is
adopted.
The Secretary read a resolution offered by Mr. T. A. Rickard of New
York that El Paso be selected as the place for holding the annual session
of 1905, and it was referred to the Committee on Resolutions. Said res-
olution is set out in full in a subsequent session, with the report of the
committee.
The Secretary also read the following resolution by A. L. Mjorris:
Whereas, Much of the money lost in mining stocks and investments
by those who are not acquainted with the workings of the mines is due
to the fictitious reports made by many who are not qualified to make such
reports; and,
Whereas, There are no laws governing the qualification of the mining
engineers of the country; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the legislatures of the mining states be urged to
enact such laws governing the licensing and qualifications of such as are
deemed best in their own judgment, making the basis the same as on
examinations for lawyers, doctors or other professional occupations.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: The resolution will be referred to the
committee.
MR. JOSEPH OF UTAH: Mr. President, having presented a reso-
lution, I have been the recipient of many courtesies from the Committee
on Resolutions. I have been before them and they have given me a re-
spectful hearing; but I do take umbrage at the remarks of the honorable
secretary of that committee in referring to the "very boisterous member
from Utah." I only wish other members in this Congress were as bois-
terous.
I have a resolution here that should go with Resolution No. 5, and I
ask a hearing at the same time.
(Mr. Joseph then read his resolution, which in a somewhat modified
form, appears on page 49 of these proceedings, with the committee's report.
Continuing his remarks, he said) :
In order that the Congress may be enlightened upon this subject
(as there are few of us who know that such a law has been passed), I
will read the law; the bill passed by Congress at its last session and
signed by the President February 28, 1904, reads as follows:
"Section 2327. The description of vein or ledge claims upon sur-
veyed lands shall designate the location of the claims with reference to
the lines of the public survey, but need not conform therewith; but where
patents have been issued for claims upon unsurveyed lands, the surveyor-
general, in extending the public survey, shall adjust tne same to the
boundaries of patented claims so as in no case to interfere with or change
the true location of such claims as they are officially established upon the
ground. Where patents have issued for mineral lands, those lands only
shall be segregated and shall be deemed to be patented which are bounded
by the lines actually marked, defined and established upon the ground by
the monuments of the official survey upon which the patent grant is
based, and the surveyor-general in executing subsequent patents surveys,
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 43
whether upon surveyed or unsurveyed lands, shall be governed accord-
ingly. The said monuments shall at all times constitute the highest au-
thority as to what is patented, and in case of any conflict between the
said monuments of such patented claims and the description of said
claims in the patents issued therefor, the monuments on the ground
shall govern, and erroneous or inconsistent descriptions or calls in the
patent description shall give way thereto."
In conjunction with this, the Department of the Interior has sent out
the following letter to surveyor-generals, who in turn have sent them to
deputy United States mineral surveyors, and I believe that all mineral
claimants are so much interested in this question as to justify me in
reading it:
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, WASHINGTON,
August 8, 1904.
The Commissioner of the General Land Office:
Sir The Department is in receipt of a communication from your
office, dated July 19, 1904, submitting for consideration here draft of pro-
posed amendment of paragraph 147 of the official mining regulations. The
Department has deemed it necessary to make certain changes in the draft
submitted; and the paragraph in question, amended to read as follows,
is hereby approved:
"147. If an official mineral survey has been made in the vicinity,
within a reasonable distance, a further connecting line should be run to
some corner thereof; and in like manner all conflicting surveys and loca-
tions should be so connected, and the corner with which connection is
made in each case described. Such connections will be made and con-
flicts shown according to the boundaries of the neighboring or conflict-
ing claims as each is marked, defined, and actually established upon the
ground. The mineral surveyor will fully and specifically state in his re-
turn how and by what visible evidences he was able to identify on the
ground the several conflicting surveys and those which appear according
to their returned tie or boundary lines to conflict, if they were so iden-
tified, and report errors or discrepancies found by him in any such sur-
veys. In the survey of contiguous claims which constitute a consolidated
group, where corners are common, bearings should be mentioned but
once."
In this connection, it may be remarked that a mineral patent is
with the record in a mining case on appeal here, in which but one mon-
ument, stated therein to be situated at corner No. 1 of the claim there
in question, is found to be mentioned, notwithstanding four monuments
are referred to and described in the report of the deputy mineral sur-
veyor accompanying the approved survey of the claim, as marking the
four corners of the claim upon the ground. It has also been informally
reported to the department that the practice has prevailed in your office,
to a greater or less extent, of issuing mineral patents in which no men-
tion whatever is made of any of the monuments reported and described by
the deputy mineral surveyors.
Your attention is directed to the requirements under section 2325,
Revised Statutes, that an applicant for mineral patent shall file with his
application a plat and field notes of the claim or claims in common, made
by or under the direction of the United States Surveyor General, showing
accurately the boundaries of the claim or claims, which shall be distinctly
marked by monuments on the ground, and that within sixty days' period
of publication he shall file a certificate of the surveyor general that the
plat is correct, with such further description by such reference to natural
objects or permanent monuments as shall identify the claim, and fur-
nish an accurate description, to be incorporated in the patent.
In view of the foregoing and of the provisions of the mining regula-
tion pursuant thereto, it is to be observed that the practice referred to
is unauthorized and unwarranted. Hereafter, your office will be careful
to include in every mineral patent an adequate and accurate description
44 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
of each of the monuments reported in connection with the survey of the
claim for which the patent is to issue, and to state at the appropriate
point in the instrument the particular corner reported to be marked o-r
witnessed on the ground by each monument, and will also include therein
such additional bearings as may be reported in connection with any such
monuments, description of reported points of intersection with other ap-
proved surveys, and, generally, all data with respect to the designation
of the actual locus of the claim prescribed under or in connection with
paragraphs 34, 36, 38, 48, 143, 144, 145, 146 and 154 of the mining regula-
tions, as far as set forth in the report of the mineral surveyor. This re-
quirement will apply to all mineral patents not yet issued from your office.
In any case in which the report of a deputy mineral surveyor should con-
tain no mention and description of monuments as defining the boundaries
of a claim upon the ground, patent will be withheld until the claim shall
be shown to have been so denned, as required by the law and official regu-
lations, and the monuments are particularly described in a supplemental
report, duly approved by the surveyor general.
Very respectfully,
(Signed) THOS. RYAN, Acting Secretary.
A MEMBER: What is that resolution aimed at?
MR. H. S. JOSEPH, OF UTAH: The resolution is aimed at an amend-
ment to this law, so that in case the monuments are not found upon the
ground or cannot be identified, the records will then hold. That is the
object of the resolution.
The resolution was referred to the committee.
Mr. R. C. Patterson, of Nebraska, offered a resolution of thanks to
the President of the United States for his interest in mining and allied
industries, which was referred to the Committee on Resolutions, and sub-
stitute favorably reported, which is set out in the proceedings of the after-
noon session of the 24th.
MR. E. R. BUCKLEY, OF MISSOURI: Let me take just a moment
of your time and offer one suggestion to the members of this Congress,
and that is that they devote just a little more time to the wording of
the resolutions as presented to this Congress, and that they make them
perfectly clear. I know from personal knowledge that a considerable num-
ber of resolutions presented to this committee were thought of, say in the
morning, written within a half hour of the time the idea occurred to the
individual, and then presented to this Congress. I think the fact that Mr.
Joseph has modified his first resolution by reporting another is evidence
of the fact that resolutions should be given more careful consideration
by the members before being presented.
MR. J. A. ABBOTT, OF COLORADO: Mr. President: After consulta-
tion with a number of the representative members of this Mining Congress
and delegates here present, I have been requested to make, and do now
make, a motion that you appoint a committee of three to make a list for
submission to this Congress of nine members, who shall serve on the Ex-
ecutive Committee of this Congress for the ensuing year; that you appoint
a committee of three to carefully prepare a list of nominations of nine
executive officers to serve for the ensuing year.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: You make that as a motion?
MR. ABBOTT: I make it as a motion.
The motion was seconded.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: It is moved and seconded that the Chair
appoint a committee of three to present to this Congress nine names for
nomination as members of the Executive Committee for the coming year.
(Putting the question.) Carried.
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 45>
I am requested to announce that by the official call of the fifteenth
annual session of the Trans-Mississippi Commercial Congress, it will be
convened in St. Louis on October 25th, and the notice thereof will be
posted on the bulletin board here.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: The chairman of the Credentials Commit-
tee desires that all delegates and members file their credentials with the
Secretary so that the Chairman may report on those entitled to vote at
this Congress at the incoming of the afternoon session.
What is your further pleasure? We will take up the program. Dr.
Buckley was first on the program, but, as Colonel Crawford of Oregon will
be compelled to leave to-day, Dr. Buckley has kindly consented that
Colonel Crawford occupy his time.
COL. J. S. CRAWFORD, OF OREGON, then read a paper on "Elec-
tricity, Its Forces and Conditions, as Found in Geology."
THIRD DAY AFTERNOON SESSION.
August 24, 1904, 3 P. M.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: The Secretary has some announcements
to make.
SECRETARY MAHON: I wish to inform the Congress that our Pres-
ident, in the name of the Congress, sent forward yesterday evening the
following dispatch:
Mr. M. H. Lattimer, Seattle:
The seventh annual assembly of the American Mining Congress, now
in session in Portland, learns with much satisfaction that the cable con-
necting Portland, Seattle, and Alaska has just been completed, and desires
to extend through you their congratulations to the proper authorities on
the success of so great and wise an enterprise.
J. H. RICHARDS. President.
To this message the following answer has just been received:
J. H. Richards, President of the Mining Congress, Portland, Oregon.
People of Seattle thank you and the American Mining Congress for
kind message on connecting Alaska cable.
SEATTLE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE,
JOHN SCHRAM, President.
I have the following resolution to report:
Committee Room, August 24, 1904.
The Committee on Resolutions respectfully reports back the following
resolution, designated as Resolution No. 14, introduced by Mr. Rickard, of
New York, and without recommendation.
E. R. BUCKLEY, Chairman.
J. E. TALMAGE, Secretary.
RESOLUTION NO. 14.
T. A. Rickard, of New York.
Whereas, it is believed that much good must accrue to the Congress
by holding a session on the Mexican border; and,
Whereas, the Texas delegation has guaranteed an enthusiastic recep-
tion on the part of their people; and,
Whereas, El Paso has offered this body liberal support; therefore,
be it
Resolved, that this Congress recommends to the Board of Directors
the selection of El Paso as the city in which to hold the annual session for
1905.
46 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
PRESIDENT RICHARDS : What is your pleasure with the resolution
which is reported back without recommendation?
MR. COBB, OF TEXAS, then addressed the Congress in favor of the
adoption of the resolution.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: What is your pleasure with the resolu-
tion?
MR. GARRIGUS, OF OREGON:: I move the adoption of the resolu-
tion as read.
The motion was duly seconded, and upon being put to a vote, was
unanimously carried, and the resolution adopted.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: At this morning session Mr. Abbott made
a motion that the Chair appoint a committee of three to nominate candi-
dates for directors of this Congress during the ensuing year. In order to
make that committee harmonious and fitting, it seems to me that it
should consist of five. If there is no objection to making it five instead
of three, I am ready to announce that committee.
MR. ABBOTT, OF COLORADO: I accept that suggestion, Mr. Presi-
dent.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: I have appointed the following as that
committee :
Col. Thomas Ewing, of California; Geo. W. E. Dorsey, of Nebraska;
J. F. Callbreath, of Colorado; M. P. Gilbert, of Utah; Zach Lamar Cobb,
of Texas.
MR. DERN, OF UTAH: I think you credited to Utah one who is not
a delegate from Utah. Mr. Gilbert is a delegate from Los Angeles.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: That was an oversight. I will appoint
John Dern, of Utah.
We have on our program this afternoon, first, an address by Dr. E.
R. Buckley, of Missouri, on "Functions of the State Geological Survey and
Bureau of Geology and Mines."
Mr. Buckley then gave a short address on the subject announced.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: We will now be favored with an address
by Col. John Daggett, of California, on the "Mineral Resources of Califor-
nia."
Address will be found in Part II.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS : The Secretary will make an announcement.
SECRETARY MAHON: If all delegates who desire to attend the
theater this evening, with their friends, will come to the stage, we will
supply them with tickets.
MR. DITTMAR, OF CALIFORNIA: I wish to inquire if there is a
program for this evening?
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: A reception at the Commercial Club this
evening.
MR. JOSEPH, OF UTAH: Mr. President: You will recollect the
special order at 10 o'clock to-morrow morning is the taking up of the re-
port of the Committee on Credentials.
Upon motion, duly seconded, the Congress adjourned until 10 o'clock
A. M., August 25, 1904.
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 4T
FOURTH DAY MORNING SESSION.
August 25, 10 A. M.
The Congress was called to order by the President.
Read by title: "The Mining Resources of South Carolina," by E. J.
Watson.
This address is included in Part II. of this report:
Secretary Mahon read the following report of the Committee on Reso-
lutions :
Committee Room, August 24, 1904.
The Committee on Resolutions respectfully reports back the follow-
ing resolution, designated as Resolution No. 15, substitute introduced by
Mr. Patterson, of Nebraska, and, by unanimous vote, recommends its
adoption by the Congress.
E. R. BUCKLEY, Chairman.
J. E. TALMAGE, Secretary.
RESOLUTION NO. 15.
By Mr. Patterson, of Nebraska.
Be it resolved, that the thanks of this Congress be and are hereby
tendered to the President of the United States for the interest he has
taken in the works of the Congress as evidenced by the appointment of
delegates to represent the government in our deliberation and for assign-
ing Professor Newell of the Reclamation Service and Professor Pinchot of
the Bureau of Forest Reserve to address this Congress.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: What is your pleasure with the resolution?
It was moved and seconded that the resolution as read be adopted.
Carried.
The Secretary announced Resolution No. 9, substitute, introduced by
James G. Giben, of "Washington, returned by committee with recommenda-
tion that it "be forwarded to Mr. Newell, of the Land Commission, cre-
ated by the President of the United States."
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: What is your pleasure with the resolu-
tion?
MR. BUCKLEY, OF MISSOURI: I move the adoption of the sub-
stitute resolution as recommended by the committee.
The motion was seconded.
MR. STEELE, OF ALASKA: Mr. President: Would it be in order
to ask the Secretary to read the last clause of that resolution again? (It
was read as requested.) Mr. President: I can not understand what that
means when it says, "Not more than two claims in each district." If that
applies to Alaska, we would have to apply it to the judicial districts or to
the commissioner's districts; and some of our districts are larger than
States; and if it means that not more than two claims can be located in
each of those districts, it seems to me it would work a hardship. If I
am not right in its interpretation, I want to be put right.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: That is the way it reads.
MR. STEELE: Then I would move to amend that resolution by mak-
ing it "not more than two placer claims on any one creek."
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: Would it not be better to have it referred
back to the committee and have the pr/oper amendment made there?
The motion was seconded.
MR. BUCKLEY: I wish to explain that this resolution was referred
to two gentlemen on the committee who were specially familiar with that
ubject. Personally I have no familiarity with placer mining, and I would
be very glad to have that resolution come back to the committee.
48 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: If there is no objection, then, the Chair
will refer it back to the committee.
The Secretary announced the following resolution as having been re-
turned by the Committee on Resolutions, with recommendation, to-wit:
Committee Room, August 24, 1904.
The Committee on Resolutions respectfully reports back the accom-
panying resolution, designated as Resolution No. 10, introduced by Mr.
Cleary, of Washington, and recommends that said resolution be forwarded
to Mr. Newell, of the Land Commission, created by the President of the
United States, said commission having as its specific duty the recom-
mendation of modifications of the present laws governing the public do-
main.
E. R. BUCKLEY, Chairman.
J. E. TALMAGE, Secretary.
RESOLUTION NO. 10.
John M. Cleary, Washington.
Be it resolved, that in any mineral zone where a mining right exists,
all conflicting right to patent, agricultural or scrip, shall go through same
procedure as application for final mineral proof and patent, full compli-
ance as to notices, press and postoffices and highways and grounds.
The prospector is handicapped and his rights are defeated by the
present methods of final proof.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: What is your pleasure with the resolu-
tion?
It was moved and seconded that the report of the committee be
adopted. Carried.
Secretary Mahon read the following resolution, with the report of the
committee thereon:
Committee Room, August 24, 1904.
The Committee on Resolutions respectfully reports back the accom-
panying resolution, designated as Resolution No. 16B, said No. 16B being
a substitute for No. 16, and this in turn a substitute for No. 5, intro-
duced by Mr. Joseph, of Utah, and recommends that said resolution be
forwarded to Mr. Newell, of the Land Commission, created by the Presi-
dent of the United States, said Commission having as its specific duty the
recommendation of modifications of the present laws governing the pub-
lic domain.
E. R. BUCKLEY, Chairman.
J. E. TALMAGE, Secretary.
Papers accompanying the resolutions and substitutes are returned
herewith.
RESOLUTION NO. 16 "B."
By H. S. Josephs, of Utah.
Whereas, according to Section 2327, of Revised Statutes of the
United States, passed by Congress at its last session and signed by the
President February 8, 1904, no provision is made whereby a claim can go
to patent in the absence of monument after the survey thereof is ap-
proved; and,
Whereas, by reason of such omission in the law, the mineral claim-
ants throughout the United States will be put to a needless and vast ex-
pense; therefore, be it
Resolved, by the American Mining Congress in convention assem-
bled August, 1904, that a recommendation be made to the Land Commis-
sion appointed by the President of the United States, that it may rec-
ommend in turn an amendment to said Section 2327, providing that in the
loss or absence of monuments from mining claims, the Surveyor General's
record of such survey shall govern and constitute the highest authority.
(The "papers accompanying the resolutions" are set out in Mr. Jos-
ephs' original discussion when offering the resolution, on page 42.
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 49
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: What is your pleasure with the report
and resolution?
It was moved and seconded that the report of the committee be
adopted. Carried.
Secretary Mahon read Resolution No. 8, with the report of the
Committee on Resolutions thereon.
Committee Room, August 24, 1904.
The Committee on Resolutions respectfully reports back the following
resolution, designated as Resolution No. 8, introduced by Mr. Drake, of
Oregon, and, by unanimous vote, recommends its adoption by the Con-
gress.
E. R. BUCKLEY, Chairman.
J. E. TALMAGE, Secretary.
RESOLUTION NO. 8.
Whereas, the establishment of assay offices, selected with great care,
so as to best accommodate the great mining districts in the different sec-
tions of the United States, are great aids in the development of the min-
ing industry of America; therefore,
Resolved, that this Congress recommends to the Congress of the
United States the establishment of such assay offices at appropriate loca-
tions in different sections of the United States, the locations of which to
be selected with great care; and,
Whereas, at the last session of Congress, Senate Bill No. 280, entitled
"A bill to establish an Assay Office at Portland, Oregon," was reported
unanimously from the Senate Committee on Finance, and passed the Sen-
ate without a dissenting vote, and which bill is now pending before the
Committee on Coinage, Weights and Measures of the National House of
Representatives; and,
Whereas, the State of Oregon is rapidly developing into one of the
richest mineral States in the Union, having, according to the report of
the Geological Survey, produced between the years 1862 and 1902, gold and
silver of the aggregate value of $115,000,000; and,
Whereas, the State is divided into three great mineral districts,
namely, Eastern Oregon, Middle or Central Oregon, and Southern Ore-
gon; and.
Whereas, the nearest assay office to any portion of these vast mineral
districts is Boise, Idaho, on the east, Seattle, Washington, on the north,
and Sari Francisco, California, on the south; and,
Whereas, it is, in the judgment of this Congress, important in the
interest of the general development of the mineral industry of the United
States that an assay office should be established at the City of Portland,
in the State of Oregon; therefore, be it further
Resolved, that this Congress favors the passage of said bill through
the National House of Representatives at the next session of Congress,
and earnestly appeals to the House Committee on Coinage, Weights and
Measures, and to the National House of Representatives, to give said
bill favorable consideration at its next session.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: What is your pleasure with the resolu-
tion?
It was moved and seconded that it be adopted. Carried.
The Secretary then read letters from Dr. J. A. Holmes, of St. Louis,
Missouri, and J. J. Guentherodt, of Nevada City, California.
MR. DODGE, OF OREGON: Mr. President, before the Congress takes
up the regular order of business I wish, in behalf of the members and
delegates who attended the pleasant reception at the Commercial Club
last evening, to offer a resolution and move its adoption. I will ask the
secretary to read it.
The Secretary read the resolution.
50 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
MR. JOSEPHS, OF UTAH: Mr. President: I also have a resolution,
which I wish to read, and move its adoption.
The resolution was read.
MR. PATTERSON, OF OMAHA: I move that the rules be suspended,
and the resolution as read be adopted by a rising vote.
MR. JOSEPHS: I second the motion.
MR. BUCKLEY (the motion having been put by the Chair) : I sim-
ply wish you to say that the Resolutions Committee this morning ap-
pointed a sub-committee to draft resolutions of thanks covering the en-
tire convention, and it has started to prepare such a resolution. If these
were referred to that committee they would be embodied in that general
resolution. I am not opposed to these resolutions, but would be glad to
have them referred to this sub-committee.
MR. DODGE : I move that they be referred to that committee.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: They will be so referred.
MR. DERN, OF UTAH: Mr. President: I wish to offer the following
resolution:
RESOLUTION. *
Portland, Oregon, August 25, 1904.
By John Dern, Salt Lake City, Utah.
Whereas, the Hon. Geo. H. Williams, Mayor of the City of Portland,
extended to the American Mining Congress the use of two handsome
rooms in the City Hall, as headquarters for this organization from March,
1904, to August 31, 1904, free of all cost, and was in every other way most
courteous in his treatment of our Secretary; therefore, be it
Resolved, that The American Mining Congress, appreciating this most
courteous treatment, do now extend to His Honor, Mayor Williams, a most
hearty and sincere vote of thanks.
MR. JOSEPHS: I move that the resolution be referred to the proper
committee.
MR. DRAKE, OF OREGON: Mr. President: The Mayor of Portland
has been very considerate and very helpful; he" is a distinguished man,
and much admired and loved by all who know him, by all the citizens of
Portland. We are under special obligations to him, and I would like to
honor him by having this resolution not embodied in any other; and I
would ask that the rules be suspended, and this resolution adopted by
a rising vote.
The resolution was adopted unanimously by a rising vote.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: The first thing on our program this morn-
ing is in relation to the Thunder Mountain district, of Idaho. Many in-
quiries have been made in regard to it, and Mr. Borthwick has kindly con-
sented to give you a short address upon that unknown region.
Mr. A. E, Borthwick then addressed the Congress upon "Idaho and
Thunder Mountain."
This paper will be found in Part II. of this report.
To the President and Members of the American Mining Congress.
Gentlemen: Your Committee duly appointed on the Credentials of
Members to this Congress, beg to report that they have found six hundred
and ninety-six accredited and appointed delegates to this Congress, and
three hundred and seven permanent members, making a grand total of
one thousand and three (1,003) who are legally entitled to be present and
participate in the proceedings of the Seventh Annual Session of the Con-
gress.
PHILIP S. BATES, Chairman.
R. C. PATTERSON.
M. P. GILBERT.
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 61
The following is the complete list of delegates present at this time
of which we have any knowledge:
AT LARGE.
Gayley, James . New York
Hammond, John Ha>s New York
Rickard, T. A New York
Mudd, S. W Los Angeles
Emmons, S. F (United States Geological Survey)
Hayes, C. W (United States Geological Survey)
Ransome, P. L (United States Geological Survey)
Diller, J. S (United States Geological Survey)
ARIZONA.
Ewing, Col. Thpmas Vivian
ALASKA.
Leehey, Maurice D Ketchikan
Lovell, Sam. L Catalla
BRITISH COLUMBIA.
Sutton, W. J Victoria
CALIFORNIA.
Halloran, Arthur H San Francisco
Dittmar, M. E Redding
Brokaw, A. C Redding
Scott, J. B Redding
Merton, T. D San Francisco
Gunn, Charles M h San Francisco
Daggett, John Redding
COLORADO.
Wilson, William L Denver
Abbott, James W Denver
Hamlin, Clarence C Colorado Springs
Bridgeman, W. E Denver
Crane, Dr. F. J Denver
Callbreath, James F., Jr Denver
IDAHO.
Miller, W. C Wallace
Hutton, L. W Wallace
Greenough, Thomas L Mullen
Cowen, E. P Mountain Home
Dewey, E. H Nampa
Seigwin, John Mineral
IOWA.
Berry, J. W
MAINE.
Small, Col. J. T Lewiston
MISSOURI.
Cook, J. H Joplin
MONTANA.
Stannard, Geo. F Kalispel
Clark, H. S ^ Butte
Wood, David Great Falls
NEBRASKA.
Nicholson, H. H . . Lincoln
52 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
NEVADA.
Pearson, S. T
NORTH CAROLINA.
Gallusha, Robert Marble
, : OREGON.
Voorheis, A. E Grant's Pass
Coe, R. L Grant's Pass
Gilkey, H. L Grant's Pass
Johnson, C. L Salem
Roat, W. B Cottage Grove
Higgins, C. C .'..' Grant's Pass
Kimbrae, G. W Roseburg
Metzker, C. O . . Lakeview
Olston, Otto Eugene
Fisher, Geo % , Eugene
Armitage, B. M Myrtle Creek
Ingham, E. H . . Eugene
Phillips, F. B Cottage Grove
Fisk, J. H ... Portland
Jones, J. J Cottage Grove
Wheeler, F. B - Cottage Grove
Campbell, P. L Eugene
Pointlexter, C. W Grant's Pass
Warner, G. G Cottage Grove
Hyde, J. M Eugene
Smith, T. C Salem
Lundberg, Alex Bohemia
Zimmerman, L Portland
Merrill, E. S Blue River
Shane, W. H Bohemia
Nutzker, C. O Lakeview
LeRoy, A. D Bohemia
Fletcher, J. D Medford
Hansen, Otto Salem
Wickersham, L. G Grant's Pass
Campbell, Thomas K Cottage Grove
Waggoner, George E Blue River
Wood, A. B Cottage Grove
Whitman, J. A Medford
Conklin, Arthur Grant's Pass
Blockberger, F. R. , McMinnniville
Kemp, L. A Roseburg
Walker, A. W Eugene
Cannon, E Portland
Start, S. S Sumpter
Brady, P. A Sumpter
Eselstyn, J. N. . . .Sumpter
Nicholson, H. H Sumptetf
Mohr, Anthony Sumpter.
Bellman, L. R Sumpter
Hammond, L B Portland
Houstan, W. A Baker City
Hand, Frank J Portland
Oglesby, W. W Cottage Grove
Garrigus, L. C Portland
Selig, N , . .. Myrtle Creek
Pape, J. B Cottage Grove
Kaufman, I. S Marshfield
Hennsey, P Marshfield
Chandler, W. S Marshfield
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 53
Jordan, F Cottage Grove
Mitchell, McKinley Gervais
Kramer, Willis Myrtle Creek
Dennis, W. B Black Butte
ONTARIO (Canada).
Macquene, Lieut. Col. Frederick N Woodstock
Haance, Eugene Ottawa
Barlow, Alfred E Ottawa
SOUTH DAKOTA.
O'Hara, C. C Rapid City
TEXAS.
Winn, W. H El Paso
Waldo, Gentry El Paso
Norman, Harry El Paso
Malcomson, James W El Paso
Morris, M. E. El Paso
Kirk, M. P El Paso
Land, Otto El Paso
Gifford, A. W El Paso
Krakauer, A El Paso
Fisher, J. W El Paso
Campbell, J. H El Paso
Pitman, Park W. El Paso
Kelly, C. E El Paso
Cobb, Zach Lamar .El Paso
UTAH.
Kirby, John A Park City
Tibbals, William H Salt Lake
Powers, Oreando W Salt Lake
Dern, John Salt Lake
Talmage, James E Salt Lake
McKay, A. N '. Salt Lake
Byrne, C. T Salt Lake
Jennings, James E Salt Lake
Child, William H Salt Lake
Lawrence, H. C Salt Lake
Morrison, S. W Salt Lake
Tulloch, S. W Salt Lake
Chipman, James Salt Lake
Joseph, H. S Salt Lake
Davis, A. J Salt Lake
Martin, L. D Salt Lake
King, J. C. E Salt Lake
Jacobs, Tony Salt Lake
Whitney, Race Salt Lake
White, Geo Salt Lake
Haleman, G. P Salt Lake
Houston, J. W Salt Lake
Peterson, O. T Salt Lake
Halloran, W. J Salt Lake
Cannon, R. D Salt Lake
Egan, T Salt Lake
Hudson, C. E Salt Lake
Eccles, David Ogden
Rolopp, H. H Ogden
Dee, Thomas D Ogden
54 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
WASHINGTON.
Girens, James G Seattle
McManns, James E Seattle
Earnest, A. B Seattle
Jones, J. D Seattle
Cornforth, J. T Seattle
Harper, F. C Seattle
Rodda, R. W Seattle
Daniels, Thurston Vancouver
Merchant, William F Walla Walla
Barron, L. G Walla Walla
Steel, William A Seattle
McClaine, A. F Tacoma
Mather, John Seattle
Mclntyre, A. W Everett
Knox, Frank Little Rock
Lange, R. C Chehalis
Kotick, Frank Olympia
Adams, W. H Olympia
Braden, Eugene . . Everett
Loring, Frank C Spokane
Gray, W. A Winlock
Rand, V. V Vancouver
Ely, W. P '. . . Kelso
Cagwin, A. E Kelso
Shetton, E. N , Seattle
Rutter, W. C Seattle
Lee, C. T Seattle
Cleary, John Vancouver
Rust, William R Tacoma
Rynerson, H. M Summit District
Walters, William J Seattle
Rynerson, F. M Summit District
Subsequently the Credentials Committee submitted an additional re-
port, which for convenience and clearness follows herewith:
Mr. President: Your Committee on Credentials beg leave to report a
further addition of fourteen new paid members and fourteen duly accred-
ited delegates, making a total of one thousand and thirty-one (1,031) who
are legally entitled to be present and participate in the proceedings of
the Seventh Annual Session of the Congress.
PHILIP S. BATES, Chairman.
ACCREDITED DELEGATES.
COLORADO.
Schneider, George A Denver
White, E. L Denver
MINNESOTA.
Hutchins, Dr. E. A Minneapolis
Boutele, P. D Minneapolis
Deringer, O. S St. Paul
NEBRASKA.
Schoeuleber, L. K Ceresco
OREGON.
Abraham, Alfred Roseburg
Fenn, R. W Roseburg
Thomas, R Grant's Pass
Stovall, Dennis H Grant's Pass
Conklin, Arthur Grant's Pass
Cowgill, W. C Baker City
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS! 55
SOUTH DAKOTA.
Peterson, John Deadwood
WASHINGTON.
Beaver, George Spokane
Allen, Mrs. John B Seattle
Allen, John B., Jr ; Seattle
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: We will now have an address by Mr. M.
E. Dittmar of California.
Mr. Dittmar's address will be found in Part II. of this report.
The Secretary read the following letter::
Seattle, Wash., Aug. 24, 1904.
Mr. J. H. Richards, President American Mining Congress, Portland, Ore-
gon.
Dear Sir: Your kind telegram last night was received and passed
to the proper authorities. The President of the Chamber of Commerce
has made reply by wire to you to-day, thanking you on behalf of the
Chamber of Commerce and the good citizens of Seattle for the congratu-
lations and expression of good wishes from you. I take this means of
again thanking you, and through you all the members of the Mining Con-
gress. Yours truly,
W. H. LATTIMER, Secretary.
COLONEL CRAWFORD, OF OREGON: I move that this convention
adjourn until half-past 2 this afternoon.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: Let me suggest that a special order was
provided for this afternoon at 2 o'clock.
COLONEL CRAWFORD: I withdraw my motion upon that sugges-
tion, Mr. President, and move that we adjourn until 2 o'clock.
Ttfe motion was seconded.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: Before we adjourn the Secretary has a
resolution to read.
The Secretary read Mr. Thurston Daniels' resolution, No. 19, and the
same was ordered referred to the Committee on Resolutions, and the
same will be found printed in the proceedings of the last day.
Whereupon the Congress adjourned until 2 o'clock P. M., August 25th.
FOURTH DAY AFTERNOON SESSION.
The Congress was called to order by the President.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: Members and Delegates: The hour has
arrived when we are to take up the matter of special order for this after-
noon as fixed by this Congress. I ask the indulgence of this body for a
few moments, that I may make a general statement as to the purposes of
the committee in presenting this question to this session.
When I see the great influence that the coal fields of the East have
had on the industrial development of that rich section of our country;
when I see the mighty influence that the iron fields of Alabama have had
in wiping out the sectional differences that have so long beset our land;
when I see the influence that the silver mines of Nevada have had upon
the finances of this nation in its hours of trial; when I see the streams
of gold that have flown from the State of California to sustain this nation's
credit throughout the world, and when I see the riches that have come
from the Central Western States to enrich their citizens within their bor-
ders, and last, but not least, when I see the streams of gold and other
metals that are coming from the great empire of Alaska to enrich the
entire nation, I conclude that Alaska is not a sectional part of this coun-
56 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
try. When these things appear to a man who takes them in their com-
prehensive sense, and when he sees the American Mining Congress come
before the mining sections of this country to act as a means by which ,the
mining industry can speak to this nation, you can readily understand that
we are anxious that this Mining Congress may take the highest stand that
an organization has ever taken in this country which is interested in the
industrial development of our nation. Now, you have reached a period in
your deliberations when you touch a point near to my heart, and I want
to make these statements, that you may make no mistake when you locate
the permanent business headquarters of the American Mining Congress.
I am proud to see the State of Utah come here and ask that the head-
quarters of this organization be placed in their beautiful city.
I am aware that the American Mining Congress, under its former name
of the International Mining Congress, has been to some extent dishonored
in the home of its birth, the State of Colorado, and I am fully conscious
that there are many men in that State who do not now understand the
aims and purposes of this Congress, for if they did they would be willing
to come here and ask the child to which they gave birth ifl that State, to
come home and help redeem them from their mistaken ideas of mining
in this country.
The East as well as the West is interested in this great question that
you are now about to determine; not only the East, but we also extend
the hand of good fellowship to the nation on our North. I love that coun-
try, because I believe that there is going to be one of the great fields that
will help to establish another free country for a free people. Delegates
from Canada have come here and asked me time and again, "We want to
know what are the aims and purposes of this body, as we want to follow
in the wake of your leadership." We want to speak through the gates of
El Paso next year to the people on our Southern border. We want to have
the people of Mexico understand what mining means to the industrial de-
velopment of a great people, and we expect to speak to them at El Paso
in terms that they can not misunderstand; and back of it all, tmt not
least, we want to have an organization here that will command the re-
spect of the best business thought of this entire nation.
I have talked with many of your wealthy men in this country, and
they say, "when you show us that your Congress is worthy of our confi-
dence, and has some permanency and stability to its purposes, you can
count on us for our support to the extent of millions, if you desire it."
We want to take such action in this matter as will command the re-
spect of the entire industry of mining from the shores of the Pacific to
the waters of the Atlantic, and from the southern borders of Mexico to
the northern borders of Canada, and from there on to the North Pole,
embracing the entire district of Alaska. I think it is one of the most seri-
ous things that has ever been brought before the American Mining Con-
gress, and rather than make any mistake and do an injustice to the indus-
try of mining, I would ask you to postpone it for another year, or longer,
if necessary. The aim and purpose that your Board of Directors had in
bringing this to your attention was not so much to locate it now as to
allow the mining industry of this entire nation to know what this Min-
ing Congress means, and what its ultimate purposes are going to be.
When you see the magnificent wealth that the mining industry has given
to this country, the great smelters and marvelous industrial development
of the East, the great cities it has brought forth like Pittsburg; when you
see that the entire transportation of this country is supported by a ton-
nage from mining amounting to fifty-two per cent, of the entire freight
traffic, then you can understand what this means, not only to the rail-
roads and smelters, but what it means to every city in this land. It is
a great question, and I want you to enter upon it, as the gentleman .said
from this platform the other night, we want it opened up on the theory of
prayer and fasting. It is a serious question. We are aiming to com-
mand the respect of the greatest intellects of this country, as well as to
command the respect of the prospector and the miner. That attained, you
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 57
will have force and power. It is not so much what Utah or Colorado may
offer to this Congress as a donation for locating this home there, that im-
presses me, generous as it may seem, but I know that irrespective of
what those States may offer, if you call upon the miner and the business
man with understanding and intelligence, every miner will contribute his'
mite, every mine owner his dollar, and every millionaire of his surplus,
to help you to establish a home that will appeal to the mining industry
of the world.
We expect that wherever you locate this home we shall build there
a temple dedicated to the mining industry which will appeal to the busi-
ness sentiment of the best nation on earth, the American nation. Ami it
is out of that. kind of sentiment that you will bring forth the best minds,
the best men, the best character that will come into this Congress, and
their appeals will be heard from Alaska to Washington, and the nation's
representatives will pay attention to what this Congress may say.
We will have in that temple, dedicated to the mining industry, an
assembly room adorned with art, through which this Congress can speak
with force and power, and around it there will be galleries where the
commercial ores of every State in this Union, as well as Canada, Mexico
and any other nation that is interested in this industry, can be correctly
classified and exhibited, so that a man in London or in Egypt can send
word to that headquarters and find every mineral, and learn how to handle
it, which is produced in any State in this Union. Therefore, I ask you
when you enter upon a deliberation of this character that you do it with
the most sober thought. I told the miners at Deadwood when this Mining
Congress wa,s resuscitated, that in its infancy if must be cradled in the
arms of the miner; and it was the mining men and prospectors of Dead-
wood that helped to give this Congress the vitality that you see at this
session. Now, while in its infancy it has to be cradled in the arms of the
miner, in its youth it must be moulded in the best business thought of this
nation, and finally it must be guided by the highest intelligence of all;
so when you enter upon these deliberations, recognize that we are striv-
ing to bring out of this session the best thought, the best heart, and the
best manhood of the greatest industry in our country.
If out of this Congress, with all the eloquence that we have had dis-
played relative to the wealth of gold, iron, coal and silver, we do not
produce greater men than this nation has ever seen, then your whole
labor ha.s been in vain. That is the crowning triumph of our great nation;
it is the crowning triumph of civilization; and it is out of this Mining Con-
gress that we expect to present to this nation a greater manhood.
Now, when you locate this business headquarters, remember that
there will be built a temple which shall be dedicated to the industry of
mining; and I ask you to enter upon your discussion of this subject with
that sober and candid deliberation that will bring out the best thought
of this Congress, and if then you are not satisfied that in the interests
of mining the place has been properly selected, I ask you to postpone it
until another session of this Congress.
JOHN BERN, OF UTAH: Mr. President: As you have already
stated, the selection of a permanent home for the Mining Congress hav-
ing been made a special order for this afternoon, in order to bring it
properly before this Congress, I move that Salt Lake City be designated
as the permanent home of the American Mining Congress.
The motion was seconded.
COLONEL CRAWFORD, OF OREGON: Mr. President; I have heard
with feelings of the deepest and profoundest respect what you have so
ably stated as a preamble before we proceed with the deliberations of this
Congress upon the subject which is now before us. I fully agree with you
that this Congress of American miners is not yet ready to settle down at
any one place in the United States. I have no special interest in any city
of the Union, but I am interested from the bottom of my heart in the wel-
58 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
fare, of this American Mining Congress, which in itself is one of the
most notable propositions that has been presented to the American pub-
lic or to the world. We are here in embryo; we are not as yet crystal-
lized. We are just upon the seventh anniversary of the American Min-
ing Congress, and its future requires a great deal of consideration and
the highest intelligence of the American miner. Utah has presented
everything that she could present, and we heartily thank her for her
distinguished consideration, but we do not want consideration from any
State of the United States. I represent to-day 100,000 miners, and I
know that each one of them will give $10.00 per capita to build a fabric
as soon as
MR. JOSEPH, OF UTAH: I rise to a point of order, Mr. President.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: State your point of order.
MR. JOSEPH: My point of order is that Colonel Crawford is pro-
ceeding to talk on the question of a postponement. There is a motion be-
fore the house, and he is not talking to the motion. If any one here had
any objection to the establishment of permanent headquarters, his time
was when the Committee on Resolutions brought in the resolution to
establish permanent headquarters. A regular program was arranged and
this subject assigned to this session at 2 o'clock.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: The point is well taken. Was there a
second to the motion?
The motion was seconded.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: It has been moved and seconded that
Salt Lake City, Utah, be named as the permanent business headquarters
of The American Mining Congress. Are you ready for the question?
MR. J. F. CALLBREATH, OF COLORADO: Mr. President: I move
that the motion be amended by substituting the name of Denver for that
of Salt Lake City.
The motion to amend was seconded and put by the Chair.
Hon. O. W. Powers, of Utah, then took the platform and addressed
the Congress, urging the selection of Salt Lake City as the permanent
headquarters of The American Mining Congress.
Mr. Lafe Pence, of Idaho, then arose and addressed the Congress in
favor of locating the permanent headquarters at Denver.
Mr. Dignowity, of Pennsylvania, in a speech, seconded the selection of
Salt Lake City as the permanent headquarters.
Mr. J. F. Callbreath, of Colorado, in a speech, urged the selection of
Denver as permanent headquarters.
Mr. Dittmar, of California, then took the floor and addressed the con-
vention, favoring Salt Lake City.
Mr. Jones, of Washington, then addressed the convention in favor of
Salt Lake City.
Dr. J. E. Talmage, of Utah, then addressed the Congress in favor of
Salt Lake City.
Mr. Cornforth, of Alaska, then took the platform and addressed the
Congress in favor of Denver.
MR. PATTERSON, OF NEBRASKA: Mr. President: It is now 5
o'clock, and the gentleman who is speaking has referred to our distin-
guished Director of the Mint, Mr. Roberts. Mr. Roberts is here, waiting
to address this Congress, before he is obliged to take the train. If the
gentleman will give way for a few minutes, and continue his remarks to-
morrow morning on this subject, as well as others who wish to speak
upon it, I would be very much obliged. And whilst I have the floor I
would make a motion, with the permission of the convention and of the
Chair, that we postpone this debate until to-morrow morning at 10 o'clock.
(Applause.)
The motion was seconded.
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 59
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: Mr. Cornforth says he is perfectly willing
to give way at this time provided he can close his debate to-morrow
morning. If there is no objection that will be the order.
JUDGE POWERS, OF UTAH: We object to that, Mr. President.
Let Mr. Cornforth finish his remarks after Mr. Roberts has concluded
his address.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: What is your pleasure on the motion as
to postponing further debate on this question until to-morrow morning?
Are you ready for the question?
The question was called for and was put by the Chair, and the ayes
seemed to have it.
MR. JOSEPH, OF UTAH: Mr. President: I ask for a division.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: The gentleman calls for a division. All
in favor of that motion please rise.
MR. JOSEPH: Accredited delegates, only.
The Secretary counted the votes, and the President called upon those
who were opposed to the motion to please rise, which they did. The
Chair announced that the motion was carried.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: We will now be pleased to hear from Mr.
Roberts, Director of the Mint.
MR. DERN, OF UTAH: Mr. President: I wish to say o few words
in explanation right here, with reference to those who voted in the nega-
tive on the last motion, that it was with the understanding, of course,
that Mr. Roberts should take the floor now, but that we should only ad-
journ this debate until he had concluded his address, and then let the
gentleman from Alaska finish his debate. It was not that we wished to
continue this debate without interruption that we voted in that manner.
MR. PATTERSON: A word of answer to the distinguished gentleman
from Utah. I would like to say that there are several, as I am informed,
who desire to speak on this question that we have this afternoon been
discussing, and that we would not have the time to finish it this evening.
Therefore, for that reason I made the motion that we put it over until
10 o'clock to-morrow morning. I have no desire to shove off debate for
or against. For that reason I think, unless every person desires to stay
here and have his supper brought in and other refreshments which I
would like to have sent along (laughter), I think we should adjourn until
10 o'clock. Mr. Roberts is now on the ulatform, Mr. President. I pro-
pose three cheers for Mr. Roberts.
Three hearty cheers were given for Mr. Roberts.
Mr. Roberts, of Washington, D. C., then addressed the convention.
The address will be found in Part II. of this report.
Whereupon, on motion duly seconded and carried, the meeting ad-
journed until 10 o'clock A. M., August 26, 1904.
FIFTH DAY MORNING SESSION.
August 26, 1904, 10 o'clock A. M.
The Congress was called to order by the President.
The Secretary submitted an additional report of the Committee on
Credentials, which in these proceedings, for convenience and clearness,
follows the original report of said committee.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: The matter under discussion yesterday is
a special order for this morning. No one in this convention desires
fair play and justice done more than I do. The delegates that have come
60 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
here and presented the merits of their city which is so dear to them,
have come at the invitation of this Congress, with the understanding that
you would seriously consider the question of locating the permanent head-
quarters of this body. Some of these gallant men who have made such
a brilliant fight here feel that the remarks I made yesterday in launch-
ing this debate did them an injustice. In order that if any injustice has
been done them it may be rectified, I desire to make a statement.
Anticipating as I did that possibly the real merits of this question
might not be brought out, I stated to you yesterday that I wanted you to
consider this question as you did those that were most dear to you in your
business affairs, and if you were not satisfied that the merits of the great
mining industry had been properly presented, you had a right to postpone
it. I love the State of Utah and all it represents, and its splendid man-
hood. I admire the State of Colorado and all it ha.s done for the great
West. But above it all, I love the mining industry and what it means to
this country. I love it for what it has done in placing this great nation
foremost in the ranks of the industrial nations of the earth. I recognized
yesterday morning that we were speaking to that great man who stands
at the head of our Government at Washington. I recognized that we were
speaking to the Senate of the United States, that Legislative body which
has no peer on the earth. I recognized that we were speaking to the lower
House of Congress, those great characters who have such mighty influ-
ence on the destiny of our common country, and I recognized that we were
going to appeal to them to grant the mining industry a great favor by the
creation of a Department of Mines and Mining, and I tried to launch this
debate out upon a scale that was worthy of those great legislative bodies
as well as worthy of the mining industry. I wanted to say to you that
if you were not satisfied that the merits of this question had been pre-
sented, you had a right to postpone it. Some have placed an interpreta-
tion upon that language that my influence was in favor of a postponement.
Do not think it for one moment. I ask you to consider this question as
great men, tall men, sun-crowned, who live a.bove the fog of personal
feeling or local prejudice. I admire the brilliant fight that has been made
here, and, like a thunder storm and the flash of lightning, it will clear and
purify the atmosphere, and we shall yet come out glorified in the end.
Now, have I made my position clear on this question? If so, then we are
ready for the special order, and this matter is open for your disposition;
but give the State of Utah and the State of Colorado fair consideration,
and when you are ready to vote, vote as your conscience dictates in the in-
terest of the mining industry, including both of those great States.
I believe Mr. Cornforth, of Alaska, has the right to the floor this
morning. We will hear Mr. Cornforth.
Mr. Cornforth, of Alaska, then continued his address before the con-
vention.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: I have just received the following tele-
gram:
Marshfield, Ore., Aug. 26, 1904.
President American Mining Congress, Portland, Oregon.
Coos Bay desires mining headquarters, and respectfully offers suitable
site free and $25,000.00 cash.
COOS BAY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
What is your further pleasure, gentlemen?
MR. JOSEPH, OF UTAH: I move the previous question.
COLONEL DRAKE, OF OREGON: Without any argument I desire to
present this matter for consideration, namely, that the further considera-
tion of this question be postponed until the next annual session of this
Congress.
The motion was seconded and stated by the Chair.
Judge Powers, of Utah, arose and addressed the convention, oppos-
ing the motion.
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 61
COLONEL DRAKE, OF OREGON: I was not present during all of
the controversy yesterday, but in view of the fact that there was a
certain amount of acrimony displayed
MR. PENCE : That has all died out.
COLONEL DRAKE: I felt that perhaps the subject had not been
fully discussed and the Congress did not fully understand all the merits
of the proposed movement, and that inasmuch as in the end it is up to
the Board of Directors, as Mr. Pence suggests, I thought it was better for
the interests we all represent that it should be deferred, and that we
have a further conference upon it at a later time. I made the motion so
that the question can be put before the Congress. I made my motion
rather abruptly before a second could come upon the call for the previ-
ous question. I want this question put to the Congress first, and if it is
last then we can pass upon it as between Denver and Salt Lake. I think
the opinion of the Congress should be taken upon this question and per-
haps, Mr. President, it ought to be confined to the members of the cor-
poration. Perhaps the delegates ought not to be heard. I merely submit
this for your consideration.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: Will you permit me to make a state-
ment, Colonel Drake? When I was elected as presiding officer of this
body two years ago it was wholly on the delegate system. We are now
in the transitional stage, from the delegate to the membership system.
We have invited these delegates here, expecting they will have the largest
measure of participation in the great questions that are to be deter-
mined. But, as Mr. Pence has stated to you, this is now a legally organ-
ized body. We are asking the advice of the delegates and the members
to direct this Board as to what it should do. The advice of a member
is just the same as the advice of a delegate; it does not legally bind the
corporation; but we want the advice of both. The Board of Directors
have presented this for discussion in order that we may have the advice
of the body, which includes both members and delegates. It is not bind-
ing upon the Board, but I assume that your Board will be of that char-
acter that it will feel morally bound by your advice.
COLONEL DRAKE: I thank you, sir. That thought only occurred
to me as I rose, but I concur with your view. But I must insist that it
is the right of the convention to pass upon the question as to whether
they will consider it now, or hold it for future determination. I would
prefer that a vote should be taken upon the question as to whether fur-
ther consideration shall go over for one year from this time.
MR. PENCE: I yield to the gentleman from Nebraska.
MR. PATTERSON, OF NEBRASKA:: I wish to be heard upon this
before the debate is closed.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS : Every one shall be heard so far as my in-
fluence goes.
MR. JOSEPHS, OF UTAH: Mr. President: I rise to a point of
order.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: State your point of order.
MR. JOSEPHS: My point of order is, that according to the rule, no
motion to postpone to a time beyond the particular session of the assem-
bly can be heard. I call your attention to Roberts' Rules of Order, under
which we are working.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: Under the by-laws of this body they
adopted Roberts' Rules of Order to guide us in our parliamentary delib-
erations. Under the head of "Postponement to a Certain Day," it says:
62 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
"It is not in order to postpone to a time beyond that session of the
assembly, except to a day of the next session." The point of order is
not well taken.
Mr. Pence then spoke against postponement.
Mr. Patterson, of Nebraska, then addressed the Congress against
postponement.
Mr. Staples/ of Oregon, next addressed the Congress against post-
ponement.
Mr. White, of Ohio, spoke against postponement.
Mr. Cook, of Missouri, spoke against postponement.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: Has every one had an opportunity that
desires to be heard?
Mr. Steele, of Alaska, addressed the Congress against postponement.
Colonel Crawford, of Oregon, spoke against postponement.
Mr. Mclntyre, of Washington, addressed the Congress favoring Den-
ver as location of permanent headquarters.
JUDGE POWERS, OF UTAH: Mr. President: In view of the fact
that many delegates state that they are compelled to leave at the end of
this forenoon session, after consultation with the delegates from Colo-
rado, I now move the previous question.
The motion was seconded.
MR. PENCE: May I ask Colonel Drake again, in view of the ex-
pressions made, if he will not withdralw his motion to postpone, and let
us reach what evidently this assemblage wants, namely, a test vote upon
the matter. I do not hear Colonel Drake, so Colorado seconds the motion.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: The previous question has been Amoved
and seconded. The Question now is to close the debate and submit for
your determination the postponement or non-postponement of the loca-
tion of permanent headquarters. How do you desire to vote? (Voices,
"Ayes" and "Nos.") The question is, then, on a postponement. All in
favor of that motion say "Aye"; all opposed, "No."
The motion to postpone was declared lost.
MR. PENCE: I now move the previous question, which was to sub-
stitute the name of Denver for Salt Lake.
JUDGE POWERS: I second the motion.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS : The previous question is on the substitute
on the original motion. The first motion was made that Salt Lake be
named as the permanent headquarters of this Congress. A motion to
amend was made by substituting Denver for Salt Lake. The question
now is as to whether or not Salt Lake shall be named as the permanent
headquarters of this Congress.
MR DITTMAR, OF CALIFORNIA: I wish to ask what will be the
method of voting, there being many in the audience who are not entitled
to vote; I should think some other method should be adopted than a
vive voce vote.
JUDGE POWERS: I think it should be by call of the roll.
Mr. O'Hara, of South Dakota, addressed the Congress, arguing for
Denver.
JUDGE POWERS: Mr. President: I rise to a point of order. I in-
sist that no delegate has a right to discuss this question after the previ-
ous question has been ordered.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: The point is well taken. I had no idea
that any discussion of that point was going to be entered upon. The
question now is on the substitute of Denver for Salt Lake. If the vote
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 63
is to be taken by roll, there is a very long list to call, but I do not know
how to make it shorter, unless you call the States and let them answer
how many are here from each State.
MR. PATTERSON, OF NEBRASKA: May I inquire, for information,
whether proxies and delegates vote?
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: The question as to whether proxies vote
has been discussed during this convention, and through the aid of Mr.
Watson, one of your Executive Board, we obtained the opinion of one
of the leading legal firms of this city, which was to the effect that in cor-
porations of this character votes cannot be had by proxy. There is a fur-
ther question here I want you all to understand it before you vote-
there are some members present who have not paid their dues under the
regulations of this body. It is for you to determine whether or not they
have a right to vote before they have complied with the rules.
The second question propounded by Mr. Patterson was whether dele-
gates who are not members can vote. I stated this point awhile ago,
but I will re-state it now. The delegate system was the only system in
vogue two years ago. We are passing from that system to the member-
ship system. The delegates were invited here on the presumption that
they would have the right to be heard in any recommendation that goes
to the interests of the Congress; therefore, in the interest of fair play
and justice to those who have come here on that presumption, I think
they should have a right to vote on this question of recommending per-
manent headquarters.
(Applause.)
MR. WHITE, OF OHIO: Mr. President: I believe all the delegates
should vote, but I make one recommendation to them, that before the
sun goes down to-day they become members of this Congress.
(Applause.)
MR. PATTERSON, OF NEBRASKA: I am heartily in favor of all
delegates being allowed to vote.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: It seems to me those who are inter-
ested enough to come to this session ought to be interested enough to
become members. It is a small contribution that is given, and it is the
only means we have to sustain this organization. But, as you have been
invited here, I think in the interest of justice every delegate should have
a right to a voice in this recommendation.
MR. PATTERSON: I would suggest that the States vote their dele-
gations as they do political conventions. We have over a thousand mem-
bers and delegates.
MR. DITTMAR: The difficulty with that, Mr. President, is that the
State delegations are very much scattered, very few of them being lo-
cated together.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: If there is no objection, the Secretary
will call the roll.
Secretary Mahon thereupon proceeded to call the roll of members
and delegates, and before the result of the vote was announced cheers
and applause announced that Denver had won.
JUDGE POWERS, OF UTAH: Mr. President: Representing the Salt
Lake delegation, I am requested to move that Denver be made the unani-
mous choice of this convention for the permanent headquarters of The
American Mining Congress. (Great applause.) In submitting this motion
I simply desire to say that if Denver will do one-half as well for the
Congress as Salt Lake would have done had you chosen that city, it will
be a magnificent success for all time to come.
(Great applause.)
64 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
MR. PENCE, OF IDAHO: Mr. President and Delegates of this Con-
gress: In behalf of the beautiful city at the eastern feet of the Rockies,
I desire to acknowledge the graceful motion just made by the representa-
tive from Salt Lake, and to give him assurance that we will measure
height to the splendid duty which you have assigned to us. It was the
natural thing to do, and directly we shall all be glad. As Mecca is to the
Mohammedan, and Jerusalem to the faithful, so is Denver to all the min-
ing world. (Applause.) It draws unto itself as if by the power of gravita-
tion all persons so interested, as the earth gathers to itself all of its
atoms. It has all the drawing power that the pie counter has for the of-
fice-seeker. (Laughter.) Mr. President, be not in doubt, be not afraid-.
No duty ever yet has been assigned that noble city wherein she failed.
No duty can be laid upon her shoulders that will make her stoop. Be
patient with us in Colorado but a little while; we will find that even, sure
line of justice that rests between the two extremes that are inevitable
whenever the passions of men are aroused. We will, to our satisfaction,
and to your benefit, have made easy the settlement of such difficulties in
the future. We extend to you our heartfelt appreciation for your good-
ness and the honor.
(Applause.)
COLONEL EWING, OF CALIFORNIA: I move that we adjourn un-
til 3 o'clock.
The motion was seconded.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: There is a motion pending. The question
is on the motion of Salt Lake making the selection of Denver unanimous,
which has just been seconded by Mr. Pence.
MR. COBB, OF TEXAS: I am instructed by the Texas delegation
to second the motion of the gentleman from Utah. And I am further in-
structed by them to say that if Denver, the proud city of the Eastern
slope of the Rockies, does her duty as well as the delegation has done
from Utah, the permanent home will be a success.
(Applause.)
The motion was then put to a vote and was unanimously carried,
and President Richards announced that Denver had been recommended as
the permanent home of this Congress.
Whereupon the Congress adjourned until 2:30 P. M. August 26th.
FIFTH DAY AFTERNOON SESSION.
August 26, 1904, 2:30 P. M.
The President called the Congress to order.
The Secretary read the following announcement:
Portland, Aug. 26, 1904.
To Officers, Members and Friends of the American Mining Congress.
The Seattle delegation wishes to announce through the courtesy of
the Northern Pacific Railway Company and the management of the
Bonanza Mining Company a free trip from Seattle to Silverton, Wash-
ington, and return, a distance of seventy miles, on next Tuesday morning,
to visit the mines of Silverton and behold the beauties of the mountains
the Switzerland of America. This section is unsurpassed for scenery any-
where in the known world.
The Bonanza Queen Company claims the distinction of having the
deepest mine on the North Pacific Coast, having a vertical depth of 1,070
feet, and there cuts the enormous ledge of 133 feet in width between well
defined fissure walls.
This company is practically a close corporation, and has never
advertised a single share of stock for sale. It claims the most ideal mine
in North America, and the largest copper deposit as well as the richest
and most accessible.
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 65
Visitors will be shown through the mine and enjoy the most delight-
ful trip to the Coast.
Tickets will be handed out at the Butler & Dillers Hotel, Seattle, next
Monday, by the committee.
JAMES GIVENS.
R. W. RODDA.
W. H. JONES.
W. J. WALTERS.
O. S. DERINGER.
DR. E. A. HUTCHINS.
P. D. BOUTELL.
AND. JOHNSON.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: We will now have the pleasure of listen-
ing to an address by James W. Abbott, of Colorado, on the subject of
"Mining Men for Better Roads."
This address will be found in Part II. of this report.
Mr. Abbott then introduced the following resolution:
Resolved, by The American Mining Congress in annual session
assembled, that we recognize the need for an improved standard of high-
ways in the United States, and we urge the National Congress and all
State Legislatures to make it the subject of earnest deliberation and judi-
cious legislation.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: I am requested by the Chairman of the
Credentials Committee to state that by calling upon him he will return
to you your credentials.
MR. JOSEPHS, OF UTAH: Mr. President: I desire at this time to
move that a committee of three, consisting of Mr. Malcomson, of Texas;
Mr. H. S. Clark, of Montana, and Mr. Steele, of Alaska, be appointed
to audit the accounts of the Secretary and Treasurer, and report to the
Congress before the close of the session.
- The motion was seconded.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: I will state before that motion is put that
your Board of Directors has had under consideration these accounts, but
has not yet acted upon them. What is your pleasure with the motion?
MR. JOSEPHS: Under those circumstances, if the Board of Direc-
tors have undertaken the task, I desire to withdraw my motion, with the
consent of my second.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: The Board of Directors will make a
report to you to-morrow morning upon that question. We want every
one to understand the finances of this institution before this session ad-
journs, and the report will be made to-morrow morning.
If Mr. Lafe Pence is in the room I wish to say to him that he is
wanted on the platform.
Mr. Pence came to the platform in obedience to the President's call.
Mr. Cornforth, of Alaska (bearing a large bouquet of roses) : Mr.
President and Delegates: I ean not understand why the ladies of the
Rose Society of Portland have given me the distinction of presenting this
beautiful bouquet of roses to the honorable gentleman, unless they knew
something of my previous history. The first girl born in the Territory of
Wyoming was a girl
(Great laughter and applause.)
MR. PENCE: So was her sister.
(Laughter.)
MR. CORNFORTH (Continuing) and since then I have been a de-
fender of the rights of woman, and did what I could in their behalf in
Wyoming and Utah. I can not see why those rights should be accorded
66 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
them more freely in our mining States than in other States of the Union.
I esteem it an honor to present to you, Mr. Lafe Pence, on behalf of
the Ladies' Rose Society of Portland, this bouquet of roses, which I ask
you to accept.
MR. PENCE: Ladies: You do not know how good it seems, after
some personal 'allusions of yesterday, to have bouquets thrown at me to-
day. I thank you. Not for my own account, or for any little thing I may
have done, but more because down towards the southeast is one who,
when she comes to Portland, will be glad to be the friend of the sweet
ladies who have been kind to her wayward and wandering husband.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: We will now be favored with an address
from Mr. F. Wallace White, on the subject of "The Investor in Mines."
This address will be found in Part II. of this report.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: This closes our program as arranged by
your Program Committee, but Mr. J. H. Lighter of Portland desires
to offer a resolution.
MR. LIGHTER: I wish to offer the following resolution:
Whereas, weekly rest is necessary to all, especially laboring men;
therefore.
Resolved, that it is the judgment of this Congress than all Sunday
labor- should be avoided as far as possible in all mining camps by mining
men and miners.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: The resolution will be referred to the
Committee on Resolutions.
MR.STEELE, OF ALASKA: Mr. President: I rise to a question of
privilege. I think it is one that every one in this hall will be in sympathy
with. I want to speak of the man who has done more to place this Min-
ing Congress .on the foundation where it stands to-day than perhaps any
other one man. I want to speak of the man who conceived the idea of
The American Mining Congress, and spent his own money in order to
make it a success, a man who is known in the great State of Colorado, and
from there to the Pacific Ocean; a man who is known from the Pacific
to the Northern part of this great American continent, who not only
spent his own money and time, but influenced his friends to do the same
thing, and thereby give us the Congress that we have to-day. The man
of whom I speak is among you, and I want to make a motion that the
Hon. Joseph T. Cornforth be presented with an honorary life membership
in The American Mining Congress.
COLONEL CRAWFORD, OF OREGON: I second the motion that Mr.
Cornforth be presented with a certificate of membership for life.
(Applause.)
The motion was carried unanimously.
There were calls for Mr. Cornforth. Mr. Cornforth rose and tried to
address the convention, but, overcome by emotion, he bowed his thanks
and sat down amid great applause.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: I will take this occasion to say, in behalf
of Mr. Cornforth, that I have known him for about a quarter of a century.
He is one of the pioneers of this great West, reaching from the Missouri
River almost to the North Pole. He has done more to inspire the mining
industry in this Western country to that high ideal at which we now see
it, than perhaps any other man in the great Rocky Mountain region. At
one time in the history of this organization, when it seemed as though
the honor of his State and city was imperiled, in order that it might be re-
deemed and this Congress placed upon a proper footing, he stepped forth
and paid the expenses necessary to redeem the name of his city. (Great
applause.) It is one of the pleasantest duties that I have on this occasion
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 67
to say that I am grateful that you have acknowledged the character of
manhood which means so much to the mining industry of the West in hon-
joring him with that life membership, and I thank you for it.
COLONEL DRAKE, OF OREGON: Mr. President: Permit me to
ask everybody to join in three cheers for the father of The American
Mining Congress, Joseph T. Cornforth.
The cheers were given, led by Colonel Drake.
Whereupon the Congress adjourned until 10 o'clock A. M. August 27,
1904.
SIXTH DAY CONCLUDING SESSION.
The President called the Congress to order.
The following paper was read by title and ordered published in the
proceedings: ''The Ryan Electro-Magnetic Separator."
This paper will be found in Part II. of this report.
The Secretary read the report of the Committee on Resolutions, as
follows :
Committee Room, August 27, 1904.
The Committee on Resolutions respectfully reports back the follow-
ing resolution, designated as Resolution No. 19, introduced by Ex-Lieut,
Gov. Thurston Daniels, of Washington, and, by unanimous vote, recom-
mends its adoption by the Congress.
E. R. BUCKLEY, Chairman.
J. E. TALMAGE, Secretary.
RESOLUTION NO. 19.
By Thurston Daniels, Washington.
Whereas, the South half of the Colville Reservation, in the State of
Washington, embraces within its boundaries one ,of the richest mineral
regions in the United States, showing large bodies of gold, silver, copper,
lead, nickel and cobalt, iron, asbestos, white, green and variegated mar-
ble, onyx and other valuable minerals and products of the earth; and,
Whereas, the North half of said reservation has been thrown open to
settlement and the mining interests of that section have been thereby
materially stimulated and developed, and the extension of lines of trans-
portation encouraged and accomplished; and,
Whereas, legislation has for some time been pending in the Con-
gress of the United States looking to the opening of the South half of the
Colville Reservation to white settlement; and,
Whereas, such delay has retarded the development of this rich min-
eral region, to the detriment of the interests of those owning and ope-
rating mining properties in that district; therefore, be it
Resolved, by The American Mining Congress, in annual session assem-
bled, that the Committees on Indian Affairs of the House of Representa-
tives and of the United States Senate, be, and they are hereby respectfully
memorialized to hasten the enactment of necessary legislation for the
immediate opening of the South half of the Colville Reservation to white
settlement.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: What is your pleasure with the resolution
just read, and the report of the committee?
MR. JOSEPHS, OF UTAH: I move that the report of the com-
mittee be adopted.
The motion was seconded and the report unanimously adopted.
The Secretary submitted the report of the Committee on Resolu-
tions regarding Resolutions Nos. 17 and 18, as follows:
68 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
Committee Room, August 27, 1904.
The Committee on Resolutions respectfully reports back the following
resolutions, designated as Resolutions Nos. 17 and 18, introduced by Mr.
Dodge, of Oregon, and Mr. Josephs, of Utah, without recommendation, as
the purpose of these resolutions is covered by that of the general resolu-
tion of thanks, designated as No. 20.
J. E. TALMAGE, Secretary.
RESOLUTION NO. 17.
By Mr. Dodge, of Oregon.
Resolved, that the members of The American Mining Congress and
the delegates in attendance thereto and their wives and their lady friends
hereby extend their hearty thanks and appreciation to the Commercial
Club, of Porland, the officers thereof, and to the Reception Committee of
ladies, and to the Reception Committee of gentlemen, in charge of the re-
ception, for the enjoyable and pleasant entertainment given in their rooms
last evening. Every one who was present will always remember the occa-
sion with great pleasure.
RESOLUTION NO. 18.
By H. S. Josephs, of Utah.
Resolved, that the thanks of The American Mining Congress individu-
ally and collectively, be extended to the speakers of the convention for its
intelligent efforts; to the Press for its uniform courtesy and efforts to
make this Congress a success; to the Commercial Club for its elegant re-
ception to all the delegates; to the ladies of Portland for their success-
ful treatment of the ladies of the delegates; to all the officers of this con-
vention, the several committees and employes, for their untiring efforts
in behalf of the success of this Congress.
The Secretary also read in connection with the preceding resolutions
and report, the following resolution and the report of the committee
thereon:
Committee Room, August 27, 1904.
The Committee on Resolutions respectfully reports back the follow-
ing resolution, designated as Resolution No. 20, introduced by this com-
mittee, and, by unanimous vote recommends its adoption by the Con-
gress.
E. R. BUCKLEY, Chairman.
J. E. TALMAGE, Secretary.
RESOLUTION NO. 20.
Whereas, this Congress recognizes and appreciates that the success
of this session has resulted in a large measure from the interest and
attention of the Chief Executive of the United States, the Governors of
the several States, especially the Governor of Oregon, the citizens of the
City of Portland, especially the committees in charge of entertainment
and arrangements, and to those who have participated in the delibera-
tions; therefore, be it
Resolved, that The American Mining Congress, in convention assem-
bled in the City of Portland, does hereby extend its grateful thanks to
His Excellency, Theodore Roosevelt, President of the United States.
The representatives of President Roosevelt, Mr. T. A. Rickard, and
Mr. S. W. Mudd, both of whom have been in attendance uuon the meet-
ings of this Congress.
The representatives of the Department of the Interior, and Depart-
ment of Agriculture, Mr. Gifford Pinchot, Chief of the Bureau of For-
estry, and Mr. F. H. Newell, Chief of the Reclamation Service, also ap-
pointed by the President of the United States.
The United States Geological Survey and their representatives, Mr.
S. F. Emmons, and Mr. J. S. Diller, for interest and participation in
the proceedings of this Congress.
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 69
The Governors of States and Territories, and especially Governor
Geo. E. Chamberlain, of Oregon.
The citizens of Portland, their clubs and commercial organizations,
and especially to -His Honor, Mayor Geo. H. Williams; the Commercial
Club, the Woman's Club and their President, Mrs. P. J. Mann; the Port-
land Rose Society and their President, Mrs. Rose Hoyt, and the local
committees on arrangements and entertainment.
The representatives of the Press, who have so fully and ably reported
the proceedings of this session.
The Portland Railway Company, and the City and Suburban Rail-
way Company.
The management of the Lewis and Clark Fair.
The management of the Multnomah Fair Association.
The management of the Cordray Theater.
The speakers who have so ably addressed this convention.
And the President, Secretary, and other officers of this Congress; the
stenographers and other employes of the Congress.
MR. COBB, OF TEXAS: Mr. President: I move the adoption of the
two resolutions just read, with the report of the ccmmittee thereon, by
a rising vote.
The motion was seconded and the resolutions unanimously adopted.
The Secretary also submitted the following report of the Committee
on Resolutions:
Committee Room, August 27, 1904.
The Committee on Resolutions respectfully reports back the following
resolution, designated as Resolution No. 21, introduced by Mr. Abbott, of
Colorado, and, by unanimous vote, recommends its adoption by the Con-
gress.
E. R. BUCKLEY, Chairman.
J. E. TALMAGE, Secretary.
RESOLUUTION NO. 21.
By Mr. Abbott, Colorado.
Resolved, by The American Mining Congress, in annual session as-
sembled, that we recognize the need for an improved standard of high-
ways in the United States, and we urge the National Congress and all
State Legislatures to make it the subject of earnest deliberation and judi-
cious legislation.
It was moved and seconded that the report of the committee be
adopted.
The Secretary submitted the report of the Committee on Resolutions
concerning Resolution No. 9, substitute, introduced by Mr. Gibens, of
Washington, recommending that said resolution be referred to Mr. Newell,
of the Commission created by the President of the United States.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: What is your pleasure with the resolu-
tion?
MR. DIGNOWITY: Do I understand that means three claims, with
an additional one for the discoverer, in a district?
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: No, it is in a drainage area. Whether the
drainage area includes the whole Yukon territory or not I can not tell.
MR. SNYDER.. OF COLORADO: I would like to ask the proposer
of the resolution what was the idea of introducing it?
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: This resolution was before the body the
other day and the word "district" was used, and it was objected that that
did not make it definite, now they have substituted "drainage area."
MR. BUCKLEY, OF MISSOURI: This resolution was returned to the
author of it, and he returned it to the committee with the suggestion
70 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
that we use the substitute "drainage area." I did not hear an expression
of opinion as to whether drainage area, or creek, or river, would apply in
that case; but it meets the approval of the committee, so far as that is
concerned.
MR. LAFE PENCE: Inasmuch as Mr. Steele, of Alaska, is specially
interested in representing the territory concerned and he is not at this
moment present, I would suggest that it be passed until a later time when
he can be present.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: If there is no objection the Chair will
adopt the suggestion.
The Secretary read the following message, and also the following let-
ter:
Spokane, Wash., Aug. 25, 1904.
Irwin Mahon, Secretary American Mining Congress, Portland, Oregon.
Dear Sir: We beg to call your attention to the invitation extended
by the Spokane Chamber of Commerce to the delegates in attendance at
the sessions of the American Mining Congress to visit Spokane. If we are
notified in advance we shall take pleasure in having a committee meet
them at the depot and show them about the city.
Spokane is the headquarters for the greatest mining section of the
Pacific Northwest; that tributary to Spokane are the greatest silver-lead
mines of the world, the famous Coeur d'Alenes of Northern Idaho.
With best wishes^ we remain
Very truly yours,
L. G. MONROE, Secretary.
The Secretary reported the following resolution prepared by a spe-
cial committee appointed for the purpose, and upon motion duly seconded,
the resolution was unanimously adopted by a rising vote:
To The American Mining Congress' Seventh Annual Session, Portland,
Oregon.
Whereas, By the death of the Honorable John T. Grayson, late Third
Vice President of this Congress, and an honored citizen of the City of
Portland, and State of Oregon, this Congress has been deprived of a capa-
ble and useful official and member; the mining industry of an efficient
and zealous worker, and the City and State of a loyal and honorable citi-
zen; therefore, be it
Resolved, that this Congress hereby expresses its profound sorrow
for the death of the Honorable John T. Grayson, and tenders to the wife
and family of Colonel Grayson this expression of its sympathy in their be-
reavement, and directs that this resolution shall be spread upon the rec-
ords of this Congress, and a copy thereof suitably engrossed forwarded to
the widow and family of the deceased.
R. C. PATTERSON,
C. W. SCOTT,
COLONEL. DRAKE,
Committee.
Colonel Crawford of Oregon extended an invitation to the members
of the Congress to visit Josephine County and Grant's Pass, promising to
take care of them and show them many points of interest.
SECRETARY'S REPORT.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: In order to make clear in your minds the
ifference between the two funds that have been used in connection with
this Congress, before reading the report of the Secretary I desire to make
a statement. The City of Portland agreed to pay to this Congress for its
exclusive use the sum of $3,000.00. The citizens of this city deposited
that amount in the treasury. The citizens of Portland also raised a fund
to meet the local expenses of this organization, its Secretary entertain-
ment halls, etc. Something like $7,500.00 has been raised fo'r that pur-
pose by the City of Portland. Of this sum $3,000.00 was turned over to
ingress itself, and that is the only fund of which this Coneress ex-
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 71
pects to report to you. The other fund was paid out by the citizens of
Portland, under their direction, Mr. J. Frank Watson acting as the rep-
resentative of the business men of this city, and he will make a state-
ment to you relative to that.
I want to say to you before reading this report that your Board of
Directors held two sessions, night before last and last night, going into
every item and every detail, and the report we make to-day meets the
unanimous approval of the entire Board. We had on that Board during
this investigation Colonel Ewing, of California; Mr. Bern, of Utah; Mr.
Patterson, of Nebraska, and Mr. Watson, of Portland. Every detail was
investigated and we approved the report of the Secretary as I am about
to read it to you. There were some things in that account that the Board
did not approve of; they were stricken out, and every item was corrected
to meet the entire approval of the Board. Colonel Ewing finished the de-
tails of the report, with the authority of the Board, and as he is one of
the hardest headed business men I have ever had the pleasure of know-
ing, I feel that when he sets his approval upon an accounting we can en-
dorse it confidently and heartily. The report reads as follows:
To the President and Members of The American Mining Congress.
Gentlemen: I herewith submit for your approval my annual report
as Secretary of The American Mining Congress, from September 13, 1903,
to August 27, 1904.
SUMMARY OF ACCOUNT.
Cash Portland Guarantee Fund $3,000.00
From membership and dues '. 1,404.00
Total cash received and deposited with treasurer.$4,404.00
There is due from members $508.00.
There are no outstanding bills that I know of.
IRWIN MAHON, Secretary.
Cr.
Cash Statement.
From City of Portland $3,000.00
From membership certificates and dues $1,404.00
$4,404.00
DISBURSING ACCOUNT.
Dr.
Cash Statement.
Paid back bills from last session $ 185.30
Secretary's salary one year 1,800.00
Postage during the year 158.20
Expressage 18.55
Printing literature during year 186.55
Telegraphing and messengers 38.40
Traveling expenses of secretary : 332.05
Incidental expenses 118.73
Stenographing 110.10
Stationery and cuts for headings 23.30
Office rent at Carlisle, Pa 120.00
Daily papers at Portland 9.90
Hotel bills at Portland 150.55
Expense and translating foreign letters 74.25
Balance cash in bank.. . 1,077.12
$4,404.00
On motion of Mr. Dignowity, of Pennsylvania, duly seconded, the re-
port was unanimously adopted.
72 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: Mr. Watson will make a statement in re-
gard to the expenditure of the other fund.
MR. J. FRANK WATSON, OF OREGON: Mr. President and Gentle-
men: About $8,000.00 has been raised by the citizens of Portland, the dis-
position of which will be shown in a full and complete statement with
vouchers, later on when I complete paying the bills. The amount paid to
the Congress, as you have heard by the Secretary's report, was $3,000.00,
the balance has been expended in various ways under my direction, with
the aid of the Secretary. We have been very well satisfied with the re-
sult, and trust you will all feel that the Congress has been a success. The
citizens of Portland feel that lasting benefit will result to the city, and I
wish to express on their behalf thanks to the members of this Congress
for having given us such an interesting session.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: I wish to state for your information that
Mr. Watson has kept an account in a business-like manner, and has a
voucher for every dollar expended which he will report to the citizens of
this city.
MR. PATTERSON, OF OMAHA: Mr. President: I would like to
move just at this time that the Congress express its gratitude, apprecia-
tion and thanks to our friend, fellow-officer and director, Mr. J. Frank
Watson, for what he has done in helping the citizens of Portland to make
this Congress a success.
The motion was seconded and unanimously carried.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: We now have in the treasury, as I have
just read, $1,077.12, after all bills have been paid. In addition to that we
have $3,000.00 in a certified check from the City of El Paso, which makes
$4,077.12. I make this statement because I want the people of this coun-
try to know, that it may go into the record that it has been the strenuous
effort of the officers of this body to place it 011 a clean-cut, business basis.
During the coming year we expect to adopt a system of duplicate vouchers
for every cent expended. You have no idea what difficulties have been
surmounted. The first business organization, if you may call it a business
organization, was made up of delegates from all nations on the globe.
There could be no business system adopted because we had no finances.
The Secretary could not do all the work. Coming from that system of
delegates over to the system of members, which will finally, in my judg-
ment, prevail, there will come with it that business system and manage-
ment which will commend itself to the best business thought of the day.
That is our aim. Now, in order to assist in accomplishing that end, you
authorized me to appoint a committee to give that careful consideration
which should be given, and place before you for nomination as directors of
this body that class of men which would meet the approval of that com-
mittee as being men of such high character that it would be a guarantee
to the people who contributed their funds to this body that they would be
honestly and ably expended. I have the report of that committee from its
chairman, which reads as follows:
To the President of The American Mining Congress. -
Your Committee appointed to select and recommend to the Congress
names of the members of the Congress for the Board of Directors to serve
during the ensuing year, after careful consideration, with the view of 'se-
lecting members who would give this 'their personal attention, most re-
spectfully and unanimously recommend the following named gentlemen:
J. H. Richards, Idaho.
Col. Thomas Ewing, California.
E. R. Buckley, Missouri.
A. W. Gifford, Texas.
John Dern, Utah.
William Lennox, Colorado.
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 73
J. Frank Watson, Oregon.
Joseph T. Cornforth, Alaska.
George W. E. Dorsey, Nebraska.
THOMAS EWING, Chairman.
It was moved that the report be adopted.
MR. JOSEPHS, OF UTAH: I move as an amendment that the Secre-
tary be instructed to cast the ballot of the entire Congress for the names
reported by the committee to serve as directors during the ensuing year.
The amendment was accepted by the mover of the original motion.
The motion having been stated by the Chair and the question called,
the motion was put to a vote and unanimously carried; whereupon the
Secretary cast the ballot of the Congress for the parties named as direc-
tors and declared them unanimously elected.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: That covers all business that I have on
the desk.
MR. JOSEPHS, OF UTAH: Mr. President: I have a motion to make.
My attention has been called to the matter by Mr. Cobb, of Texas, that
in order to bring the subject matter of this Congress properly before the
Government of the United States and the several state governments, that
a copy of the proceedings when printed and published be forwarded to
the executive officers of the United States, to the National representatives
at Washington, and to the governors of each State and Territory of the
Union.
I therefore move that copies be sent as suggested.
The motion was seconded and carried,
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: Under the rules every member and dele-
gate is entitled to a copy of the annual proceedings, and a copy will be
mailed to each one as his address appears upon the record.
COLONEL DRAKE, OF OREGON: After conference with the chair-
man of the Committee on Resolutions we have made the necessary change
in this Alaska resolution, so that it now reads, "Each particular creek and
its drainage area."
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: What is your pleasure with the resolu-
tion?
MR. PENCE: As no one seems to have expressed any interest in it,
why act upon it at all? I move that it be indefinitely postponed.
The motion was seconded and carried.
MR. F. WALLACE WHITE, OF OHIO : I beg that I be extended the
privilege of taking the gavel in hand for a few moments. I move that
all. members and delegates of this Congress extend their heart-felt thanks
to our President for his good work in behalf of this Cjongress, by a rising
vote.
Mr. Lafe Pence seconded the motion, which was carried by a unani-
mous rising vote.
Mr. Josephs, of Utah, then proposed three cheers for President Rich-
ards, which were heartily given.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: My friends, perhaps it might be appro-
priate to sav one word in reference to this compliment which has been
extended to me. I think every man in an official position in an organiza-
tion like this should be judged by what he does rather than by what he
says. I recognize that he is the greatest man who renders the highest
service to his fellow-men, and he should be judged by that service. I have
no adequate language to express the gratitude that I feel for the many
compliments that have been extended to me, but so far as my services
to you have merited that compliment, that is what draws from me my
74 OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
feelings of gratitude. Every man has a right to feel proud of any merit
he possesses. I have simply taken the position I have without any desire
to occupy it only so far as I may be able to serve you. While I appre-
ciate more than I can express the honor that has been conferred upon
me, I also appreciate the expression which you have given, that I have
conferred an honor by my conduct upon this organization. The time has
been, and is yet, when we are seeking men to join this organization be-
cause we need their help. The time is coming, and is near at hand, when
they will come to this Congress and ask permission to join it because
they need its help. You cannot understand how much I appreciate the
wisdom that this body exercised in the selection of headquarters. I ad-
mire the state of Utah, and the -contest those gallant men made here;
but it is my judgment after all of this discussion that you acted with
wisdom in behalf of this Congress. I think it will appeal to the miner and
to the business man. We appreciate the generous offer given by Salt
Lake City, of a lot and other assistance. That was not what we were
seeking. Your Board of Directors did not ask any one to make any gift
to this body in order to secure its headquarters. In their love for the
mining industry and the desire to have you in their midst, they did gener-
ously make you an offer; but we expect yet that every miner who loves
his profession if I may call it that, and it ought to be called that will
be willing to donate of his mite, and the business man and mine owner
of their plenty, and possibly the millionaire of his abundance, to help
Tionor the mining industry with a temple worthy of its magnificence.
It does not matter whether it takes one year or ten to accomplish a great
result like that; but when it is done every man connected with its con-
struction, either by donation or personal assistance, will feel that his
name is honored by being connected with it. This is our aim, and it
has been in my thought in the sense suggested to you the other day,
-on the theory of prayer and fasting. I had no selfish motive in these mat-
ters; I sought no distinction; but I am seeking to bring up the mining
industry to the attention of the people of this country in a manner that
is worthy of so great an industry and so great a country. I have been
seeking to bring out as sustaining and upholding it, men of that type
and character, who stand as a guarantee to the world that the highest
system of business and intelligence shall be applied to every detail of
its management. (Applause.) If in that effort I have rendered you a
service, as your expression seems to indicate that you think I have, for
that I feel profoundly grateful, and at this time I simply thank you for
that, and tender to you whatever service in whatever rank I may,
whether in the lead or in the rear, all I possess of heart, brain and
energy.
MR. DORSE Y, OF NEBRASKA: Mr. President: I move that this
Congress appoint a committee of three to take charge in Congress of
the bill creating a Department of Mines and Mining; and I would suggest
Senator John H. Mitchell, of Oregon, as chairman; Hon. William A.
Sulzer, of New York, of the House of Representatives, and Hon. E. W.
Martin, of South Dakota.
The motion was seconded and carried.
Mr. Daggett, of California, then addressed the Congress on the gen-
eral subject of mining.
Mr. Cook, of Missouri, then addressed the Congress on -"Mining in
Southwest Missouri."
Mr. Cobb, of Texas, was called upon, and talked on El Paso, the next
convention city.
COLONEL CRAWFORD, OF OREGON: Mr. President: Before we
adjourn I would like to bring to the attention of this Congress the fact
that we as a body make it plain to the practical, hard-fisted miners that
they are one of us, and that we hope they will join us. We want practi-
cal miners to be with us in our deliberations, and we desire to extend to
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 75
those men who, from the bowels of mother earth, extract the riches for
the wealthiest men in our land, an invitation to participate in our meet-
ings.
MR. DIGNOWITY, OF PENNSYLVANIA: At our last meeting in
South Dakota a resolution was adopted by this Congress to the effect
that it go in a special car, upon the invitation of Dr. Holmes, Manager in
Chief of the Bureau of Minerals at the St. Louis Exposition, to attend that
exposition in a body. I would like to inquire what has become of that
resolution.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: The Secretary will answer; he was pres-
ent at that time.
SECRETARY MAHON: Thene was a resolution passed at the last
x ses.sion of the American Congress at Dead wood, South Dakota, advising
the President of the Congress to appoint a committee of twenty to attend
the St. Louis Exposition. Of that committee the President and Vice Presi-
dent of the Congress at that time were requested to be members.
MR. JOSEPHS, OF UTAH: Mr. President: It seems to me we have
overlooked one very important personage here in our bouquet throwing.
I think we have forgotten the Secretary. I move that the thanks of The
American Mining Congress here assembled be tendered to the efficient
Secretary, Colonel Mahon, for his diligent efforts and zeal in behalf of
the success of this Congress, and the uniform courtesy he has displayed
towards the delegates and members.
MR. DAGGETT: I desire to offer an amendment including the Sec-
retary's lady stenographers.
Texas seconds the amendment as well as the original motion.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: I want to make a statement, as a matter
of justice to a man with whom I have been more intimately connected
probably than any man in this Congress to-day. A more tender-hearted,
truer man, so far as his understanding goes, I have never known. Our
correspondence has been of the most intimate character; it has been as
beautiful as the correspondence between a mother and her child. I know
the motive that actuates the heart of that man in reference to the Min-
ing Congress. I am making this statement in justice to the character of
a man that to some extent has been assailed; statements have come to
my ears directly reflecting upon his character. I want to say to you that
that was a misunderstanding; it simply had reference to business methods
and not to his good heart. I ask you not to amend that motion, but let
that motion be a special honor to the man who has honored this institu-
tion so long.
MR. DAGGETT: I withdraw my amendment with the consent of
my second.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: In making that statement I do not want
to detract from these young ladies, whose services have been of the high-
est quality. Give them a special and distinctive honor; but this motion
means something to the Congress. Mr. Mahon has been with it ever
since it dawned, and from him have I gathered whatever inspiration I
have given to this organization. All in favor of that motion signify
the same by rising.
The resolution was unanimously adopted by a rising vote, and three
cheers were proposed by Mr. Josephs for Mr. Mahon, which were en-
thusiastically given. Mr. Mahon was loudly called.
SECRETARY MAHON: Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen: I
liardly know how to thank you for this evidence of your appreciation of
my labors. I have been with this Congress from the very hour of its
7G OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS
birth. I tried to do my duty honestly and honorably. I have never asked
one farthing for my services. After the reorganization at Butte our Board
of Directors saw proper to consider the question of compensation. What
compensation I have received you are all now aware of. With it I am
entirely satisfied, and I retire as Secretary of this Congress hoping that
I may carry away with me your best and kindest wishes. That is all the
consideration I ask at your hands, and if I receive it, it is more than I
deserve.
I thank you also for your consideration for my stenographers. They
have been most faithful, working early and late for almost six months,
and I was glad to hear them mentioned before this Congress, and I trust
you will see proper to recognize them by a special resolution. Gentle-
men, I thank you.
MR, DAGGETT, OF CALIFORNIA: Mr. President, I now renew my
motion that the lady stenographers be given a vote of thanks by this
convention.
The motion was carried.
MR. COOK, OF MISSOURI: I think a vote of thanks .should be given
to the Program Committee, including Mr. Patterson, chairman of that
committee, and I make that motion.
The motion was seconded and carried.
MR. STEELE, OF ALASKA: Mr. President: I want to thank this
Congress for what it has done for Alaska. Alaska is all that you have
been told about all other localities put together; Alaska is everything,
even an orphan; but we feel less outcast now that The American Mining
Congress has adopted that orphan. We feel that its action will give us
what we have so long desired. We feel that the next session of Congress
of the United States will grant us a delegate, and that we shall no longer
be taxed without representation. We shall be with you at El Paso next
year, for Alaska will henceforth be a factor in this Congress.
(Applause.)
Mr. H. S. Clark, of Montana, read a few words expressive of his
satisfaction in the success of this session of the Congress, and of its en-
tertainment in the Rose City, which met with laughter and applause.
Colonel Ewing, of California, moved that the Congress adjourn
sine die.
MR. LAFE PENCE: Mr. President: If I may be permitted, so that
we may know that donations have begun, I desire to state that Mrs. Mary
K. Brittain, of The Dalles, Oregon, begs to say to the officers that it is her
desire to donate to the new building in Denver an elaborately decorated
cathedral window.
MR. F. WALLACE WHITE, OF OHIO: Mr. President: May I have
the privilege and honor of subscribing for myself $1,000 towards that
mining temple.
PRESIDENT RICHARDS: Rev. Father McDevitt desires to make a
statement just before we adjourn.
REV. FATHER McDEVITT: Mr. President and Members of The
American Mining Congress: I wish to express to this body my sincere
gratitude for the honor that was conferred upon me in opening this noble
meeting with prayer. I wish it understood, if you please, that I was only
acting as a substitute for our beloved Archbishop Christie, who is now in
ill health and unable to attend in person.
Now, gentlemen, before you depart from our beautiful city, I wish to
have distributed among you some specimens which I would like to have
yx>u examine, to determine, if possible, whether they are fossils or ore.
They will be left to your own good judgment. Some of you, no doubt,
are familiar with these specimens, but some may not be. Perhaps you
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS. 77
have not seen our hospitals as yet, and I am not sure that after having
inspected these properly, you may feel a desire to go to some hospital.
(Laughter.) I wish to present these cigars to you this morning in the
hope that you will do all your smoking in this world, and not have to
do any in the next (laughter and applause), and that your prayers may
be somewhat like the good old darkey's just a short time before Thanks-
giving. Said he, "I prayed all the week that the Lord would send me a
turkey, but I never got a turkey. Then I thought there must be some-
thing wrong about my prayers; so I turned around and I prayed the other
way; I prayed the Lord to send me after a turkey, and I had him in an
hour." (Laughter.) I hope you will not think me in any degree irrever-
ent if I tell you another story before we part. (Laughter.) Another poor
old darkey down in Charleston, South Carolina, some years ago, when
they had a tremendous earthquake and everybody was trembling with fear
lest the last hour had come, rushed into the streets, threw himself on
his. knees and raised his hands to heaven and says, "Oh Lord, God Al-
mighty, Heavenly Father, come down and save us poor sinners or we'll
all perish. Now, please don't send down your son; this is no child's play."
(Laughter.)
My dear friends, in the beginning we asked the Father, Son and
Holy Ghost to bless you; so if you will kindly accept these from me I
will leave them in charge of your Secretary to distribute among you with
a heart full of gratitude in the name of the Archbishop. God bless you.
Whereupon, the motion to adjourn sine die having been duly seconded,
was carried, and the Congress adjourned.
PROCEEDINGS
of the
Seventh Annual Session
of the
American Mining
Congress
PART II.
CONTAINING THE PAPERS OF 1904
PORTLAND, OREGON
AUGUST 22 to 27,
INCLUSIVE
Published by the Congress
At the Office 'of the Secretary
Denver, Colorado,
1905
COPYRIGHT, 1905,
BY THE
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
DENVER, COLORADO.
Western Newspaper Union,
Printers, Denver.
INDEX TO PAPERS OF 1904
Annual Address of the President, by Hon. J. H. Richards 7
The Relation of Mining to the World's General Advancement, by H. W.
Scott 17
The Public Land Commission, by F. H. Newell and Gifford Pinchot 28
Address by T. A. Rickard 35
Idaho and Thunder Mountain, by A. E. Borthwick 38
Address by Ellis H. Roberts 46
The Influence of Mining Men for Better Roads, by James W. Abbott. . . 47
The Promoter and His Place in Our Development, by E. Benjamin
Andrews 54
The Investor in Mines, by F. Wallace White 69
Concentration of Copper Ores in the Southwest, by Frank H. Probert. . 80
The Ryan Electro-Magnetic Concentrator, by John H. Ryan 110
Geology and Mineral Resources of Wyoming, by Henry C. Beeler 113
Mineral Resources and Mining in Oregon, by Frank V. Drake 119
Mineral Resources of South Carolina, by Earl Sloan 129
Mineral Resources of Vermont, by G. H. Perkins. . . .- 161
The Evolution of Mining in California, by John Daggett 172;
The Mining Industries of California, by The State Mining Bureau 177
The Geology and Mineral Resources of Idaho, by Robert N. Bell 200=
The Mineral Resources of Maine, by Leslie A. Lee 227
OFFICERS FOR THE YEAR 1905
PRESIDENT.
.1. H. Richards.
VICE PRESIDENTS.
Thomas Ewing. E. R. Buckley.
A. W. Gifford.
DIRECTORS.
J. H. Richards, Boise, Idaho.
Thomas Ewing, San Francisco, California.
E. R. Buckley, Rollo, Misouri.
A. W. Gifford, El Paso, Texas.
J. Frank Watson, Portland, Oregon.
Geo. W. E. Dorsey, Fremont, Nebraska.
Jos. T. Cornforth, Seattle, Washington.
John Dern, Salt Lage City, Utah.
William Lennox, Colorado Springs, Colorado.
SECRETARY.
Jas. F. Callbreath, Jr., Denver, Colorado.
Annual Address of the President.
BY HON. J. H. RICHARDS, BOISE, IDAHO.
Gentlemen of the Congress: It gives me great pleasure
to meet you again on this occasion of your annual session,
and to say a few words of greeting to you before you enter
upon your deliberations and proceed to take such action a 4
may seem to you most appropriate for advancing the aims
and purposes of our organization.
It was thought by your Executive Committee that it
would be fitting to make a few suggestions at this time for
jour consideration, in relation to a few of the aims and pur-
poses of this Congress.
What are those aims and purposes? I need make no
apology for refreshing your recollection by quoting from the
charter of our corporate existence, because, whenever I read
those words, they give me a new inspiration for our work,
as well as an authoritative revelation of our opportunity.
"To advance the mining and metallurgical industries
in all their various branches within the United States; to
assist in bringing about a more perfect co-operation
between the government of the United States and the devel-
opment of mining and metallurgy; to encourage education
in practical and scientific mining, metallurgy and
their allied industries; to acquire and disseminate
trustworthy information bearing upon the development
of the metallic and nonmetallic mining resources
of the United States; to promote a more co-operative ten-
dency in the evolution of agriculture, mining, manufactur-
ing, transportation and commerce, and for the particular
purpose of bringing the mining men of the United States
into closer relations with one another, and of promoting a
friendly feeling, for one another through social intercourse
and the discussion of mutual interests."
Therefore, if assisting in advancing the mining industry
to a position commensurate with its importance; if aiding
8 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
in bringing about a more perfect co-operation between the
government of the United States and the development of
mining; if encouraging the application of scientific methods
to all departments of mining; if promoting a more co-opera-
tive tendency in the harmonious evolution of agriculture,
mining, manufacturing, transportation and commerce; if
bringing representative mining men together for their
mutual benefit, are worthy aims, and this Congress can
materially aid in accomplishing these purposes, then it has
a rightful place among the active agencies of American
effort, and can, if intelligently utilized, bring richer oppor-
tunities to greater numbers of individuals, as well as insure
more stability in industrial tendencies, and through these
achievements confer lasting honor and advantage upon our
National Commonwealth.
Mining Congress No Accident.
The existence of the -American Mining Congress is not
a result of accident. Its existence, aims and work are
intended to express the necessity for a broader co-operation,
based on a closer unity of general purpose, and to aid in
bringing about such changes in method as will give a more
beneficial direction to present industrial tendencies.
These tendencies are at bottom co-operative, and there-
fore healthful. The great combinations, both of capital and
labor, are simply manifestations of the development of a
great principle, which must be controlled and directed so
as to accomplish the greatest good for the greatest number.
The abuses of this principle of co-operation, whether such
abuses appear in the form of rapacious trusts or lawless
unions, simply present conclusive evidence of weakness in
our present industrial and financial methods. We cannot
afford to allow predatory promoters to rob the people of
millions by the issue of watered stock on consolidated
industrial plants, nor can we tolerate a state of civil war
between mammoth aggregations of capital and labor. The
common people, who are non-combatants in these conflicts,
also have rights which can and must be maintained.
But, notwithstanding all these abuses, the tendency
to combine marches steadily on, and it would be just as
ANNUAL ADDRESS OF THE PRESIDENT. 9
sensible to talk of damming the Mississippi river to get rid
of the floods, as to advocate reversing these wheels of
progress and restoring the conditions of the past. The ten-
dency may and must be guided, it must be restrained, it
must be kept in proper channels, and it must be inspired
with justice. Then, finally, it will be seen to be what I
have called it a co-operative tendency, by which all should
benefit, inasmuch as it is better to work together than to
work apart, better to work in harmony than to work in
strife.
I say, therefore, that if a wiser direction were given to
these tendencies, greater opportunities for individual and
local growth would arise, investments in our vast indus-
trial ventures would be safer and more pemanent, the dan-
gers and losses from financial and industrial panics would
be minimized, the employment of labor would become more
regular, and the remuneration of both labor and capital
more certain. In other words, a more general unity of
purpose in these tendencies would result. As mining
largely finds a market for its product through our industrial
and transportation development, if that market were less
fluctuating on account of alternating periods of depression,
the mining industry also would present a more attractive
field for legitimate investment, and be to a less extent the
sport of a merely speculative activity.
Now, since these defects in our present business ten-
dencies exist, there must necessarily be ways and means of
bringing about more satisfactory conditions. Can the
American Mining Congress be made a useful and potent
factor in American effort to most successfully reap the
fruit of American opportunity? We say that it can.
Government Aid Needed.
In the first place we want to enlist the active powers of
the National Government more fully in this work of striv-
ing for better industrial conditions. We have seen what
our Government has already done in the way of directing
its activities into channels which are wholly non-political,
as that term is generally used, but which have a most vital
10 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
connection with the economic welfare of the people. We
have seen how our Government has beneficially molded the
process of settlement of the people's heritage, our vast pub-
lic domain, by the institution of the Interior Department
about the middle of the last century. We have seen its be-
nign and directing influence upon agriculture through the
creation of the Department of Agriculture a comparatively
few years ago. We have seen the effective work already
accomplished by the new Department of Commerce and La-
bor during the few brief months of its existence. The suc-
cessive establishment of these industrial departments of
our Government at different stages of the economic devel-
opment of the United States is most significant. The peo-
ple need these industrial departments; they need this active
and intelligent co-operation of their Government in matters
which are vital to their happiness and prosperity.
So it is becoming more and more a conviction with
many that the Government which meets the fullest measure
of its responsibility to the citizen is the one which most
wisely aids in directing the industrial upbuilding of its peo-
ple, not in a paternal sense, but in a co-operative sense, and
to the end that there may be more unity of purpose in work-
ing out methods that will assure the greatest possible sta-
bility to the investment of capital and the employment of
labor, while preserving the independence and individual
opportunity of the average man.
We stand at the portals of glorious possibilities. Our
country, by reason of the mechanical genius of our Avork-
men, the executive ability of our captains of industry, and
the almost unlimited abundance of cheap raw material,
rather than by reason of any marked co-operation on the
part of our Government in the past, has taken a leading
position among the great industrial nations. Our govern-
mental theory has been equal rights, equal duties, and
equal laws; then let the man do the rest. But conditions
are changing. The rivalry of nations is becoming conspicu-
ously an industrial rivalry. International competition is
to-day more intense than ever before, because the nations of
the earth are brought so much closer together by modern
ANNUAL ADDRESS OF THE PRESIDENT. 11
facilities of communication. Careful observers are warning
us that the highly perfected bureaucratic organizations of
European governments are being more and more utilized
in fields of industrial activity. That nation which is pow-
erful industrially can always buy guns and ships, employ
big armies to win its battles, and easily float loans to pay
for them. We found that out in our own Civil War. But
if you have no powerful and organized reserve of national
resource back of your military display, your army and navy
are liable to collapse like a house of cards when the hour of
crucial strain arrives. And so we say that the United
States must be better prepared than ever before to meet the
influences of these mighty governmental organizations in
seeking the trade of the world. How shall it do this? Sim-
ply by more effectively directing the industrial energies of
its people, by opening new avenues for industrial enter-
prises, and by making it possible to secure better results in
the old.
We have already, as I have intimated, made creditable
progress in that direction. If the Agricultural Department
of our Government has broadened the markets for farm
products in all parts of the world by systematic efforts; if
it has diffused much-needed scientific information concern-
ing crops, soils and tillage; if it has effectively assisted the
cultivator in overcoming the pests that endanger his crops;
if it has helped to make agriculture more like a business
calling by securing results which are more calculable and
rewards which are more certain; if it has thereby invested
agriculture with a new dignity and brought a greater meas-
ure of comfort and prosperity to the producers of agricul-
tural products, then to that extent our Government has met
the fuller measure of its responsibility, due to changing
economic conditions, by the establishment of the Depart-
ment of Agriculture at Washington.
On the other hand, if we inquire what governmental
co-operation can do for the great primary industry of min-
ing, you will find a singular parallelism with what it has so
effectively done for the great primary industry of agricul-
ture. Why? Because both these industries are producers
12 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
of raw material; because, taken together, they supply nearly
all the raw material used in our arts and manufactures,
and therefore any discrimination against either must react
upon all the industries and occupations w r hich are depend-
ent upon it. This is why we contend that the reason and
justification for governmental co-operation in the one case
is practically the same as in the other.
Favors Department of Mines.
We therefore affirm that if a Department of Mines and
Mining could broaden the markets for the products of our
mines by intelligent investigation and official action; if it
could diffuse among prospectors and miners in practical
form the scientific information which would be so useful
to them; if it could afford them cheap and perfectly reliable
facilities for classifying and assaying the infinite variety
of ores found in our extensive mineral districts; if through
a revised, simplified and uniform system of mining laws and
a judicious control of mining corporations in the interests
of the working miner, the investor and the general public,
it could lessen that element of friction and speculation
which to-day in the opinion of so many condemns mining
both as an occupation and an investment if through such
a department such results could be accomplished, then it
must be apparent to all that such accomplishment would
create a new atmosphere and a new hope, not only through-
out the mining world, but that the salutary effects w r ould
react in the commercial and industrial world, and that every
railroad office, every bank, every factory and every farm
would feel the stimulus and reap the benefit.
In all the objections which I have ever heard or read
against a Department of Mines and Mining, I have never
been able to discover even an attempt to answer this query:
Why has not the prospector, the miner and the investor in
mines just as good a right to governmental co-operation as
the farmer, the horticulturist and the investor in farm mort-
gages? We contend that mining, as a leading department
of primary production, is just as essential to civilization as
agriculture. The wheels of industry could not make a sin-
ANNUAL ADDRESS OF THE PRESIDENT. 13
gle revolution without the products of the mine. But we
are not asking our Government to assume the paternal or
patronizing attitude towards the mining industry. We are
not teasing it to make us any presents, but we are asking
it to w^ork with us. In this country the Government is the
people, and the people are the Government; it is of them and
for them. That is the doctrine when reduced to its lowest
terms, and it is the only theory upon which I am making
these remarks. But conditions change, and human effort
and agencies must change with them. "New occasions
make new duties" is as true of governments as of men. We
want to preserve the individuality of the American citizen,
we want to preserve the better opening, the better chance
in life which has been characteristic of this country in the
past. To that end we must have governmental agencies
that recognize the changed conditions and are equipped to
meet them governmental agencies which apply the co-op-
erative principle in dealing with the 'citizens by whom they
are maintained.
Mining Industry Would Profit.
The Interior Department, by the aid of wise laws, is
approaching the end of its mission, so far as the equitable
distribution of our public domain is concerned; it has done
that work well; it has made homes for a new sisterhood of
states; it has kept open a resource of independent liveli-
hood for the poor man. The Department of Agriculture
has supplemented its efforts, has enhanced the value of our
agricultural products by untold millions, and has found a
permanent place in our governmental activity. A Depart-
ment of Mines and Mining must logically follow. The min-
ing industry could then speak through this Congress in its
endeavor to co-operate with the Government in making the
mining industry one of the strongest bulwarks of our indus-
trial fortress. This great primary industry of mining must
also feel the uplift of the co-operative tendency of the age.
Recognizing the great service our Government has
heretofore rendered the mining industry, especially through
the w T ork of that branch of the public service known as the
14 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
United States Geological Survey, we still feel sure that
much more efficient service would result through such a de-
partment, and at the same time afford the Geological Sur-
vey, splendid as its services have been in the past, an oppor-
tunity to make one branch of its work more definite, exten-
sive and permanent. Its reports would thereby become
much more authoritative and attractive. The commercial
value of such reports as pertain to mining would be greatly
enhanced. The work of the Geological Survey would be
more highly recognized, and its influence would be immeas-
urably extended through such a department. The system-
atic and scientific development of the great mineral sections
of our country are second only in importance to our agricul-
tural section, each, however, stimulating the other, and a
very large part of the effective work of this development
as well as its encouragement, must necessarily rest with the
Geological Survey. It therefore becomes apparent what a
directing influence over such a department the Geological
Survey would possess. And it would give a much more di-
rect, positive and influential character to this branch of our
public service, and greatly to the advantage of the mining
industry at large. Too much importance can not be attached
to the influence such a department would have, in enlarg-
ing the scope, making at least one branch of the work more
valuable, and enlarging the influence of the United States
Geological Survey, and every man connected with this
branch of our public service should rejoice in the hope that
a Department of Mines and Mining will be early estab-
lished.
If there are substantial reasons for the institution of
such a department, then a general demand therefor should
be made, and it should be based on arguments clear enough,
expressed in terms strong enough, to be heard at Washing-
ton.
Permanent Home Advocated.
But if the American Mining Congress is to be what its
purposes and opportunity justify, it must rest on a higher
and more permanent business basis than heretofore. The
^blessings which have resulted from its labors are many, but
ANNUAL ADDRESS OF THE PRESIDENT. 15*
it still lacks that inherent force which commands the high-
est respect and attention. If it is to successfully meet the
challenge of its opportunity, it must be placed on a thor-
oughly business basis, both as regards finances and as re-
gards management, such as will assure it the approval of
the best business thought of the day. There must be added
unto it that element of permanency as an institution which
begets pride in and respect for what it represents. It must
be so impressed with the elements of successful effort, sta-
bility, influence, and power to serve, that it will be both
feared and respected. It must rest on a financial foundation
which will obviate the necessity of asking for charity in or-
der to perform its functions. Permanent headquarters
must be established, suitably equipped to carry on the work
of the Congress between sessions, and this will be one of the
most important questions for you to consider at this meet-
ing. As an incident to permanent headquarters, employes
must be chosen who are competent to do this work, and ade-
quate compensation must be provided for them. One of the
features of a permanent home, which alone will justify its
establishment, should be a mineral collection. I do not
mean an ordinary mineral collection, but such a collection
as our organization ought to acquire, and which its mem-
bers are in a position to acquire, by a little personal effort
at a minimum expense; that is to say, the finest and most
practical working collection of minerals in the world. Thi&
collection would be classified and properly cared for at the
permanent home, and constantly augmented. The Ameri-
can Mining Congress should possess the National mineral
collection par excellence, one worthy in every way of the
great mining industry of America.
But that, of course, is only one of the many practical
objects which may be kept in view during your considera-
tion of this matter.
I* suggest these things, well knowing that their con-
summation must be the mature fruition of many sessions of
this Congress, but at the same time with the desire that we
may have these ideals in our thoughts as members of thi&
16 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
organization, and work steadily towards their gradual ful-
fillment.
In conclusion, gentlemen of the Congress, I take this
opportunity to gratefully acknowledge my appreciation of
the trust you have reposed in my keeping during the two
years last past. I assure you that I deeply feel and shall
always remember the cordial support and generous consid-
eration which you have uniformly shown me, and sincerely
hope that my efforts to strengthen and perpetuate the
American Mining Congress may in some small measure jus-
tify the honor you have conferred.
The Relation of Mining to the World's General Advancement,
BY MR. H. W. SCOTT OP PORTLAND, OREGON.
From one whose vocation it has been to observe, com-
ment upon and record daily for many years the important
events and progress of a state in detail and of a nation gen-
erally, and of the world in its relation to such state and na-
tion, little can be expected in the form of minutia or par-
ticulars in an address necessarily brief and general in char-
acter.
Such vocation compels definite and more or less intel-
ligent observation and, irresistibly, naturally, if you please,
leads the observer to conclusions as to causes for recent
industrial and commercial achievements and present condi-
tions in our National life; and, as well, to encourage the
habit of looking ahead.
Beginning before the birth of the state of Oregon, in a
territory which now embraces all of three states and parts
each of two others, myself a youth, local events linked in
varying degree with those of the Nation and of the world
have passed into history in unbroken procession, constantly,
unavoidably, demanding my closest attention and observa-
tion.
Industrial progress during this period has been so con-
stantly accelerating, so intensified in purpose, so successful
in attainment of ends that seemed but yesterday impossible,
that a retrospect presents a record of miracles: Of deserts
abloom, mountains removed, seas bridged, time out-
speeded, distance a day's journey!
My experience as a "practical miner" was limited to a
single year, in my youthful days, in the auriferous gravels
of the then famous and still noted Boise Basin. The work
consisted of w r hipsawing logs into boards, constructing
therefrom flumes and sluice boxes, digging ditches, shovel-
ing soil and gravel into the waters running through the
sluices, cleaning up the riffles, squeezing surplus quicksilver
18 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
from amalgam in a buckskin sack, and retorting the remain-
ing amalgam for the captured gold.
It was truly strenuous labor; and it was interesting in
that all operations called for the exercise of intelligence,
on the part of the workers. There were no experts, nor ex-
perienced old miners, nor teachers in those days. Discus-
sions were had and estimates made on each branch of the
work as it progressed, such as length of the boxes, grades
for and sizes of the ditches, "pitch" of the sluices, adjust-
ment and variation of riffles, disposal of tailings, propor-
tioning the materials shoveled into the sluices to the
amount and speed of water running through them, the use
and saving of the precious quicksilver and the like, until
best results were obtained from use of the limited and
crude appliances at hand.
This experience of placer mining for gold, though lim-
ited, coupled with personal observation of the primitive
arrastra and curious inspection of later quartz mining and
of the quaint and exceedingly rude first stamp mill on a
mountainside in Jackson county, and study of the resource-
ful inventors at their work this personal contact with the
stout men who were battling with unwilling Nature for her
golden treasures made profound and enduring impress upon
my mind. And this impression, though my life's calling has
been such as to include observation of other activities and
other fields, has deepened with the rapidly passing years,
until to-day I stand, with you, in awe of the fact that this
young Nation, banner in hand, leads in the front rank be-
cause of her unsurpassed mines of gold, copper, iron and
coal most potential factors in the future of the world.
Without these, the enterprise and genius of the American
in industrial effort would be fatally circumscribed.
A claim, therefore, for recognition as a co-worker with
you can not be taken as unjust, and if I entertain the com-
mon bias for the practical men who dig wealth and solve
riddles in the mine depths, it should not be considered un-
founded or unnatural.
The universal commercial arfd industrial stagnation
preceding the discovery of gold in abundance on the Pacific
RELATION OF MINING TO WORLD'S ADVANCEMENT. 19
Coast, historically well known to you all, had not been per-
ceptibly relieved in the then Far West, when, as a youth,
I started with my parents in the long, hazardous and ardu-
ous journey overland from Illinois to Oregon.
I well remember the conditions then existing in the
great, fertile, nature-endowed Mississippi Valley. Accumu-
lated harvests molded and rotted in the granaries. Human
effort seemed to be rewarded only with paralysis. .There
were no markets; practically no means of transportation.
There was no money to replace the decaying products of the
fields and preserve values for future use. There were only
innumerable "promises to pay," issued by many carelessly
licensed "banks," to serve as a medium of exchange. The
irresponsibility of the banks and abundance of easily-made
counterfeits kept the unhappy holder of the "money" of
that day awake nights, devising schemes to get rid of it to
his neighbor for something more tangible before sunset next
day. The glint of gold was almost unknown, and the sheen
of silver legendary. Local commerce (the limit in those
days) consisted chiefly in "dicker," "swapping>" trading
one commodity for another and taking chances all around.
The principal occupation was securing lands, "breaking"
plows, ox teams to pull the plows, planting 'corn, raising
hogs on the surplus corn for a market so far away that
profits were consumed in getting there and back again. It
was a plodding, unsatisfactory existence for citizens Amer-
ican-born. The only divertisement was the heartrending,
backbreaking industry of digging burr-oak, black-oak and
white-oak "grubs." It was discouraging work, that mining
for tap-roots of oak grubs.
From these conditions, my father, with his family, and
others en train, departed from the Garden Prairie state for
the then far-away Oregon. West of the Missouri river
there was no settlement save a small group of Mormons at
Salt Lake; no w r hite inhabitants, no civilization outside the
occupants of the wagons and the trudging ox-drivers,
slowly moving westward, until Oregon was reached. All
the journey seemed to be over an uninviting waste, gray
sage plains, waterless deserts, rugged mountains. And so
20 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
it remained until the American miner came to inspire and
aid a transformation which has made Nebraska, Colorado,
Utah, Wyoming, the Dakotas, Nevada, Montana, Idaho, Cal-
ifornia and Oregon, sovereign states and indispensable fac-
tors in the present and future Greater American Republic.
Our American miners are now steadily producing more
gold, more coal, more iron and more copper than are those
of any other nation.
These minerals, proven to be so abundant in the United
States, are not to be taken in situ as constituting wealth.
They are valueless until utilized. Personal equation is a
factor in the problem of wealth-getting. The tremendous
energy, courage and faith of the pioneer men, aided at times
by capital, are integers to be reckoned in the sum total.
For many years I have seen, with never-abating inter-
est, the intermittent human floods surging to occupy new
fields, where gold was known to be. Sometimes I have
mingled w r ith the passing stream, sorely tempted, often, to
drift with the tide to the Fraser river, Cariboo, lastly
Alaska, and on through the list.
Portions of the early receding tides, increased from
new sources, flowed backward and eastward until all the
Pacific and inter-mountain states were contributing gold
and copper, silver, coal and iron in such increasing volume
that; before fairly aware of the magic powers of American
prospectors and miners, Ave were startled with the fact that
in these minerals we had passed the productive capacity of
every other nation; and w r ere exporting the raw materials
and manufactured products thereof, greatly in excess of im-
portation of like articles.
And the full beginning is not yet; we shall be masters
of the world.
This mastery will be attained, not alone from the crude
minerals, but from and through the aid of their manufac-
tured products for use in the arts, supported by exports of
other products. The "Yankee Invasion" of Europe, though
one of Peace, has more of force, persistency and permanence
than a fleet of battleships, and the flag of commercial and
industrial supremacy is there to stay. American-built
RELATION OF MINING TO WORLD'S ADVANCEMENT. 21
bridges, railways, locomotives, mine hoists, mill machinery,
dynamos, motors, telephones, plows, harvesters and won-
derful things yet to follow, will continue to supply foreign
needs and bring us gold in return.
Control of the movements and disposition of the world's
money metal will result in dominion over the world's com-
merce and over great international policies.
For a long period this Nation produced, and will con-
tinue so to do indefinitely, more gold than has any other
nation. The measureless energy and inventive genius of
Americans are enlarging the means of discovery, explora-
tion and separation of gold from its associate minerals.
Profits flow from the rejected rocks of yesterday. The hori-
zon of production is being enlarged; the cream has not been
skimmed from the vessel, notwithstanding the assertions of
scientists a few years since. Literally, mountains are being
fed to the stamp mills and enormous profits enrich the bold
investors. The ocean beaches are robbed and the deserts
yield riches.
With exports of value far in excess of imports there
is and must be a steady flow of gold from abroad into the
United States. The maintenance of these two conditions
must result in placing the strings of the great international
purse in the hands of the United States. The third factor
in the permanency of such profound responsibility and
power rests in the wisdom of the statesmen of the Republic.
He who holds the purse rules the household. This is
as true when applied to the great family of nations as to
the members of a household.
And yet it would be a mistake to suppose or to assume
that money even gold is wealth in itself. It is, however,
indispensable to production and exchange of wealth, for it
supplies a steady or fairly steady measure of values, and
means of exchanging them. Trade without it would be
barter, merely, and obstructed at every point by its own
cumbrous system.
These promised conditions, almost accomplished, are
not more cause for felicitation on material achievements
than for the extension of American ideals and universal in-
PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
telligence the uplifting of humanity, the subjection of
wrong for the right, justice and freedom for injustice and
oppression.
Within the brief period of my observation, the increase
of mineral products in the United States has been so great
as to tax, almost pass, the credulity of even a native-born
citizen.
In 1850 the coal product (I give approximate figures)
was 7,000,000 tons; pig iron less than 1,000,000; copper 650,
lead 35,000, silver in quantities was unknown, unsuspected,
and prior to the California discovery, gold in very small
quantities, and tentatively, had been mined in the South.
The gold mines on the Pacific Coast aroused the world
to the new era. This discovery was soon followed by the
opening of the marvelous silver mines in Nevada; then gold,
lead, silver, copper, iron and coal mines succeeded in amaz-
ing numbers and products all over the West, especially in
the Pacific and intermountain states; and the Michigan cop-
per and iron, and the enormous coal beds in Pennsylvania
and the "Old West;" lastly Alaska.
It was bewildering to the men striving to keep abreast
of the times.
From the records it can safely be stated that the pres-
ent annual product of the leading ores in the United
States is :
Coal, 225,000,000 tons; iron, 80,000,000 tons; copper,
270,000 tons; lead, 210,000 tons; zinc, 120,000 tons.
In addition -to these are immense products of salt, cin-
nabar and other minerals in great variety.
Petroleum is produced here to the amount of 2,500,000,-
000 gallons annually.
The annual product of silver in the United States
amounts to about |55,000,000 in value, and that of gold
$80,000,000, greatly exceeding, as before stated, the product
of any other nation.
This record of things accomplished has no parallel.
The results to flow from its continuance defies prophecy;
the probabilities are beyond computation and the possibil-
ities world-arousing and portentous.
RELATION OF MINING TO WORLD'S ADVANCEMENT. 23
To bring these vast amounts of minerals to the surface
more than a half million men have daily employment. To
feed and supply them and to transport and reduce the ores
to metallic state, and to manufacture large portions into all
the forms for uses to which they are adapted requires the
daily work of several millions of men, women and children.
The little company of prospectors whom I first saw on
their way to Galena, in my native state, to sink "sucker"
holes for lead, has grown to mighty communities, sufficient
in numbers and strength to found and maintain a nation.
I have been at some trouble to verify, approximately,
my recollection of the achievements of fifty-four years, for
the purpose of emphasizing an argument for what seems to
me to be a necessity the creation of a department of gov-
ernment (a cabinet office perhaps) to be charged with the
special duties of promoting and protecting this most impor-
tant industry.
Here I desire to express my most cordial approval of
what your President has said on the need of obtaining the
recognition and co-operation of the United States for the
furtherance of this great industry. Government, of course,
is not asked to take charge of it, but to adopt means for pro-
motion of it the same as in commerce and agriculture.
Every citizen every child of this Republic, is brought
into daily contact with the use of the products of the mines.
Those products are distributed to every part of the globe
where civilization is.
Certainly, an industry engaged in exploiting such
large areas and producing such enormous values as pro-
foundly to affect state and foreign commerce and become
potential in influence upon National and international poli-
cies, merits the gravest attention of our Government.
Through it, if at all, this Nation can successfully attain
its highest standard and influence in the world. So long as
this people can control, as at present, the price of copper,
iron and coal, and be dominant in the production and poten-
tial in the movements of the money metal, it will become
and remain foremost among the nations.
Though I have given some figures, just now, it is not my
24 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
intention to enter into a close or extended statistical state-
ment of the mines of the country and of their products. My
object is briefly to advert to the effect that the mining in-
dustry has exerted, and will exert, more and more, upon the
destiny of the human race.
The history of civilization is largely the history of the
development of industries. Property is one of the founda-
tions of organized society, as human character is the other.
Primitive man lived by the chase, aided by rudest agricul-
ture, and, later, though not in the Western Hemisphere, by
flocks and herds. It was the smelting of ores, the extraction
and use of metals, that added to his primitive life the forces
that have produced a complex industrial civilization.
The condition of man in America, at the time of the
discovery by Europeans, was due to physical causes that be-
longed entirely to the New r World. It is one of the illustra-
tions which prove in most striking ways that the general
course of history is ultimately controlled by physical
causes. Man in America was making no progress. He had
not the use of metals. The use of metals he had not ac-
quired because his subsistence was the chase, and agricul-
ture in the lowest state, and, lacking the aid of the horse
and of the ox, he could not enter on an extended system of
agriculture nor lay up store of food. Mining and the work-
ing of metals require storehouses of cereal food, and domes-
tic animals for meat supply, as well as for heavy labor.
Till a people can reach these conditions they can have no
time to spare from the search for scanty food. So the Amer-
ican Indian, never, probably, would have made any progress
beyond the condition in which the European found him.
Mining is hazardous, or more hazardous than other un-
dertakings, only when pursued blindly, without special
knowledge or judgment. In any line of effort one who is to
succeed must have the special knowledge which that line
requires. But, as mining may yield greater gains, so the
risk is greater. Hence, more need in this industry of spe-
cial knowledge and cautionary judgment.
In some ways it is a risky business, but on these prin-
ciples, the risk may be minimized. The tendency of this
i UNJVSRSITY
OF
RELATION OF MINING TO WORLD'S ADVANCEMENT. 25
pursuit, especially of the search for the precious metals,
is at first to attract a restless and adventurous population,
whose disregard of conventional restraint and lessons for
experience leads to the assumptions of risks and of bold
and adventurous undertakings, by which, however, new
countries are rapidly opened up to settlement and to civil-
ization. But the nature of things in a short time so ordains
it that the superficial treasures of the earth, designed to
attract this superficial class, soon disappear, and a higher
order of intelligence is required and a more permanent con-
dition of things is established. This is the universal his-
tory of our mining districts, especially of those whose prod-
ucts are gold and silver. Surface mining disappears, and
deep mining, requiring capital, special knowledge and
skill, follows it.
The movements of civilization depend, mainly, and
always, on the products of the mines of the earth. Till ores
could be smelted and metals could be had in quantities for
the use of man, progress was practically impossible. Even
production of food, from agriculture, in sufficient abund-
ance to meet human wants, had to wait on production of
iron, and again on production of iron and steel for its dis-
tribution and carriage to the market. Again, the depend-
ence has been as great on the money metals as media of ex-
change. The most careless thought will recognize at once
how great a place mining industry has among the means
wh,ich have contributed to the progress of the human race.
It is not too much to say that this industry has been, is,
and ever will be, the indispensable basis of civilization and
of human progress. Conceive the world deprived of the
products of its mines, and everything else becomes incon-
ceivable. You have then the conditions of man's primitive
life, when he was thrown into the world with no means in
his hand of subduing the forces of nature and of making
earth or elements serve him.
For in every situation man is dependent on the re-
sources of Nature, and his advancement depends on the
measures of his success in utilizing them. The struggle up-
ward has been hard; for some accumulation of the supply of
26 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
food was necessary before labor could be withdrawn from
the necessities of the passing day, so that mining could be
pursued and metals extracted. Production of metals, there-
fore, was slow, and as agriculture is so dependent on met-
als, agricultural progress was slow, too. In America, at the
discovery, the stick hardened and sharpened by fire was
the best implement of agriculture.
So, as the artificial production of food, in quantities to
relieve natural scarcity, is the first step to human progress,
the second one is as great in itself and greater in its vast
and varied results, namely, the complete transformation of
human society through the opening of mines and the ex-
traction and use of metals. Of the first step of this change,
in the substitution of an artificial for a natural basis of sub-
sistence which over the eastern world, in times more or
less remote, silently shifted the foundations of human so-
ciety, or rather made the conditions of the change, the writ-
ten chronicles have little account to give. The second step,
and its results, are nearer our own time, and the record is
ample, for though we do not know when iron was first
smelted, we do know that within a very recent period the in-
creased production of iron, later in the form of steel, has
wrought almost complete transformation of the artificial
structure called civilized life, and the change has been ac-
celerated and augmented by the production of vast quanti-
ties of other metals copper perhaps coming next in impor-
tance in the industrial world; and gold and silver, indis-
pensable as metals in commercial exchange. And to crown
all, coal, indispensable source, through combustion, of mo-
tive power transformable and transferable through steam
and electro-dynamics, into working force of infinite extent,
for all the uses of man.
The function of machinery in this whole work is im-
mense, and machinery depends on mines and ores and met-
als, and coal to operate it. So, without the products of the
mines were it conceivable they should be suspended the
world would stand still. It would lapse or sink to the prim-
itive conditions of life from which the mines and the metals
delivered it.
RELATION OF MINING TO WORLD'S ADVANCEMENT. 27
And transportation, or means of transport, application
of power, through machinery, for facility and rapidity of
movement, for carriage of freight and for speed and com-
fort of travel, by which the present age is specially distin-
guished above all that has preceded it, are functions of hu-
man activity which have produced upon the world greatest
of all effects ever witnessed within the history of man. It
is through development of this activity and its consequent
influence that national and international intercourse have
been established. Thus the play and influence of nation
upon nation, of race upon race, stimulate the energies and
promote the progress of all. Through this movement not
only the race of men, but the earth itself is subjected to pro-
found modification, leading to improvement in no other
way attainable. It was not till the age of mining, of coal,
of metals, that this could be realized transport and travel
with speed, and cheaply, by land and by sea. So men in
our day, as in the old poet's conception of the messengers
of God, are able to "post o'er land and ocean without rest."
I need say no more. The subject is vast and infinite,
and I can present merely an outline, suggesting the rela-
tions of the mining industry of the world to the progress of
the human race. It is not all, indeed, but it is the greatest
of all factors ; for of the infinite development that has trans-
formed all human society it is the principal agent and main
support. It not only supports itself, but it stimulates every
other energy. It is the -main agency which has produced
that infinite variation which gives to modern life the char-
acter that so distinguishes it from the life of the earlier
time.
The Public Land Commission.
BY MR. F. H. NEWELL, CHIEF OF THE RECLAMATION SERVICE.
MB. F. H. NEWELL: Mr. President and Gentlemen:
It is with great pleasure that I have the honor of appear-
ing before this distinguished body, representing, as it does,
mining, one of the greatest interests of the United States.
As your President has said, Mr. Pinchot and I appear
here under instructions from the President of the United
States and as members of the Public Land Commission,
consisting of Governor Kichards of Wyoming, the Commis-
sioner of the General Land Office, as chairman, of Mr. Gif-
ford Pinchot, the Forester of the Department of Agricul-
ture, and myself, constituting a commission of three per-
sons, to consider and report to the President upon the pres-
ent administration and desirable changes of the land laws.
Now, you gentlemen interested in mining have, of
course, a very vital concern with the present land laws and
their administration; and although these do not touch you,
perhaps, on as many points as they do some other inter-
ests, yet there are certain laws enacted by Congress, with
which you have more or less to do, and doubtless a number
of you have very definite ideas and suggestions which you
might make as to the administration of these laws and the
changes which might be beneficial for the development of
the mining industry.
There has been, as we are all aware, much discussion
as to the wisdom of the law governing the apex and of the
decisions which follow it, and if we should open this sub-
ject for discussion I imagine there would be a great differ-
ence of opinion here as to the benefits to the country of fol-
lowing vertical lines or of following the vein. On that point
the commission would be glad to have suggestions and ad-
vice, as the proper solution of that point will render great
benefit to the mining business, putting it on a safe basis,
and make it easier for you men, engaged in the develop-
ment of the country, to carry on your business safely and
economically.
THE PUBLIC LAND COMMISSION. 29
I can not take the time now to go into a discussion of
these matters, even if it were proper to do so. The point
that I wish to make is, that we, as members of the commis-
sion, would be very glad for any suggestions, written or
oral, Avhich would tend to guide or assist us in making, in
the future, some definite recommendations to the President,
which he in turn may transmit to the Congress of the
United States.
Mr. Pinchot and I also appear before you in another
capacity, viz., each as the head of a division or bureau of an
important work of the Government. Mr. Pinchot, as the
Chief Forester, will speak upon forestry, and I will claim
your attention for a few moments in regard to another and
co-ordinate piece of work, that of the reclamation of the
arid lands.
Now, it may not be obvious at first as to what connec-
tion there is between irrigation and mining, but all of you
appreciate that the best part of our mining industry, at
least a considerable part of it, of the precious metals, is
in the arid West, where water is the foundation of all val-
ues, except mineral, and of all life and industry, The con-
servation of the water supply, the bringing in of a popula-
tion, the building up of agriculture and allied industries,
all have a very direct and vital bearing upon your business.
It may be said in general terms that irrigation in the
arid West is an outgrowth of the mining industry, espe-
cially of the hydraulic mining. As you are all aware, many
of the old hydraulic flumes and ditches built in California
and on the Pacific Coast have been gradually converted into
great irrigation systems, because the use of those flumes
and hydraulic works has not been profitable for placer
mining. Many of the large and important irrigation sys-
tems of California have been the natural outgrowth of the
work done by the miner. In other words, the miner has not
only been the pioneer, has furnished the market, has cleared
the way, but his very works have contributed to the agri-
cultural development of the country, and in return it is
hoped and believed that the hydraulic works built for agri-
30 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
culture and from which power will be developed, will be of
use directly and indirectly to the whole mining fraternity.
As you are probably aware, by the law of June 17 r
1902, the proceeds from the disposal of public lands in all
our western states and territories thirteen states and
three territories has been set aside for the construction
of works of reclamation for the building of large dams and
reservoirs and canals for holding the waters and distribut-
ing them to the arid land. Those works, built in the high
mountains, in or adjacent to the forest reserves within the
mining country, frequently will have very direct bearing
upon many industries, and the creation of water power
which will follow the building of these works will probably
afford the means for the transmission and utilization of a
cheap power extremely valuable to you in every way in
operating and lighting the mines. It is only A few days
ago that I had the pleasure of going into one of the largest
mines in northern Idaho, lighted throughout by electricity,
transmitted forty or fifty miles; and the contrast to the old>
dark, gloomy holes of the past where you could barely make
your way with a candle is striking to one who occasionally
visits those great works.
In conclusion, I wish to repeat to you that we, as mem-
bers of the Public Land Commission, wish advice and sug-
gestions from you; and as the chief of the Reclamation Ser-
vice, I wish to aid and co-operate with you and with the
mining men in every possible way in large works which are
to be built by the Government for the development of the
West.
ME. GIPFOKD PINCHOT: Mr. President, Ladies and
Gentlemen: Mr. Newell has spoken to you of the Public
Land Commission, of which he and I are members. I want
to say just a word about that.
The fundamental idea that the President had in mind
when he created this commission was to get at the best use
of the public lands, of all the public lands, an idea which
originated with him in its present form, and which he has
done more than any one else to put into effect. We were
THE PUBLIC LAND COMMISSION. 31
asked then to investigate and say how each part of the pub-
lic domain can be best used, and Mr. Newell has told you
how pleased we shall be to hear from you as to any im-
provements in laws or practice that can be made to improve
and further the use of the public domain for the miner.
Now, I have come in contact with public land questions
mainly on the forestry side, and the question there has
arisen continually, daily, How can we give the forested part
of the public lands their best use for every part of the com-
munity? We have taken up this matter from the point of
view of the lumbermen, and there we find that the essential
thing is to keep up the timber supply. In other words, the
object of the forester is not to preserve trees and destroy
the lumber industry, but to preserve trees and preserve the
lumber industry by doing it, cutting the right trees and let-
ting the young ones come on. We have taken it up from
the point of view of the grazing man, the live stock man.
What can you do with the forested lands to give their best
use to him? The answer is, make the range and
the forest available in such a way as to prevent its destruc-
tion, and make the grass resource a permanent resource.
And so on with the other great interests which are con-
cerned with the forests. We have most to do with regard to
water supply, and you gentlemen are very intimately con-
nected with that, to keep the water coming from the for-
ested hills, preventing, so far as we can, high floods at one
time and too low water at another.
As to the mining industry, I approach there a ques-
tion which has been very largely misunderstood at first
among the miners in different parts of the United States,
and latterly, I am very glad to say is much better grasped
because the mining people have come in contact with forest
reserves. You know when any new subject comes before
the great body of people there arise at first mists and mis-
understandings which are gradually cleared away as the
thought comes in contact with the individual mind. When
the Black Hills Forest Keserve was created, there was an
impression among the mining men there that they were all
going to be driven out, that that was the end of the devel-
32 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
opment of the hills, that the ranches must go, that the min-
ers must go, and they used to come down to the railroad
train wrapped in blankets and yelling like Indians, to indi-
cate that they had something to say on the subject. They
have seen what the actual facts were, and the people of no
community in the United States stand more solidly behind
the forest reserve policy than the mining men of the Black
Hills. The reason is obvious. You can not run a mine
without timber. Many mines can not run without water.
Now, there may be plenty of timber over a range, but if it
can not be gotten to your mine cheaply enough, it is of no
more good to you than if it were not there. The object,
then, of the forest reserve policy of the Government with
relation to the mining man is to keep timber enough in his
country, keep it growing in his country, to make it possible
for him to run his mine at a profit. Let me say in a word
how that is done. In the first place, the Government's pol-
icy definitely is to protect and promote local industries as
against industries at a distance. That means that we should
prefer to have the timber cut and used in the country in-
stead of being sent out of the country for use somewhere
else. Secondly, we want to keep the fires out. I was told
just the other day by a gentleman w^hom I see before me,
that many times the amount of timber used is burned in
northern Idaho every year, and every bit of it that is burned
means a loss to the mineral industry of that country either
now or within a few years. Forest protection keeps the tim-
ber from being burned and saves it for mining use, . all of
which is unquestionably good, and when those facts are un-
derstood we have no complaint from any mining man on
those two points.
But let me return for a moment to the misconception
of which I spoke. There has been an idea that prospecting
was not allowed in forest reserves, that timber could not be
used, and that in general the organization of the service
was such as to make it hostile instead of friendly. I want
to read to you just a paragraph or two from the law on that
subject. The law provides: "That any mineral lands in
any forest reservation which have been or wnich may be
THE PUBLIC LAND COMMISSION. 33
shown to be such and subject to entry under the existing
mining laws of the United States and the rules and regu-
lations applying thereto shall continue to be subject to such
location and entry, notwithstanding the reservation."
That nails that point. You can prospect, locate and
develop mines in a forest reserve, the same as you can out-
side.
Can you use the timber? Here is what the law says on
that point:
"For the purpose of preserving the living and growing
timber and promoting the younger growth on forest re-
serves, the Secretary of the Interior, under such rules and
regulations as he may prescribe, may cause to be designated
and appraised so much of the dead, matured or large
growth of trees found upon such reservation as may be con-
sistent with the utilization of the forests thereof, and may
sell the same for not less than the appraised value in such
quantities and to such purchaser as he may prescribe, to be
used in the state or territory in which such reservation may
be situated respectively, and not for export therefrom."
That is where the sale of timber is authorized. You
have prospecting authorized, development of mines author-
ized and a supply of timber provided for, and at the same
time have forest protection and conservation of the water
supply. I insist on that point because of a misunderstand-
ing which at times has occurred. Being connected with the
forest reserve work, I have received a great many com-
plaints at different times of the red tape, which obscures
the operation of these laws and prevents them from being
as useful to the mining man as they would otherwise be,
and I am obliged to admit frankly that there is just com-
plaint, on those grounds, that there has been too much red
tape; and also, I want to say, the Government being aware
of that fact and taking steps to prevent it, the chances are
there will be very much less of it in the future. The pre-
eminent thing is the protection of timber everywhere, which
is the occasion of this red tape, and the resolution which
w r as read to you just now is designed to do away with the
delays, which are the most serious things in this connec-
34 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
tion. The Government understands just as well as you do
that when a mining man has got to have timber to keep
open his workings, he has got to have it; he has got to have
it right away, and there should be just as little delay as pos-
sible. Now, what happens under the present management
when a mining man sends in an application for timber in
a forest reserve? What happens because of this separation
of the Government's forest work into three parts as it is
now, in the Geological Survey, the General Land Office,
and the Department of Agriculture? Suppose you write to
the Secretary of the Interior for some timber. He sends
that application out to the supervisor. The supervisor
ought to have power himself, but he has no power to-day.
The supervisor makes a report on it; he sends it back to
the Commissioner of the General Land Office; the Commis-
sioner of the Land Office sends it to the Secretary of the
Interior; the Secretary of the Interior sends it to the Sec-
retary of Agriculture; the Secretary of Agriculture sends it
to the Bureau of Forestry for an expert opinion as to
whether or not that timber ought to be cut. When the Bu-
reau of Forestry says it ought to be cut, it goes back to the
Secretary of Agriculture, from the Secretary of Agriculture
to the Secretary of the Interior, from the Secretary of the
Interior to the Commissioner of the Land Office, from the
Commissioner of the Land Office to the division in the Land
Office, which has charge of forest reserves of that division,
to the Supervisor, and finally the mining man gets his fin-
gers on it again. Now, we are trying to do away with all
of that sort of thing and handle this matter in a business-
like, direct way, just as any business man would manage his
own business. But, I want you to remember that red tape,
under our system of Government, is the temporary thing
and is going to be wiped out; that the permanent thing is
the great advantage of the permanent timber supply, per-
manent water supply, local use of the available timber and
such matters as that. It is very hard, I know, when a man
is bothered with things of that sort not to have the thing
that bothers him removed so that he can go back to his
THE PUBLIC LAND COMMISSION. 35
place in his mine, but it is the greater permanent benefit
that underlies it.
I want to add one thing more. Mr. Newell has spoken r
as I have said, about the desire we have to get information
on public land laws from you, as to how they can be im-
proved for your use. Now, I shall be equally glad on the
other side to get any suggestions which you are kind enough
to make as to how the working of the forest reserves can be
improved from the mining man's standpoint.
I thank you very much.
ME, HAEEY S. JOSEPH (of Utah): The other day, in
going into one of your forest reserves in the eastern part
of Idaho, bordering on Wyoming, I saw vast areas of what
would be very good agricultural land included in the forest
reserve. I would like to ask whether it is the purpose of
the Government to plant that with trees for timber.
ME. GIFFOED PINCHOT: I am glad you asked that
question. The Government's purpose about agricultural
land in forest reserves is two-fold. In the first place, not to
put into forest reserves agricultural land where it is possi-
ble to keep it out; and, secondly, even if it is in, to make
it open to entry; and the commission which I have the honor
to be a member of has made a report to the President, and a
bill has been introduced in Congress, which will undoubt-
edly pass at this next session, making all agricultural lands
in forest reserves open to agricultural entry. It is a great
deal better to raise grain on land than to raise trees, but
when we can not raise grain, then let us have trees.
ME, T. A. EICKAED (of New York): Gentlemen: I
have no speech or address to make, but I am glad to have
the opportunity of expressing my appreciation of the honor
of being a national delegate to this Congress, and at the
same time I may tender the apologies of Mr. James GatelT
and Mr. Hammond for their inability to be here. Mr.
Gately at the very last minute found it necessary to remain
in New York in connection with some very important ex-
periments in the metallurgy of iron which he is carrying
on, and Mr. Hammond sends a telegram that he has been
somewhat overwhelmed of late and crowded with work so-
36 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
that he could not make it possible to make this journey and
attend this Congress. However, gentlemen, I hope you will
appreciate my interest in the doings of this Congress by
the three thousand miles which I have traveled to come
from New York here.
New York, it occurs to me, is somewhat of a mining
centre, not in a financial sense, as most of you are aw r are,
T^ut in a practical sense. I have seen more mining in New
York City during the last two years every day than I have
seen anywhere else. I refer to the Subway. There are
more men, ' and there is more capital represented in the
digging of the great system of tunnels under New York
City, than is represented by the activities of a large mining
region. And to any of you who are there as miners, it w T ill
appear to you remarkable that all of this work should be
going on underneath and in the heart of a great city with
so little interruption of the traffic.
I may say in all sincerity that I have listened to the
speeches at this Congress with great interest, and partic-
ularly to the address of the President. I can say, too, in all
sincerity, that if your spirit is as earnest and if you are as
sincere in your purpose to get what you want as is evidenced
by the speech of your President, you will win, and I hope
you will. There is no question in my own mind, as one who
has been connected with mining in a practical way as an
engineer long before I was an editor, that the mining in-
dustry does need some means through which it can make
its wants known. Mining men, as a rule, do not maintain
very close relations with their congressional representa-
tives, and for that reason, perhaps, 'they do not exercise as
much influence at Washington as the output of their activi-
ties warrant; and a Congress like this can put into concrete
shape the desires and the requirements of a great industry.
I hope that in your agitation for a mining department
which has been voiced and carried in the resolution this
morning, an agitation which I hope will be successful
that you will then take up other matters. For instance, the
control of mining companies in some such way as to make
illegitimate mining more expensive and more difficult and
THE PUBLIC LAND COMMISSION. 37
to make legitimate mining more easy. I hope, also, that
you will pay some regard to the anomalies of the mining
law. A resolution pertaining to that matter has been
brought before the committee. But that is only one of a
great number of difficult problems which have come before
us mining men as a consequence of the early mistakes of
the mining law. I hope, gentlemen, therefore, that you will
be successful in your work. I believe from what I have
seen here, that you have a sufficient number of earnest, pur-
poseful men to do good work, and I hope that your efforts
will redound to the greater benefit of an industry w r hich is
one of the most beneficent known to a busy humanity.
Idaho and Thunder Mountain.
BY A. E. BORTHWICK, BOISE, IDAHO.
Idaho is a state having great mineral resources. A few
leaves only of the book Nature has so lavishly enriched
have been turned. Enough development has been made,
however, to show that when the "Gem of the Mountains 77
comes to her own her record of gold production will rank
along with California and Colorado. As a silver producer
she will be a peer with Nevada of old, and Montana and
Utah of the present. In her production of lead she now out-
ranks them all. When the development of her copper de-
posits in the Seven Devils, North Fork of Clearwater, Big
Creek and Custer countries are commensurate with their
richness, she will vie with Arizona and Sonora in actual
production. A large part of the state is still as Nature left
it thousands of years ago, without roads, trails or inhabi-
tants, the surface covered with forests and grass, peopled
by the wild animals, awaiting the genius of man to fill her
woody fastnesses with the sound of the mill whistle, the
hum of the town and the roar 6f the stamp mill.
Seventeen out of her twenty-one counties are producers
of the precious metals.
I have not at hand the reports since 1902, but in that
year the value of her gold was $2,467,233; of silver $6,784,-
113; of lead $4,172,805; aggregating $13,424,151.
The production of the Coeur de Alene silver-lead mines
in 1903 swelled the total production to over $20,000,000.
The Coeur de Alene mines are wonderfully rich, and
the management of some of her principal mines are doing
development work looking to continuous and increasing
production for twenty-five and thirty years.
The Bunker Hill and Sullivan Company have com-
pleted a tunnel over two miles in length through which an
electric railway brings the ore from its stopes to the con-
centrator. Stopes seventy feet wide, carrying pay ore, are
talked of.
IDAHO AND THUNDER MOUNTAIN. 39
The Morning mine at Mullen has had a 13',000 foot tun-
nel under way for over three years, designed to tap the ore
body at great depth.
The Hercules mine near Burke, was developed by a
group of resident miners and when the ore body was struck
in going 1,600 feet it was found to be so vast and rich that
the company has for the past two years or more been paying
about |40,000 per month in shipping the high grade ores
direct from the mines to the eastern smelters.
Owyhee and Boise counties are the present principal
producers of gold with a credit of above a million.
The production of the placers of Boise basin com-
menced in the early 7 60's, still continues.
Best authorities give a total production of f 150,000,000,
and there is much ground as yet untouched.
The early history of the production of War Eagle and
South mountain, in Owyhee, has been exceeded by the later
yields of Teloride mountain and De Lamar.
To even name all of the districts and famous mines
would make a long list.
For full and complete report on the mines of Idaho
your attention is especially called to the able and scientific
report of Mr. Bell, state mine inspector, which was read
by title and will be embodied in the proceedings of the Con
gress.
As a sample of some of the wonderful riches the state
contains, a brief description of one district is here given :
Through the operations of a short mining boom in 1901-
02, Thunder mountain has become known all over the coun-
try from Maine to Oregon as a remote mining locality in
central Idaho. In some places, no doubt, the opinion is
held that it is a good place to stay away from.
Thunder mountain lies a little south of the 45th paral-
lel of latitude, and almost on the 115th Western meridian
line. The mining district of that name comprises the coun-
try around it for perhaps thirty miles in every direction.
No surveys have been made, and few maps indicate the ex-
act locality. The district is new, very large, and, judging
from the comparatively small amount of development work
40 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
done thus far, is very rich. It is situated on the top lines
of the watershed draining northerly into the Salmon river.
The altitude is not as high as Cripple Creek and many rich
camps in Colorado. None of the higher peaks reach quite
10,000 feet; the general average of the ridges being from
7,500 to 8,500 feet.
The country is very rugged and the mountain sides
steep. Slide rock is common.
In no direction is there scarcity of wood or water.
Grass is plentiful in its season. There are large areas of
burned timber, but generally there is abundance of timber.
Valleys are narrow; seldom a quarter of a mile wide. Win-
ter is long, but not severe. The thermometer showed 16 de-
grees below zero once last winter; a number of times it was
10 degrees and 12 degrees below zero. Snow commences to
come from November 10th to 20th., and is three feet deep on
the bottoms, to six and eight feet on the ridges. It is off the
southern slopes in April, and grass starts at once. May 1st
shows the creek bottoms bare of snow and blooming.
The placer mining operations of the Caswells, with
the subsequent sale of their holdings on Thunder moun-
tain to Colonel Dewey, of Nampa, Idaho, followed by ener-
getic operations, started the mining boom in 1901-02. Thous-
ands went in and claims were staked covering the porphyry
field for nearly twenty miles in all directions. Of the thous-
ands who went in, a few hundred saw the probable future
wealth to be had and remained. Of the thousands of
claims that were staked and recorded a few groups have
been developed, enough to indicate the ultimate richness
and greatness of the district.
In the narrow valley of Monumental creek, at the
mouth of Mule creek which drains the Dewey property, and
about midway between Thunder mountain and Rainbow
peak, a town was started, named Roosevelt. To the West
the nearest wagon road was seventy miles, and to the South
eighty-five miles.
As prospecting went on it was found that much of the
surface porphyry which covers a large part of the terri-
tory, was either barren or yielded but a small amount of
IDAHO AND THUNDER MOUNTAIN. 41
gold, also that in a marked degree there was an absence of
ledges or veins or walls which the prospector considered es-
sential to ore production. In some places the surface rock
would show colors in panning, and the earth on some of the
higher hills w r ould exhibit a generous streak of yellow to
those who took the trouble to carry the dirt to water. Usu-
ally there was little systematic work done, and a few r days,
or weeks, at most, brought a reversal of sentiment and the
average gold hunter and rainbow chaser had left the coun-
try before the winter of 1902, reporting it "no good."
Last year saw a continuation of the development
with, good results in every instance where the work was In-
telligent and careful, and sufficient to place it beyond the
assessment condition.
The main porphyry field extends from the top of White
Pass, six miles south of Koosevelt, on both sides of Monu-
mental creek, to the mouth of Holy Terror creek six miles
below the town, and includes Thunder mountain and Rain-
bow peak, with one or both slopes of Marble and Cotton-
wood creeks on the East and South, Sugar and Tamarac
creeks to the West of Rainbow, the West Fork, and well up
Snow Slide ridge to the North. This embraces in the main
area a tract about twelve miles square, of which fully
twenty -five per cent, (and I think more) is porphyry or
quartz-porphyry. There are other small porphyry fields
down Monumental, Marble and other creeks.
Within the area described extensive development has
been done on less than a dozen properties, The Sunnyside
company on the slope of Thunder mountain has pursued a
plan of development wise, careful and systematic, that has
been productive of remarkable results. Within about two
years, by working perhaps an average of twenty-five men,
its superintendent gave in December last a conservative
estimate that there was fully 500,000 tons of ore in sight
that will mill from $7.00 to flO.OO per ton. This company
is now working 250 men and is installing a forty-stamp mill
with overhead tramway about a mile long, and will soon
be a producer of bullion. The cost of mining and milling
is estimated at below $1.75 per ton.
42 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
The Dewey has done even more development work.
After milling ore all winter with its ten-stamp mill, hav-
ing no delay or annoyance from ice or snow, it closed down
April 1st, from shortage of wood supply. Its March run
produced more than $20,000 gold bullion from its batteries
and plates.
The H. Y. management commenced development on the
southwest slope of Thunder mountain after acquiring the
property last fall, and this spring in the face of its tunnels
after going 200 and 300 feet got values from f 50.00 to $70.00
per ton. While in the whole length of the tunnels the
values had averaged $4.00 to $6.00 per ton.
It will take many years to tell the story of the extent
of the pay ore bodies.
The above are samples of what has been found on par-
tial development. In such a large field showing relative
sameness of surface values, where commencement of tunnel
work is determined by the relative steepness rather than by
any superior surface showing, it is not likely that the pres-
ent developments include all the good ore bodies that will
be uncovered. It is the general expression of those conver-
sant with- the conditions, that the present companies' great
finds will be duplicated by many others, and even richer
fields opened as the work of exploration goes forward.
The developments on Rainbow peak have not been so
extensive as those on Thunder mountain proper, but the
Fairview developed a dike about forty feet wide, nearly
3,000 feet in length which is reported to average above $8.00
per ton, free milling. The Toronto, Gold King, First
National, Tripod and others are finding good ore values as
the work progresses. Very good values are reported on
Sugar creek and Tamarac creek to the west of Rainbow,
also on Divide, Coney, Four Mile, Lava, Cornish and Cotton-
wood creeks south of the Monumental and Thunder moun-
tain, and on Trap, Rainbow, Botha, Bonanza, Sable and
southwest fork of Monumental to the north of that stream.
Active developments are being made on Big and Little In-
dian, Marble, Holy Terror, Deer and Rush creeks, with sat-
isfactory results.
IDAHO AND THUNDER MOUNTAIN. 43
The Big Creek district to the northwest is another rich
field, receiving much attention, and showing great ledges of
free and base ore of remarkable size and richness.
Following are expert opinions:
Hon. M. H. Jacobs, ex-state mine inspector, who has fre-
quently visited the district, says "The time has gone by
when anybody of however doubtful a nature he may be, can
say that the mines in and about Thunder mountain are not
going to make great producers."
Professor D. H. Mead in a report to the Oregon Short
Line Railway Company, says in part "In reply to your
question as to what were my impressions of Thunder moun-
tain, will say that it is an immense reef of rhyolite, por-
phyry and breccia, averaging $6.50 per ton, in such great
quantities that in the short time I was there it was im-
possible to estimate extent."
This relates to the Dewey property which at present is
the only mine where any great development is being done,
but enough ore shows to keep a hundred-stamp mill
going indefinitely. When properly equipped ore can be liter-
ally quarried out on the same principle as the Homestake in
the Black hills and Treadwell mines of Alaska. An unlim-
ited electric power can be developed on Monumental creek,
a distance of eight miles from the mines. Timber and water
are in abundance. The formation of the ore is principally
porphyry-rhyolite-trachyte and phonolite.
Wiliam Allen White says "Gold mines and gold pros-
pects on Thunder mountain proper are located in porphyry
reefs and intrusive dikes of talc. These reefs and dikes
occur in steep dust-covered hills, soft in outline and about
3,000 feet above the gulches about them. The ores are
found free in porphyry or talc, with little quartz and few
crystals. It is a comparatively low grade ore, but is found
in large streaks and pockets, and seems to be running richer
in values as the tunnels go in, for the gold appears to be
coming from below rather than to be a sedimentary de-
posit."
Professor E. J. Conroy of Boise, Idaho, says "Thunder
mountain is a vast area of porphyritical upheaval. The soft
44 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
rocks of this formation have been scored to great depths by
streams draining this wide area, and the sides of the canons
are very precipitous. It would seem that the whole area
w T as a lake bed, and some violent convulsion of nature
caused this vast upheaval of porphyry, that the subsidence
occurred immediately before the waters had receded, and
that gold had been disseminated along the strike of the vast
dikes of porphyry, enriching areas of the uplifted rocks."
Wiliam E. L. Hame says "I consider the formation
identical with that of Cripple Creek. It consists of rhyolite,
intersected by phonolitic intrusions. The greatest values
are met with at the contact of the dike with the overlaying
volcanic breccia."
I quote from report of Charles Raymond, M. E., of Chi-
cago "One remarkable feature in regard to the Thunder
mountain district is that the ore bodies throughout the dis-
trict are identical. In other districts ore is found in many
different forms. While work has been carried on in some
of the leading properties to the depth of over 200 feet, and
cross-cut tunnels run in opposite directions, no well de-
fined walls have yet been encountered, going to prove the
assertion often made that Thunder mountain is one vast
mountain of ore."
These gentlemen reported their findings eighteen
months to two years ago.
J. M. Venable, a well-known mining superintendent,
who has spent much time in the Thunder mountain district,
and given careful attention to the occurrence of ore
bodies there, holds that the veins do not crop their course,
being simply indicated by changed conditions of the rhyo-
lite or porphyry. Where the rhyolite or porphyry shows
quartz crystals, some gold is met with, and at all such
points where the surface rock has been cut through, ore
bodies have been found.
Professor E. M. Ray, former superintendent of Strat-
ton's Independence mine at Cripple Creek, Colorado, says in
part in a recent interview in the Idaho Statesman, July
14th, after his third visit to the camp "The development
assures the camp a place among the richest in the country.
IDAHO AND THUNDER MOUNTAIN. 45
I feel justified in saying so much as that, and I might add
that in my opinion the district is likely in two or three
years to be better than Cripple Creek is or has been."
Of the general mass of porphyry, Mr. Ray said "It
averages higher than the ore of the Treadwell mine. I have
taken a great many samples and find the average some-
where between $2.75 and |3.50. It is absolutely free milling
and can all be handled at a good profit with sufficient mill-
ing capacity.
"The great feature of the camp next to the size of the
ore bodies," Mr. Ray continued, "is that the ore is abso-
lutely free milling. Plates only are needed. You do not
have to have concentrating machinery or anything else be-
yond the batteries and plates. There is no base in the ore,,
and the values can all be saved by simple amalgamation."
More than likely the great mass of ores are as described
by Professor Ray. There are some sulphides, however, in
the mysterious Slide group adjoining the Dewey, and in the
tunnel of the Dakota claim of the H. Y. group.
Lack of transportation has been a serious handicap in
development of the district. With nearly one hundred miles
of rough trails over which everything had to be packed,
costing from six cents to ten cents per pound, it took a rich
country to justify the expense of even surface prospecting.
The completion of the wagon road now assured will
revolutionize former conditions, enabling the Thunder
mountain country to be easily reached about every month
of the year and contribute largely toward opening an era of
prosperity there, whose benefits w T ill be lasting and far-
reaching.
Address.
BY MR. ELLIS H. ROBERTS, DIRECTOR UNITED STATES MINT.
I shall detain you only a moment. I am here merely as
.a casual, though interested, spectator. I stopped off to
.spend a day, and to extend a word of greeting and good will
to this convention. (Applause.) I am just returning from a
short tour in what I anticipate will become one of the most
important mining districts in the world Alaska. (Ap-
plause.) The hidden and marvelous richess of that country
have but recently been revealed only in part, and in my
judgment are now only faintly appreciated; but from this
time on developments may be expected year by year.
Thousands of hardy prospectors are scattered over Alaska
with pick and shovel and pan, and in spite of almost in-
conceivable obstacles and hardships, are opening an em-
pire of mineral resources. I have a good notion to put
Alaska in nomination for permanent headquarters of the
American Mining Congress. (Enthusiastic applause).
J was pleased to observe that this body has cast its influence
in favor of generous and just treatment for Alaska (great
applause). I have never been predisposed to emphasize the
value of government aid for this or that locality, or this or
that interest; but I know an orphan when I see it, and I
feel that Alaska has not had generous, or even just, treat-
ment at the hands of the general government. (Great ap-
plause).
Now, gentlemen, I simply wish to bid you God speed in
your proceedings, and to express my hope that the results
of the work of this organization may be of great value to
the mining industry. I thank you for your attention.
{Great applause).
The Influence of Mining Men for Better Roads.
BY JAMES W. ABBOTT, SPECIAL AGENT ROCKY MOUNTAIN AND PA-
CIFIC COAST DIVISION OF THE OFFICE OF PUBLIC ROAD IN-
QUIRIES, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
While everyone in a general way recognizes the need
for better roads, the enormous importance of the subject,
as an economic question, is not yet fully comprehended.
A careful investigation of the statistics shows that the
cost of transporting over common roads of the United
States the products of the earth and soil exceeds the sum of
one billion dollars per annum and is greater than the ag-
gregate amount paid to all the railroads for transporting
freight.
While I do not intend to repeat much of what I said in
my address last year to the American Mining Congress,,
there are certain things which are so thoroughly of the very
essence of this question that it can never be discussed in any
of its phases without some reference being made to them.
The European nations awoke to a fairly clear concep-
tion of this question about a century ago. Koads built pri-
marily from military necessity proved to be of such general
and far-reaching value that a system of national highway
improvement was entered upon both in England and on the
continent. Strange as it may seem, the relative importance
of properly constructed highways was better comprehended
by the people generally of the United States a century ago
than it is to-day. In 1802, upon the admission of Ohio into
the Union a law was enacted by Congress setting aside five
per cent, of the revenues from the sale of public lands in
that state to build highways from the navigable waters of
the eastern coast to and through Ohio, two per cent, to be
used on roads without the state, and three per cent, on those
within. Under this law about seven million dollars was ap-
propriated and expended in building a great national high-
48 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
way which was known as the old Cumberland road. It ex-
tended from tidewater westerly across the Alleghany moun-
tains through the states of Ohio, Indiana and Illinois,
nearly to St. Louis. For hundreds of miles this road was
built nearly in a straight line and constructed in a thor-
oughly substantial manner and after the most approved
methods. Its counterpart does not exist in the United
States to-day. It was the great artery of that time from
the older states to the new farms and cities of the West
and played a very important part in the growth of the coun-
try.
In Europe, after the railroad came, it and the com-
mon road developed together. The relative place and im-
portance of each seemed there to be understood but in this
country, with the development of our railway system, caine
neglect and disregard of the highways.
The panic of 1837 produced such financial stringency
that Congress was compelled to retrench expenditures in
all directions. It stopped appropriating money for national
highways and that policy has never been resumed. For more
than fifty years, the roads of the country were left, as a
rule, to take care of themselves. As railroads multiplied
.and improved the common roads grew worse and worse.
It was not until the introduction of the bicycle that
public attention was directed to the subject. The suffer-
ings and tortures of draft animals were ignored. The losses
were neglected. The derision which our muddy roads and
thriftless ways excited in Europe failed to make any im-
pression upon our national pride, but when men got
astraddle of a two wheel vehicle and actually propelled it
with their own legs, they discovered that something was
radically wrong. By 1892 it was estimated that the number
of bic} f cles in the United States had increased to a million
.and the power and influence of their organization, The
League of American Wheelmen, became a tremendous na-
tional force. As a result of the agitation initiated by them,
the office of Public Road Inquiries was established by Con-
gress in 1893 as a division of the Department of Agricul-
ture. Like all other divisions of that very useful depart-
INFLUENCE OF MINING MEN FOR BETTER ROADS. 49
ment of our government, its functions have always been
purely educational.
Its first line of investigation was in the cost of wagon
transportation in both Europe and America. From a com-
prehensive series of inquiries made in all parts of the
United States, it was found that the average cost of hauling
a ton one mile upon the common roads of this country was
twenty-five cents. Through the reports of consuls in the
principal cities of Europe, it was found that upon the im-
proved roads there the cost was in the neighborhood of 10
cents per ton per mile. In other words, we in the United
States were spending two and one-half times as much to
haul over our common roads as it cost our European neigh-
bors to haul over theirs.
The railroad corporations, long ago, came to under-
stand that it was good business to cut down in every possi-
ble way the cost of railway transportation. *In my address
last year, I referred to a recent report of the Pennsylvania
Central Eailroad, which showed that that far-sighted and
aggressive corporation had, during the lifetime of a single
generation, cut down the cost of hauling freight over their
road more than eighty per cent.
Slowly, but surely, the people of the United States are
beginning to comprehend the magnitude of our annual loss
under existing highway conditions and to consider what is
to be done to improve them. The most distinct gain thus
far made has been in a general recognition of the necessity
for co-operation in bearing the burden of cost.
Koads cost money. The old theory was that each indi-
vidual community must bear the entire cost of its roads. So
long as that prevailed little progress could be made, but it
is coming now to be generally understood that the pros-
perity which follows the building of improved roads is
shared by every interest. The city shares with the country
in everything that makes for general prosperity or general
adversity.
We know that nothing stimulates industrial activity so
certainly as the building of improved highways. This-
means better values for real estate, more traffic for the rail-
50 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
roads, more demand for manufactured goods, more employ-
ment for labor and more money for everybody. Where
everyone benefits, everyone should contribute in fair and
equitable ratio. The recognition of this principle has led to
the establishment of highway commissions in each of the
New England and middle States.
New Jersey was the first to try it. After the bitterest
opposition and resistance for years, a law was finally passed
appropriating a small sum of money from the state treasury
to be expended under the direction of a highway commis-
sioner whose office was created for the purpose. One of the
conditions imposed was that for every dollar of state funds
thus expended, the county and the district in which it was
spent should contribute certain definite amounts.
The prophets of evil all predicted that the plan would
fail; that the counties and districts would not contribute
the proportion required by the law to entitle them to any of
the state fund. Happily their prophesies were not realized.
The plan met the approval of the people. At the next ses-
sion of the Legislature the pressure for a larger appropria-
tion was irresistible. New York and Massachusetts fol-
lowed along the same lines and adopted a similar policy.
Co-operation has been so satisfactory that the states in
which this plan is practiced have increased their appropri-
ations, but have been unable to keep up with the growing
demands from the communities. Pennsylvania recently ap-
propriated six million dollars of state funds to be used in
this way. New York state is planning to issue bonds for
150,000,000.
Co-operation has proven the key to the situation. The
recognition of the fact that all are benefited by improved
highways and that all should help to pay for them. During
the past two years there has been a very rapidly growing
popular demand that the general Government should come
in as one of the fac'tors contributing. .Bills have been intro-
duced into both houses of Congress providing for the appro-
priation of very considerable sums of money from the na-
tional treasury to be apportioned to the states on a basis of
population and to be available when the states themselves
INFLUENCE OP MINING MEN FOR BETTER ROADS. 51
appropriate sums corresponding to their respective allot-
ments. It has been freely predicted during the past few
months by those in position to understand what the people
wish that this principle of co-operation will soon be adopted
as an important feature of national policy.
This principle of co-operation, now so firmly established
and so rapidly spreading, is by no means limited to equit-
able distribution of cost. The office of public road inquiries
has conducted its campaign of education in co-operation
with all the forces which it could join for work in this great
cause. The press, quick to recognize the people's needs, the
railroad companies, which understood the relation of better
roads to increased traffic, the machinery companies which
build the tools for making roads, have joined hands in the
propaganda. Commercial bodies all over the country are
taking it up and bringing their influence to bear on officials
and legislators. In such great representative gatherings
as the American Mining Congress, the Trans-Mississippi
Congress, the National Irrigation Congress, it is now one of
the important subjects for deliberation.
But important as is this great economic question to the
farmer, the manufacturer, the merchant and the railroad, is
there any interest more vitally affected than mining? More
than one-half of all the tonnage carried by water or rail
comes from the mines. It is estimated that of the entire
products of earth, soil or factory, which are sold in this
country, at least niney-five per cent, must somewhere be-
tween production and consumption pass over a common
road. Upon the ordinary unimproved highway, as we have
seen, it costs two and one-half times as much to haul in
wagons as it costs on the improved roads of Europe, and
that proportion has been found to hold good for our best
roads in the United States.
All of us who have been interested in mining in the new
camps of the West realize the distressing waste which has
attended all the early periods in their history, while the
roads were crude. We know that in greater or less degree
these adverse conditions still prevail. It is hard to get
money for road building and often harder still to get it
52 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
properly expended. The need is great for missionary work.
It would be difficult to estimate the good which the mining
men of this country could accomplish if each would earn-
estly do his best, as opportunity affords, to stimulate high-
way improvement. The men w r ho compose this Mining Con-
gress are leaders in the communities where they live and
their influence is potent and far reaching.
The men who make the laws and those who execute
them all, to some extent, come under that influence. The
press which moulds public opinion listens attentively and
respectfully to the views of the men who own and operate
the mines.
Some of the things which are needed and which mining
men can help to bring about are:
The establishment of a highway commission in every
state and the adoption of the principle of co-operation.
The education of public sentiment to the point where it
shall demand of every candidate for a legislative office that
he be an ardent advocate of good roads.
A clearer general conception of the economic problems
involved, so that it may be understood why a debt incurred
for highway improvement really produces an asset and not
a burden.
An earnest purpose in each locality to learn how to get
best results for money expended and avoid wasting it.
A careful study of the convict question, so that his ac-
tivities may be utilized in building highways, thus removing
him from disastrous competition with free labor, and uplift-
ing the convict himself morally and physically.
These are some ways in which all good citizens can aid
the cause.
There is a line of research for which the technically
trained mining man is specially fitted. Chemical and metal-
lurgical investigations are going to reveal facts of practical
value to the road builder. A good road has a hard, resilient
surface which effectively withstands the pressure and abra-
sion of wagon wheels. Some day I believe we shall know
how to take the common material of any locality, whether
it be rock, sand, gravel or just ordinary soil, and readily
INFLUENCE OF MINING MEN FOR BETTER ROADS. 53
and cheaply make out of it a good road covering. Probably
few investigators of metallurgical problems will have op-
portunity or inclination to devote their energies primarily
to road questions, but an understanding of the need for
more light on road material may give a significance to lab-
oratory results which might otherwise pass unrecognized.
The miner gives us the iron to build our machinery,
buildings, bridges and ships, the fuel that keeps us warm
and furnishes the energy to drive the wheels of commerce,
the copper that transmits from brain to brain around the
world in countless messages that mysterious force that we
call thought; he gives us the gold which measures the value
of human effort and every material thing. Without the
miner's aid we could never emerge at any point from the
primitive condition of the savage. Isn't it entirely natural
that we should look to him for help in solving our one great
still unsolved industrial problem?
The Promoter and His Place in Our Development.
BY E. BENJAMIN ANDREWS, CHANCELLOR OF THE UNIVERSITY OF
NEBRASKA.
Mr. President and Gentlemen of the Congress:
When I noticed, as I did with pleasure, in the yesterday
newspapers, that this noble Congress was opened with
prayer, I thought how appropriate such an exercise was in
view of the many relationships which might be cited be-
tween religion and the interest which calls us together.
Probably the oldest notice of mining in all literature is in
Holy Writ, that eloquent passage in the book of Job:
"Surely there is a vein for the silver and a place for the
gold where they fine it. Iron is taken out of the earth and
brass is molten out of the stone. ... As for the earth,
out of it cometh bread, and under it is turned up, as it were,
fire. The stones of it are the place of sapphires, and it hath
dust of gold. There is a path (down under the earth) which
no fowl knoweth and which the vulture's eye hath not seen.
The lion's whelps have not trodden it nor the fierce lion
passed by it. He (the miner) putteth forth his hand upon
the rock, he overturn eth the mountains, by the roots. He
cutteth out rivers among the rocks, and his eye seeth every
precio.us thing. He bindeth the floods from overflowing,
and the thing that is hid bringeth he forth to light. " Job,
chapter 28.
In our day, so fine has grown the individualization of
men's tasks, that promoting has become a profession no less
than engineering or journalism. Like the poor, the promo-
ter is ever with us; his presence is among the most familiar
of facts.
Exactly what he does, however, the precise sort of ac-
tivity he engages in to make him a promoter, is less well
known. It will be worth while to describe the creature, ind,
if we can keep him quiet long enough, to photograph him,
that we may see what he is like and what his habits are.
Quite generally speaking, the promoter is the man who,
THE PROMOTER'S PLACE IN OUR DEVELOPMENT. 55
acting in his own interest and not in the employ of another,
finds out new ways or new fields for the probably profitable
use of capital, and then gets people of means effectively
interested in these promising chances. But you would be
so far forth a promoter if you did but one of these things.
Lesseps was a promoter in putting through the Suez canal,
although the certainty of huge profit from such a canal was
no new thought of his, but the commonplace observation of
six thousand generations. On the other hand, though the
promoter need not be, and usually is not, an inventor in the
technical sense, like Eli Whitney or Tesla, his most import-
ant office lies in the discovery of opportunity rather than in
the directing of financial attention to the opportunity. That
steel would supplant wood and iron in a million uses, and
do this permanently; that coal oil must be the common peo-
ple's illuminant for years and years in every civilized coun-
try ; that judicious combination, taking the place of competi-
tion, immensely cheapens production; and that price-con-
trol in a commodity is possible without dominating the en-
tire output, were "promotory" insights of the first orde 1 '.
Having ascertained how new money can probably be
made, and having created and organized financial interest
in his project on the part of wealth-owners willing to invest,
the promoter also, as a rule, performs the various drudgery
required to unite these investors and put them in posses-
sion and control of the proposition waiting to be exploited.
If a new railway is proposed, he institutes the corporation,
negotiates for the right of way, and performs all the other
initial work that is necessary before the corporation can
practically take over and begin utilizing the property. If a
mining scheme is in view, he buys options on the land need-
ing to be controlled. If the project involves or consists in
the merging of independent industries or plants under one
management, he secures present owners' agreements to
enter the "combine" or sell thereto on such and such condi-
tions.
Thus the outlines of the promoter's trade begin to be-
come clear. He is the intermediary between capital and
new investment chances created or discovered by him. He
56 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
may actually make some new invention, valuable for in-
dustry, and drum up financial interest therein. Edison has
not, I believe, prospectussed any of his inventions with a
view to placing them upon the market; but it is quite con-
ceivable that he might have done so. Oftener promotership
consists in inventing, or at any rate evolving for the mar-
ket, improved methods of conducting business, as new forms
of advertising or of bookkeeping, ways of dealing with help
or material, or of getting goods to customers; in almost any
one of which lines novelties might be introduced so momen-
tous as to render a business practically a new thing. The
getting up of a successful trust would illustrate, besides
much else, this sort of promoting. Wide new applications
of inventions afford fields for promotion efforts, as when the
gas engine principle is availed of to propel road cars. A
patent commonly finds its way into use only as some pro-
moter takes hold of it. The extension of old industries to
new fields is usually promoter's work, as the building of
cotton mills in South Carolina and Georgia, and the start-
ing of iron and steel manufactories in Alabama and Colo-
rado. The putting of materials to new uses, as the substi-
tution of oleomargarine for butter, and of cotton oil for
olive oil, is frequently a form of promoting, and so is the
opening, for any product, of new markets within the coun-
try or beyond the sea.
In every such case it is the promoter who espies the
chance for gain, patiently calculates its possibilities, de-
scribes these so that others can see them as well as he; gets
a "cinch" on them by the purchase of land options or other
conditional promises; and then proceeds to enlist the needed
money support, to organize this into a corporation, and to
set the corporation on its feet working the bonanza.
It will render still more definite our idea of what the
promoter is, to notice also what he is not.
Promoters often join together in firms, as lawyers and
engineers do. The benefits arising from such union are in
many cases great and patent. But, however influential and
advantageous the firm may in any case be, the promoter is
seldom lost in his firm.
THE PROMOTER'S PLACE IN OUR DEVELOPMENT. 57
Again, as already remarked, the promoter may or may
not be an inventor, and, if lie is an inventor, it is not in his
character as an inventor that he acts as a promoter. Most
commonly the man who markets an invention is not the in-
ventor himself but a professional promoter, who may know
only the general principles which the invention involves.
In like manner the promoter may or may not be an ex-
pert at the business he is seeking to launch. If he happens
to be, all the better, probably; yet many of the most suc-
cessful promoters have become such without expert know
ledge of their own, depending for this upon engineers and
other trained agents, whose skill and services they could
command for money.
The promoter as such is not and cannot be any one's
agent. He acts on his own hook. Himself is the interested
party to all he does and promotes. Till launched his scheme
is his and his alone. Agents and employes, armies of them,
may work for the promoter, many of them knowing details
and depths of his undertaking better than he does, making
him, it may be, very dependent upon them. None the less,
both in law and in customary speech, the party funda-
mentally interested is the promoter, not any one or ones
among his working staff or all of them combined. The law
is very insistent on this point, always singling out some one
man or firm as the responsible promoter of any novel enter-
prise, to reap the profit of it if such emerges, or to bear the
blame if it fails. Alger. The Law of Promoters, etc.
The underwriter or group of underwriters advancing
cash for the proposed undertaking and expecting recoup-
ment by selling the new corporations' securities, is another
entity never to be confused with the promoter. Underwrit-
ing is usually indispensable to a conversion of any magni-
tude. In many a deal the underwriters are far the most
prominent factors, their profits fabulous and their names
heard and published though the promoter's remains un-
known. Still, their office and even their service is wholly
secondar}^, and they would never have been called in or
thought of had not the promoter pioneered the way and
made the dry bones live.
58 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
The view is nearly as common as it is erroneous, that
promoting is inseparably connected with the trusts, as if
promoters had never existed before trusts came to be. This
is an entire mistake, as pointed out in great detail by Mr.
W. G. Langworthy Taylor in the Journal of Political Eco-
nomy for June, 1904.
Oakes Ames was a promoter, if ever there was one.
Commodore Vanderbilt w T as a promoter. Our earlier rail-
ways and railway combinations, no less than our more re-
cent colossal railway systems, were born of promoter's ef-
forts. The years after 1870, before any trust had appeared,
bristled with promoter's schemes in Europe and in
America, the storm being central in Austria and Germany,
where a. good part of the billion dollar French war indem-
nity fund sought investment. New railways were built,
banks started, mines and furnaces opened, and factories
erected; but, in each case, or at least as a rule, the project
was wholly individual, involving new organization, large
often fraudulent capitalization, fake dividends, and the
other features which American experience has since made
so familiar, but not embracing any combination of plants or
of corporations. It is safe to say that the proportion of pro-
moting to total business was as great in Germany and Aus-
tria 1870-75, no trust yet existing, as in the United States
1899-1903, the golden age of trusts; and that it was far more
reckless and disastrous in those countries then than it has
been in our country during the trust years just past.
It is now in order to raise the inquiry which my ad-
dress was, I presume, expected to answer; whether the pro-
moter, whose portrait we have tried to outline, is a producer
or a parasite, a boon or a burden. Does he contribute to
the social pile or simply help pull it down, after we of the
sweaty brows and horny hands have heaped it up? Are not
dead promoters the only good kind, as General Sherman
said of Indians? Is the promoter a worthy member of the
body politic or a grafter? Would his annihilation be a
benediction, to be hailed with hallelujahs as making the ma-
jority of us better off, or a calamity, tending to impoverish-
ment?
THE PROMOTER'S PLACE IN OUR DEVELOPMENT. 59
In the answer to this question will lie that to the kin-
dred one, whether the promoter-function is destined to be
permanent in industry; for, if it is a healthy force it will
continue, while, if its net tendency is disadvantageous, we
shall probably find some means of getting rid of it and of
administering industry on some other plan.
I am going to face those questions and answer them the
best I can. Meantime a few remarks may serve to pave the
way.
Current rage against promoters is in great measure
simply part and parcel of the popular hostility felt against
all the wealthy. This hatred, so deep, so widespread, so in-
tense even to savagery, so unreasoning and so relentless, I
deem the most dangerous sign of our time. If the mob alone
felt it, this brutish antipathy would be less appalling; but
it has sympathy and support in all classes, even among the
rich themselves. Hardly a newspaper in the land but fre-
quently gives it voice. Pulpits are equally intemperate.
The pity is that this gnashing of teeth goes on against
the rich as such, without the least discrimination between
good and good-for-nothing. When distinction is made, it
nearly always favors the idle rich, especially if they are
generous, against the energetic and creative rich, e. g., Car-
negie was thought little of till he retired and began found-
ing lilfraries. This zeal of his I commend, but the man's
main benefaction to the public lay in the business he built
up. Wealth must be created before it is given away.
We howl down alike the helpful rich and the harmful,
the industrious and the lazy, the thrifty and the spend-
thrifty, those making life easier for all and those making it
harder. If you are well-to-do you are lashed and pilloried
and your name -cast out as evil, though no breath of fraud
attaches to your doings and your whole life is one of ardent
philanthropy. I have heard it said soberly, by educated
people not given to folly in most things, that an honest mil-
lionaire never existed and never can exist, on the alleged
ground that honesty and great w r ealth were contradictory
opposites. What wonder that less well-informed men be-
lieve this insanity and preach it like crusaders?
60 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
The promoter is supposed to get rich; he is therefore
accursed like others classed as rich. He is in with Wall
street. He has helped launch trusts! Away with such a
fellow from the earth; it is not fit that he should live!
Promoters' unpopularity at the present time is largely
due to the fact that promoting is identified in the public
mind with the operation of mammoth corporations and
trusts, all whose uncanny doings are construed as so many
reproaches to promoters. When corporate property is over-
capitalized, when stocks are watered, when dividends are
wrongfully paid or wrongfully passed, when small stock-
holders are frozen out by processes calculated to increase
the plant's value, yet at the very same time cheapen it to
nothing for the favored few; or when men suppose that any
of these evils are proceeding, the promoter is every one's
favorite rascal; people's speech being all to the effect that if
he could be placed on the mortuary list all sorts of felicity
would be assured the rest of us.
Enlarging capitalization, stock watering, and passing
dividends to the discouragement of impecunious holders of
stock, are all at times legitimate and necessary; but alike
when they are right and when they are wrong they are the
deeds of the corporation, not of any promoter.
No doubt a promoter may do much to shape the course
of a corporation by him created. In "Frenzied Finance,"
Everybody's Magazine, August 1904, page 155, T. W. Law-
son represents it as a crime that the Amalgamated dividend
was cut (late in '91 or in '92), "without warning and in open
defiance of the absolute pledges of its creators." Unless the
money saved was stolen, or the stock "beared" for specula-
tive purposes, it does not appear that this cut was, at worst,
more than an indiscretion, as the saving could not but make
the concern the stronger. So of the first passing of dividend
in United States Steel common. It created a great howl,
but is now, I think, generally admitted to have been the
only wise course.
Lawson deems it nefarious that H. H. Kogers, Wm.
Rockefeller and Jas. Stillman let various parties who be-
came interested in Amalgamated during the earlier stages
THE PROMOTER'S PLACE IN OUR DEVELOPMENT. 61
of the formation of the company suppose that they (these
others) occupied the ground floor; "when in fact, there was
a cellar underneath their floor, a vault beneath the cellar, a
mine beneath the vault, and a secret chamber under the
mine, the three parties named being all the while the sole
occupants of this secret chamber."
Law son's account does not, on its face, bear out his in-
dictment, which may, for aught I know, be just after all.
Did Rogers et. al. lie to the other parties? Did these parties
pay for their interests more than said interests \vere worth?
Did the promoters represent the property as more valuable
than it bade fair to be? The fact that the public scrambled
for the shares and paid three times too much for them, is .
not, by itself proof of anyone's fraud.
The promoter may even be a member of a corporation
and, as such be still further instrumental. In such cases
there may be ground for censuring him, with others, for the
corporation's misdeeds. After all this is said, however, the
evils complained of are in general not the promoter's work,
and he should not be cursed on account of them.
Beyond all doubt, though, there are culpable and crim-
inal promoters, who deserve all the maledictions they get.
Only we ought not to reprobate the whole flock for the mis-
deeds of a few black sheep.
An unscrupulous promoter may proceed from the very
tirst on a basis of lies, exploiting the gullibility of the ig-
norant public, with all the guilt of a bunco-steerer or any
confidence man. His prospectus paints up Sahara to be a
flower-garden. The mine to be opened is in the same county
with a bonanza. Our well is within gunshot of a world-fa-
mous gusher. Some "professor" testifies to a belief that the
same strata, only probably far richer, pass under our land.
One man near our opening, who began last year as a grub-
sUker. is now a millionaire. Another has his cabin literally
full of ore sacks awaiting transportation to the smelter; ex-
perts think his pile worth at least $500,000. These and ever
so many others have got rich quick; why should not you?
Stock in the new company is selling fast, but as we wish to
favor you, a block or two will be specially reserved for you
62 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
till (early next week. If you cannot possibly raise the money
meantime by mortgaging yonr home, pray let Tits know at
once as so many are walking the floor to get your chance.
The ease with which money can be raised on such rep-
resentations would be comical if it were not tragical and
tragical if it were not comical. "A minister or a physician
has & few thousands laid by, a woman has either saved or
inherited a small amount, a workman or a farmer has man-
aged to scrape together something for a rainy day. Such
people are found by the thousands in every part of the coun-
try. From their accumulations they draw a small rate of
return, often so small that they are constrained to add it to
the principal, and ao not venture to apply it to expenditure.
Four or live per cent, clear gain is about all that can be ex-
pected. Their lives are hard, monotonous and barren. Be-
fore their eyes is constantly flaunted the luxurious extrav-
agance of the wealthy leisure class. To such people the
prospectus of a new enterprise is wonderfully attractive. In
exchange for a few thousands it offers them a fortune. The
offer dazzles them. Their desires benumb their judgment,
The risk of the undertaking is forgotten. Few of those who
put their money into a speculative scheme enter it with the
thought of risk. The calm balancing of chances is the exer-
ercise of a. superior order of mind. The speculator does not
buy a chance, he buys what he thinks is a fortune. He has
had a vision of a vein of ore or a great reservoir of oil. He
has seen a populous town arise around the factory in which
he has invested. He has forsaken the difficult paths of
reason for the flowery fields of imagination and conjec-
ture." E. S. Meade. "Trust Finance." 136. In this way
many millions yearly pass from the pockets of the poor
into the tills of unscrupulous promoters.
In another class of cases the fraud worked by promo-
ters is less complete. The promoter knows that he is offer-
ing a valuable opportunity, and is justified in so represent-
ing; but he deliberately takes advantage of this fact to
market a scandalous over-capitalization, in consequence of
whicli, after running gaily a little while, the enterprise
must fail entirely or be reorganized by bond-holders, stock-
THE PROMOTER'S PLACE IN OUR DEVELOPMENT. 63
holders losing all. Such disasters were common in Austria
and Germany after 1870. A plant costing say, 100,000
marks would be got in hand for 500,000, and then capital-
ized by a stock company for two or three millions. For a
time demand and prices were artificially boomed and high
dividends paid. Then came depression, the passing of divi-
dends after dividends, stock at zero, and crash. Glagau,
Borsen and Grundung-Schwindel in Deutschland, 114.
"On May 8 and 9, 1873, the Vienna bourse witnessed
a reign of terror. There were scenes as tumultuous as those
of a revolution. The keynote of those days was the rapid,
headlong depreciation of an overwhelming majority of the
securities listed. Business on the exchange completely
stopped. Chaos reigned. Despair took possession of the
speculators. On the, day of the great crash many of the
curbstone brokers seized the highly respectable "closet"
bankers by the throat and shrieked with dying despair for
the return of their all, whereof the promoters had robbed
them. Others, the sense of their horrible ruin bereft of rea-
son and they sought in suicide an end of their misery."
Wirth, Handelskrisen 520. The years following the Crisis
of 1873 saw a perfect avalanche of suicides. Taylor, in the
article named above, 395. He refers for the statement to
Neumann-Spallart, Uebersichten der Weltvirtschaft. Vol.
III., 56.
In a third class of cases promoters have made careful
provision for the survival of the enterprise and for returns
upon its preferred stock, but have been guilty of criminal
or at least highly reprehensible negligence touching the fate
of the common stock; subscriptions for which were never-
theless zealously solicited, in fact, had to be obtained in
order to the success of the flotation. Some recent instances
of trust financing in the United States seem to me to betray
literal malice aforethought toward common stock pur-
chasers the deliberate, cold-blooded purpose to make them
stand and deliver. Meade, 346.
It should be added forthwith that promoters hardly
ever perpetrate these nefarious designs alone. They are
aided by underwriters, equally guilty with themselves, in
64 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
cases, more guilty, occupying positions, as bankers, which
enable them to beguile the unreflecting public as promoters
could not. For those losses upon the stocks of promoted
concerns of which the American public has heard so much
during the last three years, promoters have been much less
responsible than underwriters. No respectable banker has
the right to enlist in the underwriting of a scheme, lending
to it the sanction of his name, until he has caused the same
to be thoroughly investigated, satisfying his honest judg-
ment that it is at the very least no swindle.
Eeckless, riotous overcapitalization by famous pro-
moters and underwriters in a few notorious cases aired
since 1900, has done more than all other causes in America
to smirch the whole business of promoting, to make people
feel that the only good promoter is the dead one. T. W.
Lawson, in Everybody's Magazine for August, 1904, de-
clares that the Amalgamated Copper Company has "been
responsible for more hell than any other trust or financial
thing since the world began." Its 1,550,000 shares, par f 100
averaged to sell, he says, at $115, i. e., at $15 apiece above
par. In 1903 the price had declined to $33. (p. 154.)
Mr. E. S. Meade (375) has shown that this frenzied
finance of overcapitalization might have been prevented by
proper national legislation, forbidding any interstate corpo-
ration to pay in dividends more than, say, a fourth or a
third of its profits until a certain goodly reserve had been
piled up; in other words, compelling more care for stability
and less for immediate profits. Such a law w^ould force pro-
moters to act more soberly, discourage overcapitalization,
keep rickety propositions off the market, and render new
enterprises from the first investors' instead of speculators'
affairs. It would make promoting less giddy, more safe and
more popular, and it would deliver the promoter from a
great part of the odium under which, now, he partly rests
and partly squirms.
Besides reducing the frenzy of high finance, a United
States law insisting that each new corporation doing busi-
ness across state lines begin by accumulating a goodly re-
serve without regard to its early dividends, would produce
THE PROMOTER'S PLACE IN OUR DEVELOPMENT. 65-
a number of other most benign results. It would : 1. Drive
speculating as contrasted with investing promoters and
underwriters out of the business. 2. Decrease mere
gambling speculation and adventures on margins. 3. As-
suage the unfortunate public hostility toward large corpo-
rations and trusts. 4. Multiply the number and lower the
price of safe investments, bringing such within the reach of
a greater number of citizens. 5.- Increase the rate of re-
turn on moneys safely invested, producing, among many
other benign results, a lowering of insurance rates and a
rise in those paid by institutions for savings. Meade 358.
Coming back at last to the question whether the pro-
moter is a tare in the industrial field, to be rooted up and
cast into the fire, or a useful plant, to be cherished and culti-
vated, we find the answer to a considerable extent antici-
pated by the discussion which has preceded.
There are corrupt promoters, who ought to be in
prison, and there are valuable promoters some of whose
doings will not stand scrutiny in detail. The essential func-
tion of promoting is, however, a valid, important, vital and
indispensable one in modern industry, which the majority
of promoters probably endeavor to exercise in good faith r
with no greater selfishness or rapacity than characterizes
business men generally. The criminal promoter ought to be
imprisoned, and the purely speculative promoter ought to
be either won or driven from speculative to sober methods;
while the honest and sane promoter, being an invaluable
agent of civilization, should be encouraged to proceed with
his excellent work, lacking which the business world could
make no progress even if it managed to keep going.
On every hand exist the most promising chances for
the creation of new wealth. Waterfalls wait to be har-
nessed. The electric railway is as yet in the earliest infancy
of its development. All over our country it will swell the
size of cities and make passage between them a hundred-
fold commoner. It will extend to suburbs and to far coun-
try parts the essential advantages of city life. Infinite new
lines of standard railway will be required. Saving in all
sorts of building enterprises will be effected. Shipbuilding,-
66 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
and ocean carrying will again be great American indus-
tries. Agriculture will be revolutionized and made to take
on generally the scientific character it has here and there
begun to assume. Innumerable new inventions and dis-
coveries having industrial value may be confidently
looked for.
The mining resources of the country are as naught to
what they are destined speedily to become. Gentlemen,
with all your grub-staking, prospecting and boring, you
know almost nothing of the wealth the Kocky mountains
conceal. No. "X" rays yet devised are able to telltale those
measureless depths. I venture to believe that all the valu-
able metals exist there, within reachable distances, in
amounts beyond our most liberal calculations or even our
wildest dreams.
. I used to be among those who thought that the earth's
gold yield was approaching exhaustion. The Band, Daw-
son, Nome, and the unexpected proficiency of Colorado and
California mines have taught us the mistakenness of that
view, which, it now seems to me, we were foolish ever to
have entertained even without these revelations. No good
reason has to my knowledge been advanced for doubting
that the unexplored parts of Siberia, the Himalayas, Africa
and South and Central America, will ultimately produce
gold as copiously as Alaska is doing.
Criticise Leonard Courtney's recent article. His essen-
tial seems to lie in ignoring the fact that prices are steadier
the greater the world's reservoir of fundamental money is,
including, of course, both coin reserves and coinable bul-
lion. Gold mining is not, therefore, for the world's wealth
any more than for that of the thrifty miner, a losing busi-
ness.
It is of consequence for all, and most vitally for the
common man and the poor, that these chances for new
wealth-making should be found out and developed. Our
country is not too rich, but far too poor. All increase of
wealth is a public and general blessing. It is this, into
whosesoever hands the new wealth falls, since those who
get the title to new wealth and become its owners cannot
THE PROMOTER'S PLACE IN OUR DEVELOPMENT. 6T
take a single step toward the utilization of it without
sharing it with the rest of us.
I do not say that it makes no difference how the titles
to the wealth of a community are distributed, that a coun-
try with innumerable millionaires will show as high a level
of general welfare as one equally wealthy whose wealth is
more widely scattered. Other things being equal, it is no
doubt best that a nation's resources should be owned by
very many and not by very few. But I do maintain and de-
clare that, after all, the main thing is the piling up of
wealth. If little wealth exists most of us must be wretched;
whereas, if wealth is immense, however it is owned, all but
the idle will be benefitted by it.
But the wealth-chances referred to will not be turned
to realities unless by professional promoters. Others are
too busy or too apathetic to attend to them. Usually it
takes the keen, the trained, the practiced eye to ferret out
the chance and even if the chance is patent to all, facilities,
for realizing upon it reputation for honesty, energy, sa-
gacity and attention to details, skill in using experts and in
approaching and handling men, access to banking and rail-
way authorities, and so on belong only to such as have
sedulously and laborously acquired them. It is not by
mere hap that business pioneering has fallen into the pro-
moter's hands. The craft is a necessary and benevolent
product of business evolution.
Moreover, the good promoter is in it to stay. His func-
tion is not a temporary one, but permanent. The need of
him will not diminish but grow ever greater as industry
widens out its domain on the one hand and multiplies its,
details and its complexity on the other.
.Well, then, granting that promoting is, on the whole,
a public benefit, and that honest promoters will and ought
to remain, fulfilling their wholesome and advantageous
office, is there any hope that promoting of the vicious and
criminal sort will, in the course of time diminish?
Approaching a reply to this question, I remark that
no time is at present in sight when it will do to be off our
guard. We, the dear people, must reform of our liking to be
8 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
humbugged. So long as the world is full of fools, cheating
of all sorts will abound and the conscienceless promoter
will have his loot. Meade 373, 363.
While we cannot too vehemently reprehend all dishon-
est promoting and underwriting, and while laws and public
opinion should be used to the utmost toward suppressing
those dark practices, people must, after all, in the last
analysis depend on themselves, their own insight, common
sense and sagacity, to prevent being plucked by cormorants
of these classes. After the lessons of past years, adults
who lose by being drawn into unseaworthy schemes, should
be- ashamed to plead the baby act.
Besides judicious legislation, besides the needful
education of the investing public, teaching us to be
more wary in the face of hoaxes, less gullible, less anxious
to get something for nothing I expect much from that slow
but sure moral amelioration of men which I believe to be
going on, assuaging not the quest of wealth, which, if the
motive is good, is entirely consonant with the highest vir-
tue; but lessening the desire of wealth as an end
and rendering the cunning and crafty less ready
to take advantage. I do not speak of the millen-
nium. In a day much nearer than that, it
shall, to all but the very basest, seem better that a man
act in all things with scrupulous justice, dealing to each his
due, and helping to build high the pile of social and general
wealth, than that he scheme to best his fellows at any cost,
in order to live in a great house, ride in a private car, sail a
yacht, and rot when dead under an immense pile of marble.
The Investor in Mines.
BY F. WALLACE WHITE, CLEVELAND, OHIO.
The daring spirit of the investor in mining has enabled
America to lead all other countries in its material progress,
and it is further a well-known fact that a large share of
this progress has been brought about by the efforts of that
class known as promoters.
What then of the promoter and his relation to the in-
vestor in mines as well as to the mining industry? Is there
a single person within the hearing of my voice who will not
agree with me that to the daring of some promoter belongs
the creation of nearly all the great progress of the western
half of America? Who, but a daring promoter was it that
conceived the plan of building the Central Pacific and
Union Pacific railroads across the continent? Who, but
promoters have brought the capitalists and mines together
in a bond of profitable undertaking?
The increase in production of our mineral wealth has
been something enormous, as is best evidenced when we
compare the production of 1898, which was f 370,000,000
with the production of 1903, which was over a billion of dol-
lars.
The immense influence wielded by the mining industry
is recognized by but few. That the rise and fall of nations
and empires ever depended upon the output of mines may
seem, to many, at first thought, untrue but investigation
into the past history of man himself and his civic govern-
ments will substantiate this statement.
One of the reasons why civilization flourished so early
in Egypt w r as because the Egyptians early learned the art of
metallurgy. They worked copper prior to the building of
the great pyramids, some 6,000 years ago. According to
Diodorus, who lived 1,400 years before the birth of Christ,
the great mines of Nubia annually yielded bullion to the
value of 1650,000,000, and Egypt was for many years the
70 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
mecca for innumerable caravans that converged thither
from all Asia.
The gold of Lydia, the silver mines of Greece, the gold
mines of Macedonia, the sulphur and quicksilver mines of
Spain, and the silver mines of the Hartz mountains, Ger-
many, have exerted an irresistible influence on the history
of Europe and Asia, affecting commerce and politics.
The discovery of gold in California, in 1848, is within
the memory of the present generation. The tremendous
influence that discovery has exerted upon the political and
economic development of the United States, is plainly mani-
fest on every hand. Up to that time the United States had
been poor, its credit weak, and its resources undeveloped.
It is true, previous to that time there had been some mining
in the United States, probably a total of half a million dol-
lars a year would have covered the entire output, but with
the discovery of gold in California an impetus was given,
not only to mining, but to all other branches of industry.
From a nation of borrowers we have become a nation
of investors.
The combinations of the investments of the many have
rendered possible greater mining enterprises, adding to the
truth of the old saying: "There is that which scattereth, yet
increaseth." Mining along legitimate lines has become the
great modern missionary, the bulwark of national progress
and commercial supremacy; has opened the wilderness and
the desert plains, built great cities arid added refinement
and civilization to places where there was savagery and des-
olation. It has contributed more than any other industry
to make the United States the wealthiest government in the
world, and this has been brought about to a large extent by
many small investments of the masses in legitimate mining
propositions.
In the words of Mr. Mahon, the worthy secretary of this
congress:
"The mining industry of America needs no apology
from those seeking recognition for it at the hands of the
Government. To this, more than to any other cause, this
THE INVESTOR IX MINES. 71
country can attribute its wonderful strides and its prestige
among the nations of the earth."
The production of more than a billion dollars of min-
eral wealth in a single year means much to the business of
this country, especially when all this wealth is entirely new
with absolutely nothing of a fictitious character about it.
I believe in the recent expression of Mr. John Hayes
Hammond, that:
"There is a tendency to carry on mining operations on
a larger scale than ever before, Syndicates and companies
with larger capital at their disposal are entering the field.
Capital is beginning to recognize the fact that the mining
industry is now being prosecuted on a more scientific basis
than at any time in the history of its development. Its at-
tractiveness as an investment is more seriously considered
and is not regarded as a gamble. Mining engineers and
mining investors have more regard for the commercial
aspect of mining as conducted to-day than formerly."
Conditions warrant the assertion that the mining in-
dustry has an outlook for greater prosperity this year than
ever before. Interest in mining has had a healthy, steady
growth during 1904 and the industry is growing in popu-
larity and is more and more receiving recognition as a most
profitable and ideal field for investment. Many repentant
speculators have learned wisdom after repeated experiences
and with what has been saved from the wreck of the specu-
lative bubble, are turning to mining where there is no
longer any question as to the earning power of capital.
The great financial rulers of the country during the
past year have, many of them, turned to mining and their
money has been invested in many mining sections. The
names of conservative bankers, well-known throughout the
country, who in past years perhaps have used their in-
fluence against investments in mining, have during the past
year been equally as earnest in the organization of mining
companies. Investors of all classes with money have
eagerly* sought mining investment, deserting the shrine of
speculation to purchase with their money the favor of and
swear allegiance to the king of all industries mining. The
72 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
.
hand-writing on the wall has appeared and proclaims that
the most profitable field for capital is mining. The intelli-
gent investors will follow the example of the bankers, rail-
road magnates and oil kings, and invest in good proposi-
tions that have evidence of good management and are being
developed by skillful experts.
There's going to be a mighty rising of the tide, during
the closing portion of 1904. Capital is going into mining
and greater output will result, development will be
hastened and the mining industry will be more prosperous
than ever. This is the sign of the times, the outlook for
1905.
The influx of capital is, to a very large extent, brought
about through three avenues:
First: The Mining Engineer.
Second: The Mining Promoter.
Third: The Mining Company.
All have their uses, all have their abuses in the mining
industry.
On the personnel of the mining engineer I shall touch
only lightly, for with so many eminent and world-renowned
men before me I believe that it would be safer for me to re-
serve my heavy ammunition for the promoter, especially as
the kind of promoter to whom I shall refer, is absent from
this Congress. I really feel that I will be entirely safe, by
not saying very much about those who are present, but give
it good and hard to those who are absent. Do you not agree
with me, gentlemen, that I would be safer in so doing?
The reason why I do not have much to say about the
part of the mining engineer is this:
From the standpoint of the "Investor in Mines,'' and
especially the public at large the damage has generally
been done before the help of the mining engineer is called
into service by the investor in mines.
The largest amount of money lost in so-called mining
ventures is lost by the public buying stock in so-called
mines, which are only prospects, and, in most cases the
money paid by the buyers of millions of shares of mining
stock is never expended or used in any development of such
THE INVESTOR IX MINES. 73
prospective ground, but finds a lodging place in the wild-
cat promoter's pocket, or perhaps is spent in sky-rocket ad-
vertising. The large volume of money thus abstracted from
the public pocket, is primarily done under false representa-
tions, which entitle the offenders to punishment.
Is there not then a most serious aspect of affairs con-
fronting this Congress, assuming as I do that one of its de-
clared principles is to create interest by means of our
national government in the mining industry, and to bring
into closer relation the thousands of men engaged in the de-
velopment of mines?
I should like to see a special effort made to interest
the Legislatures of every state in the United States in the
mining industry 7 from the standpoint that the citizens of
each commonwealth are being swindled and robbed of mil-
lions of dollars every year by unscrupulous sharks who are
a leach upon one of the grandest industries of this country.
I take the stand that the Legislatures of the several states
owe it as a duty to their respective constituents, to place
upon the statute books of each state such laws as will have
a tendency to eliminate and eradicate this evil.
I would like to see this Congress adopt resolutions be-
fore its adjournment that would place it on record as
pledged to doing all within its power to have passed such
laws as are urgently needed, feeling sure that the mining in-
dustry could not but be benefited by wholesome laws giv-
ing protection to the "Investor in Mines."
Some care and discretion should, of course, be used in
the framing of such laws. They should not be made to work
an injury to the prospecting for mineral, but should es-
pecially be made to prevent and punish misrepresentations.
The investing public of America has a great inclination
to invest in mining. To illustrate this point, I recently
visited a prominent banker in Michigan who is interested
in several mining properties, and during our conversation,
this banker said to me:
"There are $50,000,000 of cash lying idle in the savings
banks of the state of Michigan, every dollar of which is
available for investment in good mines to further their de-
74 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
velopment and equipment, if the owners of this money
could be convinced that they would not be swindled out of
it, but, on the other hand, that they would get returns on
their investments."
And my experience is no doubt the experience of many
others who have endeavored to interest capital in the min-
ing industry.
The immense wealth taken from American mines is a
great inducement to investors. But it cannot be said that
there is a lack of confidence in American mines, for such is
not the case. It is the fear of being swindled, the lack of
knowledge, the lack of thorough and reliable information
which create a suspicion in the mind of the investor in
mines.
Sharks enter the mining business as they do into other
industries, but the losses which are entailed by their thiev-
ing propensities or by the silly indescretions of investors,
who invest first, and investigate afterwards, should not be
criterions of the industry. These failures, though, are used
to the detriment of mining.
It occurs to me that as a help toward eliminating this
evil, we might turn to the mining engineer.
Would it not be possible to secure entire, open-hearted,
and absolute assistance and support for the mining indus-
try from our mining engineers?
I am aware that some mining engineers consider it un-
professional to take the public into their confidence, and 1
am free to state that this, to me untenable position of the
mining engineers, has raised up a barrier between the in-
vestor in mines and the very men who should be the in-
vestor's first and truest friend and supporter.
The tendency of the mining engineer to hold himself
aloof from the investor has resulted in the condition now ex-
isting; namely, that the average person who, in considering
an investment in a mining property, when he comes to a
mining engineer's report, generally skips it, first because
he does not understand its terms, its technicalities, or its
phraseology; second because he imagines it simply a paid-
THE INVESTOR IX MINES. 75
for statement of some "expert" and does not, in his opinion,
amount to anything.
With the larger capitalist, of course, it is different, but
I am not dealing to-day with that particular class, princi-
pally because I do not think he is in need of any special
consideration at the hands of this Congress, believing as I
do that he is abundantly able to take care of himself and
his capital.
It is the unsophisticated investor that I have in mind
the one to whom mining is as a sealed book the average
investor in mines, who I believe stands in need of a better
acquaintanceship and closer relation with the mining en-
gineer.
In my experience in financing mining enterprises, I
have often advised prospective investors to get together,
and before investing their money in any mining enterprise,
to employ a competent, practical mining engineer to ex-
amine for them at their expense the property in which they
were asked to invest.
It has occurred to me that the fraternity might find a
wide field of usefulness in making such examinations, as
well as profitable and continuous employment.
It occurs to me that here is a great field for the mining
engineer, for the purpose of his examination should be the
double one of rendering judgment upon the mining property
both as to its present and prospective value. This judg-
ment should be couched in plain language, free from techni-
calities, so that the average unlearned man may readily
understand it. No set laws or rules can possibly guide the
mining engineer in his investigation of a report upon min-
ing properties. His practical experience should alone guide
him in formulating his final report, ever bearing in mind
that each individual property must be considered and
passed upon, on its own merits without any reference to any
other property.
Herein, then, in my opinion, is a very large field for the
mining engineer: a field that would prove a very profitable
one to the "Investor in Mines' 7 and a field that to the min-
ing engineer should be made remunerative.
76 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
Now as to the promoter.
In the present methods of promoting and financing min-
ing enterprises, through the co-operation of a large aggre-
gate of small investors, these investors being generally
widely separated and as a general thing to a very large ex-
tent unknown to each other, the promoter has come to be a
necessary adjunct to the mining industry;, the promoter is
the agency which brings the capitalist, be he little or large,
and the mining property into closer relationship.
I make the claim that the honest promoter of a legiti-
mate mining enterprise renders as great a service to the
mining industry as does the most brilliant mining engineer.
I will add to this, that the mining industry needs the
honest promoter as much as it does the mining engineer and
that in fact the two should work hand in hand for the uplift-
ing of the grandest industry of our country.
The promoter's services are required to bring the at-
tention of capital to the possibilities of the mining industry,
to secure capital for the development of prospective mineral
ground into a mine, or the equipment of a developed mine
into a producer.
If this be true, possibly it is to a large extent, I would
say that an opportunity presents itself to the Mining Con-
gress to assist in the education of the public to a realization
of the facts of mining as an industry.
And yet, when the promoter approaches a man and
tells him he wants to present a mining proposition for his
consideration, the prospective investor is skeptical. What
is it that has created this doubt in the average man's mind
that there is no money for him to be made in mining for
precious metals?
I think that we can look for the answer to organizers of
mining companies who bid for public support through
promises of returns larger than even the great industry
of mining can fulfill. I refer to what I shall term the min-
ing shark who, in his attempt to make money not out of
mining, but out of the mining business, misrepresents to the
investor. This class of wild-cat promoters fail to realize
that mining as a business can be carried on with the same
THE INVESTOR IN MINES. 11
degree of certainty as our mercantile institutions. Then
there is the "well-intentioned promoter 7 ' who has drifted
into the financing of mines generally from the lack of some-
thing better to do, but who, at the same time, may be honest
and well-meaning, but in his ignorance of the necessities
of mining, makes the mistake of promising dividends before
the ore reserves are established with the result that while
dividends may be legitimately declared from surface work-
ings it is only a matter of time before the operator finds his
property in a position where dead development is impera-
tive, thus necessitating the cessation of dividends. Men and
women who have bought stock under the promise that div-
idends would be continuous, not understanding mining, at-
tribute the cessation of dividends to the failure of ore, and
general dissatisfaction results, thus all parties interested
suffer. Whereas had the mine been properly developed be-
fore dividends were declared there would possibly have
been a long and prosperous career for those identified with
its securities. This class of promoters allow the investor to
believe that a few dollars is all that are necessary to make a
prospect hole into a producing mine.
He fails to realize that before dividends can be paid
they must be earned from mining and selling the
product of the mine. He fails to realize that in either case
the ore must exist. It has occurred to me as I
look out over this great body of men from all
parts of the country that this Congress could do something
to eliminate the mining shark from the mining industry.
It seems to me that this industry of ours is too good, too
grand, to have foisted upon it these leeches; it seems to me r
that there are two ways to go about a reform which is.
greatly needed in this country.
One way would be for this Congress to adopt measures
and if necessary appoint committees for each and every
state in the Union to work with the object and purpose of
placing upon the statute books of each and every state a law
similar to the one that Washington has placed upon its
statute books. It seems to me that a law should be so
made that it would punish the promoter who misrepresents
78 PROCEEDING-S AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
any property to the "Investor of Mines." It appears that
the Legislatures of the different states should protect the
citizens who are being swindled by these wild-cat promoters
out of money that does the mining industry no good, but a
great deal of harm. It seems to me that a determined cam-
paign should be entered upon to acquaint the State Legis-
latures with these facts and to have them pass laws to pro-,
tect their respective citizens.
The other plan I have in mind is to educate the layman
and average investor in the actual facts concerning the
mining industry. I do not wish it to. be understood that I
w r ould have laws passed that would hamper the develop-
ment of deserving prospects or the equipment of producing
mines, but these laws should act against the wild-cat, thiev-
ing, mining shark.
Then, gentlemen, I come to the third factor that I had
in mind; the company. If I were asked by an investor rela-
tive to what kind of a company he should go into, I would
say : "You should associate yourself with conservative busi-
ness men who have a desire to make money out of the
mines by honest endeavor to open up the properties; men
who have shown their faith by the use of their own money
.and time. Join a company which has in its personnel men
who have demonstrated their ability as miners."
If I were asked how to guard a mine in vestment I should
say by keeping track of what is done at .the mine, as the
mine and it only can make money for you. Investigate the
company yourself if you can, and if you cannot put your
faith in men whom you have reason to believe are honest
and capable and follow their advice. Invest when you have
facts before you but do not wait until everybody knows
that the investment is a safe one. If conditions should be-
come unfavorable, do not worry; if conditions' should be-
come very favorable do not get the big head. Hold on to
your investment; for in the realization from the dividends
of a good mining stock you will derive more profit than you
could get for your cash a good mining stock is one of the best
<assets in the world.
THE INVESTOR IN MINES. 79>
Now gentlemen, one word with reference to the future
of the American Mining Congress. I feel a natural pride in
the development of the Congress, a pride that has grown
upon me as I have seen its usefulness.
It is only a wish of mine that the good work should
continue in the same spirit as in the past.
It is my earnest wish that the different factors in the
mining industry should come in closer touch w r ith each
other. To accomplish this I have but one suggestion to
make, namely:
That you organize For there is nothing like thorough
organization to produce results.
I am sure in the delegates to this convention can be
found men who will carry out the aims and purposes
which I would have this Congress adopt. I am sure that
among the delegates to this convention there will be found
men who have the character to make this Congress a great
factor as a beacon to light the way for the "Investor in
Mines."
Concentration of Copper Ores in the Southwest.
BY FRANK H. PROBERT, A.R.S.M., CONSULTNG MINING ENGINEER,
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.
At the suggestion of Colonel Thomas Ewing, your vice
president, and on direct invitation from the Council of the
American Mining Congress, I have endeavored, in the fol-
lowing pages, to put on record the results of an elaborate
series of experiments carried on mostly under my personal
supervision, at the instigation of the Detroit Copper Mining
Company, the Arizona Copper Company and the Shannon
Copper Company of Morenci and Clifton, Graham county,
Arizona, during the last few years, on the economical con-
centration of the copper ores of that field. I regret that
with the limited time at my disposal, I have not been able
to treat the subject as comprehensively as it deserves. Such
a subject offers practically an unlimited field for research;
careful investigation and constant experimenting will alone
solve the intricate problems connected with the concentra-
tion of low-grade ores; to attain the highest extraction,
closest attention to detail must be given; the saving of an
extra one-tenth of one per cent, from tailings may add
thousands of dollars to the profits of the company in the
course of a year; the conservation of water in these arid re-
gions is imperative; the disposal of the tailings from these
large mills must be considered; high efficiency and low cost
^re factors of the utmost importance. Technical literature
of to-day, while giving the fundamental principles of the
concentration of ores, mill designs and a general review of
milling practice, cannot possibly contain the actual results
of experimental work conducted on a large scale. It would
be too voluminous, but these are points which are of vital
importance to the engineers responsible to their employers
for results. The saving of the dollars and cents is para-
mount to everything else in mining w6rk, and anything
that tends towards this end should be of benefit to the com-
munity. The data in the body of this paper is the result of
CONCENTRATION OF COPPER ORES IN THE SOUTHWEST. 81
very careful, tedious experimenting, oft-times repeated, and
while it is not as complete as I could wish, my mission will
have been filled if it calls forth a liberal discussion either
in the meeting assembled or in the technical press. Ex-
change of opinion, free and liberal distribution of data ob-
tained, and friendly discussion can alone forward the min-
ing industry, and anything that benefits a community is a
benefit to the world at large. As I have said, pressure of
business has prevented me from treating the subject ex-
haustively, but I earnestly hope that brother engineers will
come forward with their experiences, and swell the fund of
information for the advancement of the great industry in
which we, as the American Mining Congress, are so deeply
interested.
The "open door" policy is as essential in the scientific
as it is in the commercial world, if progress is to be made.
The absurdity of secrecy in matters which would be of in-
estimable benefit to others, while not detracting in any way
from its value to the fortunate possessor, must not be toler-
ated. A suggestion is often productive of far-reaching and
important developments. Much has been done to tear down
the barrier, much more remains to be done, and I voice the
sentiments of the mining engineers as a class, and particu-
larly of those present at this meeting, in asking that the di-
rectorate of our big companies be more liberal in allowing
their engineers to publish the results of their labors.
The Morenci-Clifton district is situated in Graham
county, Arizona territory, about eighty miles north of
Lordsburg, a station on the Southern Pacific railroad. The
Arizona and New Mexico railroad connects the mines with
the main trans-continental trunk system. The mines have
been steadily producing for over twenty years, and w hile the
richer ore bodies have been practically worked out, with im-
proved methods of treatment both in concentration and
smelting, the output has, if anything, increased, and to-day
the district ranks among the foremost of the world's copper
producers. Necessity is the mother of invention, and with
the impoverishment of the ores, advanced methods have
made it possible to maintain a steady production. Three
82 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
and one-half per cent, ores are now being treated at a profit,
and it is only a question of time when even leaner ores will
be the main source of supply The production of copper by
the Clifton-Morenci district for the last four years is given
below:
For six months ending March 31, 1904, the Arizona
Copper Company alone smelted approximately 50,000 tons
of ore and concentrates, together with 750 tons of copper de-
rived from the leacher, resulting in a gross yield of 14,756,-
742 pounds, which was equal to a monthly average of
1,229.7285 tons. The smelting ores and concentrates gave
an average yield of 13.35 per cent.
The concentrators treated 231,552 tons of low grade
ore, yielding 35,093 tons of concentrates or a concentration
of 6.6 tons of raw ore into one ton of concentrates. Statistics
from the Detroit Copper Mining Company and the Shannon
Copper Company are not available, but in round figures the
total production of pig copper from the district is ninety
tons per day.
With the falling off of the average copper contents of
the ore, more attention will be given to increased efficiency
in operation and lower cost of production than to the mak-
ing of more copper. The enormous reserves of low grade
ore assures a long life to the mining industry in this section.
The topography of the country affords excellent mill
sites, and in the West Yankee and Longfellow concentra-
tors, very little material has to be raised by elevators to
the several machines. The sharply incised canons draining
into Chase creek and the San Francisco river have served
as- dumping areas for the tailings, but owing to the accumu-
lation of silt in the lower portion of the Gila river along
the Gila valley, the farmers of the valley have raised an out-
cry, and the mining companies are obliged to devise some
scheme whereby this menace to agricultural interests shall
be removed. During the rainy season, the bed of the rivers
is washed out, and millions of tons of tailings are carried
down to the valley below. Of the proposed methods for dis-
posing of the tailings, I will speak later.
CONCENTRATION OF COPPER ORES IN THE SOUTHWEST. 83
Elsewhere*, I have given an outline of the general geo-
logical features of this interesting field, but as, for the sub-
ject under discussion, a knowledge of the ores treated is
necessary, I will briefly describe them. The concentrating
ores consist of a highly altered porphyry containing parti-
cles of chalcocite secondarily enriched pyrites dissemi-
nated through the mass. The character of the ore varies
considerably and all phases of decomposition and alteration
of the porphyries are to be seen in the bins. Sometimes the
superabundance of feldspar, and its extreme kaolinization
makes the ore almost a talc, and then one may find an exces-
sive amount of quartz, so that the hardness of the ore and
its tendency to slime is very variable. Undoubtedly the pri-
mary form in which the copper occurred was as chalcopyrite
but oxidation of the surface ores and the percolation of the
resulting cupriferous ground water has produced the
chalcocite ore of to-day. Microscopic examinations will
show partial or complete replacement of the pyrite, and
nearly all the sulphide ores mined to-day contain the copper
in this form. Oxides and silicates as well as sulphides are
present, so that the ores sent to the concentrator are com-
plex both as regards the gangue and the contained mineral.
Such complex ores call for a perfect adjustment of the ma-
chines if a clean product is desired. The ores going to
the West-Yankee concentrator Detroit Copper Mining
Company are, comparatively speaking, free from oxides
and silicates; the Arizona Copper Company treat their
oxide ores in a separate mill, but the Shannon mill is handi-
capped in-as-much as it receives a very mixed feed, and it is
surprising that such clean concentrates are obtained.
A table of specific gravity of the several copper miner-
als found in the Clif ton-Morenci copper belt follows :
Specific gravity of chalcopyrite varies between 4.1-4.3
Specific gravity of chalcocite 5.33.
Specific gravity of chrysocolla varies between 2.0-2.03.
Specific gravity of malachite varies between 3.7-4.0.
Specific gravity of azurite varies between 3.5-3.8.
Specific gravity of red oxide varies between 5.8-6.1.
*Eng. and Min. Journal, December 24, 1900
84 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
Specific gravity of quartz 2.64.
Every effort is made to grade the ores as evenly as pos-
sible, and every care is exercised at the mines to keep the
several classes distinct.
Fundamental Principles.
Of the several laws which govern the wet concentra-
tion of ores, that of equally falling bodies is probably the
most important. Bodies falling free in a fluid fall at a
speed proportional to their weight divided by the resist-
ance. From this it will be seen that small masses of a
heavy mineral will fall as rapidly as large masses of a light
material, owing to the fact that the weight increases as the
volume, and the resistance only as the area. The funda-
mental principle underlying all hydraulic concentration de-
pends on the difference of specific gravity between the
gangue matter and the contained mineral. Given two par-
ticles of equal size falling through a column of water, the
one chalcocite having a specific gravity of 5.334, and the
other quartz-specific gravity 2.64, the chalcocite would have
a much greater velocity than the quartz, and according to
the law quoted above, if the grain of chalcocite falls with
a velocity of five inches per second, a particle of quartz,
to fall with the same velocity, must be 2.07 times as large.
Hence it follows that to obtain the best results, close clas-
sification of the several sizes of the particles must be
effected. A machine cannot produce clean concentrates if
the feed contains particles varying from a 20 to a 200 mesh.
Again, the relative amount of mineral to gangue matter in
the feed of any given machine requires careful watching
and adjustment. The best results are obtained when the
tenor of the feed remains approximately the same.
In nearly all the mechanical contrivances for the treat-
ment of fine particles, the principle is the same. If a watery
pulp containing grains of varying specific gravity be fed
onto a flat surface, such as that of a vanner or table, which
has a pulsating movement at right angles to the line of
feed, the heavier particles, or those of higher specific grav-
ity, by virtue of their weight, cling much more tenaciously
CONCENTRATION OF COPPER ORES IN THE SOUTHWEST. 85
to the flat surfaces than the lighter, consequently, when
conditions are favorable, the mineral stays on the table and
travels forward as a clean concentrate, while the gangue
matter which cannot resist the flow of water, is washed off
as tailings. It may be that owing to coarse crushing there
are particles of mineral intimately associated with some
gangue matter; these will be intermediate in specific grav-
ity between the concentrates and tailings, and constitute
the middlings. It is a common practice to recrush these
middlings and return them to the vanners or tables.
The West Yankee Concentrator.
This mill of the Detroit Copper Mining Company has a
daily capacity of about 650 tons. It was designed some five
years ago by Dr. L. D. Eicketts, consulting engineer for
Phelps, Dodge Co., and since its completion has been
working steadily. Excavations are now being made for a
new mill, and it is probable that in the course of another
year 1,200 tons of ore per day will be required to keep the
mills running. A study of the diagramatic plan (Pig. 1)
accompanying this paper will show the arrangement and
disposition of the products, and will save a detailed descrip-
tion of the mill. Owing to the decomposed character of
the ore, it has a marked tendency to slime, and as the finest
slimes carry high copper values which are very difficult to
save, great care has been taken to avoid undue crushing
either in the breakers or rolls. The ore is sized as often as
can be, and every effort is made to extract the values from
the ore as soon as possible. Nearly sixty per cent, of the
copper values are taken out before recrushing. The mid-
dlings and tailings from the several jigs are all sized in
hydraulic classifiers before going to the Bryan mills, the
finest products being taken directly to the vanners. The
mill is divided into two sections, east and west, and until
quite recently, Bryan mills were used for recrushing on the
one side, high speed rolls on the other. The relative effi-
ciency of these two types of machines was thoroughly
tested; the quantity of slime produced and the length of
time they were stopped for repair were the crucial points,
86
PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
and finally it was decided to substitute Bryan mills for the
rolls. The products of the Bryan mills are sized, the
coarser material treated on fine jigs or Bartlett tables, the
finer pulp taken to the Frue vanners. Tailings from the
Shaft
rrn.
Sn?e/ter
to
Fines to BrfqueWinq
3/ 7 Sme/rer
Se/ected /^ Ctess
Concen+r&fes
Coarse to
Oyerf/cuv to
I
<5/imesto Clear Water
Lower fanner F/OOT returned
M'/te ~* <Af-ae "%v 7~ Slimes to
^fes~ / "" Settling 7*nts
~~Hydrau/ic c/ass/f/er Slimes to /oer Clear water
Vanner f/oor returned
Coarse to finejiys Middles to &///rre
Concentrates
to 3/ne/ter ^^ ^X.
Tails to ^-^*^ ^^^\
Bart/eH feA/es on Concentrates Tails to 3e/t/er
Lower fanner f/oor to <Snre/ter
+ \ . * .. J
5 to settler
C/ear water
returned
Concentrates
to S/rre/fer
Tai/s to .^ >x.
Settling tents _^r ^^^^
C/e*r Water
returned
Concentrates
to Sme/ter
Us to Settler
J
C/ear Mrter
returned
to *ste
DIACRAMATtC PLAN
L.H.F>F?OBEF?T
fine jigs, Bartlett tables and upper coarse vanners are re-
treated on the lower vanner floor, the tailings from which
are run to waste.
Power is supplied by three Crossley gas engines devel-
oping 280 horse-power. The gas for fuel is manufactured
CONCENTRATION OF COPPER ORES IN THE SOUTHWEST. 87
at the company's gas plant, using the Loomis Pettibone
system.
The Shannon Concentrator.
This mill, erected on the Shannon hill above the
smelter has a daily total capacity of 500 tons. The system
adopted is similar to that of the other companies operating
in the district. Huntington mills are used for recrushing;
the upper vanners are fitted with corrugated belts, the
lower with plain belts. Power is taken from a Nordburg
steam engine. Owing to the fact that the mill is built
above the smelter, with the ore bins between, all the ore
has to be elevated to the trommels at the top of the mill
on an endless belt, after being crushed in the breaker.
The Longfellow Concentrator.
Of the five concentrators of the Arizona Copper Com-
pany I have selected this one as being the most up to date.
It has a daily capacity of 350 tons. It is built on the slope
of the spur of Chase Creek Canyon, everything is worked
by gravity, and the tailings are dumped into^ the canyon
below, draining into the San Francisco River. The trial
run of the mill was made on August 1, 1901, with very sat-
isfactory results, and it has been in commission ever since.
Power is derived from three Crossley gas engines, taking
gas from the company's gas plant. As an auxilliary and
"stand by," there is a single direct acting Corliss steam
engine.
The ore bins are on a level with the railroad track.
They have a capacity of 450 tons and are lined with one-
half inch sheet iron. From the bins the ore passes to a
Blake crusher, set to crush to one and onerhalf inch ring,
then to roughing rolls and so to the mill stock bin. Ele-
vated by a bucket elevator, it is fed into one of two trom-
mels and graded into 14, 3-8, 1-2 and 3-4 inch sizes, each
product going to special jigs. The jig tailings are reground
in five-foot Huntington mills using two, and two and one-
half millimetre mesh screens, and so to the classifier, from
the several compartments of which the pulp is distributed
to Frue vanners fitted with cqrrugated belts. There are
eighteen of these machines arranged in three series of six.
PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
The vanner tailings are elevated to the Huntington mill
floor and again crushed in two Huntington mills of one, and
one and one-half millimetre mesh screens, and the pulp,
together with the slimes from the classifier below the jigs,
is treated on another set of vanners, using plain rubber
belts, arranged in another three series of six. The tailings
from these machines run to waste, after passing through a
series of settling tanks. The clear w^ater is returned to the
mill.
Water.
In the arid regions of Arizona, where water is so
scarce, every precaution has to be taken to prevent waste.
The tailings from the mills are allowed to settle in an elab-
orate system of tanks, and the clarified water is pumped
back again into the mill. The water for the Morenci con-
centrators is pumped from the 'Frisco River, seven miles
away, against a head of 1,500 feet and stored above the con-
centrator in tanks of 500,000 gallons' capacity. It used to
Cost the company twenty cents per 1,000 gallons, but since
the new pumping plant has been completed, this figure has
been shaded somewhat.
By settling the tailings and repumping the water, the
Detroit Copper Mining Company is concentrating one ton
of ore with 300 gallons of water added to the mill circula-
tion.
At Butte, Montana, they generally figure on three gal-
lons per ton per minute.
At the Longfellow concentrator, about 150 gallons of
water are used j>er minute, which is, roughly speaking, 600
gallons per ton of ore crushed.
I regret that I have not the figures from the Shannon
concentrator, but it approximates to 550 gallons per ton of
ore milled.
The following extracts from the monthly reports of
the Detroit Copper Mining Company are interesting.
JULY, 1901.
Water used, 4,672,500 gallons.
Running time, 566.5 hours.
CONCENTRATION OF COPPER ORES IN THE SOUTHWEST. 89
154.9 gallons water per minute.
440.6 gallons of water per ton of ore milled.
449.09 tons ore per day.
6.65 tons ore equal 1 ton concentrates.
Saving effected, 84.05 per cent.
DIAGRAMATIC PLAN-
LOMG FELLOW CONCErtTRATOff
L.H P ROBERT.
Bfns
Af///s
2 1- z'/z rnms. screens
Hydr&u//c
C/&ssif/er
Concentrates /o
ffvnt/nyton M///S
/ -t-J'/z rnnrs. screens
ro Sme/ter
Ysnrrers
(p/ff/'n be/ts)
to Sme/ter
2.
T&j/inqs to Large .
Settl/nf T&nks
I
returnee/
to W&ste
90
PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
^_
:\
:\
"H
V
/
a
Ol
.*K
^
CONCENTRATION OF COPPER ORES IN THE SOUTHWEST. 91
AUGUST, 1901.
Water used, 4,424,000 gallons.
121.2 gallons water per minute.
426.2 gallons water per ton of ore milled.
409.45 tons ore per day.
6.608 tons ore equal 1 ton concentrates.
Saving effected, 83.48 per cent.
SEPTEMBER, 1901.
Water used, 5,059,400 gallons.
Running time, 632.25 hours.
133.4 gallons water per minute.
398.6 gallons water per ton of ore milled.
481.875 tons ore per day.
6.961 tons ore equal 1 ton concentrates.
Saving effected, 82.72 per cent.
10,870.715 tons tailings produced, assaying 0.765 per
cent. Cu.
Loss of copper in tailings, 83.61 tons.
OCTOBER, 1901.
Water used, 5,583,066 gallons.
Running time, 660.5 hours.
140.9 gallons water per minute.
454.6 gallons water per ton of ore milled.
446.284 tons ore per day.
7.385 tons ore equal 1 ton concentrates.
Saving effected, 77.83 per cent.
Crude ore averaged, 3.64 per cent copper.
10,612 tons tailings produced, assaying 0.8 per cent Cu.
Loss of copper in tailings, 84.903 tons.
The tailings from the West Yankee concentrator are
made to travel a long circuitous course (see Fig. 3) and
every effort is made to clarify the water, but owing to the
large amount of slime, most of which will pass through a
200 mesh sieve, it is next to impossible to return clear
water. This question of the complete settlement of the
slimes is a puzzling one, and one to which I have devoted a
great deal of time and thought. A slow current assists the
settling, but with such finely divided slime, no means as
92 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
yet tried have been entirely satisfactory. I find that if
milk of lime be introduced into the tailings launder, it
neutralises the free acid, oxidises the dissolved metallic
salts, precipitating them as flocculent hydroxides. These
flocculae catch up the small particles of alumina and silica
which are in suspension, and carry them down with the
precipitates, leaving the water, comparatively speaking,
clear. I also find that a little soap solution added with the
milk of lime accentuates precipitation by causing larger
flocculae, owing to the formation of oleate of lime. At the
borax works, Daggett, California, for the precipitation of
the clayey matter, they add a little sodic phosphate or the
neutral phosphate of alumina to the slimey liquors, with
good results.
The iron of the machines and the pipe work in the con-
centrators becomes coated with a copper film, and is slowly
eaten up by the water, owing to the presence of a little free
acid and dissolved copper salts. Experiment has shown
that the sulphide ores become oxidized during treatment,
more especially is this noticeable on the jig screens. To
counteract this evil, either burned lime is fed into the
crusher with the ore, or as stated above milk of lime is
added to the tailings launder. A careful analysis of the
water in circulation was made, and the amount of lime
necessary to neutralize the acid and salts present calcu-
lated. About 1,000 pounds of slaked lime are necessary to
. counteract the deleterious matter dissolved from 500 tons
of ore per day. Since I started this practice at Morenci, the
Arizona Copper Company and the Shannon Copper Com-
pany have followed the example. Aside from the benefit
derived from the precipitate in helping to clarify the water,
there is a marked saving in the repairs to the iron work of
the mill.
Milling Practice.
It is very necessary to maintain an even grade of ore
for successful operations. The ore being twice dumped,
once at the ore bins at the mines, and then again into the
stock bins at the concentrator, brings about a more or less
complete mixture, but it is surprising how uneven the feed
CONCENTRATION OF COPPER ORES IN THE SOUTHWEST. 93
is to the mills. While making an examination of the Shan-
non mill, I had hourly samples taken of the ore being fed
into the trommels from the crusher, day and night, with a
view of finding out how complete the mixing of the ore was.
On January 21, 1904, my notes show the following results:
Hour.
Assay.
6 a. m . . .
.3.14 percent. Cu
7 a. m
. 3.92 per cent. Cu
8 a. m . . .
. 3.45 per cent. Cu
9 a. m. . .
. 3.28 per cent. Cu
10 a. m . . .
. 3.20 per cent. Cuj
11 a. m. . .
.4.03 per cent. Cu
Noon
3.84 per cent Cu
1 p. m. . .
.2.64 percent. Cu.
2 p. m. . .
.2.67 percent. Cui
3 p. m. . .
.4.45 per cent. Cu
4 p. m. . . .
3.73 per cent. Cu
5 p. m. . .
. 3.06 per cent. Cu
m
m
Hour.
6 p. m
7 p. m
8 p.
9 p.
10 p. m .
11 p. m. ,
Midnight
1 a. m.
2 a. m.
3 a. m.
4 a. m.
Assay.
3.25 per cent. Cu
5.14 per cent. Cu
4.73 per cent. Cui
3.17 per cent. Cu;
3.70 per cent. Cu
2.34 per cent. Cu
4.45 per cent. Cu
3.25 per cent. Cu
4.70 per cent. Cu\
3.00 per cent. Cu
4.39 per cent. Cu
3.14 per cent. Cu
5 a. m.
Even greater differences than this have been noted,
and with such a variable feed the machines have
to be very closely watched and carefully adjusted.
The Morenci and Clifton mills are more fortunate, as the
percentage of oxides is not so great. Mr. Graybill, the
superintendent of the Shannon, informs me that a grab
sample taken from the feed from the belt showed that
more than forty per cent, of the total copper was in the
form of oxides.
As much of the fines should be screened out of the ore
as possible before going to the crusher. A bumping
screen feeding the rock breaker, having one and one-half
inch perforations is found to give good results, the fines
going directly to the trommels. The system of sizing in
trommels and jigging each size on separate jig frames is
the same as is adopted in all wet concentrating plants.
At the present time, the Arizona Copper Company are test-
ing a new appliance at their No. 3 mill. It is called a
"Kangaroo jig" and so far, it has surpassed all that was
expected of it. A rocking motion is imparted to the jig
frame itself. It has a capacity of about thirty-five tons per
hour, and will treat all material from five-eighths of an
inch ring down. It can therefore be used for the products
94 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
of the Chilian mills, and if the tests continue to be satis-
factory, it will revolutionize milling practice in the Clifton
district. One machine does the work of about seven ordi-
nary jigs, and it takes about five horse-power to run it, so
that it has two attractive features, low consumption of
power and great capacity. Clean concentrates are being
obtained. As yet I have no data for publication, but the
contrivance is attracting a great deal of attention in the
district.
For the recrushing of the jig tailings, Huntington
mills are used by the Arizona Copper and Shannon Cop-
per Companies, while the Detroit Copper Company claim
that the Bryan mill does the best work. The object is to
prevent sliming as much as possible. It was my privilege
some two years ago to make a comparison of the Bryan
mill, Huntington mill and high speed rolls at the West
Yankee and Longfellow concentrators, Morenci, which
work resulted in the abandonment of high speed rolls for
fine crushing. There is little to choose between the two
types of Chilian mills.
The following table is a summary of a long series of
tests made at Morenci, and is compiled by taking the aver-
age of some thirty different samples at different times from
the three machines. The samples were dried before screen-
ing, no pressure was used in sieving the pulp, and even
admitting that some small proportion was pulverized in
the process, the error should be the same in all, therefore
the figures given show the comparative merits of these
three types of recrushing apparatus.
Bryan High Huntington
Mills. Speed Rolls. Mills.
/ / /
7o 7o 7o
Left on 20 mesh ................ 2.89 0.79 11.18
Left on 40 mesh ................ 18.28 17.13 20.42
Left on 60 mesh ................ 10.65 10.25 6.35
Left on 80 mesh ................ 5.93 4.64 3.05
Left on 90 mesh ................ 2.49 1.94 1.65
Left on 100 mesh ....................
Left on 120 mesh ................ 5.04 5.07
Left on 150 mesh ................ 2.23 1.79 1.09
Left on 200 mesh ................ 2.77 3.05 1.38
Through 200 mesh ................ 49.69 55.31 50.94
The screen on the Bryan mills was iy 2 millimetres.
The screen on the high speed rolls was 10 mesh.
The screen on the Huntington mill was 2% millimetres.
CONCENTRATION OF COPPER ORES IN THE SOUTHWEST. 95
Mr. Wallace of Morenci followed up my experiments
by a series of wet screen analyses on the pulps from the
different machines, which system I adopted in all the tests
made while examining the Shannon concentrator recently.
A number of samples were taken of each pulp at intervals
of half an hour and all mixed together. Having drained
off the surplus water, after allowing the suspended matter
to settle, the pulp was slowly poured into a large funnel
and a cut sample of the stream taken. This process was
repeated until the bulk had been reduced sufficiently to
be able to handle it conveniently in the laboratory. A jet
of water was used to wash the pulp through the nest of
screens, and the residues on each screen dried, weighed
and assayed separately.
I am indebted to Mr. Wallace for the following tables :
Bryan Mills, Detroit Copper Company, Morenci.
Screen on mill 2y 2 mm., punched. October 20, 1903.
West. Cii in % Cu in
Ozs. % Wt. Assay. Sizes. Sizes.
Left on 20 mesh 2.625 11.95 0.6 7.17 6.60
Left on 30 mesh 2.375 10.80 0.67 7.24 6.67
Left on 40 mesh \ 2.375 6.25 0.85 5.31 4.92
Left on 50 mesh 1.250 5.68 0.92 5.23 4.82
Left on 60 mesh 2.000 9.10 1.00 9.10 8.38
Left on 70 mesh 0.625 2.84 1.08 3.07 2.83
Left on 90 mesh 1.250 5.68 1.31 7.45 6.86
Left on 120 mesh 1.250 5.68 1.65 9.36 8.63
Left on 150 mesh ;.. 0.750 3.41 1.88 6.42 5.92
Left on 200 mesh 0.500 2.27 2.13 4.83 4.44
Through 200 mesh 8.000 36.40 1.20 43.60 40.10
Sample assayed 1.04%
Bryan Mills, Detroit Copper Company, Morenci.
Screen on mill 2^ mm., punched. October 20, 1903.
East. Cu in % Cu in
Ozs. % Wt. Assay. Sizes. Sizes.
Left on 20 mesh 2.250 11.60 0.65 7.54 5.42
Left on 30 mesh 2.125 10.85 0.80 8.67 6.23
Left on 40 mesh 1.250 6.45 1.05 6.77 4.87
Left on 50 mesh 1.250 6.45 1.25 8.06 5.80
Left on 60 mesh. 1.875 9.68 1.42 13.75 9.91
Left on 70 mesh 0.50 2.58 1.52 3.92 2.82
Left on 90 mesh 1.00 5.16 1.76 9.08 6.54
Left on 120 mesh 1.125 5.80 2.25 13.05 9.38
Left on 150 mesh 0.50 2.58 2.45 6.33 4.56
Left on 200 mesh 0.55 2.83 2.80 7.92 5.70
Through 200 mesh 7.00 36.10 1.50 54.20 39.00
Sample assayed 1.39%.
96
PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
Screen analysis of the pulp issuing from the Hunting-
ton mills at the Longfellow concentrator gave the follow-
ing results:
Huntington Mills, Arizona Copper Company, Morenci.
Screen on mill 2% and 2 mm. October, 1903.
Left on
Left on
Left on
Left on
Left on
Left on
Left on
Left on
Left on
Left on
Through
Ozs. % Wt.
20 mesh 5.125 15.30
30 mesh 4.000 11.95
40 mesh 2.000 5.95
50 mesh 1.625 4.85
60 mesh 2.000 5.97
70 mesh 0.875 2.61
90 mesh 1.000 2.99
120 mesh 1.375 4.11
150 mesh 0.875 2.61
200 mesh 0.625 1.87
200 mesh. 14.000 41.80
Huntington Mills for Recrushing Vanner Tailings.
% Cuin
Assay.
Sizes.
0.95
11.30
0.99
9.22
1.09
5.08
1.25
4.76
1.54
7.18
1.72
3.51
1.94
4.53
2.35
7.58
2.92
5.94
2.89
4.22
1.13
36.70
Screen on mill iy 2 and 1 mm. October, 1903.
Grams.
Left on 20 mesh 42.50
Left on 30 mesh 71.00
Left on 40 mesh 37.60
Left on 50 mesh 28.40
Left on 60 mesh 42.50
Left on 70 mesh 13.70
Left on 90 mesh 23.58
Left on 120 mesh 22.25
Left on 150 mesh 14.00
Left on 200 mesh 10.85
Through 200 mesh 227.00
% Wt.
7.98
13.30
7.05
5.33
7.97
2.57
4.42
4.17
2.63
2.04
42.60
Assay.
0.71
0.72
0.82
0.89
0.91
0.95
0.99
1.02
1.11
1.22
0.82
% Cuin
Sizes.
6.72
11.32
6.85
5.63
8.60
2.89
5.18
5.05
3.46
2.96
41.50
In November last a dried sample of the pulp from the
Huntington mills of the Shannon concentrator was sent to
Morenci for analysis, and the following results obtained:
Huntington Mill, Shannon Concentrator.
Sample taken, dried and sent to Morenci for analysis, November
15, 1903.
Screen 1 mm., punched (old).
Grams. %
Left on 20 mesh .......... . .. 8.100 1.83
Left on 30 mesh ............. 42.986 9.62
Left on 40 mesh ............. 39.816 8.98
Left on 50 mesh ............. 31.568 7.12
Left on 60 mesh ............. 45.316 10.22
Left on 70 mesh ............. 13.170 2.97
Left on 90 mesh ............. 22.383 5.05
Left on 120 mesh ....... . ..... 23.333 5.26
Left on 150 mesh ........... ..11.800 2.67
Left on 200 mesh ............. 9.700 2.19
Through 200 mesh ............. 194.830 44.00
Cu in
Assay.
Sizes.
0.55
1.01
0.8
7.70
1.00
8.98
1.25
8.90
1.50
15.30
1.75
5.20
2.10
10.60
2.75
14.45
3.45
9.20
3.45
7.56
1.55
68.20
% Cu in
Sizes.
0.645
4.920
5.730
5.670
9.750
3.310
6.760
9.220
5.870
4.810
43.400
Assay of sample 1.60%.
CONCENTRATION OF COPPER ORES IN THE SOUTHWEST. 97
Analysis: SiO2 66.50
CaO 0.20
Fe 3.50
MgO 1.44
A1203 16.70
S 2.16
Cu 1.60
The results I obtained from wet screenings of the
Huntington mill product at the Shannon are given below:
Huntington Mills, Shannon Concentrator.
Screen 1 mm., punched plate; % hourly samples. January 19th.
Grams. %
Left on 20 mesh 10.106 2.55
Left on 30 mesh 43.114 10.89
Left on 40 mesh 30.412 7.74
Left on 60 mesh 55.813 14.10
Left on 80 mesh 6.113 1.54
Left on 100 mesh 19.04 4.81
Left on 120 mesh 23.787 6.02
Left on 150 mesh 10.062 2.54
Left on 200 mesh 10.105 2.55
Through 200 mesh 187.04 47.33
Totals .. ..395.592 100.07
I Cu
0.74
0.92
1.07
1.51
1.8ft
2.04
2.67
2.12
5.22
1.68
Screen 1 mm., punched plate. January 20th.
Grams. % % Cu
Left on 20 mesh ................................ 897 0.23
Left on 30 mesh .............................. 34.862 9.18 0.7
Left on 40 mesh .............................. 35.450 9.33 0.85
Left on 60 mesh .............................. 61.679 16.23 1.11
Left on 80 mesh .............................. 9.363 2.46 1.2T
Left on 100 mesh ......... ..................... 12.455 3.27 1.83
Left on 120 mesh .............................. 23.317 6.13 2.51
Left on 150 mesh .............................. 7.626 2.07 3.1&
Left on 200 mesh .............................. 8.675 2.28 3.52
Through 200 mesh .............................. 185.550 48.84 1.73
Totals ..................................... 379.874 100.02
mm., slotted wire cloth; % hour samples for 6 hours.
Screen 1
January 26th.
Grams. % % Cu
Left on 20 mesh .......... . ................... 48.780 15.08 0.78
Left on 30 mesh .............................. 52.365 16.19 0.98
Left on 40 mesh .............................. 26.680 8.25 1.12
Left on 60 mesh .................. ............ 39.735 12.29 1.44
Left on 80 mesh .............................. 4.440 1.37 1.85
Left on 100 mesh .............................. 12.595 3.89 1.88
Left on 120 mesh ............ '. ................. 11.735 3.63 2.48
Left on 150 mesh .............................. 5.715 1.76 3.06
Left on 200 mesh ................... . : ......... 5.960 1.84 2.8S
Through 200 mesh .............. . . 115.300 35.66 1.29-
Totals ..323.305
99.96
98 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
Slotted wire cloth is of little use on a regrinding mill.
After a few hours the wires become worn and a coarse
product is obtained. An examination of the pulp left on a
20 mesh screen of the last test made showed particles
measuring from two and one-half to three millimetres
diameter. A heavy punched plate screen is the best. The
heavier the screen the longer its life, and the more even
the size of the product. A fine screen produces too much
slime and it is only by such a series of tests as has already
been described that the most suitable size screen can be de-
termined. A difference of twelve per cent, of the total sam-
ple is noticed in the impalpable slime passing through a
200-mesh, between a machine using one mm. screens and an-
other using one and one-half mm.
The marked difference in the assay value of the pulp
left on a 200 mesh screen and that of the powder passing
through is particularly interesting. I am at present unde-
cided as to the cause of this pronounced falling off in the
values, but it may be accounted for by the difference in the
hardness of the oxides, silicates and sulphides.
It will also be noticed that there is a very decided in-
crease in the amount of slime passing through a 200 mesh
screen to that left on a 200 mesh, which may be explained
by the theory that as soon as the rollers touch the rock it
is immediately pulverized. There is no slow grinding
action, the harder particles remain coarse and the balance
is reduced to an impalpable powder immediately. This
interesting point also shows that such machines clear
themselves very rapidly, otherwise one would expect to
find a gradual increase in the percentage of the whole, left
on the several screens. After the sixty mesh size has been
reached, there is only about twelve per cent, of the total
found on the screens up to 200 mesh.
Having recrushed the material, close classification of
the various sizes is necessary to ensure clean concentra-
tion. The pulp issuing from the mill is run into a long
modified spitzkasten, having a number of compartments
from which the several sized products are drawn off and
conveyed to one or other of the machines by launders. Too
CONCENTRATION OP COPPER ORES IN THE SOUTHWEST. 9&
much attention cannot be paid to this important point. No
machine can handle satisfactorily a pulp containing par-
ticles varying from 20 to 200 mesh. Close classification
of the sizes is the keynote of successful concentration, and
the classifiers should be made large enough to handle all
the products of the mill whether using a two and one-half
or a one mm. screen. Ample provision should be made so
that in the event of an increased output from the mill, an
equally clean and close classification will be obtained. The
folly of having the classifiers too small can be seen from
the following table giving the results of a month's run at
one of the concentrators to which my attention was called.
Only a small classifier was installed between the two five-
foot Chilian mills and the vanners, quite inadequate for
the work it was called upon to do, and on putting in a one
and one-half mm. slotted wire cloth screen, after a few:
hours, when the screen began to wear, the vanners were
crowded with a pulp of all sizes, dirty work resulted, the
tailings ran away up in their copper contents, and the con-
centrates would not assay eleven per cent, copper.
Raw Ore. Huntington General Tailings.
Date. Day. Night. Feed. Day. Night.
1 ; 3.70 3.04 1.50 0.78 0.65
2 3.20 .... 1.62 0.78
3 3.29 .... 1.76 0.67
4 3.18 3.34 1.80 0.79 - 1.19-
5 3.20 3.68 1.62 1.17 0.77
6 288 3.93 1.74 0.93 0.82
7 2.60 2.72 1.58 0.88 0.76
8 4.51 .... 1.72 0.77 0.72
9 4.30 3.87 1.61 0.86 0.68
10. 4.63 5.19 1.43 0.94 0.96
11 2.97 3.50 1.57 0.82 0.85
12 3.46 3.96 1.74 0.94 0.84
13 3.93 3.54 1.61 1.00 0.95
14 2.61 3.93 1.12 0.80 0.67
15 ' 3.60 3.96 1.44 1.73 1.89
16 3.85 .... 1.32 1.04
17
18 3.14 3.21 2.36 0.84 1.00
19 3.47 2.86 1.24 0.88 1.09
20 3.45 3.32 1.63 0.92 1.04
21 3.45 3.77 1.67 1.11 1.41
22 4.00 2.90 1.49 0.92 1.24
23 3.61 3.66 1.58 1.02 1.21
24 2.93 3.83 1.68 0.99 1.06
25 3.86 3.67 1.39 1.00 1.13
26 2.86 3.65 1.24 0.90 0.91
27 2.70 3.60 1.59 1.14 1.01
28 ..3.80 4.11 1.54 0.89 1.0$
100 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
The wire cloth screen was put on on the afternoon of
the 19th.
At the West Yankee concentrator the coarser prod-
ucts from the classifier are taken to fine jigs on one side of
the mill and to Bartlett tables on the other side. The fine
jigs do excellent work. A screen analysis of the Bartlett
tailings shows how efficient these classifiers are, over sev-
enty-one per cent, of the whole being coarser than forty
mesh.
Upper Bartlett Tailings.
Grams. % % Cu
Left on 10 mesh Trace
Left on 20 mesh 64.6 18.94 .82
Left on 40 mesh 179.2 52.56 .91
Left on 60 mesh 23.4 6.86 .69
Left on 80 mesh 6.3 1.84 .86
Left on 100 mesn
Left on 120 mesh
Left on 150 mesh 9.4 2.75 1.20
Left on 200 mesh 1.1 .32
Through 200 mesh 55.5 16.39 1.56
Equally good results are obtained at the Arizona Cop-
per Company's concentrators, where Frue vanners with
corrugated belts are used for the coarse materials. At the
Shannon mill I found it impossible to get a representative
sample of the coarse feed to the vanners, but the screen
analyses of the tailings show that the classifiers do good
work. When using a one mm. punched plate screen on the
mills, seventy-seven per cent, of the tails from the coarse
vanners will remain on a sixty mesh sieve; with a one and
one-half mm. slotted wire screen, eighty-seven per cent,
remains on a sixty mesh, but sixty-four per cent, of the
total will be found on a thirty mesh sieve. The quantity
of slime is approximately the same in each case, only eight
per cent.
Coarse Vanner Tailings.
Using Corrugated Belts; Shannon Concentrator.
Screen 1 mm., punched; y 2 hour samples for 6 hours. January 20th.
Grams. % Cu
Left on 20 mesh : 14.058 4.11 0.66
Left on 30 mesh 76.664 22.41 0.72
X,eft on 40 mesh 57.202 16.71 0.89
Left on 60 mesh 115.959 33.89 0.99
Left on 80 mesh. . . . 1 12.860 3.76 0.95
Left on 100 mesh 19.602 5.73 0.94
Left on 120 mesh 13.934 4.07 0.70
Left on 150 mesh 3.773 1.10
Left on 200 mesh 3.160 0.93
Through 200 mesh 24.920 7.28 1.38
Totals . ...'.342.132 99.99
CONCENTRATION OF COPPER ORES IN THE SOUTHWEST. 101
Screen l 1 /^ mm., wire cloth; y 2 hour samples for 6 hours. January 26th.
Grams. % % Cu
Left on 20 mesh 112.325 32.53 0.68
Left on 30 mesh 113.645 32.91 1.74
Left on 40 mesh 32.745 9.48 1.72
Left on 60 mesh 42.205 12.22 0.80
Left on 80 mesh 2.990 0.87
Left on 100 mesh 5.415 1.57 0.89
Left on 120 mesh 4.355 1.26 0.96
Left on 150 mesh 1.685 0.48
Left on 200 mesh 1.565 0.45
Through 200 mesh 28.40 8.22 1.03
Totals 345.335 99.99
At the Shannon concentrator the tailings from the
vanners are not retreated as in the West Yankee and Long-
fellow mills. A microscopic examination of the concen-
trates and coarse tailings from these vanners would be of
value to determine whether further reduction in size would
give increased extraction. Whether the low copper con-
tents and the high silica of the concentrates obtained is
due to different sized particles of quartz and mineral being
washed over together, or to a large proportion of mid-
dlings, is a question not easy to answer without a micro-
scopic examination. If the latter explanation is correct,
then finer crushing should be resorted to; if the former,
then more vanners and less feed to each is the solution of
difficulty.
Corrugated belts are far superior to plain rubber belts
for the concentration of coarse material.
The slime vanners of the Shannon are doing good
work. On January 27, 1904, the feed assayed 1.68 per cent,
while the tailings showed 0.91 per cent, copper, which is
an extraction of 45.83 per cent. A clean concentrate is
also obtained, that on January 26th assayed 16.17 per cent,
copper. From the following screen analysis it will be seen
that 98.24 per cent, of the total readily passes through a
200 mesh sieve, which means that most of it is in the form
of the finest slime.
Slime Vanners, Shannon Concentrator.
Grams. % % Cu
Left on 20 mesh
Left on 30 mesh
Left on 40 mesh
Left on 60 mesh
Left on 80 mesh
Left on 100 mesh
Left on 120 mesh
Left on 150 mesh 0.64 0.45
Left on 200 mesh 1.84 1.30
Through 200 mesh 138.51 98.24 1 13
Totals .. ..140.99 99.99
102 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
The tailings from the Bartlett tables and the fine jigs
at the West Yankee mill, together with the tailings from
the vanners treating the intermediate sized products, and
the slimes from the hydraulic classifier below the reerush-
ing mills are all retreated on a series of vanners on the
lower vanner floor, where a last effort is made to extract
the values. During the month of June, 1901, the average
extraction obtained on the slime vanners amounted to
64.0 per cent. Screen analysis of the feed and tailings
from these vanners showed:
Feed.
Grams. % Cu
Left on 80 mesh 1.65 1.19
Left on 100 mesh 1.30 0.22
Left on 150 mesh 5.50 3.93 0.98
Left on 200 mesh 2.10 1.52
Through 200 mesh 128.40 93.07 1.70
Tailings.
Left on 80 mesh 2.10 1.67
Left on 100 mesh 0.80 0.63
Left on 150 mesh 7.70 6.12 0.40
Left on 200 mesh 1.10 0.87
Through 200 mesh 114.00 90.69 1.00
All kinds of schemes and appliances have been tried
to see if it is possible to obtain a higher extraction from
these slimes, but so far it is next to impossible to reduce
the copper contents of the general tailings below 0.7 per
cent. About two years ago an elaborate series of tests was
carried out at Morenci to see what type of machines gave
the best results. A circular tank, divided into quadrants,
each compartment feeding a different machine; received
the tailings from the upper vanner floor through a number
of revolving arms radiating from a central pipe, so that
each compartment got exactly the same feed. The ma-
chines tested were the Wilfley table, the Overstrom table,
the Llewellyn table and the plain belt Frue vanner, each
one being handled by a man sent out specially from the
several factories to look after them. The trial extended
over a number of weeks, and while I am not able to obtain
full records of the test it is significant that to-day only
Frue vanners are being used. I am told that they not only
had the greatest capacity, but they did the cleanest work.
The tailings from the lower vanner floor are all
CONCENTRATION OF COPPER ORES IN THE SOUTHWEST. 103
brought into a common launder, and so run to waste. It
is a very difficult matter to obtain an average sample of
the tailings from the Shannon concentrator, as the stream
is so strong, and the launder so small. The following
tables represent as nearly as possible the screen analysis
of representative samples:
General Tailings, Shannon Concentrator.
Cut sample. January 20th.
Grains. % % Cu
Left on 20 mesh .' 0.635 0.78
Left on 30 mesh 8.564 10.51
Left on 40 mesh 7.577 9.30
Left on 60 mesh 9.548 11.72
Left on 80 mesh 1.078 1.32 Not
Left on 100 mesh 2.777 3.41 As-
Left on 120 mesh 2.526 3.10 sayed
Left on 150 mesh 1.817 2.23
Left on 200 mesh 1.663 2.04
Through 200 mesh 45.265 55.57
Totals 81.450 99.98
One-half hour samples for 6 hours. January 20th.
Grams. % % Cu
Left on 20 mesh 4.666 1.09 0.50
Left on 30 mesh 35.217 8.23 0.56
Left on 40 mesh 35.135 8.21 0.67
Left on 60 mesh 65.844 15.39 0.77
Left on 80 mesh 5.107 1.19 0.74
Left on 100 mesh 19.598 4.58 0.64
Left on 120 mesh 16.505 3.86 0.58
Left on 150 mesh 9.715 2.27 0.61
Left on 200 mesh 9.481 2.21 0.78
Through 200 mesh 226.600 52.95 1.44
Totals , 427.868 99.98
General Tailings, Shannon Concentrator.
Coarse screen; hourly samples for 12 hours. January 26th.
Grams. % % Cu
Left on 20 mesh 28.058 7.32 0.57
Left on 30 mesh y 65.360 17.03 0.68
Left on 40 mesh 37.205 9.70 0.73
Left on 60 mesh 65.18 16.99 0.86
Left on 80 mesh 9.61 2.55 0.75
Left on 100 mesh 21.145 5.51 0.74
Left on 120 mesh 14.340 3.74 0.87
Left on 150 mesh 6.920 1.80 0.98
Left on 200 mesh 6.595 1.72 1.10
Through 200 mesh 129.150 33.67 1:32
Totals 383.600 100.03
The Shannon Company are fortunate in having the
San Francisco river running by their reduction works, so
that it is not necessary for them to economize as the De-
104 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
troit Copper Company have to do. For this reason there
is no elaborate system of settlers, the tailings run directly
from the vanners into the river below.
At the West Yankee concentrator, where it is neces-
sary to save as much water as possible and return it to the
mill, the tailings are made to pass through a number of
tanks, and as much solid matter as will, is allowed to set-
tle. Figure 3 shows the arrangement of the tail race. In
the larger tanks the current is very slow indeed, and the
water returned to the mill is practically clear. The coarser
particles settle very readily, but the slimes float down in
the last tanks. I took a number of samples of the settlings
from each tank and screened them with the following re*
suits:
Sample A
% %Cu
Left on 15 mesh 3.46 .3
Left on 20 mesh 20.3 .5
Left on 30 mesh 36.14 .55
Left on 60 mesh 32.67 ' .55
Left on 80 mesh 3.21 .38
Left on 100 mesh 2.23 .48
Left on 120 mesh 28 .6
Through 120 mesh 1.73 1.3
Total, 6 Ibs. 5 oz.
Sample B
% %Cu
Left on 20 mesh 1.07 .6
Left on 30 mesh 8.60 .47
Left on 60 mesh 39.79 .32
Left on 80 mesh 10.71 .26
Left on 100 mesh 23.65 .41
Left on 120 mesh 1.07 .42
Through 120 mesh 15.05 1.08
Total, 1 Ib. 7 ozs.
Sample C
% % Cu
Left on 60 mesh 20.73 .27
Left on 80 mesh 9.75 .25
Left on 100 mesh 25.61 .3
Left on 120 mesh 3.66 .32
Through 120 mesh 40.24 .85
Total, 1 Ib. 4 ozs.
Sample D
% %Cu
Left on 60 mesh 6.06 .3
Left on 80 mesh 4.54 .23
Left on 100 mesh 22.72 .27
Left on 120 mesh 6.06 .3
Through 120 mesh 72.72 1.3
Total, 8% ozs.
p
%Cu
92
.97
R
. .1.00
s
1.15
T
1.10
U . . .
1.11
v
1.02
W
.1.04
X .
. .96
CONCENTRATION OF COPPER ORES IN THE SOUTHWEST. 105
Sample E
% % Cu
Left on 80 mesh 1.54 .3
Left on 100 mesh 3.07 .5
Left on 120 mesh 3.07 .3
Through 120 mesh 92.32 .86
Total, 8% ozs.
All Through 120-Mesh Sieve
%Cu
F 87
G '. 90
H 89
I 99
J 94
K 90
L 90
M 95
N 93
O 96
Average Copper Contents of Tailings 0.68 Per Cent.
From the copies of the monthly reports of the Detroit
Copper Company's mill, given earlier in this paper, it will
be seen that from f 16,000 to f 1^7,000 per month are lost in
the general tailings, the greater part of which is in the
fine slimes. I figure the loss to the Shannon Copper Com-
pany from this same source to be about f 9,000 per month.
With such heavy losses, a very careful watch must be kept
to prevent the tailings running high in copper values, and
constant sampling will alone give the information re-
quired. Mr. Hunt of the Detroit Company's mills has de-
signed a very ingenious apparatus for automatically sam-
pling the tailings. Set up in the tail race is an undershot
water wheel which is geared with a shaft on which is
keyed, at one end a segment of a toothed wheel. It is so
arranged that every two minutes this segment shall engage
with another spur wheel keyed to a shaft on which a long
narrow trough is fixed. As the trough revolves it cuts a
sample clean across the tailings stream and diverts it into
another channel and so to the sample tanks below. Every
shift this sample vat is siphoned off, the pulp put into a
filter press and squeezed, the cake is dried on a brick fire,
and the requisite amount of pulp taken for assay. A
Scobey sampler was also put in to check Mr. Hunt's appli-
ance, and the difference between the daily returns for one
month's work was inappreciable.
In 1901 I commenced a series of experiments on oil
106 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
concentration in the laboratory. I was able to extract
thirty-five per cent, of the copper values from the tailings,
but I had not the proper oils at my disposal. Mr. Wallace,
in following up my work, got better results. The finest
slime on which he experimented assayed one and twelve-
hundredths per cent, total copper, seventy-five-hundredths
per cent, sulphides and thirty-seven-hundredths per cent,
oxides. After a prolonged agitation with a crude oil of
nine-tenths specific gravity, he obtained an extraction of
seventy-nine per cent, of the total value, which
means that some of the oxides were taken up by the oil,
together with all the sulphides. This is a surprising result,
as the minute grains of chalcocite have an earthy surface,
which does not lend itself to the selective action of the oils.
However, the company were so encouraged by the results
obtained that they erected a two-unit mill to test the pro-
cess on a larger scale. It was proposed to treat only the
finest slimes. The tests were a decided failure, and after
repeated trials under competent supervision the apparatus
was torn down and discarded.
The disposal of the tailings is becoming a very serious
question in the district for reasons already given, but up to
the present time no solution of the difficulty has presented
itself. To utilize the coarser tailing as filling in the stopes
has been tried, but the cost of handling is prohibitive; then
it has been proposed to build an immense dam across Chase
creek and so keep them from going down the river. Such
a scheme is reasonable, but with the periodic cloudbursts,
no dam could withstand the pressure of these thousands of
tons of tailings together with the great quantity of water
that rushes down the canyons. Mr.Colquhoun is building
a number of large concrete settling tanks to drain off the
water from the tailings and allow them to solidify. He an-
ticipates a fair measure of success. At the Shannon plant
the proposition may be solved. The slag dump is being
slowly carried out across the gulch, into which all the tail-
ings drain, and it is only a matter of time when an enor-
mous slag dam will stop the passage of the tailings into
the river. The molten slag as it is poiired from the moulds
CONCENTRATION OF COPPER ORES IN THE SOUTHWEST. 107
mixes with the tailings already in the gulch and forms a
very solid rock mass. It is an inexpensive method and may
be effective in this one case, for the gulch into which the
tailings are run is not a main drainage channel of the dis-
trict, and even though a cloud burst occurred in the vicin-
ity, in all probability the water would travel another
gulch.
Concentrates.
To produce a clean product at minimum expense is the
object of mill work; to produce from lean ores a rich con-
centrate is the aim of the mill man. It is impossible to
smelt a three per cent, ore at a profit, but if by any cheap
mechanical means we can concentrate five tons of ore
down to one ton of concentrates, we have a product suit-
able for furnace work. Especially is this the case in the
blast furnace practice of copper metallurgy. The copper,
sulphur and iron are necessary for the production of cop-
per matte, and the economical mining and milling of these
low grade sulphide ores has made bessemerizing possible,
with the result that the output of pig copper from the Clif-
ton-Morenci district approximates to ninety tons per day.
The concentrates obtained in the Shannon mill are
somewhat siliceous. A partial analysis made by Mr. Brad-
lee in November last, showed:
o/ <y
/o /o
Copper 17.5 17.0
Iron 15.4 16.7
Silica 35.1 29.1
Sulphur 19-5 20.95
Alumina 9-3
I made several panning tests of these concentrates
from the coarse vanners and was able to reduce the per-
centage of silica very considerably, and the idea has been
suggested that it might be well to re-concentrate the con-
centrates on a Wilfley table or some such machine. This is
a matter for experiment.
The concentrates obtained from the West Yankee mill
are much cleaner, but then they have not got the complex
ore of the Shannon mine to treat. Extracts from two of
the monthly reports show:
108 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
April, 1901. June, 1901.
% Cu % Cu
Coarse jig concentrates 30.87 22.40
Fine jig concentrates 21.00 17.45
Upper vanner concentrates 19.10 16.00
Lower vanner concentrates 18.27 14.70
All the concentrates obtained from the several mills
are treated in the same way. They are taken to the smel-
ter and briquetted with the flue dust from the furnaces and
the fine screenings of the first-class ore. The Chisholm,
Boyd & White briquetting press is used by each company,
and it turns out a hard, compact brick. No binding mate-
rial is added to the mixer. As the bricks are taken off the
belt of the machine they are stacked up on the feed floor,
and shoveled into the furnace without any attempt to dry
them out. They do not disintegrate in the furnace readily.
The cost of milling a ton of ore in the district is re-
markably low, considering what water costs. At Morenci
the milling cost per ton of ore amounts to sixty cents.
Before concluding, I should point out the necessity of
sampling all the mill products, as it is only in this way
that a mill man can obtain accurate knowledge of his work.
All products should be sampled at least once every shift,
and daily reports made. It is a very simple matter, takes
very little time and requires no additional help. In Mo-
renci the results of the month's work is averaged and re-
turned as follows:
West Yankee Concentrator. June, 1901.
West. East.
%Cu % %
Crude ore 4.20
General tailings 0.75
Upper vanner tailings 0.60 0.54
Lower vanner feed 1.98 0.83
Lower vanner tailings 0.71 0.65
Jig tailings 0.77
Lower Bartlett feed 0.97 1.39
Lower Bartlett tailings 0.94 0.69
Lower Bartlett concentrates 9.93 . 11.15
Upper Bartlett tailings . . 0.67
Coarse jig concentrates
Fine jig concentrates
Upper vanner concentrates,
Lower vanner concentrates.
22.40
17.45
16.00
14.70
(Fines, 8.59%).
In this brief description I have attempted to give a
general outline of the concentrator practice of the Clifton-
CONCENTRATION OF COPPER ORES IN THE SOUTHWEST. 109
Morenci district, thinking that the methods adopted, and
lines of research suggested, would be of interest to the
members of this Congress. While I have not been able to
treat the subject fully, I trust the information given will be
of service to the profession, and will promote a lively dis-
cussion. When treating low grade ores every particular
must be carefully thought out, and economy practiced in
all branches.
The Ryan Electro-Magnetic Concentrator.
BY JOHN H. RYAN.
For twenty-five years or more there has been a great
diversity of opinion among mining men as to the best and
most practical method of extracting gold and other metals
that are known to exist in most of the rivers, and along
the beaches of the Pacific Coast.
It is an undisputed fact that in many of the rivers head-
ing in theKocky and Coast Range mountains, and in a great
many locations along the Pacific Coast, the sands carry
gold in greater or lesser quantity.
Although, during this period of time, innumerable ex-
periments have been made with different devices to ex-
tract these gold values none of these ever proved to be
practicable and satisfactory.
There was always a deterring element that prevented
the recovery of the gold. Some of these experimenters,
after long and tedious work, finally found that all, or nearly
all, of these sands carried what is commonly known as
"black sand," technically known as "magnetic iron;"
this iron is sometimes associated with manganese in combi-
nation. This "black sand" or "magnetic iron" is found in
the form of very fine crystals, being exceedingly fine, al-
most an impalpable powder; and this "black sand" was the
deterring element that all of these experimenters had to
contend with.
The gold that is contained in the sand is also very fine,
having undergone a grinding process and erosion by the
elements, as it has been carried from the quartz ledges in
the mountains where it was originally deposited by nature,
down the course of the rivers to the ocean, where it has
been washed up on the beaches in deposits with more or
less of the black sand.
It is an indisputable fact, that wherever a deposit of
black sand has been found, gold will also be found in more
or less quantity.
THE RYAN ELECTRO-MAGNETIC CONCENTRATOR. Ill
Within the last few years efforts to recover the gold
known to exist in various deposits of sand along the
beaches of Oregon and California have practically been
abandoned. The reason for this abandonment is the inabil-
ity to save the gold values with any of the known devices
invented for this purpose. In many of the dredges that are
being operated, they lose more than one-half of the values
contained in the sand, owing to this deterring element,
"magnetic iron."
It is the consensus of opinion of many of those who have
experimented with the beach and river sands, that the gold
is held in combination with the magnetic iron and could
not be saved, and with this knowledge they gave up.
With practically all of these devices in the past they
were built on some plan of sluicing, and when an effort to
clean up was made, the riffles would be found to contain
principally black sand. Assays of this product would show
gold values, but all efforts to separate the gold from this
black sand were unavailable, and in consequence of this
state of things many came to the conclusion that the iron
held the gold in combination. Then came different experi-
ments to extract the gold from the black sand, with indif-
ferent results.
It is the firm opinion of the writer that the two go
together, but that they are separate and distinct as far as
any amalgamation of the two are concerned. The black
sand or magnetic iron being very fine, and the gold also be-
ing very fine, perhaps in most instances particle for parti-
cle, they are almost the same molecular weight, or near
enough so, that when sluiced they form very close concen-
trate, practically eradicating all other substances, and the
iron holding the gold so closely together that it was impos-
sible to amalgamate the gold. Some operators have claimed
that the gold was "flake" or "flour" gold, and would always
float on the water, consequently could not be amalga-
mated. This to a certain degree I do not think correct. It
is my opinion that the gold is free when eradicated from
the deterring element the "black sand" and also that the
gold can be amalgamated without any difficulty when freed
112 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
from the black sand. Out of this chaos a new order of
things has evolved; with the advent of a new invention,
the Ryan Electro-Magnetic Concentrator, this deterring
element, the black sand or magnetic iron, can be separated
from the sand by itself, and become an article of commer-
cial utility. Magnetic iron is the finest iron in the world,
and comands a price of |22.50 to $30 per ton when reduced
to pig iron.
After the sand has passed through the Magnetic Con-
centrator and the magnetic iron having been taken from it,
the sand with the deterring element removed is ready for
the amalgamator, when the gold values may be recovered
with a proper amalgamating apparatus. Thus the Electro-
Magnetic Concentrator will open up a field that has been
practically abandoned, and will produce an article of com-
merce that is much needed on this coast, as well as opening
up a field for the recovery of gold, that is practically un-
limited. For it is a proven and demonstrated fact that
there are large deposits of gold and iron-bearing sands
along the Oregon and California coasts; also some are
known to exist inland in both states. Then again, it is
known that the sand in the Snake and upper Columbia
rivers, also the Klamath and several rivers in California,
carry good values in gold, and the same trouble has been
encountered in trying to save the values in these rivers, as
on the beaches; and all efforts are only a partial success.
With the use of the Ryan Electro-Magnetic Concentra-
tor all of the values may be saved at a very small cost of
operation, leaving very liberal and handsome profits for the
operators.
Geology and Mineral Resources of Wyoming.
HENRY C. BEELER, STATE GEOLOGIST, CHEYENNE, WYOMING.
For the past thirty years the impression has gone forth
among mining men throughout the West that Wyoming-
was only good for a cattle pasture and that it was useless
to spend any time in looking for the precious metals within
her borders, so the majority of the mining profession have
simply looked wise when Wyoming was mentioned and
carefully avoided anything like an investigation of her ge-
ology and mineral resources, regardless of the fact that her
neighbors on all four sides have been remarkable for their
increasing production of all the economic minerals.
It appears to be characteristic of all the states around
Wyoming that their minerals are confined to one well de-
fined belt extending through some portion of the state and
the various camps connected by ranges of mountains with
their main characteristics similar in each case. In Wyom-
ing, however, this is not the case, as minerals noted within
our borders have been found all over the state, from one
corner to the other, as the whole area of 97,890 square miles
contributes its quota to the mineral wealth of the state, but
development has been backward and has only taken place
in those localities most readily accessible or best advertised
and the work has been confined to a very limited area as
compared with the total area of the state. Geologically the
main feature of the state is the chain of mountains which
extends across the Grand Encampment region, in southern
Carbon county, where the Sierra Madre and Medicine Bow
mountains appear, northwesterly across the state taking
in the Wind River Range and including the Absarka
mountains southeast of the Yellowstone National Park,
and, strange as it may seem, the major portion of
this main uplift remains unexplored from a mineral
standpoint, even though the great Sweetwater Mining Re-
gion, better known as the South Pass Country, lies directly
on this line. East of the northern portion of this range is
PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
the Big Horn Basin uplift containing similar general feat-
ures, and southeast of the Big Horn occurs the Laramie
Hills and Laramie Peak region, whose general features
are also similar to the main Wind River uplift.
In the northeastern corner of the state, the western
edge of the Black Hills of South Dakota extend into Wyo-
ming for many miles and the famous Nigger Hill Placers
were found in this locality, though little has been done
toward developing the leads at this point until very re-
cently.
West of the Wind River ranges is the Teton Country,
where numerous ranges of smaller uplifts have been giving
up copper specimens for many years, though this region
seems to be left to the game and to forest reserves.
In the country lying east of these main ranges and the
better known portion of the state are numerous small up-
lifts and ranges and in some of these some of the most ex-
tensive mineral deposits of the state are found, notably
the Hartville and Whalen Canon uplift where the Sunrise
iron mines are being developed.
About six years ago a townsite boom was started at
the forks of the Grand Encampment River in Southern
Carbon county, forty-four miles south of the main line of
the Union Pacific Railroad, on the strength of a few extra-
ordinarily rich gold specimens found in Purgatory Gulch
in that vicinity. Prospectors flocked in and the gold boom
apparently exploded in a very short time, but in the mean
time the famous Ferris-Haggarty Copper mine had been
found, sixteen miles west of the townsite.
The old Doane-Rambler Copper mine was being
worked again and the new Rambler mine was opened up in
the Medicine Bow Mountains east of the Encampment and
attention was turned to copper with the result that there
are fifty steam plants now operating in this vicinity. A
smelter and concentrating works has been erected and is
now in operation, constructed on a 500-ton capacity basis
and now produces a car of blister copper per day. A tram-
way was built from the smelter to the Ferris-Haggarty
mine (sixteen miles) and most of the ore for the smelter
GEOLOGY AND MINERAL RESOURCES OF WYOMING. 115
comes from the Ferris-Haggarty mine. This mine is a
huge contact deposit between schist and quartzite and most
of the successful properties of this region have been found
in deposits of this character, (secondary deposits) though
a number of other properties in which the ores are found
in the original formation, (primary deposits) as the Verde
Mine, south of Battle, and the New Eambler Mine already
mentioned, which seems to be a series of fissures in dioritic
granites are exceptions to this general rule.
The general formation of the Encampment Country is
a fine grained Algonkian schist with bands of diorite and
allied rocks and quartzites lying therein, and there are
some limited exposures of granite in the Battle Lake and
New Eambler vicinity. In these formations the same gen-
eral characteristics of a heavy oxidized iron cap has been
noted in every instance where successful operations have
been conducted, this condition being especially marked on
the Ferris-Haggarty, Doane-Rambler, and New Rambler
mines. These same general conditions, in a lesser degree
perhaps, are noted at a dozen other points in the state
where copper prospecting is now going on, especially in the
Silver Crown district near Cheyenne; in the North Laramie
Peak district, near Douglas in the east-central portion of
the state; at Copper mountain near Thermopolis and at sev-
eral other points in the Wind River range. At each of
these points there are many strong indications that with
proper development a number of profitable camps will be
opened up.
Nearly forty years ago the South Pass Gold Mines
and Placers were the talk of the mining profession and the
surface showings were certainly remarkable, but as all the
work of this district was confined to comparatively few
high grade lenses and work was promptly stopped w r hen
water level was reached, mining men in general became
convinced that the Sweetwater mines were merely surface
showings and were a good thing to keep away from. Re-
cently, however, a more sane view has prevailed and a
number of experienced, practical mining men have taken
up the development of several prominent properties, nota-
116 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
bly the Carissa at South Pass, which produced millions in
the old days from a very limited portion of its territory.
The greatest depth yet obtained on the Carissa is about
400 feet and a crosscut has been run across the adjacent
crystalline schists, which include the original lenses of
high grade ore, for a distance of 180 feet has shown a num-
ber of extraordinary conditions and demonstrated beyond
a doubt that the ore bodies of the South Pass District are
great bodies of low grade free milling ore, as tests on this
crosscut show an average mill value of f 6 per ton for the
whole 180 feet.
There are a number of other works in the vicinity,
notably the Dexter crosscut tunnel at Atlantic, four miles
from South Pass, now being run to cut a number of rich
leads worked in the old days. This tunnel has cut three
blind leads in the length of 300 feet, and conditions similar
to those noted at the Carissa have been shown.
The South Pass District is an island of metamorphic
fine grained schists, about thirty miles long and from
twelve to fifteen miles wide and is practically virgin
ground, the deepest work being the Carissa, which is down
400 feet, as before mentioned.
The country immediately surrounding the National
Park has been condemned by numerous mining men, but
the development of the past four years in this vicinity has
shown that these formations which have been so univer-
sally derided as mineral producing, contain profitable min-
erals, and are being opened up by men who are willing to
take long chances in a virgin field and they are being re-
warded for their efforts.
At Kirwin, on Wood River, southwest of Meeteetse,
on the south fork of the Shoshone and at Sunlight Basin,
northwest of Cody, works are being constructed with show-
ings that compare very favorably with a number of prom-
inent properties in other states, gold, silver, lead and cop-
per being the minerals opened up.
The fuel resources of Wyoming are perhaps better
known than any other of the mineral resources of the state,
but many will be surprised to know that the workable coal
GEOLOGY AND MINERAL RESOURCES OF WYOMING. 117
area of Wyoming is conservatively estimated at 20,000
square miles, only a very small portion of which has been
developed, and that each county of the state, each mining
district, each agricultural section has been amply pro-
vided with a suitable fuel in sufficient quantities to take
care of all demands for generations. The standard of
Wyoming coal is and has been the Kock Springs coal from
the Union Pacific railroad mines and a number of other
properties of similar grade have been opened up all over
the state, the total production for coal for the year 1903
amounting to 4,602,929 tons.
Most of the Wyoming coal is lignite and non-coking,
but suitable for steam and all heating purposes. There is
only one known deposit of semi-bituminous coking coal, at
Cambria, Weston county, and recently a vein has been
opened up in the Ham's Fork Field, Uinta county, that pro-
duces a splendid coke under ordinary conditions in a bee-
hive oven.
This is not the only fuel available for the mining men
in Wyoming, as there are eighteen oil fields of well defined
extent in eight of the thirteen counties of the state and
the products of these fields vary from the highest grade of
illuminating and heating oils, free from the lubricants, to
the highest grade of lubricating oil now known, entirely
free from illuminating constituents of any sort; these fields
are simply in their infancy, only a few wells having been
drilled in each field. It is up to the mining man to furnish
a market for the fuel oils and promote a great industry
that is now practically dormant.
The lubricating oils of Salt creek are refined at Casper
and have an international reputation for excellence. From
this oil seventeen varieties of lubricants are produced,
varying from a light watch oil to heavy cylinder oil and
compressor and axle greases.
The best Bessemer ore in the West cornea from the
Sunrise iron mines, north of Cheyenne, and the total prod-
uce of these mines is used at the Pueblo, Colorado, steel
works. This ore lies in huge flat deposits, is mined by
steam shovel methods and has simply been touched by the
118 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
present operations. In several other parts of the state
similar bodies of iron are noted and only need transporta-
tion to be placed on the market.
The largest natural soda deposits or lakes in the West
are scattered over Wyoming and the product is of remark-
able purity. It varies from the bi-carbonates to the pure
Epsom salts and production has only been kept back by
lack of cheap transportation.
This is only an outline of what is found in Wyoming
but it will certainly pay the thorough investigator to come
to Wyoming and see for himself what the facts are. There
is no need to exploit or paint in glowing colors the re-
sources of this state. The story has been told so often
that a repetition would be monotonous to the man who is
looking for a country free from competition of the older
mining camps, free from labor troubles and strifes; this is
the place and a number of the best mining men of the coun-
try axe rapidly finding it out, with the result that there is
many times the amount of actual development work now
in progress than at any other time in the history of the
state with every promise that a' few years more will give
Wyoming a recognized place in the mineral producers of
the West.
Mineral Resources and Mining in Oregon.
BY FRANK V. DRAKE.
Mr. President and Gentlemen of The American Mining
Congress:
In journeying to this assemblage those of you who
came from the north crossed the Great Kiver of the West.
On May 11, 1792, Capt. Robert Gray entered this river in
the good ship "Columbia" and bestowed the name of his
vessel on the stream. From the ship's mast head the iden-
tical flag fashioned by the cunning hands of Betsey Ross
(the first American flag ever made) flouted defiance to its
foes and tokened dominion over the western world. This
first flag, on this good ship, was the new republic's first
messenger around the world. The captain's sea chest
wherein was stored the flag when not at the peak, is here
in your midst, the property of the Oregon Historical
Society.
Some of you on entering the state from the east passed
over a range called the Blue mountains. Others coming
from the south crossed the Siskiyou mountains, on enter-
ing Oregon. In either case you enjoyed unsurpassable
scenery and severally encountered the present feet of what
in early geological times were twin islands, the genesis of
the North Pacific coast.
In the beginning the eastern portion of the Blue moun-
tain range and the Siskiyou mountain were two islands
far off the then western coast of what is now North Amer-
ica; mere granite peaks in a world of waters. So that in
much of your journey ings here, to our honor and pleasure,
you have reached us by traversing an ancient ocean bed
somewhat exalted and crumpled now and in part covered
with modern lavas, and crossed the feet of two very old
islands, the geological parents of this lovely and wonderful
state.
At this day, standing on the summit of the ancient
Blue mountain island you are surrounded, not by a shore-
less sea, but by hundreds of majestic mountains, bald of
120 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
head, their faces gashed and wrinkled with canons and
gorges and bearded with dense, dark firs, cedars and pines,
the unshorn growth of the centuries. These are the giants
which hoard the treasure vaults of Eastern Oregon. They,
with intervening valleys, cover a territory nearly equaling
in extent the combined areas of the states of Massachu-
setts, Rhode Island and Connecticut.
Standing upon the summit of that other ancient
island, the Siskiyou (designated in United States Govern-
ment surveys as "Klamath") you are surrounded by an-
other array of sentinels, wrinkled and whiskered like their
brothers, guarding immeasurable treasures in Southern
Oregon *and covering an area of over 15,000 square miles.
Coming northward through Central Western Oregon,
a section often locally embraced in the general designation
"Southern Oregon," you cross the more modern ranges of
the Kogue and Calipooia, and here again the massive hills,
all bearded and unshorn, are hoarding limitless treasures
for the good of the industrious and hopeful men who dare
attempt great deeds for great wealth. The area of the richly
mineralized portion of this section equals in extent at least
one of the populous and wealthy New England states.
In 1845 at the feet of that old Blue Mountain island,
the second discovery of gold in the present limits of the
United States was made. Marshall, who made the dis-
covery in California in 1848, was an Oregon emigrant. It
was this third discovery that set the world ablaze with uni-
versal desire to get riches quickly. That desire has not
perceptibly abated with the passing years. Gold was
found on the Santiam river in 1847, but the immigrating
Missourians of that day had not developed fully the char-
acteristic desire to "know things by seeing them" and
didn't yet know gold when they saw it. The stories of their
conjectures as to what the yellow stuff really was are both
pathetic and ludicrous. It was useful, however, and nuggets
tsvere easily hammered into sinkers suitable for their fish-
jhooks. Later, millions of ounces of the royal metal mined
from the placers in Oregon went into history as California
gold.
. MINERAL RESOURCES AND MINING IN OREGON. 121
Gold Coinage in Oregon in 1849.
The provisional government, which had been organ-
ized pending the determination of the controversy between
the United States and England for dominion over the Ore-
gon territory, through an act passed and approved by the
then governor early in 1849, established a mint at Oregon
City. Coinage of $5 and f 10 gold pieces was authorized.
The mint, with dies shaped from old wagon tires, was con-
structed by American mechanics and the first coins minted
on this coast were of pure gold. The image of a beaver
appeared on each coin, whence the name "Beaver Money."
Oregon, with proper modesty, of course, desires facts
admitted of historical record that the first discovery of
gold in the Atlantic southeastern states, made in the early
history of the nation, was seconded by a like discovery in
this Pacific Northwest and preceded the find in California
in 1848; further, that Oregon made the first Pacific coast
gold coins, contributed mightily to the golden glory of Cal-
ifornia and now proposes to become and continue an active
rival of her admirable sisters in the production of the pre-
cious metals and other commercial minerals.
Oregon's modesty has been detrimental to her, his-
torically and industrially, especially in the department of
mines and minerals. Her legislators, even, have not met
the needs of the times in recognition of the industry; but
better things are stored in the near future.
Obstruction to Development.
Furthermore, various coincident conditions retarded
development in this line. The first discoverers did not
know gold. They were trappers, farmers and missionaries;
They were far removed from governmental protection and
the British claimed the territory. Congress, uninformed,
was obstructive, almost antagonistic, to the purposes of the
far away pioneers. Unlike the passive, even helpful Dig-
ger Indians of California, the Oregon Indians were mur-
derously aggressive and many of them had to be killed.
The mountains were prodigious, covered deeply with soil
and timber and prospecting for minerals was laborious and
122 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
slow. The unexcelled forests, prairies, fish-stocked rivers
and multitudinous herds and flocks of fat game attracted
the man who did not come looking for mines. Develop-
ment of the state's mineral resources was therefore slow
and the early miners took only a small part of the most
accessible and easily gotten coarse gold of the placers.
Sluicing and rocking was the limit of the early days.
An Oregon Contemporary of the Father of Geology.
Volumes must be written after many years of explora-
tion and study, before the geological story can be fairly
well known. The science is young and has not progressed
very far. We have, living within view of our city's heights,
a yet young woman, mentally and physically vigorous,
who, during her lifetime, was a contemporary of William
Smith ("Strata" Smith), the acknowledged father of geol-
ogy. This lady of only 117 summers, is older than the new-
born science which we call geology.
This youthful and vigorous science, while helpful to
the miner, is from the very nature of things, of slow deter-
minate growth. Problems of the rocks present many con-
jectural propositions. Miners cannot wait for absolute
conclusions, but with the aid of accumulating knowledge
can press on to meet the demands of an intensely utilitar-
ian age. So that the "nebular hypothesis" as compared
with the later "aggregation" theory, or any other theory
of the earth's beginning, is relatively unimportant to this
Congress of men representing those who are engaged in
exploiting the active present.
It is not at all certain that the rocks of those various,
somewhat arbitrary, ages are the same in point of time in
different parts of the world; that the Cambrian, for in-
stance, of the old world was contemporaneous with the
cambrian of the new world; nor that the trilobites of
Europe existed contemporaneously with those of Colorado;
nor that the coal measures in the long permanently frozen
arctics were created in the same (carboniferous) age as
those of the tropics. There may have been several millions
of years between the uplift of like rock structures in dif-
MINERAL RESOURCES AND MINING IN OREGON. 123
ferent sections of the crust. Like conditions may have
existed at different localities at long different intervals of
time. Occasionally the rocks of one "epoch" are wholly
absent from the place scientifically allotted ta them as
the Devonian, in Colorado.
In the wonderful fossil beds of the John Day country,
Eastern Oregon, at the present base of the original Blue
Mountain island, are remains of mammals, long extinct;
the horse, three-toed at first, is there found in progressive
stages of development; also the camel, elephant, broad
faced ox, mastodon and mammoth, with remains of a trop-
ical vegetation. Kemains of like tropical animals and trop-
ical vegetation are abundant in the "Stirling Creek" plac-
ers at the foot of that other ancient island, the Siskiyou
(Klamath). Yearly for fifteen years last past the hydraulic
giants have unearthed large fossils of former tropical fauna
and flora on Stirling creek.
Mineral Resources of Oregon.
For reasons heretofore alluded to the mineral re-
sources of the state are but slightly developed. They are
mostly "prospects." The state is large, the inhabitants
few, the mining sections big in size and in promise, but
widely dispersed. All that can be done here in the way of
description is to "concentrate'' the material to the utmost
get it down to cupellation if possible. I can safely say,
at the start, that much valuable stuff will go, necessarily,
for the present, into the waste dump. Of course, critics
are sure to overhaul the dump; you know how it is, your-
selves.
Most of the known minerals, including those peculiar
to meteorites, are found in Oregon. A magnificent meteor-
ite, recently discovered near this city, is convenient for
your inspection. We think it surpasses the specimen
which helped to make Montana famous. It is twenty feet
in length, seven feet four inches wide, five feet seven inches
in thickness and is estimated to be twenty tons in weight.
The geological conditions of the three divisions, East-
ern, Southern and Central Western Oregon, favor strongly
124 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
the presence of gold and other of the valuable metals and
minerals; there are granites, limestones, diorites, andesites,
argillites, calcites, greenstones, quartz, quartzites and
porphyries briefly, the old formations and the slates,
schists, eruptives, faults and fissuring common to such
countries. The flow of lavas, chiefly of basalt, has been
enormous, covering large areas. Portland metallurgists
have overcome incredulity and proven that sections of
basalt in the Cascade mountains carry gold to the amounts
of from $2 to |20 per ton, some samples going to $70 per
ton.
Each of the specified general divisions of the state em-
braces great numbers of local mining "districts," with
boundaries ill-defined and having, as elsewhere, character-
istics distinct from others. A description of one would not
suffice for any other, would be tedious, taken as invidious,
and is unnecessary here.
Gold is Oregon's Chief Mineral Product.
The chief metallic product of the state is gold. The
past output and present production of Oregon gold has
been variously estimated. There are no means of deter-
mining either. The state has never attempted inquiry. It
is known from a few brief and scattered records, from
statements of old residents of localities, and the area and
character of mining workings of the past, that the aggre-
gate must be enormous. The records of one bank, still
doing business in Jacksonville, show early shipments
through the institution of $28,000,000 in gold dust, and
this bank did but a part of the business of that locality.
The placer workings have been extensive in both East-
ern and Southern Oregon. Obstructions before mentioned,
together with absence of means for transporting supplies
and machinery for hoisting ores and constructing mills
have delayed search for the opening of the gold mines.
At various points on the ocean beaches gold has been
profitably mined. In some localities the returns enriched
the workers substantially. A great variety of machines
and amalgamating and metallurgical devices have been
MINERAL RESOURCES AND MINING IN OREGON. 125
tried, but saving of a high percentage of the values has
not been attained.
Dredging machines, some of great power and capacity,
have recently been installed in different localities where
water is scarce and dump facilities wanting. Hydraulic
elevators are used when available and the bed rock
"pitches" the wrong way. Smelters for wet and refractory
ores are being erected. Cyanide is used at several plants
successfully, and marked improvements in mining and
treating the lower grade ores are being made. Oregon's
numerous and rapid water streams and waterfalls, having
in one instance 800 feet sheer descent, are becoming impor-
tant factors through the creation of electric power.
It would be useless to attempt a list of mining claims
in the state; there are over a thousand lode records in one
district, and there are over one hundred recognized mining
districts in the state. These claims are in various condi-
tions, as is usual in all mining localities. Some, are aban-
doned, some mere prospects, some in process of develop^
ment, and some splendid, profitable mines with big machin-
ery and milling plants.
Some of the placers have been and are exceedingly
profitable, and some have very complete and powerful
equipments, such as batteries of large giants, hydraulic
elevators, dredges, etc. Years of hard work would be con-
sumed in a thorough examination of them all.
Omitting mention of numerous minerals, which may
become of value in the future as population, transportation
and working facilities increase, a brief statement of de-
posits available at the present day will be attempted.
DIAMONDS, garnets, sapphires, opals, agates and
many rare minerals exist in various localities in this state.
I found opals on the surface near Hay creek in Eastern Ore-
gon, and have seen numerous specimens of the above men-
tioned minerals. None were of grade or quantity to be of
commercial value. Further search may get better reward.
JOSEPHENITE, a mineral discovered in Josephine
county, is an alloy of nickel and iron. The specimens found
126 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
appear as smooth pebbles, black in color. Polished, it ap-
pears like metallic iron or nickel.
ANTIMONY occurs associated with the base gold
ores found in localities in Eastern Oregon, and in Southern
Oregon.
ARSENIC appears locally in combination with vari-
ous ores, not yet in commercial quantities.
ASBESTOS is reported from numerous localities in
the state. Some deposits promise to become valuable and
are being developed. Best specimens so far show about a
second grade in quality.
BORAX exists in extensive areas (marshes) in Harney
county. At present a limited product from this locality is
hauled 150 miles by mule teams to rail at Winnemucca,
Nevada about 400 tons yearly.
CEMENT material is found and is being exploited and
tested in several counties. Claim is made that some of
these products, by fair tests, surpass Portland cement.
Success in this line of manufacture seems certain.
CLAYS of excellent qualities and in ample quantities
exist in many localities. Kaolin of fine grade and abun-
dant is obtained at many points, also fire clays; and bricks,
tiles and pottery are being manufactured at different
points by some seventy different firms and individuals.
COAL has been mined in Oregon since 1855. The
Coos Bay fields cover 150 square miles in Coos county and
additional discoveries in that locality are recently reported.
For a long period the average yearly production was -50,000
tons. The output has lately been increased. The markets
are San Francisco and Portland. Several mines are being
worked in this field. Extensive coal fields exist at
Yaquina, Lincoln county, partly developed. The mineral
is found in Tillamook, Curry, Columbia, Clackamas, Ma-
rion, Lane, Yamhill, Douglas, Jackson, Morrow, Wasco,
Grant and Baker counties. The principal deposit in East-
ern Oregon, so far appearing is about twenty miles from
(above) the town of Heppner. Traces of coal are found in
many localities.
MINERAL RESOURCES AND MINING IN OREGON. 127
COBALT, apparently in commercial quantities, asso-
ciated with gold, copper and nickel occurs in the Standard
Con. mine, Grant county.
COPPER, associated with gold and silver, appears in
many parts of the state. The Southern Oregon sections
present the best showings in this metal and are being con-
siderably exploited. I repeat former predictions in
saying that the locality will soon be generous in copper
products. No mines of this metal are yet supplied with
reduction works. A smelter recently erected in Josephine
county will be blown in about September 1st next.
GYPSUM is being profitably developed near Hunting-
ton, Baker county. Plaster of paris is being manufactured
from this deposit which consists of two beds, the lower one
twenty feet thick, the upper one forty feet thick. This min-
eral is found also in Douglas, Jackson and Klamath coun-
ties. There are enormous beds of chalk in Klamath.
IRON ores occur in Clackamas, Columbia, Tillamook,
Lane and Jackson counties. The only deposit mined in
quantity was at Oswego, Clackamas county, but this mine
has been closed for several years. The products of several
deposits are utilized for paints. Columbia and Jackson
counties have extensive deposits of iron of commercial
grade.
LEAD is not mined here, save perhaps as a by-prod-
uct. It is present in many of the base ore properties of
the state.
LIME is manufactured near Huntington. Other kilns
are in Wallowa, Jackson and Josephine counties. The
product is sold in the local markets.
MERCURY is being produced at Blackbutte mine,
Lane county. A great deal of development has been made
here. The property is equipped with a "California" fur-
nace. The value of the product is not available. There
are numerous prospects of cinnabar in various localities,
some of which are being exploited.
MOLYBDENITE is found in a few places in Eastern
Oregon and in Jackson county. "Pockets" of grains of
128 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
nearly pure metal are reported from a vein carrying other
minerals in Union county.
NICKEL, associated with other minerals, occurs 111
ooth Eastern and Southern Oregon. The principal deposit
lies in Douglas county, but has not been profitably worked.
PLATINUM, with gold in placers, is mined in Baker,
Union, Wheeler, Coos, Curry, Jackson and Josephine coun-
ties, and in many of the beach claims along the sea coast
in the beach sand. It is saved only as a by-product. This
metal became so abundant in localities in Southern Ore-
gon as to interfere with saving gold in the placers, and the
miners were much annoyed until the market price be-
came known to them.
NITRE, in apparently considerable quantities, is re-
ported to exist in Lane county and some claims have been
laid on the deposit.
SILVER is not mined specially, but associated with
gold and copper; it is a by-product in Oregon.
STONE in endless variety and great quantities awaits
roads and a market. Vast beds of sandstones of prac-
tically every kind and color are widely distributed. Enor-
mous deposits (mountains) of marble, of best qualities and
great variety, await the coming of good roads. Building
stones, from peculiar tuffs, easily shaped and dressed, to
slates, basalts and granites, are more abundant. Granite
of good quality is plentiful. A specially excellent grade
of this stone is found in a mountain of the material in Lin-
coln county, also in Marion and Jackson counties.
SILICIA, in the form of sands, of quality adapted to
the manufacture of glass, is plentiful at many points.
(Copyright, 1904, by Frank V. Drake.)
The Mineral Resources of South Carolina.
BY EARL SLOAN, STATE GEOLOGIST.
General Geological Conditions.
An inspection of the physiography of South Carolina
reveals two series of formations, widely differing in their
topographical, structural and floral features, and separated
by a meandering line, designated the "fall line," which
crosses the greater streams at the head of navigation. This
Hue, beginning at North Augusta, proceeds by Columbia
and thence by Camden to the North Carolina state line,
northeast to Cheraw. The area north of this line, desig-
nated the Crystalline Region, comprises the older crystal-
line rocks and is characterized along its upper limits by a
somewhat serrated mountainous profile graduating south-
erly into intricately ribbed and undulating ridges with
deeply sculptured valleys and rapidly flowing streams.
South of the fall line we find the younger sedimentary beds,
which overlap the crystalline rocks and extend thence ta
the sea, constituting a vast peneplain, known as the Coastal
Plain, which along its upper limit characteristically affords
extensive plateaus incised with deep valleys in almost
abrupt juxtaposition, the included rivers having slow veloc-
ities and navigable channels.
Proceeding from the northwest part of the state along
a line normal to the coast we observe distinctive zones of
elevation extending approximately parallel with the coast.
First the Montaine Region, with its serrated topography
culminating in peaks as high as 3,500 feet above the sea
level, which rapidly and irregularly declines within thirty
miles to the Piedmontaine Region where the ridges afford
elevations from 700 to 900 feet, and the beds of the larger
streams are from 500 to 700 feet above the sea level. This
"Piedmont Region'' gently graduates through the middle
country to the fall line, where the crystalline rocks pass
under the Coastal plain formations at elevations above sea
level, varying from 119 feet in the deeper valleys to 680
130 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
feet on the plateau between the Savannah and the Con-
garee rivers, and 597 feet between the Wateree and the
Great Pee Dee rivers. Borings south of the fall line show
the inclination of the surface of the crystalline rocks
greatly increased, attaining in the Savannah area fifty-four
feet to the mile and in the Pee Dee area fifty feet to the
mile, but apparently less along the line between the two.
The overlapping Coastal Plain formations, as exposed
.along the upper limits of their plateaus, as above indicated,
-attain a maximum elevation of 680 feet from which,
through the intervening sand hill region, they decline
within twenty miles to an elevation of 400 feet, and thence
gently graduate through eight} 7 miles of low country, to the
sea level at the coast.
An examination of the structural and general geolog-
ical features shows the crystalline region to be constituted
of rock formations more or less hard and crystalline, often
pitched at high angles, folded, faulted and otherwise dis-
located and deficient in fossil remains. Proceeding from
the mountains to the fall line, or along the older to the
younger rocks, we successively observe gneisses, schists,
slates, limestones, dolomites, quartzites, granulytes,
gneisses, slates (intruded basalts), granite and shales.
These rocks afford valuable structural and monumental
stones, and include veins of gold, tin, lead, copper, iron,
manganese, graphite, corundum, mica, barite, limestone,
talc, asbestos, feldspar, kaolin, monazite and the precious
stones' and other minerals.
Passing next to the Coastal Plain, we see some loosely
aggregated materials without distinct stratification, and
some stratified materials with a gentle dip, the latter more
or less rich in fossil remains, the former rarely affording
biotic evidences. We thus observe beds of subangular and
rounded quartz, pebbles, gravels, arkose, sands, kaolin
and other clays, sandstones, shales, buhrstone, marls,
shales, phosphate rock and coastal beds of loose shells and
^and; from some of w r hich are derived structural sandstone,
kaolin, "glass sand," potter's clay, brick clay, fuller's earth,
marls and phosphates.
THE MINERAL RESOURCES OF SOUTH CAROLINA. 1311
The subdivision of these two series in South Carolina
into their component systems, groups and stages is much
more feasible in the case of the younger fossiliferous strata
of the Coastal Plain, than in the case of the crystalline
region, where in the entire absence of biotic evidence our
discriminations must largely depend upon correlation, or
inferences based on the order and manner of superposition
of their lithological equivalents in strata elsewhere more
favorably situated for differentiation.
Metals Gold.
South Carolina was one of the pioneers in the discov-
ery and development of gold deposits. She for many years
past has enjoyed the distinction of producing more gold
than any state east of the Mississippi river, notwithstand-
ing the fact that the extensive discoveries of gold in Cali-
fornia caused many miners to abandon properties here for
the more alluring western fields. Then again under the
old methods of recovery only the free milling or easily
roasted ore w r as available, and consequently good proper-
ties were abandoned when the depth of the sulphides
was attained.
Modern chlorination and cyanide processes are re-
claiming some of these properties, with excellent returns,,
and there are other properties with good -reserve values
awaiting similar treatment.
It will be observed that the prolific producers to-day
were well known but indifferently regarded during the "fif-
ties/' The sulphurets staggered development.
There are three designated gold belts in South Caro-
lina, although the continuity of the geological connection
is much broken and the geognostic features varied in each.
One beginning in the upper portion of Spartanburg ex-
tends through Greenville, Pickens and Oconee counties.
Formerly considerable placer running, and limited
vein running was conducted along this belt. The opera-
tions are now confined to intermittent placer work, prin-
cipally at the McBee mine (old Carson mine), nine miles
north of Chick Springs.
132 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
This property would probably respond well under sys-
tematic and organized treatment, but systematic exploita-
tion should be undertaken to more fully demonstrate its
susceptibilities.
The parent vein consists of a zone of mica schist, im-
pregnated with numerous auriferous stringers of quartz,
which gradually breaks down to form the placer deposits.
The following additional localities in this belt have
afforded gold:
Greenville county, Wildcat creek, Enoree river, at a
point ten miles east of Greenville; Oconee county; Jesse
Lay mine; Cochran mine; Sloan mine.
The second belt beginning in upper York extends
southwesterly through Cherokee, Union, Lower Greenville,
upper Laurens and Abbeville counties.
These veins consist principally of lenticular masses of
auriferous quartz and pyrites interstratified with the tal-
cose or micaceous slates which are pitched at high angles.
Some of these ore bodies are of considerable extent in
length, depth and width. The Fergerson mine, situated in
York county at the head of King's creek, about &.even miles
southeast of Grover (on the Southern Railway) is of con-
siderable promise. It has recently been equipped with a
twenty-ton cyanide plant.
The vein is of pyritiferous quartz enclosed in heavily
bedded talcose shales (dipping southeast about seventy de-
grees with the horizontal and striking N. E.). At a depth
of 100 feet the vein which is seven feet wide averages from
$12 to $15 in values. It concentrates about fifteen to one.
The outcrop has been traced for a considerable distance,
extending to adjoining properties. A series of mines in
the King's creek district have been worked during quite
recent years and while assays and mill tests indicated ex-
cellent values inexperience in attempted chlorination re-
sulted disastrously, which with prohibitory transportation
expenses to other reduction plans combined to cause tem-
porary suspension. The prominent mines thus worked
were the Allison, Wolfe Cr., Hardin, McGill, Bratton,
Brown, Magnolia and Flint Hill. There are numerous
THE MINERAL RESOURCES OF SOUTH CAROLINA. 133
other mines and prospects along this belt, terminating with
the Old Dorn mine, which have been idle for various pe-
riods and reasons but many of which will doubtless re-
spond to modern treatment.
The West Springs group: This group comprising the
Mott Thompson and West mines is situated in the upper
portion of Union county about seven miles south of Glenn
Springs railroad station. The veins comprise large ledges
of quartz charged with auriferous pyrites. They have been
intermittently worked for many years with varying success.
Parsons mountain in Abbeville county has been the
scene of desultory gold mining for several years. It is
claimed that some good prospects await development in
this neighborhood.
The Bradly prospect on the P. R. & W. C. R. R. has
afforded fine indications worthy of fuller exploitation. The
Dorn mine at McCormick has been one of the most exten-
sive gold producers in the South.
The third belt originates in Chesterfield county and
extends southwesterly through Lancaster, upper Kershaw,
Fairfield and Newberry counties, its southerly portion be-
ing in many places obscured by the overlapping cretaceous
sands whereas there are some few of the lenticular type
of quartzose veins in this zone, the characteristic deposits
are extensive masses of slates impregnated with auriferous
pyrites and quartz stockwerke. The workable parts of
these impregnations are in places 200 feet wide, and have
been worked to a depth of about 3'00 feet.
The ores rarely exceed the average value of f 5 per ton
on the basis of the mill run, and are usually represented at
$4.50. They concentrate about ten to one.
The Brewer mine, situated near Jefferson station in
the western portion of Chesterfield county, has been exten-
sively worked in the past, but closed during a term of years
through conflicting interests and litigation. This mine has
resumed operations during the past year and is now
equipped with a large cyanide plant. This deposit is an
enormous ore body and will add materially to the state's
output.
134 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
The Haile mine is situated in Lancaster county, about
three miles east of Kershaw station. It has long enjoyed
a prosperous career and the distinction of producing alone
more gold than any entire state east of the Mississippi
river. The Thies chlorination process was brought to its
present perfection at this plant, where it has long been
operated under its able inventor. Industrially, scien-
tifically, and by reason of its vast extent this is the most
interesting gold mine in the East. Its ore output has often
exceeded 35,000 tons annually. There are lesser mines in
this belt which have been worked w T ith variable success
and some of which promise under improved methods to
again respond generously.
Tin.
Tin ore was observed by the writer sparsely distrib-
uted in the King's mountain district during the year 1892
and specimens were exhibited at the Charleston Exposi-
tion. During the year 1903 a prominent deposit of tin
ore, or cassiterite, was discovered by Capt. S. S. Ross, a
gentleman of considerable mining experience and skill, on
his place in Cherokee county, one and a quarter miles
northeast of the Gaffney railway station (Southern Rail-
way). During the early part of the year 1904 Captain Ross
began the exploitation of this property for w^hich purpose
there was installed under skilled supervision the necessary
concentrating troughs and three Joplin jigs. With this
equipment there has been tested the surface or placer ma-
terial over a limited area, and the ore extracted from an
incline extending nearly 100 feet along the dip of the ore
body (thirty degrees increasing with depth). A shaft now.
being sunk through the hanging wall formation to inter-
cept the ore body at a considerable depth is down seventy-
seven feet at which level a crosscut to the vein is being
driven.
It will be observed that considerable dead w r ork has
been instituted. With a small force these prospecting oper-
ations have since January afforded about 80,000 pounds of
cassiterite analyzing 70.45 per cent of metallic tin of a
very fine grade, and which has been marketed in England
THE MINERAL RESOURCES OF SOUTH CAROLINA. 135
at the best market prices, with an eager demand for more
of such high grade ore. Character of the deposit: The area
of the surface or placer deposit, resting on the upturned
edges of shales and schists, has not been delimited by sys-
tematically located test pits, in the absence of which real
calculations are merely conjectural and quantities mere
surmises; however, surface pannrngs indicate the proba-
bility of an extensive placer area. The surface matter may
be regarded as of three layers: First, resting on the shales
occurs a layer of about nine inches of loose quartz frag-
ments, and decomposed feldspathic matter carrying about
three per cent, of cassiterite. Overlying this is about three
feet of red clay carrying about one-half of one per cent,
of cassiterite. Superimposed on this is similar clay of vari-
able thickness, ordinarily from one to three feet, in which
a trace of tin occurs.
The lower three and three-quarters feet afford in val-
ues about f 3 to the cubic yard.
All of this material is delivered on a screen which sep-
arates the coarse lumps of quartz, etc., the fine material
passing thence to the sluice boxes where the current of
water concentrates the particles of cassiterite by sweeping
away the greater portion of the lighter material. This
partly concentrated cassiterite is removed to the Joplin
jigs for final concentration in which condition it represents
about seventy-one per cent, of metallic tin.
The Parent Vein. We observe here no ledge or dyke
of gigantic granite, pegmatite or greisen, with sharply de-
fined walls, enclosing the tin ore. The cassiterite occurs
where exposed along the slope in particles, sometimes crys-
talline, varying in size from the minute to ten-pound
lumps. It occurs in a feldsparthic matrix, graduating to
micaceous, and the individual particles are in some in-
stances covered with talcose matter, with an obscure
fibrous grain, twisting conformably to the shape of the
enclosed lump of cassiterite. This impregnated feldspathic
/one (striking north forty-eight east and dipping south
forty-two east, about thirty degrees with the horizontal),
Caries in thickness from two to nine feet. Where nine feet
136 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
thick we observe about two feet of matter which affords
thirty to forty per cent., by weight, of concentrates (cas-
siterite), the remaining seven feet affording from ten to
twenty per cent, of concentrates. It presents an exception-
ally fine prospect.
The material representing the hanging wall is greatly
weathered, but is apparently a hornblende schist suc-
ceeded by hornblende shale and mica schist. The foot wall
material is mica schist. A knowledge of the rock associ-
ated with the Ross tin deposit might prove of value in
tracing the extension of the tin bearing formation. Begin-
ning 750 feet northwest of the outcrop of the parent tin
vein and proceeding normal to the strike, we first observe
very hard syenitic shale, on edge, resting against a prom-
inent stratum of highly indurated quartzitic matter por-
phyritic enclosures of feldspar; the strike is north forty-
eight east, and the dip south forty-two east. Approaching
the tin vein we must successively pass feldspathic shales,
hard hornblende shales, arenaceous mica schists, black
quartz enclosing pink feldspar, pegmatite, mica schists
with chloritic seams, and then the mica schist constituting
the foot wall of the vein. Proceeding beyond the vein to
the southeast we observe decomposed hornblende schist
and hard hornblende shale beyond which the formation is
obscured until we attain the distance of 328 feet, where
there are evidences of a diorite dike. The writer traced
the formation to the northeast, crossing the Broad river at
the McCraw place, about one mile below the old Ross
ferry. Southwesterly it was traced through the northern
part of the town of Gaffney and thence towards Thickety
creek, beyond which the zone probably extends toward
Cedar Springs, in Spartanburg county. The South Caro-
lina geological survey is now engaged in tracing this for-
mation to the limits of its exposure in this state with a
view to assisting in the discovery of additional deposits.
A brief review of the associate geognostic features of this
tin deposit may prove of interest. The average strike of
the strata of the King's mountain region is northeast. Be-
ginning near Broad river at the line, in prolongation of
THE MINERAL RESOURCES OF SOUTH CAROLINA. 137
King's mountain and proceeding northwesterly, or across
the upturned edges of the strata, to the neighborhood of
Thickety mountain we observe, in this section of twelve
miles, the following successive formations of industrial
value:
One The talcose slates enclosing extensive gold de-
posits.
Two The itacolumitic rocks interstratified with the
beds of specular iron.
Three The talcose slates enclosing the beds of su-
perior magnetic iron.
Four The limestone strata.
Five Beds of best defined itacolumite.
These five constitute the itacolumite series, mica, horn-
blende and feldspathic schists and shales constitute the fol-
lowing members:
Six The hornblende and feldspathic shales contain-
ing the tin.
Seven Micaceous schists enclosing brown hematite.
Eight Micaceous schists and feldspathic shales en-
closing monazite.
Nine Gneissoid rock along the axis of the anticline
(beyond which the strata dip to the northwest.)
Ten Micaceous schists and feldspathic shales afford-
ing monazite.
Eleven Mica schists enclosing brown hematite ores in
resumption of "seven."
Twelve Undetermined. But if the tin ore was de-
posited contemporaneously with the enclosing feldspathic
shales represented in six, it is reasonable to expect a repe-
tition along the upper side of the anticline at no great dis-
tance from the Thickety mountain.
Iron.
Numerous deposits of iron are in this state, occurring
in formations ranging from the tertiary to the Silurian, but
up to the present time none have been noted of modern in-
dustrial importance excepting in the King's Mountain dis-
trict. One zone, beginning north of King's mountain, ex-
tends southwesterly through Cherokee and parts of Spart-
138 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
anburg and Union counties, and comprises magnetic and
specular ores bedded in talcose schists or shales and in the
itacolumitic rocks. These beds were worked to great ad-
vantage when charcoal was available, prior to 1865. The
magnetic ore, or catawberite, afforded a peculiarly superior
iron, close grained and soft, yet tough, which was exten-
sively employed in the manufacture of the Confederate ord-
nance. Furnaces and rolling mills were operated for this
purpose adjacent to the Cherokee ford on the Broad river.
Specular ore was also employed in mixtures and alone for
the production of superior pig metal for castings. The red
ore or itawberite is a low grade arenaceous magnetite,
which also affords good pig metal for castings.
The catawberite, or magnetic ore in talcose schist, ap-
pears intermittently for nine miles, crossing the Broad river
near Cherokee ford, five miles east of Gaffney, and a half
mile north of a spur track of the Southern Railway. It con-
sists of lenticular bodies of magnetite crowded in talcose
schist, pitched at high angles, attaining in places the width
of forty feet, and extending to depths as yet undetermined.
The sorted ore in large lots exceeds fifty per cent, of metal-
lic iron, and is free from objectionable association except-
ing in the matter of the magnesian gangue which adds
somewhat to the difficulties of fluxing. The exposures of
this ore adjacent to the Broad river are the most prominent
and most favorably situated for development.
The specular ore occurs along a zone parallel to, and
east of, the catawberite belt the two being about one mile
apart. These deposits occur interstratified with the ita-
columitic shales and are much more continuous than the
catawberite, which alternately pinches and expands. The
specular ore deposits below the valley line become pyritif-
erous. This ore has been freely used with excellent results
as already noted. The time will not be distant when the
superiority of these ores for the manufacture of steel and
the finer grades of iron will render their use imperative, for
the supplies of the high grade ores more favorably situated
in this country are not unlimited.
The ItaAvberite occurs along the 1 southwesterly exten-
THE MINERAL RESOURCES OF SOUTH CAROLINA. 139
sion of the line of the specular ores; the deposits are not
very extensive and are chiefly of interest in their advant-
ageous susceptibility of being mixed with the superior ores
by reason of their easy fluxing properties.
Two miles north of Gaffney we observe beds of brown
hematite ores occurring in mica schists as a result of the
alteration of pyrites. The available ore which was there-
fore quite shallow was freely drawn upon by the old Cow-
pens and Pacolet furnaces. The mica schists strike north-
east and 'dip southeast. These beds find their counterpart
about eight miles north, where schists with similar strike
dip to the northwest indicating a former anticline whose
crest has b'een degraded, thereby exposing the upturned
edges of the strata, consisting of micaceous hornblende and
feldspathic schists and shales, monazite occurring in the
latter intermediate to the two zones carrying the brown
hematite ores.
It may be competent to mention that limestone, suit-
able for fluxing, and sandstone, suitable for furnace linings,
are found in close proximity to the iron ores, and that a vast
undeveloped water power occurs on th.e Broad river one
mile south of the iron zone.
Copper.
A great many of the veins of the crystalline region are
impregnated with iron pyrites which in many cases is
mixed with copper pyrites the proportion of the latter of-
ten increasing with the depth of the vein. It is thus ob-
served in many of the upper counties, but the only deposit
which has been systematically exploited for copper is the
Mary Mine which is situated about four and a quarter miles
northeast of York.
Professor Lieber inspected the Mary Mine during its
exploitation in 1857 and reported that the work comprised
two shafts respectively fifty-five and thirty-nine feet, one
cross-cut of thirty-five feet, and a gallery on the vein for
160 feet. He recites that the vein is composed of quartz
impregnated with copper pyrites varying in width from
three to five feet. He pronounces it a contact vein between
140 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
a porphyry dike and the mica slate the porphyry being a
contact dike of the granite. He recites that it would be
difficult to discover finer prospects for a copper mine.
Nickel.
In Newberry county about ten miles westerly from
Newberry, C. H. appears the Culbreath mine, regarding
which information has been received, from which the fol-
lowing is deducted : The vein matter consists of a very hard
siliceous slaty rock, impregnated with iron pyrites, gold
and nickle, in contact with an intensive igneous rock, the
country rock being slate varying to feldsite. It is claimed
that from seven to twelve feet will concentrate- 10 to 1; the
concentrates assaying
Copper 4 per cent.
Nickel 2 per cent.
Gold |7.50
Considerable work in the line of exploitation has been
done; one shaft is down more than seventy feet. The own-
ers, Dr. Mclntosh and Mr. Culbreath, whose address is New-
berry, S. C., have displayed great confidence and enthu-
siasm in the the development of this property.
Monazite.
Non-Metallic. The zone in South Carolina along
which monazite is as yet recognized as occurring in eco-
nomic quantities begins in Cherokee county at the North
Carolina line, west of Buffalo creek, and extends north of
Gaffney, north of Cowpens, south of Spartanburg, and
thence proceeds south of Greenville in a southwesterly
direction. It also occurs to an extent in York county and
sparsely in other localities not remote from the indicated
zone.
It occurs sparsely impregnating feldspathic shales in
the form of small crystals and grains, which are hard and
much heavier than most of the associated matter. In places
it is sufficiently abundant in these shales to admit of their
being mined and concentrated, when the shales have been
softened by weathering influences. Such favorable oc-
THE MINERAL RESOURCES OF SOUTH CAROLINA. 141
currences, however, are rarely found. Under the protracted
processes of degradation and erosion these shales are dis-
integrated by nature, the softer and lighter material being
removed in suspension in water, and the harder and heav-
ier material acumulating in the valleys and along the beds
of streams. It is from these sand beds of branches that
most of the monazite of commerce is ^obtained. A deposit
which will afford a pound of monazite from a barrow load
of sand is considered a "good proposition." The sand is sep-
arated from the monazite in a modification of the "long
torn" employed in the placer mining of gold. Thus con-
centrated the monazite is accompanied in varying degrees
with garnet, magnetic iron ilmenite, and grains of other
heavy minerals occurring in the associate rocks. The mona-
zite thus concentrated varies from sixty-five to ninety-five
per cent, of the concentrated material. It is thus sold at
the magnetic separators on the basis of eight cents the
pound for pure monazite. This monazite contains from 5.25
per cent, to 7.25 per cent, of thoria.
There is but one separating plant in this state; there
are several in North Carolina; and consequently there is
less convenience and accessibility in South Carolina, and
therefore less development of this industry.
The more prominent deposits in South Carolina -are
along branches tributary to Cherokee Creek, aproaching on
the north within three miles of Gaffney. Along the Chero-
kee, the Lemmons (L. C.), Magnus (J. J.), Swafford (J. M.),
Jones (J. B.), and Sarratt properties occur, and have been
operated for several years. Along Little John's Branch
(a tributary of Thickety Creek) in Cherokee county we ob-
serve the Husky (J.), Blanton (J. C.), and Petty (Chas.)
properties which have been worked; there are probably
others. Near Cowpens station, but on the east side of
Thickety Creek the Oglesby and Potter properties afford
good prospects as also do the Caldwell and Martin places
on the west side of this creek. West of Cowpens in Spartan-
burg county and tributary to the Pacolet river, the Petty,
Dewberry, Martin, Bryant, Wilkins and Simons properties
are regarded as good. North of Converse on the Pacolet
142 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
liver the Black and Martin properties are considered good
prospects.
About four miles west of Spartanburg there is an area
considered of good promise.
Passing to Greens ville county, fair prospects have been
observed near Taylor station, and four miles south of
Greenville the Wright (A. B.), properties are said to be
good prospects.
The monazite of this zone carries from 5.25 to 7.25 per
cent, of thoria, the constituent in demand for the manu-
facture of the Wellsbach and similar incandescent mantles.
Barytes Baryta.
About 500 feet southeast of Kings. Creek station, on the
C. C. C. K. R, in Cherokee county a deposit of Barytes of
considerable prominence occurs. There are three major
veins and several lesser stringers interstratified with tal-
cose slates and arenaceous shales, the widest vein showing
about ten feet in thickness. Strike N. 20 E., Dip 57 E.
22.5 degrees with the horizontal outcrop intermittent for
about 2,000 feet.
Some parts of the ore are very fine, others carry some
quartz and occasional specks of pyrites and galena.
Weathering of the pyrites causes local areas of stain.
Kings Creek, coursing through the property immedi-
.ately adjacent to the deposits, affords an abundant supply
of water, which, however, is not clear.
This ore should be ground and concentrated on the
.spot.
Very limited exploitation has been done on this prop-
erty.
There are some slight indications of baryta said to have
been observed east of Blacksburg.
Kaolins, Clays, Fullers' Earth.
The very exceptional extent and importance of the
varied forms of South Carolina clays, which are capable of
greater development and extension than any other mineral
industry, should commend them to special consideration.
Kaolins and other high grade clays occur, associated
THE MINERAL RESOURCES OF SOUTH CAROLINA. 143:
with both the crystalline and coastal plain formations. In
the former they appear without reference to any particu-
lar period, being a product of decomposition, in situ, of the
generally distributed feldspathic rocks, but in the coastal
plain region the kaolins representing transported sedi-
ments, of previously decomposed matter, deposited at cer-
tain definite periods, are assignable to specific horizons.
Thus the best of sedimentary kaolins which are most ex-
tensively developed in South Carolina are assigned to the
Cretaceous period and again our best fullers earths ex-
tensively prevail in the tertiary.
The following table indicates the horizons to which
the different varieties of clay and other products of the
coastal plain pertain in South Carolina:
Eecent. Thin beds of sand and clays in sections sub-
ject to recent inundation. Economic products: Structural
sands and some brick clays.
Post Pliocene. Beds of sand, loams, clays and shells.
Economic products: Brick clays.
Neocene. Eolean sands, Lafayette clays, loams, sands r
cement gravel and cobbles. Prominently developed across
the upper part of the coastal plain. Economic products:
Sand supply for locomotives, molding sand: cobblestones
and cement gravel for road construction and railway bal-
last.
Pliocene, Miocene and Oligocene (?) marls, clays and
sands. Economic products: Fuller's earth, brick clays,
sewer pipe and tile clay; phosphate rock; marls adapted to
the manufacture of cement and lime; marl and greensand
for agricultural purposes.
Eocene. Dark laminated clays, sands, ferruginous
sandstone, Eocene grit, buhr-rock; fine grained yellow Si-
enna and purple sands and loams; shells, greensand, marl,
siliceous clay enclosing layer buhr-rock, coarse fossiliferous
sands, sandy loams, lignitic clay. Occupy aproximately
the median two-fourths of the coastal plain; irregularly
parallel to the fall line. Economic products: Fuller's
earth; potter's clay; structural and mill stones; lime marl;,
greensand and marl for agricultural purposes.
144 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
Cretaceous. Buff-colored high grade marl; greensand
marl; clay marl; black clay. Economic products: Lime
marls; agricultural marls; clay marls suited to the manu-
facture of vitrified brick.
Middendorf white sands (25 ft.), bed of dense white
and drab kaolin with waxy luster (f ossilif erous) ; harsh
sands; vari-colored cross bedded fine grained sands; thin
seams of colored clay interlaminated with sands; gravel.
Economic products: China clays; paper stock clays; "glass
sand."
Hamburg From nil to eighteen feet of fine white kao-
lin, white sands in micaceous koalinitic matrix; vari-col-
ored banded sands; purple and white kaolin; arkose; sub-
angular boulders and fragments of quartz, slate and gneiss
in arkose matrix. Economic products: China clays, paper
stock clays, potter's clay, "glass sand."
The Cretaceous occupies the upper fourth of the coastal
plain of the Aiken, Edisto and Santee areas and both the
upper and lower fourths of the Pee Dee area.
Crystalline Shales, schists, granulytes and gneiss
with their upper portions kaolinized. Economic products:
Residual clays; meta-residual clays; inferior cornish stone
and feldspar; superior structure stones, etc.
Residual Kaolins.
No residual deposits of kaolin have been commercially
developed in South Carolina, and whereas there are many
indications of such veins scattered throughout the granitic
or crystalline region the occurrences of most conspicuous
promise yet noted are along a zone, in close proximity to
the trappean rocks, extending from Mount Carmel to
King's Mountain; the dynamic influences of these igneous
rocks probably predisposed the feldspar, etc., to rapid kao-
linization through allotropic modifications.
Sedimentary Kaolins.
The sedimentary kaolin beds in South Carolina range
In purity from ninety-nine per cent, of clay substance to the
lowermost grades. Its fluxing impurities comprise potash,
soda, iron, lime, magnesia, etc., more or less combined with
THE MINERAL RESOURCES OF SOUTH CAROLINA. 145
silica in amounts varying from mere traces to the limits
of fatal defects. These impurities occur as quartz, feldspar,
mica, hornblende, limonite, pyrites, etc., its fusibility varies
accordingly. In tensile strength sedimentary kaolins vary
from three pounds to exceeding one hundred pounds per
square inch; in combined air and fire shrinkage from one to
thirty per cent. The point of incipient fusion varies from
above 1815 degrees C., 3,300 degrees F., down to 1,204 de-
grees O., 2,200 degrees P. The peculiar form of its iron con-
tent as compared with that of the residual kaolin,
limits in part its more extensive substitution
for the latter. Some sedimentary clays, how-
ever, fulfill the conditions of china clays
in being lean and in burning to a white body without craz-
ing or displaying other physical defects. Plastic sedimen-
tary kaolins, or ball clays, are mixed with lean residual
clays, or other china clays, to increase their plasticity. The
amounts of the ball clays added vary from one-third to two-
thirds of the amount of the china clay, according to the de-
gree of color permissible; the greater the amount of the
sedimentary kaolin increasing the color of the biscuit or
glaze ordinarily, but not invariably. In South Carolina
there are extensive beds of pure white sedimentary kaolins
exceeding eighteen feet in thickness and affording ninety-
eight per cent, of clay substance, which requires no other
preparation than drying. (In Florida sedimentary beds of
kaolin are worked to advantage, which carry seventy-five
per cent, of foreign matter, which is eliminated by washing,
and these beds contribute extensively to the supply of plas-
tic kaolin.) The sedimentary kaolins of South Carolina oc-
cur in deposits, the extent and purity of which challenge
comparison with any known beds. They underlie vast areas
of the Cretaceous and Eocene terranes, offering themselves
for utilization wherever the process of erosion or other
degradation has sufficiently removed the overlying beds of
Eocene and Neocene clays and sands. Whereas these beds
are in some places practically continuous for several miles,
the whole is sub-divided into isolated areas with extensive
intermediate barrens.
146 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
These kaolins are extensively distributed in the Savan-
nah River area, the Santee area and the Edisto area, in
the Counties of Aiken, Lexington, Eichland and Kershaw.
The Savannah River Area affords one of the most remark-
able exposures of sedimentary kaolin in the United States,
not only in its relations to quality and quantity, but in
scientific interest attaching thereto. From Hamburg to
Aiken we observe a zone of these clays extending fourteen
miles in length by five miles in width, with numerous bar-
rens caused by pre-eocene erosions and the degradations of
recent drainage.
These beds of kaolin vary from five to twenty-five feet
in thickness, with an overburden of cross bedded sands,
thin laminae of clay and occasional Lafayette loams and
cobbles ranging in thickness from nil to more than one hun-
dred feet. The thickness of the kaolin determines the
amount of overburden that can be economically removed.
This overburden is degraded by laborers with pick, shovel
and cart, or with scrapes or steam shovels, until a sufficient
terrace of clay is bared for extraction. This kaolin is moved
in the lump form to the dry sheds, where, after exposure
to air and light for a few weeks, it is packed in casks of one
ton capacity and shipped to the consumer. It probably rep-
resents the largest body of clay closely approximating kao-
linite that is found in the United States. The Aiken Area
also affords important deposits along Beaver Pond and
Hollow Creeks.
The Edisto Area reveals interesting beds of these clays
on North Edisto River, between Cook's Bridge and Merritt's
Bridge and along Fox Creek; superior deposits along the
South Edisto River, along Chalk Hill Creek, Juniper Creek,
Marbone Creek and near Sand Darn Bridge.
The Santee Area reveals valuable beds along Thorn's
Creek, Cedar Creek, Colonel's Creek, Shaw's Creek, Swift
Creek, Rafting Creek and Pine Tree Creek, and in some
places adjacent to the Congaree and Wateree Rivers.
In addition to the foregoing class, which requires no
other preparation than simple drying, there are consider-
THE MINERAL RESOURCES OF SOUTH CAROLINA. 147
able beds of Cretaceous clays commingled with sands which
are susceptible of concentration by the usual washing pro-
cess. There is a modern plant for such purpose in opera-
tion at Seivern, South Carolina.
The class of clay indicated, Middendorf, prevails in
large beds in the Aiken, Santee and Pee Dee Areas. In
color they are very pale greenish-yellow, but burn to a
white body with quite variable shrinkage. Their tensile
strength is superior to that of the whiter clays. Their ex-
treme fineness of particle renders them much more fusible
than other clays similar in composition but coarser in tex-
ture.
Wood Pulp Kaolin.
Many of the sedimentary kaolins occurring as described .
in the preceding paragraph are by reasons of their previ-
ously noted limitations devoted to the manufacture of wood
pulp paper. In the manufacture of the varieties of wood
pulp paper used for newspaper, and other purposes, the
kaolin known as paper stock clay enters to an extent, vary-
ing from 15 to 25 per cent, of the whole, the balance being
composed of ground pulp, cooked pulp and resin, in such
respective proportions as 53, 17 and 5, all of which are in-
corporated in the cutter as a fluid pulp, the clay having first
been slaked to a "slip." The ground pulp is of a short fiber,
and affords the cheaper body which is strengthened by the
addition of the long fibre of the cooked pulp, the whole
thing cemented by resin which also contributes to the gloss,
and sized by the clay which fills the interstices. Much of
the clay is added, however, to give weight. The market
value of the clay is about f 8 per long ton, delivered at New
York, while the market value of the paper ranges from f 50
to $60 per ton. The early deterioration of this paper is at-
tributed in the main to the presence of the resinous matter,
which affords a nutrient for fungoid growths, the albu-
minoids of the ground fibre also contributing to this evil.
Kaolins of high densities are chiefly in demand for this pur-
pose, for the reason that they afford a superior surface to
the paper, and for the further reason that pulp with a
fixed volume of space between its fibres will absorb more
148 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
weight of kaolin of high specific gravity than the same
volume would represent in kaolin of low specific gravity. A
clay of such density as will be retained in the fibre to the
extent of 65 per cent, of the amount of clay present, when
squeezed through the first rolls, is considered good paper
stock clay, although some clays appreciably exceed this
limit. It is required that the clay shall be white, for both
white and colored papers, for the reason that the tints of
nature in kaolins are perishable if of organic origin, and ir-
regular if of a mineral nature. The manufacturer prefers
to add a fixed amount of definite pigment to the white clay
to insure uniformity and constancy of such color as may be
required. The substitution of this clay for starch in sizing
the cheaper cotton fabrics is rapidly obtaining, the advant-
ages to the seller being obvious.
South Carolina supplies about 35,000 tons of kaolin
each year to the Northern market. This entire output is de-
rived from Aiken county.
There are, however, in other counties excellent unde-
veloped beds of kaolin as set forth in a special report. The
following is a list of the proprietors of plants, all well
equipped for mining, preparing and marketing kaolin:
McNamee & Co., Bath, S. C.
T. G. Lamar & Co., Langley. S. C.
Paragon Kaolin Works, Lamar, S. C.
Immaculate Kaolin Co., Lamar, S. C.
Peerless Clay Co., Lamar, S. C.
Sterling Kaolin Co., Lamar, S. C.
McMillan Kaolin Works, Graniteville, S. C.
Fire Clays.
While we have none of the flint clays we have in point
of composition their equivalents, with the advantage of
good elasticity, notably among some of the Cretaceous de-
posits; but in many instances the extreme fineness df the
particles tends to lower their fusibility by an amount ex-
ceeding 111 degrees C., or 200 degrees F., as compared
with clays of similar analyses but coarser in texture. The
equivalents of the plastic fire clays, combining the refrac-
THE MINERAL RESOURCES OF SOUTH CAROLINA. 149
toriness of flint clays, we have in the lower Cretaceous for-
mations, ranging in composition from the common grades
to the best imported German product.
We have in South Carolina not only extensive beds of
superior fire clays, but suitable clays for the sub-refractory
wares not requiring more than 1,400 degrees C. tempera-
ture, at which these clays are self-bonding, through in-
cipient vitrification; they serve well the requirements of
all ordinary furnaces. But, for the minimum limit ordi-
narily accepted as refractory, 1490 degrees C., it becomes
necessary to mix a highly refractory clay with enough of
the more fusible clay, of the same approximate co-efficient
of shrinkage, to thoroughly bond together the infusible
particles of clay and quartz, or grog, etc., without prejudice
to the required degree of porosity.
The sedimentary fire clays of South Carolina are found
in the Cretaceous, the Eocene and the Neocene formations,
along the zone contiguous to the fall line. Some beds of
fire clay of unmistakable sedimentary origin and others
of meta-residual extraction are found in the crystalline
area. These meta-residual clays are employed to bond the
more refractory clays and the Middendorf sedimentary beds
should be serviceable for the same purpose.
The Landrum Fire Brick Works, located about three
miles east of Columbia owns a bed of good fire clay.
The above indicated Cretaceous clay, which is highly
refractory, is mixed with a meta-residual clay, afforded by
disintegrated shales exposed on the premises. This meta-
residual clay burns white and bonds the refractory clays,
affording excellent results. Incipient vitrification of the
meta-residual clay occurs at 1,400 degrees C. This meta-
residual clay has valuable possibilities in the potter's art.
The output of the connected plant is about 900,000 fire
bricks each year.
The Carolina Fire Brick Company has a well equipped
plant, which produces high grade refractory wares, and
brick well adapted to resisting the acid gases of pyrites fur-
naces. Special grades are well adapted to lining "glass
tanks," and blast furnaces. The daily capacity of this plant
150 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
is 60,000 brick. The plant is located at Killian, on the Co-
lumbia-Charlotte railway.
This company owns adjacent to its plant extensive beds
of a very superior fire clay pertaining to the Cretaceous for-
mation.
Stoneware Clay and Potter's Clay.
Throughout the Crystalline Region we observe occa-
sional patches of both residual and sedimentary clay suita-
ble for the coarser grades of potter's ware, the best results
are secured by mixing the residual or meta-residual clays
with the Coastal Plain sedimentaries which are abundantly
available for this purpose. There is an extensive body of
clay near the top of the upper Cretaceous observed in
Aiken, Santee and Pee Dee areas, which has not hitherto
been utilized, that is eminently fitted not only for these
wares but should have been and will be utilized for finer
faience wares. In some localities two beds occur, one over
the other, separated by about tAventy feet of sands, the
clay body aggregating from ten to forty feet in thickness.
Whereas these clays are higher in clay base and lower in
fluxing matter than is specified for the potter's wares, the
extreme fineness of the particles renders them much more
fusible than corresponding clays of coarser grain.
Sewer Pipe or Vitrified Brick Clays.
Beds of these clays occur both in the crystalline and
Coastal Plain areas. Prominent beds are worked in Chero-
kee county, near Grover, from which point about 12,000
tons are shipped each year. In the Coastal Plain there are
extensive undeveloped beds near Society Hill in Darling-
ton county and along Scapo Creek in Lee county.
Pipe, Tile and Brick Clays.
Brick clays occur extensively in South Carolina over
the crystalline area as residual, meta-residual and sedi-
mentary deposits. They are distributed oA r er the Coastal
Plain as sedimentary beds, and in the case of the lixivia-
tion of argillaceous marls they occur in residual deposits.
Throughout the Piedmont Region the lower grades of
elay are found residual to the extent that the altered
THE MINERAL RESOURCES OF SOUTH CAROLINA. 151
gneisses, feldspathic schists, etc., have escaped degradation.
This degradation, or erosion, has contributed to the forma-
tion of higher grades of sedimentary, potters' and pipe clays
occurring in the valleys of the crystalline region, and ovef
the area of the Coastal Plain formation. As a general propo-
sition, it may. said that the nearer a sedimentary deposit
is located to its parent residual bed the more closely will it
conform to the type of its progenitor, frequently including
its softer and finer impurities, as well as the clay substance
in a concentrated form, the coarser particles having been
eliminated in transit; however, in some belts characteristi-
cally feldspathic, excellent residual beds are afforded. But,
on the whole, the sedimentary valley beds of the crystalline
formation are the most important sources of supply of these
days in this state. Characteristic of these latter supplies,
we find prominent deposits at North Augusta, Brookland,
Columbia, Camden, and Society Hill. Above this fall line
they occur more or less through the much ramified tribu-
tary valleys. Below the fall line the Cretaceous and Eo-
cene formations afford occasional beds answering the re-
quirements of these clays, but in the Coastal Plain area it is
not until we approach what probably represents the upper
member of the Neocene formation that we find clays con-
spicuously valuable as brick clays. Such deposits extend
from Garnett, on the Savannah River, by Walterboro, Sum-
merville, St. Stephens, Marion, and thence to the North
Carolina line, the entire distance affording an undulating
zone of detached areas of good clay, some being adapted
to the manufacture of high grade face brick.
Along the part of the Coastal Plain immediately within
the zone of our sand islands and extending intermittently
over the section ramified with bayous and other short salt
water streams there occurs a mantle of red and white strat-
ified clav, parts of which are very fine grained and most of
which affords a very fair brick clay. It varies from feet
to 34 feet in elevation above the sea level. It is probably
of late Pliocene equivalence. Clay from these beds has been
employed in the neighborhood of Charleston for more than
a century in the manufacture of brick and of tiling.
152 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
Fuller's Earth.
In England these beds form a distinct subdivision of the
Triassic formation, but in South Carolina, the so-called
Fuller's earths are clays belonging to Eocene and Neocene
formations, and are of approximately the same composition
'except in the water content, which is much lower.
The Eocene beds of this earth occur intermittently
across the upper Tertiary belt of this state attaining in
places the depth of forty feet. There are beds in Clarendon,
Sumter, Florence, Darlington, Richland, Kershaw, Wil-
Uamsburg and Lexington counties, those of the first two
named being the best that have yet come under the observa-
tion of the Geological Survey.
Neocene beds of a good grade occur in Colleton and
Dorchester counties near Walterboro and Summerville re-
spectively. In many localities the Cretaceous clay marls
have been mistakenly designated as Fuller's earth.
STRUCTURAL STONE.
Granite.
In South Carolina some granite beds have a gneissoid
covering which in some instances is separated by a layer of
"sap," in others by a cleavage plane, and in still other cases
there is no sharp separation, the gneiss graduating with
depth into granitic form. In some sections of the state there
are beds uniformly gneissoid. Both the granite and gneiss
are syenitic in some localities. There are deposits of one or
more of these forms in every county north of a line connect-
ing Aiken, Columbia and Cheraw, suitable for either monu-
mental, structural or road building purposes, but many are
so remote from transportation facilities as to confine their
availability strictly to local use. And in so much as enor-
mous beds are situated within easy access of the markets
it is deemed sufficient for the purposes of this article to con-
fine attention to those more readily available beds, which
by reason of transportation facilities or pronounced neigh-
borhood exigencies can claim some actual or immediately
prospective economic value.
Chesterfield County affords a good bed of granite, said
THE MINERAL RESOURCES OF SOUTH CAROLINA. 153
to be of superior quality, at a point four miles north of Jef-
ferson towards which two branch railway lines are being
projected. There are good indications of this stone near
the A. C. L. B. R., where it crosses the North Carolina state
line of Kershaw county, and southwest of Heath Springs
station, occurs an extensive granite area affording a con-
siderable variety of high grade granite. The porphyritic
pink granite of this section is strikingly beautiful for
architectural purposes. The gray granite which is under
development is of a very superior grade and finds high fa-
vor in the market, which it supplies with both dimension
and dressed stone.
Lancaster county presents an enormous deposit of a su-
perior fine grained granite near the Catawba Kiver and
within five miles of the nearest railway.
About four miles west of Lancaster appear boulders of
a granite of the Scotch type excellently adapted to monu-
mental work.
Fairfield county: Affords the most extensive occurrence
of high grade granites, and is the scene of the greatest de-
velopment of quarries, and of the finishing of their products,
known in this state.
Rockton on the Southern Railway is connected by a
spur track with the Rion, Bunwick & Anderson quarries,
the properties of the Winnsboro Granite Company. They are
equipped with an extensive modern plant for turning out
work of any required size, design and finish. The several
quarries afford a corresponding number of varieties ranging
from fine to coarse grained granite. Excellent paving blocks
are yielded by one of the quarries. The Stewart quarry,
the property of the Stewart Stone Company, is likewise near
Rockton, and has been an active producer.
Blairs on the Southern Railway is within easy access of
vast beds of granite near the Broad river.
The Lieper, Davis & Company's quarries in this section
have been actively operated for^ a number of years in sup-
plying rough, dimension, and dressed stone of several va-
rieties of granite, some especially adapted to best rnonu-
154 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
mental work. In the Blair vicinity there are several ex-
tensive properties of granite which remain undeveloped.
Chester: Along the Wateree and Broad Elvers, Chester
county exposes good granite.
Richland: The Richland granite is exposed at Granby
where it has long been quarried, (the greatest development
of this deposit is in Lexington county arcoss the Congaree
river.) Exposures of granite are observed intermittently
for several miles up the river.
York: Granite is prominently exposed on Fishing
creek and along the C-a.ta.wba river but has not received sys-
tematic development.
Union: Exposes a fine bed of granite near Carlisle, it
stands in high repute.
Newberry: From a point two miles east of Newberry
good granite is intermittently exposed as far as the county
limit on the east where it joins the Fairfield bed near Blairs.
The upper layer consists of enormous boulders in which the
rift and grain are so true that lintels and slabs of any
reasonable length are readily split. This stone has long-
been in use. There is no available record of the quarrying
of the main body of the underlying granite from which
the boulders are separated by sap.
Spartanburg : Has two quarries in operation near Paco-
let station on the Southern Railway. The Keystone Granite
Company and the Pacolet Granite Company are the only
two operators, although much granite occurs on other prop-
erties. This stone has entered the construction of many
prominent buildings.
Greenville: Exhibits a good bed of structural gneiss,
near Paris mountain and elsewhere remote from trans-
portation.
Laurens: Affords several good prospects near Water-
loo and an active quarry at Cold Point, where fine curbing
and other products are turned out by the Cold Point Gravel
Company.
Greenwood: Affords a bed of granite near Coronaco,
where it has been developed to a limited extent.
THE MINERAL RESOURCES OF SOUTH CAROLINA. 155
Saluda: Supplies a fine mill stone granite along
Clouds Creek about seven miles northwest of Batesburg.
Lexington: Reveals extensive beds of granite adjacent
to the Congaree river opposite Columbia and also along the
Saluda River. The quarries opposite Columbia are operated
by several large concerns.
Pickens: Contributes great quantities of gneiss for
railway ballast from Cedar mountain, on the Southern.
Railway, where it is quarried by the Beverly Bros. This
rock is abundantly exposed at numerous points.
Oconee: Shows good stone, near the Southern Rail-
way Bridge, on the Tugaloo River; also in the neighborhood
of Westminister; Walhalla affords a good gneiss.
Anderson: Exhibits an old quarry two miles from
Pendleton which was formerly connected by a spur track
and operated to provide stone for piers, abutments and cul-
verts of the old Blue Ridge Railway. It affords a high
grade gneissoid granite.
Abbey ville: Affords good syenitic granite near the
County seat and close to the S. A. L. Railway. It is diffi-
cult to split but affords a beautiful finish.
Edgefield: Has an extensive bed of granite south of
the court house and near the Southern Railway. This bed
has been extensively quarries by the United States
Government to supply stone for jetty work. It is now op-
erated by Capt. Ross.
Aiken : Exposes a gneissoid granite along Horse Creek,
adjacent to the Southern Railway, intermittently from
Graniteville to Vaucluse. The product of this bed has been
extensively utilized locally. In addition to the above
enumerated deposits there are numerous beds in
the state, some of which are utilized for neigh-
borhood domestic purposes. Apart from the gran-
ites, gneisses, syenites, marbles and lime stones
no structural stones are as yet known of commercial
importance. There are vast beds of soapstone radiating
from Chester westerly; extensive strata of itacolumnitic
sandstone in York and Cherokee counties of value in the
event of the development of local furnaces.
156 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
Koad metal : In addition to the good road metal afforded
by the granites, limestones and other rocks indicated above
the following are worthy of note.
Chert : A large bed of this material of a superior char-
acter occurs about one mile north of Newberry where it is
quarried, sized and supplied to the market from a well
equipped plant operated by Cold Point Gravel Company.
Cobblestones: Occur at the points where the greater
streams debouch into the Coastal Plain near Augusta, Co-
lumbia, Camden, and Cheraw. Beds of these loose stones
are intermittently exposed on the Savannah River plateau,
extending through Aiken, Barnwell and Hampton counties.
Along the edge of the plateau extending from Columbia
by way of Horrell Hill, to a point opposite Camden; very
prominently on the plateaus adjacent to the Pee Dee River
in the neighborhood of Cheraw. The latter beds are exten-
sively utilized for railroad ballast.
Cement Gravel: A tenacious red clay enclosing small
rounded pebbles is thus designated, and affords a fine road-
bed material; chiefly utilized by municipalities. It occurs
in fine beds near Beech Island on the P. R. & W. C. Rail-
road and is found elsewhere associated with the area indi-
cated for cobblestones. A bed convenient to transporta-
tion occurs, about one mile south of Camden, alongside the
Southern R. R. Shale and slate suitable for road construc-
tion are fully exposed along the Saluda River near the
Dutch Fork and also along the Broad River adjacent to the
Southern Railway, north of Frost Mill, and extends north-
easterly through Fairfield county.
Roadway clay: Clays prominently adapted to cement-
ing sandy roadways are found in the Lafeyette beds most
prominently developed in the area immediately south of
the fall line but also distributed irregularly over the greater
part of the coastal plain, which is characterized by sandy
roadways.
Quartz: Chloritic slates interstratified with closely al-
ternating prolific veins of quartz occur in Lancaster, lower
York, Chester, Union, Laurens, Abbeville, Fairfield, New-
berry, Saluda, Greenwood and Edgefield counties.
THE MINERAL RESOURCES OP SOUTH CAROLINA. 157
This material is used for ballasting railways and for
macadamizing roads, but for the latter purpose is inferior
to either limestone, chert, granite or tough clay slate. The
quartz is utilized for packing the glover towers connected
with the manufacture of sulphuric acid. The quality found
near the Southern Railway between Winnsboro and Ridge-
way is excellently adapted to this limited use. A very good
quality of quartz for this purpose is exposed by the C. C. C.
Railway, about a quarter of a mile south of Kings Creek.
The entire region of the crystalline rocks of South Carolina
affords in a varying degree veins of this barren quartz, some
attaining the width of fifteen feet, others constituting mere
stringers. Its uses are largely confined to the improvement
of the neighboring highways.
An important adjunct to good roads not yet appreciated
in this state is to be found in the soft marls so abundantly
distributed over the Coastal Plains. It is plastic and has a
high cementing quality and therefore if mixed with the
prevailing sands should afford a good road plating for the
highways of the lower counties.
There are also numerous exposures of marl in a very
hard semi-crystallized form exhibited along the banks of
the Santee river which are well adapted to the macadamiz-
ing of roads.
The distribution of these marls is indicated under a
separate caption.
Marble Limestone.
These two rocks are treated together for the reason
that in South Carolina they intergraduate, the marble ordi-
narily appearing as a crystalline stratum intercolated with
limestone, and as localized zones of crystallized limestones,
the whole attaining in places the width of 400
feet. The most prominently revealed seam of this material
extends with numerous exposures from near the North Car-
olina line at Grovers through Cherokee county to Limestone
Springs and thence to Thickety Creek. It has been quar-
ried at numerous points for fluxing iron ore and for manu-
facturing of lime, but the only point at which it is now ex-
158 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
tracted is adjacent to Limestone Springs, situated about one
and a quarter miles from the southern K. E. at Gaffney,
with which a spur track connects the quarry. By careful
selection a fair grade of marble is obtained, which, however,
is not susceptible of a very high polish. This stone affords
beautiful effects in "Random Rubble" masonry especially
when, the points are "hammer dressed." It is excellently
adapted to the structure of handsome residences and pub-
lic structures. The broken stone constitutes the best of ma-
cadam metal.
The quarry is operated by the Limestone. Springs Lime
Works, four furnaces of an improved type being used to
convert the output into lime.
Marble occurs in the western part of Union county, also
in Laurens county on Reedy River, near Tumbling Shoals
at Masters Kiln near the Saluda River and on the banks of
the Saluda near Warees Shoals, and at intermediate
points. It affords good lime and could be utilized
to supply the demand for an ordinary grade of marble. A
stratum of hard limestone graduating in places to marble,
extends from near Tomassie Net (about nine miles north-
east of Walhalla) in a southwesterly direction, being promi-
nently exposed in the Brass Town neighborhood near the
Georgia line, in which locality the crystal or marble form
prevails.
This limestone, in the hard blue form, is exposed in an
unused cut of the old Blue Ridge R. E., about five miles
east of Walhalla.
Agricultural Adjuncts Marl.
This subject is invested with great consequences to
South Carolina, not only in its relation to prospective manu-
facturing enterprises in the production of portland cement,
lime and sand brick, but also in its application to the im-
provement of agricultural lands, and to the amelioration of
roadways. In quantity and distribution the beds are vast;
in physical condition they range from the softness of plas-
tic clay to the hardness of the best limestone; in quality
they comprise grades exceeding ninety per cent, of calcium
THE MINERAL RESOURCES OF SOUTH CAROLINA. 159
carbonate; soft, fine grained and almost gritless varieties
analyzing over seventy per cent, of calcium carbonate, no
magnesia, and almost sufficient alumina to constitute a
natural cement; soft grades high in lime, phosphoric acid
and potash, thus affording an excellent fertilizer with which
to effect an economic regeneration of the lands adjacent to
these beds; deposits high in both lime and magnesia and
therefore of value to the cereals.
These marls have greater potentialities for the perma-
nent improvement of lands than has been realized from the
chemically treated products of the phosphate beds, which
are active but ephemeral and ever require expensive renew-
als of application. Note the example of New Jersey in theju-
dicious application of marl to lands, and realize the most re-
markable increase in productiveness, and enhancement of
values. In these respects her lands, at one time poor and al-
most valueless, now excel the lands of our most favored
agricultural sections.
Go to Bostick and other points in South Carolina,
where fields were judiciously marled more than forty years
ago, and there appreciate the advantages of such fields over
their unmarled neighbors, separated by no more than
twenty feet, localities in some cases where the better agri-
cultural marls were not recognized, and the inferior ones
were used.
Marls in South Carolina occur in parts of the Cretace-
ous, Eocene, Oligocene, Miocene, Pliocene and Post Plio-
cene formations. Their exposures are principally along
the rivers and their tributaries within the lower two-thirds
of the coastal plain and increasing within certain limits as
we approach tide water. Thus the Edisto, Ashley, Cooper,
Santee, Pee Dee and Waccainaw Rivers, and their lower
tributaries, expose enormous deposits, some constituting
bluffs thirty feet in height. The Ashepoo, Salkehatchie and
Savannah Rivers afford marls, but of less frequent occur-
rence and less prominent exposures.
Along the Edisto River marl is intermittently exposed
from a point four miles below Branch ville to a point near
the Charleston & Savannah R. R. bridge; along Ashley
160 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
Kiver from its source to the C. & S. R. R. ; along the Cooper
River from its source to the Charleston Naval station; along
the Santee from Half Way Swamp (Orangeburg county) to
Wambaw Creek; along the Pee Dee from the mouth of Jef-
fries Creek (in Florence county) to Topsaw Landing, (about
seventeen miles northeast of Georgetown); along Lynches
River from Effingham to the Pee Dee River; along the Wac-
camaw River from Hammond to Bucksville.
The beds best adapted to the manufacture of cement
occur along the Ashley and Cooper Rivers where good water
is available for navigation. Experimental briquettes of ce-
ment made from Ashley marl exceeded by fifty per cent,
the tensile strength required by the United States Army
Engineer's specifications. The upper portion of the marl
along the Santee River is very hard and is well adapted for
road metal. The black soft cretaceous clay-marls, com-
monly called soap stone, which occur prominently developed
along Jeffries Creek at its confluence with the Pee Dee
River, and along this latter, river and its tributaries, in beds
exceeding two hundred feet in thickness, is an excellent ag-
ricultural marl which should be extensively utilized. It
shows prominently on Bighams Branch (Florence county)
at Ards Landing (on Lynches River), from which point it ex-
tends under the. lower part of Williamsburg county; it also
shows near old Effingham and at Hodges Mill and along the
upper Waccamaw River.
In addition to the above marl beds of Greenland marl
occur in this state at numerous points, their value consist-
ing mainly in the contained phosphoric acid and potash, the
latter being in the form of Glanconite (a compound silicate
of potash which is but slowly soluble.)
There are two extensive plants with furnaces, equipped
for mining and calcining the Tertiary marls between the
Ashley and Cooper Rivers.
Mineral Resources of Vermont.
BY G. H. PERKINS, STATE GEOLOGIST, BURLINGTON, VERMONT.
Comparatively few mines have been worked in Ver-
mont and none of these have proved profitable in the long
run. There are extensive deposits of Chalcopyrite, Copper
Pyrites, in several localities, notably at Copperfield and
South Stratford and two important mines have been worked
in these beds, the old Ely Goddard mine and the Elizabeth
mine, but only the latter is now in operation. Other smaller
deposits of the same mineral have at different times been
worked, but not to any profit.
Gold is found in many places in different parts of the
state, but it is nowhere in sufficient quantity to pay for col-
lecting.
Talc of good quality is found in numerous localities and
is worked in one or two. Asbestos in considerable amount
occurs in Lowell, Belvidere and Moretown and mines in all
these places have been opened and more or less mineral
taken out. It seems quite likely that in the near future As-
bestos will be mined extensively in this state.
Steatite, or Soapstone, occurs in several towns and is
quarried in several. Recently Platinum has been found in
some of the rocks from the Plymouth gold region. Thus far
but very small quantities of the platinum have been ob-
tained. The presence of the metal seems to be certain and
perhaps in the future it may be extracted in larger amount.
Formerly iron, ochre, manganese and other materials
were mined in Vermont, but most of the mines have long-
since been given up. It is not impossible, however, that
some of them may be again opened and worked, for modern
methods can find profit where those of fifty years ago found
only loss.
It is in her quarries rather than in mines that Ver-
mont's mineral resources chiefly exist. And here the story
is quite different from that just told.
For more than a century there have been quarries of
162 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
Marble, Slate and Limestone, and Granite was quarried
over seventy years ago. In the earlier years, soon after the
Revolution, these quarries were only small openings and
the total amount of stone taken out was small, but the de-
mand increased as the country grew in population and
wealth, and during the past decade Vermont has far ex-
ceeded any other state in the Union except Pennsylvania, in
the production of stone. This latter state greatly surpasses
Vermont in the quantity of slate, sandstone and limestone
produced, but in the production of the finer grades of stone,
those used for monumental and interior work, Vermont by
far exceeds any other, state.
At first the demand for the stone from Vermont quar-
ries was only very local, but now these products are sold
not only in every state in the Union, but in every civilized
country in the world. The increase in the sale of Vermont
stone is shown by the following facts: In 1889 the total
value of stone sold was $1,787,283. In 1890, the amount was
$3,593,449. In 1900 it was $4,516,102. Last year, 1903, it was
not less than $6,000,000, and there is every reason to believe
that during the present year the sales will reach $7,000,000.
Not less than $12,000,000 is invested in the quarries, and
some 10,000 men are employed in getting out and finishing
the stone. New quarries are constantly being opened, new
and better mills built. Notwithstanding some labor trou-
bles, there is much activity in all the quarrying centers and
increased business is reported by all. Vermont is especially
noted as the marble producing state. Of all the marble sold
in the United States, Vermont produces more than three-
fifths, and of the finest grades, monumental, statuary, inte-
rior finish, etc., this state furnishes over two-thirds. Nearly
all of the true marble, that which has been formed by the
metamorphosis of limestone, is found in Rutland county,
though there are a few important quarries in Addison and
Bennington counties. The large quarry of the Brandon-
Italian at Brandon is most northerly, and the Norcross-
West quarries in the southern part of Dorset, the most
southerly. The marble belt, however, extends considerably
farther north than this would imply, but no quarries are at
MINERAL RESOURCES OF VERMONT. 163
present worked beyond the Brandon quarry. These mar-
bles are all light, except in one or two of the quarries, as^
True Blue and Pittsford Dark, where the black or dark blue
clouding covers the whole mass. Pure white, statuary mar-
ble is found in some quarries, but for the most part the
stone is white, clouded or banded, with more or less nu-
merous bands, lines or blotches of black, blue, green, brown,
pink, and, more rarely, other colors. Some of the varieties
are very beautiful. As has been indicated, the stone is not
only elegant in color and shading, but much of it is of very
fine texture. On this account comparatively little of the
product of the Vermont quarries is sold for building. It is
too valuable for that, since it can be sold for statuary, mon-
uments, etc., for three or four times as much as for building.
Still, in every quarry there is stone which is only suitable
for building, and it is obviously an advantage to sell this
for any price rather than throw it on the dump. The Chazy
limestone of Isle la Motte has long been sawed and polished
in small quantities and sold as black marble, and some of
the layers are of excellent quality. At Swanton there is a
light drab limestone, usually used for making lime, but this
is sometimes finished as dove marble and some of the slabs
are very dainty and pretty. In some parts of the Cambrian
Red Sandrock, which runs north and south through the
state, there are calcareous beds which afford the Champlain
marbles. These are much harder than ordinary marble and
consequently more costly, but they also are capable of a
more brilliant polish, and, for interior work, are more de-
sirable and more elegant. They are endlessly varied, no
two slabs being precisely alike, though sufficiently so for
practical purposes. The colors are usually reds of very vari-
ous shades, and white, though olives, greens and brow^ns are
not uncommon. The colors are usually commingled, so that
the effect is clouded or mottled, and many of the slabs are
magnificent.
Still harder, and even more elegant, is what is called
the "Roxbury marble." This is really a verde antique, a
serpentine, and no finer can be found anywhere. The mix-
164 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
ture of dark and light greens and black with pure white,
often seen in the Roxbury stone, produces a superb effect.
Although Vermont granite has been quarried for
nearly a hundred years, at least in a small way, yet it is
only within the last twenty years that it has been taken out
in any large quantity.
During this period the industry has increased, and es-
pecially during the last ten years. Twenty years ago the
total output was not more than $80,000, while ten years ago
it had increased to more than $700,000, and five years ago it
w T as a little more than $1,000,000, while during the past year
it was nearly $2,000,000, and the present year bids fair to
outdo all that have preceded.
While two other states produce a larger actual amount
of granite, none furnishes so much that is suitable for mon-
umental and other fine work, the greater amount sold by
Maine and Massachusetts being largely made up of stone
sold for paving and building. Very little of the Vermont
granite goes into paving.
The Vermont granite is a very bright clear stone. It
is all gray of various shades from "Barre Dark" to the
Bethel granite which is nearly white. Some of the quarries
produce a very hard, compact, fine grained stone which is
admirably fitted to. receive delicate designs and any sort
of fine carving.
Granite is widely distributed over the state and there
does not seem to be any present possibility of exhausting
the supply which is practically unlimited. Thus far most of
the deposits have scarcely been touched. Not only in
beauty, but also in strength, durability and freedom from
stain when exposed to the weather, the Vermont granite can
well bear comparison with that from any part of this or
other countries.
It has been said that the granite of this state is all gray,
but there is on Mt. Ascutney a quarry of dark green syenite
which is sold by the name of "Green granite." It is a very
dark, somewhat mottled green of a rich handsome appear-
ance and is unlike any other stone sold in the country. It
Jias been used for columns in some of the finest buildings
MINERAL RESOURCES OF VERMONT. 165
in the country and at present there is being gotten out a
contract for over $80,000 worth of columns for a large bank
building. It is noticeable that, while the marble of this
state is quarried, dressed and sold by only about half a
dozen firms, the granite is produced by over fifty companies.
The great slate belt of Vermont is nearly thirty miles
long from north to south and from five to ten miles w r ide. It
is all included in Rutland county, but extends westward
into the adjoining parts of New York. Within this area
there are not less than a hundred and fifty quarries, al-
though some of these are temporarily or permanently aban-
doned.
Probably slate has been quarried as long as marble.
The earliest headstone and hearthstones were of this mate-
rial. The quarries in this region produce several varieties
of slate, but no red nor black. The latter is found in other
parts of the state, but no red occurs in Vermont, though
fine quarries are worked just over the line in New York.
The principal varieties quarried in Rutland county are
several shades of green, especially an unfading green which
is much in demand in England and several shades of pur-
ple. There is also a little dark gray. At Northfield in
Washington county there are several quarries of an excel-
lent black slate which is unchanged by the weather.
Probably the first stone which the first settlers took
from the ground was limestone. This was cased for founda-
tions and burned to make lime. There are several large
quarries of limestone and extensive kilns by which a large
amount of good lime is made. Limestone is also sold for
bridge and other supports and for buildings, the annual pro-
duction being valued at several hundreds of thousands of
dollars.
The quality of Vermont stone is well shown Dy the fact
'that after severe tests it has been adopted in many public
buildings in widely different parts of the country. Many
of the finest monuments and mausoleums are of Vermont
marble and granite, the public library now in process of
building in New York city, the Pennsylvania state capitol,
the Union railroad station in Washington, the Harvard
medical buildings are being built of Vermont stone.
Mining Laws.
BY M. D. LEEHEY, SEATTLE, WASH.
The program committee evidently did not expect an
exhaustive treatment or even a general review of this sub-
ject. Perhaps if they did so they would have assigned some
one better able to treat it. But the subject is certainly too
broad and comprehensive to be covered by a single paper,
and it has seemed the better plan to select for discussion the
recent court decisions of most importance upon the subject
of mining law, and to note briefly the items of current inter-
est. In doing so these remarks may appear desultory and
rambling, but they will perhaps be the more natural to
the writer for that reason.
Recent Decisions.
Two important decisions worthy of special mention
were rendered by the Supreme Court of the United States
during the present year. Both opinions were written by
Mr. Justice Brewer, and both were filed on May 2, 1904.
In re Clipper Mining Company vs. Eli Mining and Land
Company, the court affirmed the Supreme Court of Colorado,
and held that a valid placer location entitles the locator to
the exclusive possession of the surface, and that no one
may enter thereon to prospect for unknown veins or lodes;
that any such entry constitutes a trespass; and that a dis-
covery made upon such an entry is not a valid discovery of
a lode or vein such as will entitle the locator to its posses-
sion or patent. The reasoning is cogent and conclusive.
While recognizing the provision of the law that a placer
location does not include any lode or vein already known
to exist, yet the court says it does give the locator exclu-
sive possession of the surface. If one person may enter
thereon to prospect for lodes, then many may do so, and
the possession of the placer locator would amount to noth-
ing. It recognizes the placer miner's possession as of the
highest dignity, and hence any entry thereon without his
MINING LAWS. 167
consent is a trespass, and recurs to the already well estab-
lished principle that no valid location can be initiated by
a trespass.
The court decided in the same case that a placer
locator may adverse in the usual manner a conflicting appli-
cation for patent to a lode claim, thus determining a ques-
tion of practice heretofore much in doubt.
In re St. Louis Mining and Milling Company vs. Mon-
tana Mining Company, Ltd., the Supreme Court held that
the owner of a vein who has the right to pursue it on its dip
into an adjoining claim, must follow the vein in doing so,
and cannot run a crosscut tunnel into the ground for that
purpose. In other words, the court held in effect that one
who has a so-called extralateral right to follow his vein into
an adjoining property must work the same by means of an
incline shaft run up on the vein. At least, the court held
in the case cited, that a tunnel could not be run into the
adjoining property to crosscut the vein for such purposes.
Extralateral Rights.
This same law of the apex, or so-called extralateral
rights, still continues to be the most perplexing feature of
the western mining laws and the one producing the most
controversy. Although in numerous decisions of our courts
of last resort almost every possible phase of the subject has
been treated, and definite rules announced covering its ap-
plication to. almost every conceivable state of facts, yet
complications continue to arise requiring further interpre-
tation of this law, while its application to existing geolog-
ical conditions presents numerous and complicated disputes
as to facts. Indeed, it is .safe to say that after title has
been acquired to mineral lands upon the public domain, and
the controversies incident to the acquisition of the title elim-
inated, more disputes arise over real or alleged extralateral
rights than upon all the provisions of the national mining
law considered together. Naturally this has suggested an
amendment abolishing the apex rule and providing for a
grant of larger surface with no extralateral right, and in-
deed a bill to this effect has been introduced into the na-
tional congress.
168 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
But a consideration of such amendment involves seri-
ous questions. We must remember that any change in well
established laws, especially one of such vast importance, is
fraught with the greatest danger, and must be approached
with extreme caution. Before any law is altered two things
should be clearly apparent: First, an actual necessity for
the change, and secondly, that the one proposed will afford
the relief desired. Applying this rule to the proposed
amendment w r e should first be fully convinced that the apex
rule is a mistake, and that to grant extralateral rights is
wrong in principle. Then secondly, we must consider the
wisdom and expediency of such a change at this time, after
the experience of nearly half a century with the apex rule,
under which rights have been acquired that cannot be
affected by legislation, for it must be borne in mind that
any change now made will apply only to locations of min-
eral lands made after the passage of such amendment.
Considering the first question, is the present apex rule
wrong or dangerous in principle? Is it unwise to grant
extralateral rights? The theory upon which such rights
are granted is that the discoverer of a vein shall be re-
warded with its mineral. At the time of discovery he can-
not always determine the course or strike of such vein upon
the surface, to say nothing about its dip beneath the sur-
face. There are numerous instances of the vein crossing
both side lines of the claim, often running at right angles
to the course its locator first supposed. How T then can a
locator be supposed to know its dip? To protect him it is
proposed to allow surface ground 1,500 feet wide. But this
will only allow 750 feet from the center of his vein, even if
he should be able to find that center and accurately locate
the course of that vein throughout the entire claim some-
thing which cannot be done once in a thousand times. Then
to grant 1,500 feet square, or two and one-half times the
size of the present claim, simply withdraws that much addi-
tional ground from exploration and development by other
prospectors, for usually but one vein at a time is explored
by the locator. Again, veins are usually parallel, or nearly
so, and a locator learning for instance that veins in his dis-
MINING LAWS. 169
trict usually dip southward, will not likely explore a show-
ing along the southern boundary of his claim (unless an ex-
ceedingly rich one) for fear that it w r ill soon be lost beyond
his side lines, while his neighbor will probably not be dis-
posed to sink even a few hundred feet in hopes of finding in
his ground the vein whose apex is a few feet outside his sur-
face lines. Of course such owners of adjoining claims might
agree upon a plan of joint development and division of prof-
its. We are told that such has been frequently done in Brit-
ish Columbia, which has a similar law. But then there will
be a strong temptation to him in whose ground the values
may be found, to attempt to avoid such contract, and we
are advised that litigation has arisen even over such agree-
ments. But more often the locator who has no extralateral
rights will attempt to hold the adjoining ground until such
time as the dip of his vein is determined. It will require
no great stretch of the imagination to realize how a claim-
ant can, by fictitious locations or otherwise, so involve and
complicate adjoining property as to prevent its bona fide
location and development. It is true that all this will be
to the disadvantage of the first locator who may feel com-
pelled to resort to such methods, but it will certainly be to
the great disadvantage of the district for it will retard de-
velopment.
These and doubtless many other and perhaps more
weighty considerations induced the adoption of the apex
rule. It has the approval of centuries of experience. Lind-
ley, in his admirable work on Mining Law, says:
(Section 566.) "The 'dip right' of the early miner was
the forerunner of the modern extralateral right. Whether,
in framing their local regulations on this subject, the pio-
neers of the west drew their inspiration from the traditions
of early German customs, which sanctioned the inclined
location, received their suggestions from mining on 'rake
veins' in Derbyshire, or were induced to provide for follow-
ing their vein on its dip indefinitely, on the consideration
that the miner might obtain more that was valuable by this
method than any other, is not at this late day necessary
to inquire."
170 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
The author refers to the adoption of the system under
the "early German codes of the sixteenth and seventeenth
centuries," but through the courtesy of Mr. William Scallon
of Butte, Montana, I have been privileged to read from a
translation from the Fourth Book on Metallurgy by Georg
Agricola, a noted mineralologist of the fifteenth century,
who in his discussion says:
"If the vein descends straight into the earth the entire
area descends perpendicularly likewise, but if it be sloping
the whole area will slope also and the right to the whole
extent of the vein as far as it sinks into the bowels of the
earth is the property of the owner forever."
But a specially strong argument for the apex rule is
found in the circumstances of its adoption. What Judge
Knowles in King vs. Edwards (1 Mont., 238; 4 Mor. Min.
Rep., 480) was pleased to term the "American Common Law
on Mining" is a system developed by the early miners and
prospectors in their local rules and customs. We contem-
plate with pride the great work of those early miners, fur-
ther removed in those days from the sources of supply and
centers of learning than the interior of Africa is to-day, and
with practically no system of government save their own
roughly drafted codes, yet maintaining a standard of recog-
nized property rights and developing a system of laws that
for equal and exact justice, and adaptation to existing con-
ditions, is the marvel of lawgivers and wins the approval
of critics. A distinguished writer says:
"They reflect the matured wisdom of the practical
miner of past ages, and have their foundation, as has been
stated, in certain natural laws, easily applied to different
situations, and were propagated in the California mines by
those who had a practical and traditional knowledge of
them in their varied form in the countries of their origin,
and were adopted, and no doubt gradually improved and
judiciously modified, by the Americans." (Section 42, Lind-
ley, quoting J, Ross Browne in his Mineral Resources.")
The apex law is a developed product of those early
rules and customs, and was recognized when quartz mining
began in California fifty years ago. It was given legislative
MINING LAWS. 171
sanction by Congress in the Act of 1866 and again in our
present lode law of 1872. Millions of properties have been
acquired and will always be held under it. Can it be said
that the principle is wrong, the system unjust, or danger-
ous? Many of us are not prepared to believe so. But even
if it had been the part of the better wisdom to have adopted
the "plane" system of ownership in the beginning without
extralateral rights, is it well to make the change now?
Eemember that a poor law after it has been interpreted
and construed by the 'courts will often operate more equit-
ably than a better law which is yet unsettled and whose
terms are in dispute. Remember also that any new law
or amendment must pass the ordeal of the court of last
resort, and that in this case is the Supreme Court of the
United States, which is now three years behind its calendar.
A law cannot be drawn so plainly as to leave no room for
controversy or interpretation, but even if it could as to its
own operation, we must yet consider the enormous litiga-
tion which will be necessarily involved in the adjustment of
a new system to that already established. All locations
made prior to such an amendment will possess extralateral
rights. Hence one man, having acquired under the present
law, may pursue his vein beneath his neighbor's surface, but
that neighbor, having acquired under the proposed amend-
ment, can follow his vein only to the plane of his boundary
lines. The confusion necessarily resulting can scarcely be
imagined, but it can better be imagined than described.
Nor need it be feared that if the apex rule be retained
the litigation of recent years will always continue. The
law is now quite definitely settled. The miner can be ad-
vised as to his rights more definitely than heretofore, and
the experience of recent years will enable prudent counsel
to direct a course which will avoid most, if not all, of the
controversies of the past.
A Complaint From Alaska.
Those who have been in touch with placer mining con-
ditions in the Nome region and other portions of Alaska
have had occasion to complain bitterly of the abuse of the
172 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
power of attorney privilege. In many cases entire creeks
have been located by a few men holding numerous powers
of attorney from real or fictitious persons who have never
seen the district." The evil is exceptionally glaring in the
Nome region where the seasons are short, and one man has
'been known to locate practically all the valuable property
on a creek and to hold it for a whole season without doing
a hundred dollars worth of work. Under present laws,
another man similarly equipped and early on the ground
could locate the whole creek and hold it in a similar man-
ner for another season. The evil demands immediate relief,
but the remedy is not so easily suggested. In some quar-
ters a demand is heard for legislation entirely prohibiting
the use of powers of attorney in locating mineral land in
Alaska. As there is no law at present limiting the num-
ber of claims which one man may locate, it would seem idle
to prohibit the location by power of attorney without also
limiting the number of claims which may be taken by pne
locator. Nor is it advisable to wholly prohibit location by
power of attorney. Capital is required in Alaska, but most
men who will endure its hardships and risk the dangers
are men of limited means. The law should encourage men
of capital who are willing to trust their investments there
to agents. Undoubtedly the better plan would be to limit
by law the number of claims which anyone may appropriate
in a given district, either in person or by power of attorney,
and also require certain exploration or development work
to be performed upon each placer claim or group within a
limited period, say thirty days after location. This could
certainly be done without injustice and would doubtless
afford all the relief desired.
The conditions in Alaska are different from those in
our western states, and consequently some modification of
our mining laws in their application to Alaska may become
necessary. At the same time the hardy miners and pros-
pectors of the Northland are so widely scattered and far
removed from the legislative halls that necessary legisla-
tion is frequently delayed. A careful consideration of the
interests of these fellow workers is certainly worthy of the
time of this Congress.
The Evolution of Mining in California.
BY COLONEL JOHN DAGGETT.
In behalf of California, which has been my residence
for a great many years, I desire to send greetings to the
delegations upon this floor of the Mining Congress, and state
that California is in full accord with you, although she has
not a full representation. She feels very secure in her posi-
tion, for she thinks she originated the mining industry, and
in whatever has transpired since gold was discovered in
California she has had and still has a lively interest. Cal-
ifornia, as you know, for it is history, has done the world a
service in many respects; not only in having produced a
large amount of gold, silver and other metals at a period in
the world's history when it performed a vast amount of
good, but she has also rendered the whole world cosmopoli-
tan. People living in a provincial way in an early day, met
from all parts of the world in California; they found that
each locality had its provincialisms, individuals were differ-
ent from each other; but they became harmonized. The dif-
ferent states of the Union, not knowing one another to any
great extent, had jealousies and feelings which were erad-
icated when they met each other and found that they were
not so far apart after all. I remember a very amusing in-
stance that occurred in an early day in California. I had
some very pleasant relations with a young man from Mis-
souri; he seemed to think a great deal of rne, and I really
thought he was a. very nice young man. He said to me: "I
don't take any stock in this feeling of jealousy that exists
between the people of the East and the people of the West.
I find a great many things in which one is superior to the
other, but they sum up about the same. For instance, I am
willing to admit that New York that is my native state-
has smarter pickpockets than they have out in Missouri;
but when it comes to horse stealing, they are not in it a
minute with the Missourians." Now, he was all right, he
was honest, except in his standard; he didn't select the
proper standard; but if he had lived until the present day,
174 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
and had witnessed the operations of J. Pierpont Morgan,
Schwab and Rockefeller, he would think the boodlers of St.
Louis were cutting a very sorry figure.
I desire to take a little of your time to recount some
matters of history. I witnessed the evolution of mining. I
came to California in 1852, when the medium by means of
which gold was extracted was the pan, the rocker and the
long torn. Nobody throughout the United States, except a
few men in North Carolina and Georgia, knew anything
about the nature of gold or its manner of extraction. The
great tide of western immigration brought with it a large
number of practical men, who devoted their brains as well
as their brawn and muscle to exploiting the gold fields of
California; and to the efforts of those gentlemen we owe
nearly all of the improvements that have been made in the
process of extraction of the precious metals. It was the
observation of individuals who had perhaps never per-
formed a day's work before, that in adding a sluiceway to
the long torn, the gold would settle in the sluice; and thus
putting another sluice on they originated the system of
sluicing, which liberated the man who shoveled dirt on the
screen, and set him to shoveling in, and gaining the labor
of one more man. That was in the line of economy.
Another individual, by directing the force of the stream
of water he was using against the bank, discovered the hy-
draulic system, which revolutionized mining, and made it
possible to extract gold from banks which were non-paying
if the earth had to be shoveled into the sluice.
Another invented the system of hydraulic elevation,
thus enabling ground otherwise unprofitable to be worked
at a profit. Whether we owe the dredger system, which is
in great vogue to-day, to California or not I cannot say; but
it is in use very largely.
We found upon using the old square stamp, which you
will find illustrated in your mining dictionary, and which
was in use to my certain knowledge and observation up to
1860, in Grass Valley, which was then deemed to have the
best means of gold extraction, that when they put the
.quartz into the front part of the battery it wore off the front
THE EVOLUTION OF MINING IN CALIFORNIA. 175
part of the shoe; they turned it around and it wore off the
back part of the shoe, after which it did no service. Hence
the revolving stamp was evolved by Mr. P. M. Chandler, a
Californian, a pattern-maker of Marysville. Up to that time
there wasn't a revolving stamp within the whole area of
Grass Valley, which had produced millions of dollars worth
of gold.
The late Mr. O. W. Lightner, formerly head manager
and draftsman for the Vulcan Iron Works of San Francis-
co, has related to me on many occasions that he made the
first draft of the involute cam. You are all no doubt aware
that in the old system there was what is called a "wiper"
that struck the cam in this manner (illustrating), where-
upon a severe shock ensued. The involute cam commenced
raising it until it got it under motion, and thus enabled
them to drop a hundred or more stamps in a minute.
Some person, certainly in California, invented the
screen which enabled the miner to work with economy in.
a great many ways, for the reason that before we had what
was called the "float-battery/' whatever went over the top-
went off.
I recollect in 1864, when I was in Nevada, I saw for the
first time what was known as a "finger" in use, by means of
which a man inserted a wiper between the cam and the tap-
pet and raised it up, thus lifting the stamp. Previous to
that time we had to stop an entire battery, and lift it up
by block and tackle, in order to arrange a shoe. And, what
may seem very strange to you, I saw in 1862, in Grass Val-
ley, three poles near a stamp, and they had to take the
stamp clear out of the battery and string it up amidship to
put a shoe on. All these things, so strange to you now, have
been eliminated in the quartz mining industry, and they
have all been in the line of economy; and we owe it all to
the engineers and practical men of California.
The great system of pan-amalgamation in the Comstock
is due to the efforts of Mr. Varney to work the auriferous
sulphur in the pan. They tried the Patio process, but it
was a failure in the Comstock, and many of the silver mines
since could never have been worked except for the pan proc-
176 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
ess. I recollect in 1864, at the Hale and Norcross mine in
Virginia City, to have witnessed the operation of a machine
to frame square sets of timbers which they were then insti-
tuting. That was a California engineer, Hale, of the Hale
<& Norcross mine. You all remember that the square-set-
ting of the Comstock revolutionized mining, and that for a
number of years Gardner Williams, a California boy, has
been working the Kimberly diamond fields, which could not
have been worked except for the square-setting system.
I want to say further, that the Patio process for chlori-
nation was a matter of theory until George F. Deetkin, who
was a common civil engineer, who. had worked for the
Watts & Eureka mine in Grass Valley, made an adaptation
of it, by which means they produced their sulphurets.
When I was there in 1862 they were shipping their sulphur-
ets to Swansea, and had lost, as Mr. Watts stated to me,
thousands of dollars by reason of not treating them.
Subsequent to that comes the cyanide process, with
which you are all familiar, and about which I know nothing
except that it is in due process of evolution, and along with
all these improvements, in the line of economy, enabling
the gold producing industry to work properties that other-
wise could not be worked.
- I have been deputed by Mr. Charles G. Gale, statistician
of the mint, and connected with the Mining Bureau, to read
a paper which by direction of Governor Pardee was pre-
pared for the Mining Bureau, relative to California, and it
will speak for itself.
The Mining Industries of California.
BY THE STATE MINING BUREAU.
Those who may recall the fact that mining has been
carried on in California since "the days of ? 49," and that it
is the oldest of the mining states west of the Missouri river,
may be under the impression that the mining industry is in
a condition of decadence, owing to the gradual working out
of the principal deposits. It may be confessed that a gen-
eral idea of this sort prevails to a certain extent among
those who have not taken the trouble to investigate the sub-
ject, or inform themselves of present conditions. As a gen-
eral proposition mining men are naturally more interested
in their own districts and states, than in those of others,
for which reason they are not apt to study up details of
progress in other communities than their own, unless there
is special occasion for it.
It may be a matter of surprise, therefore, to many, to
learn that the value of all the mineral products in California
last year was $37,759,040, an increase over 1902 of f 2,689,-
935. And it may be a still further surprise to know that for
the last eleven years, since 1893, the increase in value of
the mineral output has been about two million dollars each
successive year, and the last year over two and a half mil-
lions. From this brief statement, based on the official fig-
ures of the state mineralogist, it will be noted that instead
of being in a state of decadence, the mining industry of Cal-
ifornia is rapidly progressing in importance and value, and
being established on a firm and permanent basis, is in first
class condition. California from a mining point of view,
instead of being decrepit with age, is still in its vigorous
youth, and attaining greater strength as the years pass on.
California has well earned its title of the "Golden
State" and the fame of its gold fields is world-wide. It is
still best known in connection with this product., As a gold
bearing region California has, among other mining states
of the Union, the distinction of holding the record in sev-
178 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
eral particulars. It has made by far. the largest aggre-
gate product; made the largest output in any single year;
made the highest annual average yield though its mines
have been worked over half a century; kept the lead as a
gold producer the greatest consecutive number of years;
pursues the largest number of varied branches of gold min-
ing; and has the widest geographical distribution of its gold
deposits.
In support of these statements it may be noted that
the gold output of the state since gold mining commenced
at the end of 1848 has been to the end of 1893, according to
official figures, $1,395,377,212.
The highest gold output in any single year was $81,-
294,700 in 1852. For five years subsequent it was never
less than $50,000,000. Until 1872, fifteen years later, it was
never less than $17,000,000 per annum. In 1903 it was
about sixteen and a half millions and the present annual
average is between sixteen and seventeen million dollars.
The yearly average gold output for fifty-five years, from
1849 to 1903 inclusive, has been $25,377,212.
From 1848 to 1896 inclusive California produced each
year more gold than any state in the Union until in 1897
the Cripple Creek mines of Colorado gave that state the
lead, California then taking second place in the output of
that metal, a position it still maintains. It therefore kept
the lead for forty-nine consecutive years.
The branches of gold mining are: quartz, including
seam and pocket; hydraulic; drift; dredging; surface placer,
including river bed and bar, wing-damming, bench, ground
sluice, dry washing, ocean-beach sand mining, submarine
diving, and the forms where the pan, rocker, torn and sluice
are used.
As to distribution of the gold deposits, aside from their
forms, it may be said that California stretches through nine
and one-half degrees of latitude and between the extreme
northwest and southeast corners, the direct distance is 775
miles, while the width is from 148 to 235 miles, the total
area being 156,931 square miles. The great range of the
Sierra Nevada runs through nearly the entire length of the
THE MINING INDUSTRIES OP CALIFORNIA. 179
state, on the eastern border, and the belt of coast ranges
border the sea coast on the west. Along the Sierra Nevada
range and its foothills, and the northwestern coast range,
and the southeastern desert region in the tier of counties
extending from one end of the state to the other, there is
not a single one without its gold deposits in one form or
another. There is gold on the ocean beaches of the Coast
line, the mountain ranges, the foothills, the valleys. Even
the sandy wastes of the Mohave and Colorado deserts have
many productive gold mines. In Inyo county there are gold
mines being worked at elevations of 9,000, 11,000, 13,000
and 13,500 feet, and in the same county, gold is being taken
out at places over 200 feet below the level of the sea. It is
thus seen that the gold deposits of California extend over
a longitudinal area of 775 miles, a lateral area of an aver-
age of 191 miles (or extreme width of 235 miles) and a ver-
tical range of 13,700 feet.
In giving some brief consideration to the present con-
dition of the mining industry in California, as compared
with its past, it may be said that the pioneers were all
placer miners, and the pick, shovel, pan, rocker, sluice and
long torn comprised their appliances; the gulches, ravines,
river beds and bars the source of their gold. No capital was
required and no extensive companies needed. Little or no
development w r ork had to be done as the claim paid or did
not after brief work. Those were the days of individual
miners or unorganized companies of partners. Yet even
under those simple conditions they took out from ten to
eighty millions a year in the first four years. The deep
gravels, in the now famous ancient river bed channels were
unknown, and quartz was thought -little of. Gradually,
however, as might have been expected, the available area
of this kind of mining, was narrowed as the ground was
worked out, and attention had to be turned to other sources
of gold supply. This lead to the discovery of the ancient
channels, buried beneath the lava-capped divides, subse-
quently worked by drift mining; and those with no lava
capping, by the hydraulic process, the cheapest operated
of all forms of gold mining and having its origin in Cali-
180 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
fornia. Attention, too, was turned to quartz, as the original
source of all this surface gold.
With the exhaustion of the open surface gold deposits
the day of the individual miner practically came to an end
in California. Then both the character of the mining and
of the mining population changed. It was no longer pos-
sible for the nomadic miner, with a few simple tools to
gather a fortune in a few days from a deposit which nature
had concentrated for him in a few yards of earth or gravel.
It became necessary to employ both capital and labor to
carry on gold mining under the changed conditions. Ditches
and reservoirs had to be built for water supply for hydrau-
lic mines; long tunnels run to tap the buried channels under
the divides; and shafts had to be sunk and mills, pumps,
hoists and other machinery provided before profit could be
made from the quartz mines.
Thus it was that the great body of the miners stopped
working on their own account, and were employed for daily
wages by the companies which were organized to conduct
the operations requiring investment of capital. The miners
gave up their nomadic instincts, became permanent resi-
dents of the camps or mining towns, taking steady employ-
ment in mines and mills, and this condition continues
to-day. Of course there are still many prospectors through-
out the mining regions, as well as miners who work their
own "prospects/' but the majority of the mining population
is now engaged in work for the companies. This has re-
sulted in the building up of thriving permanent towns in all
centers of extensive mining operations throughout the
states. And many of these towns have all the appliances
of modern civilization, with conveniences of transportation,
far different from the temporary mining camp of the early
days.
The era of speculative mining incidental to newly set-
tled mining regions has long since passed by in California,
and the business is, in these days, conducted in as legitimate
a manner as farming, manufacturing, etc., profits being
sought from the product in the mines themselves, and not
from fictitious and evanescent "stock" values. It is worthy
THE MINING INDUSTRIES OF CALIFORNIA. 181
of note, in this connection, that famous as San Francisco is
for its mining stock speculations, the brokers have never
been able to induce the gold miners of California to put the
stock of their mines on the open market; and that to-day
in the stock exchange no California gold mines are "listed"
or publicly d,ealt in at the boards. The judgment which
justifies this action, is the result of the experience of the
far reaching detrimental features of this kind of specula-
tion in the shares of the famous Comstock mines of Nevada;
an experience yet to be learned in younger gold mining-
states than California. Pew mining companies of any
standing in the state allow their shares to be peddled indis-
criminately, with constantly changing values brought about
by interested speculators, rather than the merits of the
mining property itself.
In the earlier history of gold mining in California, and
especially in quartz many foolish and extravagant ideas
prevailed, and numerous costly mistakes were made, and it
came to be looked upon as a risky business. But ultimately
it was found that the fault was more in the men them-
selves than in the mines. This is proven by the fact that
hundreds of mines, after costly experiment were abandoned
for years, but have since been reopened and worked on a
profitable basis by those who have been guided by experi-
ence and better knowledge. A radical change in methods
was necessary to bring about this favorable turn of affairs.
High priced officials have been dispensed with, office force
and expenses reduced, and only skilled men employed in
the different departments. More railroads, better wagon
roads, cheaper supplies and wages, improved means of trans-
portation, better machinery at lower cost, highly improved
reduction appliances and methods, adoption of chlorination
and cyanide processes, use of concentrators and canvas
plants, careful saving of sulphurets, stronger powder, power
drills, electric and water power, heavier and larger milling-
plants, more extensive development and generally improved
systems and appliances, have all contributed toward a
change for the better.
The milling of gold ores particularly has been greatly
182 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
perfected of late years, and it is now possible to make
quartz mines pay which were practically valueless twenty
years ago, as very low grade ores may now be worked. The
tendency among investors is in the direction of getting prop-
erties with large bodies of low grade ore, conditions which
exist to perfection in the mother lode counties of the state.
In this connection it may be stated that as the fame
of quartz mines on the mother lode of California is so wide,
many persons imagine the entire quartz mining interests of
the state are in that locality, and that there is little outside
of it. This is not, however, by any means the case. Last year
there was a production of gold in thirty-four counties of the
state and the mother lode only traverses five of them. The
largest gold producing county is not on the mother lode at
all. The only county which produced over two million dol-
lars last year, mainly from quartz, is not on the mother
lode. Of the six counties which produced over a million
in gold last year, three are on the mother lode and three
are not. The largest producer in the state is, however, on
the mother lode. The most extensive developments, and
largest and best equipped quartz mines are on the mother
lode, a section where investments must be large for success
to be attained. But there are plenty of productive quartz
mines outside the mother lode counties of El Dorado, Ama-
dor, Calaveras, Tuolumne and Mariposa. The county of
Nevada, which has maintained the lead in gold production
for many years is not a mother lode county.
The mines on that lode do not uniformly carry low
grade ore, as much high grade work is found; but the ore
bodies are so large that averages are reduced. It seems
anomalous, however, that while large bodies of low grade
ore are almost invariably sought by investors of large cap-
ital, the county which has always produced the most gold
from quartz, has, generally speaking, much smaller ledges
than mother lode mines, and with higher average values of
the ores.
It is impossible within the scope assigned to a paper of
this character to go into details of methods of operation,
costs, profits, etc., refer to individual properties, or do more
THE MINING INDUSTRIES OF CALIFORNIA. 183
than give a very general idea of the prevailing conditions.
It may be said, however, with well equipped quartz mines
having modern reduction works, that $2.50 per ton will gen-
erally cover the costs of both mining and milling in Cali-
fornia. Many large mines are operating profitably on $4
rock, and even that of less value.
One marked instance of very cheap work may be cited,
of a mine in a mother lode county, to prove possibilities of
low cost where the conditions are perfect. This is the Koyal
Consolidated Mines Company, at Hodson, Calaveras county,
Mr. J. C. Kemp Van Ee, general manager. With a carefully
designed and operated 120 stamp mill and usual appliances,
new and modern in every respect, they crush 800 tons of ore
daily, or 6.67 tons to the stamp a very high average. The
entire cost of both milling and mining is 46 cents per ton.
This is the world's record in quartz mining and milling,
being lower than the cost at the famous mines in Douglas
Island, Alaska, with their hundreds of stamps. Electric
power is used for the entire plant, and is purchased from a
power company.
Another quartz mine, the Spanish, Washington town-
ship, Nevada county, was worked for a number of years at
remarkably low cost until it became necessary to hoist and
pump, when it would no longer pay. The total value of
the ore was only from 85 cents to $1.25 per ton in gold, and
the cost of mining was 25 cents and of milling 25 cents. The
milling w^as done with crushers and Huntington roller mills,
and over 4,000 tons a month were crushed on an average.
The wages were: foreman, $3'.50 per day; white miners, $3;
and Chinese, $1.50 per day. Water power cost 15 cents per
inch. The mine was worked through two tunnels and by
open cut.
Aside from the gradual improvement in the appliances
and processes of quartz mining the most notable features
in recent years have been the tendency toward more exten-
sive underground development, deeper workings and the in-
crease in capacity of the plants. Very much deeper and
larger shafts are sunk than was formerly the custom and
the equipment is in proportion. In reopening an old or
184 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
previously abandoned mine, of which there are many in-
stances, they now sink a shaft from 1,000 to 2,000 feet deep
directly, without stopping to run levels, until a sump is
made. In a large productive mine in Amador county, they
recently finished a new three compartment shaft to take the
place of an old one a mile or more distant, to work the ore
body at a depth of 3,300 feet, and this new shaft is equipped
with a hoisting plant designed to hoist ore from 5,000 feet,
which point they expect to attain in due time. Incidentally
it may be stated that the ore body in the ledge at the depth
of 3,300 feet is as rich as any ever found on any of the up-
per levels, and at some points even richer. And this is a
mine which has paid several millions to its owners. The
mill, placed at the new shaft, has 100 stamps.
Where they formerly thought a ten stamp mill large
enough when putting up a new plant, one of forty stamps is
now installed. There are numbers of mills of 100 stamps
in operation in the state and several of 120 and 140, and the
tendency is to still further increase crushing capacity, espe-
cially in the mines carrying low gra<Je ore.
The quartz mines still continue to produce the largest
proportion of the gold from the mines of the state. Out
of $16,988,708 gold and silver produced in California in
1903, the quartz mines yielded f 13,032,153, and the gravel
mining operations drift, hydraulic surface placers and
dredges $3,956,555. Thus it will be seen how T pre-eminent
is the quartz mining branch of the industry, as it yields
76.71 per cent, of the total product for the year.
The relative standing of the various branches of gold
mining (including silver output) for 1903 was as follows:
Quartz 13,032,153 or 76.71%
Hydraulic 1,102,043 " 6.49 %
Drift 586,952 " 3.46%
( Surface placer 760,021 " 4.47%
I Dredging 1,507,539 " 8.87%
16,988,708 100.00%
The auriferous gravels taken as a whole, are now not
nearly as productive, relatively, as was formerly the case,
this being mainly due to the restrictions placed by the laws
on the hydraulic mining branch. At one time, some twenty-
THE MINING INDUSTRIES OF CALIFORNIA. 185
five years ago, the hydraulic mines were estimated to be
yielding about ten million dollars annually, though it is
somewhat doubtful if the output ever reached that figure.
In 1903 the yield from this source was $1,102,043 and about
half of that came from mines in the northwestern counties
where there are no restrictions on hydraulic operations.
It is proper to note that while a general impression pre-
vails that hydraulic mining is prohibited by law in Califor-
nia, such is not the case. But there are certain restrictions
upon it, in certain parts of the state only, which have proved
detrimental to extensive operations such as were formerly
carried out. The civil code of the state of California con-
tains the following section: "The business of hydraulic
mining may be carried on within the state of California,
wherever and whenever the same can be carried on without
material injury to the navigable streams, or the lands adja-
cent thereto." The legal definition in the code is: "Hy-
draulic mining is mining by means of the application of
water, under pressure, through a nozzle, against a natural
bank."
The hydraulic mines are therefore only prohibited from
working where the debris or tailings from their operations
enter the streams and injure their navigability, or damage
the farming and orchard lands along the banks. Where
no such damage or injury is done, the mines continue to
work. In the northwestern counties such as Siskiyou,
Trinity, Humboldt and Del Norte, where the drainage of
the streams of the region is into the Klamath river a
stream naturally and pronounced officially non-navigable,
there are no restrictions whatever and mines may be worked
on as large a-scale as desired, the tailings doing no material
injury and eventually being swept into the ocean by the
spring freshets.
But in the drainage basins of the Sacramento and San
Joaquin rivers, where the largest hydraulic operations were
formerly carried on, Congress, by special act, has prohibited
and declared unlawful any hydraulic mining directly or in-
directly injuring the navigability of said river systems. The
same act, however, provides means by which hydraulic min-
186 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
ing may be carried on in that region, and establishes a com-
mission composed of three officers of the Engineer Corps,
U. S. A., called the "California Debris Commission/- to pre-
scribe the methods of procedure by which the miners may
lawfully carry on operations.
The essential features of this federal law are that all
such mines, operated under this system, in the region re-
ferred to, shall impound or restrain their debris or tailings
from entering the navigable streams or injuring the lands
of other parties. The California Debris Commission is em-
powered to issue licenses for hydraulic mining under this
act, when it is satisfied that the debris dams or other im-
pounding works are sufficient to restrain the debris. The
man who desires to hydraulic must make application to the
commission for a license, and submit his plans of the pro-
posed restraining works, which are subject to approval or
rejection by the commission. Each separate application is
advertised for a specified time and a public hearing is held
on a given date, at which those who may be opposed to the
issuance of a license may state their reason. When the
plans are approved, and the necessary works constructed,
an official of the commission makes a personal examination,
and if satisfied the debris can be properly restrained, the
license is issued and the mine may be operated. But if the
commission is not satisfied, for any reason, no license is
granted, and the mine can not be legally worked. Even
after the license is granted, if the debris, or water carrying
too much of it, is, permitted to escape the impounding sys-
tem, the license is revoked.
The miners therefore must bear the expense of the re-
straining works of their respective mines. For this reason
hundreds of mines, especially smaller ones, have never been
started up since the enactment of the laws, the owners being
unable to bear the expense of the dams, etc. Moreover,
many, even extensive ones, are so situated that there is no
suitable canyon or depression near by where impounding
basins may be formed for the debris. Some of the mines
remaining closed are two hundred or more miles from the
nearest navigable river. Yet as their tailings would go into
THE MINING INDUSTRIES OF CALIFORNIA. 187
some mountain stream or canyon, it is considered that even-
tually, in due course of time, the debris would reach such
a navigable river. For this reason they must have impound-
ing works just as if close by the river.
For these reasons, it may readily be seen that hydraulic
mining is not nearly so extensive a business as formerly hi
California. The debris must be run into basins behind the
dams and allowed to settle, so that the waste water will
not be too muddy, or carry too much material. This system
naturally restricts the amount of gravel which may be
washed, and causes more expense of operation.
At one time, when the hydraulic mines were operated
in a very large scale over $100,000,000 was invested in them,
including the ditches, reservoir system, pipe lines, etc. The
extent of their operations, however, proved their undoing.
The debris, being allowed to go where it would freely, de-
posited in vast quantities, injured and shoaled the streams,
and covered up many acres in the low lands where farming
operations were carried on. Its presence cause disastrous
overflows and finally in a test suit brought by farmers, the
miners were defeated, and injunctions against doing dam-
age by the process were issued in such numbers, as to stop
operations almost entirely in the central and northeastern
portion of the state. It was only after the pasage of the so-
called Caminetti law, that the industry became partly re-
suscitated. These mines were at one time noted the world
over for the extensive plants connected with them, and were
of special interest to engineers in view of the large dams
and reservoirs required, the long pipe lines, immense quan-
tities of water under enormous pressure, and vast quantity
of material mined under the system. To all miners the sys-
tem is of great interest since it is the cheapest of all gold
mining methods. The cost is only from one and a half to
eight cents per ton of material treated, according to condi-
tions. It was a California invention born of the necessities
of handling large quantities of gravel in brief space of time,
in order to make a profit.
Several of the larger hydraulic mines began "drifting"
the lower portion of their gravel, when they could no longer
188 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
hydraulic the whole bank away. By this system they re-
move only the richer gravel nearest the bedrock and wash
it on floors and through sluices or if "cemented" crush it
in stamp mills. The system of "dead rivers" underlying the
lava-capped "divides" in some of the counties of California,
notably in Placer, Sierra and Plumas counties, has been fre-
quently described, and it is unnecessary to go into details
of the subject in this place. The term "drifting" when ap-
plied to this class of gravel mining, relates to the mode of
extraction of the auriferous gravel by means of tunnels and
gangways or breasts. This system is rendered necessary in
consequence of the capping of volcanic lava overlying the
ancient channels in which the gold is found, and rendering
hydraulic operations impossible. In hydraulickingthe entire
face and body of the bank are removed by the piping; in
drift claims, only the lower stratum of gravel lying on the
bed rock is mined and washed.
The conditions of drift mining ground may be briefly
described as follows : A "divide" or ridge between two deep
river canyons, with the top sometimes several miles wide,
mesalike and comparatively level, and having only one
main slope in the direction of the ancient buried river, con-
ceals the old channel lying beneath it. The top is usually
composed of lava several hundred feet thick, and some-
where under this lava cap, and between walls of true coun-
try rock termed the "rims" is the channel of the ancient
or dead river, sometimes with gravel a hundred or more feet
thick; this gravel is sometimes barren of gold but more fre-
quently is rich. The problem of drift mining is to find the
position of these ancient river channels, and open them up.
This is done by means of tunnels run in from the side of the
divide, and when the channel is found the tunnel is con-
tinued along its course, and the lower central portion of the
gravel is drifted out. Sometimes shafts are sunk to; get at the
gravel, where the lava cap or upper material is thin, but
generally tunnels are used. These suffice for drainage and
also to run out the cars with the gravel. It is not at all
unusual for these bedrock tunnels to be from 4,000 to 8,000
feet in length, and there are hundreds of them in the drift
THE MINING INDUSTRIES OF CALIFORNIA. 189
mining region. Sometimes they do not strike the channel
at the point expected and have to run inclines down or
make upraises to get at the pay at the end of the bedrock
tunnel. Again they find the gravel has no pay and the
whole work is lost. But when good channels are struck
they pay handsomely. In the Red Point mine in Placer
county, where recently they worked out the entire channel
in their ground, the length of the tunnel was nearly 15,000
feet. In the famous Hidden Treasure mine, in the same
county, there are many thousand feet of tunnel, and the
gravel is removed in cars run by electric power. Detailed
information concerning this class of mines may be found in
the tenth report of the state mineralogist, in an article by
Ross E. Browne; in the eighth report, is an article by Russel
L. Dunn; and in the ninth report is an article by John Hays
Hammond. This class of mining can only be carried on by
organized capital, generally speaking, though there are
many instances where a few men, working as partners, have
dug away at bedrock tunnels for years to reach the gravel,
some working for wages elsewhere to keep the other part-
ners going in the tunnel. One reason why there are not
more drift mines being operated is that much preliminary
expense must be undergone before the channel is tapped,
and then it may be poor, and it sometimes takes two or
three years to complete the bedrock tunnels to the gravel
channels.
Ordinary surface placers of all varieties are worked to
a greater or less extent throughout the state, and the aggre-
gate yield from the gulches, flats, river beds, river bars,
ocean beach sands, etc., still amounts to a large sum an-
nually.
In fact, as dredging is only another form of surface
placer mining, when the results from that source are
counted in w^ith the other surface placer yield it will be seen
that the output from the placers of California exceeds that
from the deep gravels worked by drift and hydraulic
process.
The dredge and placer miners combined made, in 1903,
an output of $2,267,560 in gold, while the combined hy-
190 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
draulic and drift miners only produced in the same period
|1,688,995. In fact the dredge mining yield alone came
within $181,456 of equaling the combined output of the hy-
draulic and drift mines of the state.
It seems rather an odd circumstance that while placer
mining was supposed to be a thing of the past many years
ago in California, that branch of gold mining is now exceed-
ing in annual output both hydraulic and drift work, and is
showing in these days a larger proportionate increase in an-
nual product than any other form of the gold mining indus-
try. It is a marked instance of the influence of the improve-
ment of mechanical appliances connected with an industry.
The placer deposits were not worked out as supposed. It
was simply the lack of the proper tools and processes to
utilize them. The early miners who worked with pan,
rocker, sluice, torn, etc., were restricted to ground rich
enough to pay by those methods. They were generally re-
stricted in larger operations to ground where there was
"fall" and dump, with a water supply at an elevation above.
The invention of the mining dredge has changed all this and
made it possible to work ground of very small value per
cubic yard, and where what were formerly considered
necessary features, are entirely absent^
These machines dig far below water level and pile their
tailings and rocks high above ground in the pits they them-
selves have dug and vacated. No "fall" is necessary. The
water to wash the gravel is pumped, and the gravel is
washed and gold saved in the machine which digs it up.
The ground worked must not necessarily be in a river bed.
Dredges are now being worked far from water courses, in
pits formed to float them, water being led in for the pur-
pose. As the dredge advances the pit behind is filled with
the rock and debris by the "stacker." In fact the dredge
may be said to carry its float pit around with it, as it digs
its way along.
To show what an era in gold mining has been brought
about by new mechanical appliances of obtaining gold, it
may be stated that an ordinary miner, working with pick,
shovel, sluices, etc., may pick down, shovel in and wash
.
THE MINING INDUSTRIES OF CALIFORNIA. 191
about two and one-half cubic yards of gravel in a working-
day. This would be about an average workman's duty. The
dredge handles 4,000 cubic yards daily, with three men
working three shifts, of eight hours each. The machinery
of the dredge, therefore, represents the work of about
1,600 men, and it only takes nine men to direct it for twen-
ty-four hours. The latest machines set at work have a
capacity of 6,000 cubic yards, or equal to the hand work per
day of 2,400 men, the machine, however, working longer
hours of course. Taking the twenty-seven dredges operat-
ing at Oroville, as having an average capacity of 4,000 cubic
yards, they are doing daily work, which it would take 43,000
men to do if these men dug out, hoisted and worked the
gravel by ordinary hand work, in the old fashioned placer
mining way.
Dredge mining is a comparatively new branch of the
gold mining industry of California, it having been devel-
oped within the past five years. It is very rapidly increas-
ing in importance. In 1902 the gold yield from that source
was |801,295 and in 1903 was, |1,507,539, an increase of
|706,244, or a gain of 88.14 per cent, in one year.
In 1904 a very much larger yield will be shown as a
number of new and larger dredges have been recently con-
structed.
In fact, this is now the most rapidly advancing branch
of the gold mining industry of the state. Lands available
for dredging are in great demand and are being diligently
prospected in many of the counties. Lands formerly un-
used, or used for grazing, etc., and with only nominal value
nave jumped in price to f 1,000, |2,000 and even $3,000 per
acre. The general average price is, however, about $800
per acre. This class of mining has an advantage not com-
mon to others. That is, they can tell before commencing
active operations, just about what yield to expect. The
tracts are first prospected by means of Keystone drills,
holes being sunk at many places, and the gravel brought up
and carefully sampled. The operations, however, involve
the investment of considerable capital, since, aside from
the cost of the dredging lands, the machines themselves cost
192 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
from |60,000 to $100,000 and are expensive to keep in repair.
The principal seat of the industry is at Oroville, Butte
county, where there now are twenty-seven dredges at work
and others in course of construction. The operations of the
dredges at that point made Butte county show the largest
increased gold product over previous years of any county
in the state, the increase amounting to $652,864. Very
large dredges with capacity of 6,000 cubic yards per day,
to dredge sixty feet below water level, and to "stack" rocks
and tailings forty feet above water level, have recently been
started up in Yuba county, between Marysville and Smarts-
ville. Machines are also operated in Sacramento, Trinity
and Shasta county, and are being installed in many other
places. It would astonish the old miners of early days to
see the wonderful capacity of these machines, and the ease
with which they are controlled and operated. Generally
electric power is used, and one man, with suitable appli-
ances, controls the movements of the dredge and its ma-
chinery.
The costs and profits of dredge mining of course vary
greatly with the character of the ground, and the exact facts
are not made public. It is generally supposed that the
ground around Oroville will average 27 cents a cubic yard
and is mined at a cost of 10 cents. Yet it is known that
some machines are profitably operated on ground yielding
only 11 cents a cubic yard. A large amount of this ground
being dredged had already been worked by early-day min-
ers, who sunk numerous shafts to bedrock about thirty
feet. At one time over 10,000 Chinese mined these "lava
beds" near Oroville. The work of the dredges does not aver-
age over twenty hours a day, taking it the month round.
Necessary repairs take up considerable time. While gold
is still the principal mineral product of the state, it forms
only 43.62 per cent, of the valuation of the annual mineral
output of California, the greater progress has been of late
manifested in other branches of mining than in gold. There
are some seventy known mineral substances of economic
value found in the state, and at present forty-four of these
are being commercially utilized. The relation of the prin-
THE MINING INDUSTRIES OF CALIFORNIA.
193
cipal mineral products is: First, gold; second, petroleum;
third, copper; fourth, clays and their products; fifth, quick-
silver. The total valuation, with amounts, of all mineral
substances produced in California in 1903 may be seen by
reference to the following table:
Total Mineral Product of California for 1903.
Description Quantity. Value.
Asphalt, tons 41,670 $ 503,659
Bituminous rock, tons 21,944 53,106
Borax, tons 34,430 661,400
Cement, barrels 640,868 968,727
Chrome, tons 150 2,250
Chrysoprase 500
Clays : j For Pottery, tons 90,962 99,907
I For Brick, thousand 214,403 1,999,546
Coal, tons 93,026 265,383
Copper, pounds 19,113,861 2,520,997
Fullers Earth, tons 250 4,750
Glass sand, tons 7,725 7,525
Gold 16,471,264
Granite, cubic feet 408,625 678,670
Gypsum, tons 6,914 , 46,441
Infusorial Earth, tons 2,703 16,015
Lead, pounds 110,000 3,960
Lime, barrels 496,587 418,280
Limestone, tons 125,919 163,988
Lithia Mica, tons . 700 27,300
Macadam, tons 605,185 436,172
Manganese, tons 1 25
Magnesite, tons 1,361 20,515
Marble, cubic feet 84,624 97,354
Mica, tons 50 3,800
Mineral Paint, tons 2.370 3,720
Mineral Water, gallons 2,056,340 558,201
Natural Gas, thousand cubic feet 120,134 75,237
Paving Blocks, thousand 4,854 134,642
Petroleum, barrels 24,340,83*9 7,313,271
Platinum 1,052
Pyrites, tons 24,311 94,000
Quartz Crystals 1,968
Quicksilver, flasks 32,094 1,335,954
Rubble, tons 1,610,440 1,237,419
Salt, tons 102,895 211,365
Sandstone, cubic feet 353,002 585,309
Serpentine, cubic feet 99 800
Silver 517,444
Slate, squares 10,000 70,000
Soapstone, tons 219 10,124
Soda, tons 18,000 27,000
Tourmaline 100,000
Turquoise : 10,000
$37,759,040
In the previous year the total product was valued at
$35,069,105 so that the increase in value for 1903 is $2,689,-
935.
194 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
An analysis of the table shows that the total value of
the gold and silver was $16,988,708 and of the metallic sub-
stances (including gold and silver) $20,856,660. This in-
cludes gold, silver, mineral paints, quicksilver, copper, lead,
manganese platinum and chrome.
The total value of the non-metallic substances was
$2,048,638. These include borax, coal, crysoprase, mineral
waters, salt, infusorial earth, gypsum, magnesite, pyrites,
lithia mica, fullers earth, quartz crystals, mica, soda, tour-
maline and turquoise. The total value of hydrocarbons
-and gases was $7,945,273, an increase of $2,760,886 over the
previous year. The hydrocarbons include asphalt, bitumin-
ous rock, natural gas and petroleum. The output of oil was
24,340,839 barrels, an increase of over ten million barrels
over the previous year, and its value $7,313,271, an increase
of $4,692,189 over 1902.
In 'structural materials there is a constant and steady
increase in output and value. Their combined value is $6,-
908,463, an increase of $2,799,440 over previous year. These
materials include brick and pottery clays, Portland cement,
lime and limestone, macadam rubble and concrete rock, pav-
ing blocks, marble, granite, sandstone, serpentine, slate,
glass sand and soapstone.
To show the w^ide distribution and variety of mineral
substances in California, it may be stated that in 1903 that
every one of the fifty-seven counties of the state mountain,
foothill, valley, coast and desert produced one or more
minerals except three. Gold was mined in thirty-four coun-
ties and is known to exist in several others. Silver was pro-
duced in twenty-six counties; brick clays in twenty-six;
mineral waters in eighteen; copper and lime in fifteen; rub-
ble rock in nineteen; macadam in sixteen; and granite in
fourteen. Quicksilver was produced in nine counties; as-
phalt in eight; petroleum and sandstone in seven; salt in
six; bituminous rock and marble in five; cement, coal, pot-
tery clay, paving blocks and platinum in four; borax, min-
eral paint, lead and natural gas in three; glass sand, gyp-
sum, infusorial earth, magnesite and pyrites in two. The
following substances were' each produced in one county:
THE MINING INDUSTRIES OF CALIFORNIA. 195
chrome, ehrysoprase, fullers earth, lithia mica, mica, man-
ganese, quartz, crystals, slate, soapstone, serpentine, tour-
maline and turquoise.
The following shows the gradual increase in value of
total mineral production of California in recent years, as
indicated by the published official report of the state miner-
alogist:
1893 $ 18,811.261
1894 20,203,294
1895 22,844,663
1896 24,291,398
1897 25,142,441
1898 27,289,079
1899 29,313,460
1900 32,622,945
1901 - 34,355,981
] 902 35,069,105
1903 37,759,040
$307,702,667
This is a very suggestive table as it proves the state-
ments previously made herein as to the advancement being
made in the mining industry of the state from year to year.
For the last seventeen years, from 1887 to 1903 inclusive,
the total is $418,851,833. The miners of California have
reason to be proud of this record.
The limitations of this paper necessitate a brief refer-
ence only to the other substances than gold produced in
California, though some of them are growing rapidly in im-
portance. The state is the principal producer of asphalt
and allied bitumens in the United States. Most of the as-
phalt produced now is made in the process of refining the
California petroleum oils, they having generally an asphalt
base. The lighter substance being removed the pure
asphalt remains. From the counties of Kern, Los Angeles,
Monterey, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara and Ventura came
41,670 tons in 1903, valued at $503,659. The bituminous rock
comes from Fresno, Kern, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz and San
Luis Obispo. Borax is found in only three states of the
Union California, Oregon and Nevada the production
at present coming entirely from California, The yield in
1903 was 34,730 tons of crude material, worth |661,400,
though its value when refined is |2,750,000. The deposits
196 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
are mainly in San Bernardino county, although some conies
from Inyo and Ventura. The output of this material is in-
creasing, as more uses are being found for it. Brick and
pottery clays are found in many counties and the annual
valuation runs into high figures.
Within the past two years the manufacture of Port-
land cement has become a very important industry. The
best lime and clay deposits lying adjacent to each other
are found in Napa, San Bernardino and Solano counties,
which combined produced 640,868 barrels last year, worth
$968,727. This is a new industry in California, where large
quantities of imported cement have heretofore been made.
Very little chrome is now produced, but arrangements have
been made by foreign capital to open the extensive deposits
in Shasta county. The coal mining interests of the state
.are not very extensive, although the counties of Alameda,
Contra Costa, Monterey and Orange produced 93,026 tons
in 1903, worth $265,383.
Copper mining in California has within the last decade
become a very important branch of the industry and is rap-
idly growing. In 1903 the state product was 19,113,861
pounds, worth, $2,520,997. Of this over sixteen and a half
million pounds came from two large mines in Shasta county,
the center of the copper mining field, where large smelters
have been erected. There are mines of the metal, however,
being worked in fifteen counties of the state, and other de-
posits are known but not yet utilized. Several new smelt-
ers are to be put up at mines now being developed.
Small quantities of fullers earth are mined, and con-
siderable glass sand is utilized by the several glass fac-
tories. The granite quarrying interests are increasing in
importance and are worked in fourteen different counties of
the state. The total value of the output last year was worth
$678,670. There is some little graphite, gypsum and infu-
sorial earth, and lead mined but the values are small. The
values of lime and limestone for last year aggregated $582,-
268. The lithia-mica all comes from San Diego county. The
quarries of macadam, concrete rock and rubble are found
in many counties and the value of material of this char-
THE MINING INDUSTRIES OF CALIFORNIA. 197
acter quarried in 1903 was $1,673,591. This part of the
quarrying industry has become vevj important of late, as
more road paving is done, and harbor and sea wall improve-
ments are being made. The manganese mines in the state
are now unimportant, there being little demand for the ma-
terial. The magnesite mines are the only ones worked in
the United States. The product is used for the manufacture
of carbonic acid gas and in paper manufacture as well as
for making fire proof brick for furnace linings. Marble is
quarried in five counties; and mica is produced in Ventura
county. Small quantities of mineral paint are also mined.
California has become famous for her mineral springs,
both in number and variety of chemical features. The wa-
ters are now utilized commercially, by being bottled for
sale, in eighteen counties of the state. The aggregate value
of the waters sold in 1903 was $558,201. Natural gas is
found, not only in the oil fields, but in other parts of the
state, notably in Sacramento and San Joaquin counties,
where it is utilized. There is plenty of platinum in the
black sands of the hydraulic mines, but very little is saved
by the miners, yet there is some annual value to the product
of this metal. Paving blocks, or "basalt" blocks, are quar-
ried in several counties, most of them coming from Sonoma
county. Nearly $100,000 w r orth of pyrites are mined each
year, they being utilized for the sulphur contents by the
powder and chemical companies, making sulphuric acid.
Some quartz crystals are mined and sold to jewelers.
Quicksilver ores are mined in ten counties in Califor-
nia. Almost the entire output of North America has come
from this state. Last year Texas, produced some 5,000
flasks, and a few hundred have come from Oregon. Aside
from this all that has been produced in the United States
has come from California, which still produces over 32,000
flasks of seventy-six and one-half pounds each per year. The
total output of the state has amounted to 1,945,125 flasks,
from 1850 to the end of 1903, with an approximate total val-
uation of $85,760,102. At present the production in the
state is on the increase, but prices have fallen somewhat
owing to overproduction. The United States does not take
198 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
even all the California product. So that much has to be
exported to China and elsewhere for a market, where lower
prices are obtained owing to the competition with the Euro-
pean product.
Large quantities of salt are produced in the state,
mainly, however, from evaporation of ocean waters. The
sandstone quarries in seven counties yielded f 585,309 worth
last year. Small quantities of slate, serpentine and soap-
stone are quarried. Gem mining has within the past few
years assumed some importance, the turquoise tourmaline
and Kunzite coming from San Diego county and the chryso-
prase from Tulare.
California supports by annual appropriation a state
mining bureau, in charge of a salaried state mineralogist
and a board of trustees who serve in an honorary capacity.
The extensive museum of this institution, in the Union
Ferry building, San Francisco, is equipped with cases show-
ing specimens of all mineral products, arranged both by
substance and county, and open to the public daily. There
is also a well equipped laboratory for the determination of
minerals, etc., where the public may, without cost, have
specimens of any kind, identified and named. The library
of technical works, and other books relating to mining and
metallurgy may be used by any one for reference purposes.
The state mineralogist has a corps of skilled field assistants
to report on the mining conditions in the various counties
or prepare special bulletins. The bureau issues county
maps and registers, of the different sections of the state,
in which each mine in the county is briefly described, with
its exact location, extent of development, ownership, etc.
The accompanying maps have the location of the mines
marked upon them, and also the rivers, streams, roads,
trails, etc. Bulletins on special subjects are also issued,
containing full description of the mines under considera-
tion with maps of districts and of the state, showing the
location of all deposits. These bulletins are freely illus-
trated. Those thus far published are on the following sub-
jects: "Methods of Mine Timbering;' 7 "Gas and Petroleum
Yielding Formations of Central Valley of California;" "Cat-
THE MINING INDUSTRIES OF CALIFORNIA. 199
alogue of California Fossils ;" "Cyanide Process ;" "Califor-
nia Gold Mill Practices;" "Mine Drainage Pumps, etc.;"
"Bibliography Relating to Geology and Mineral Resources
of California;" "Oil and Gas Yielding Formations of Los
Angeles, Ventura and Santa Barbara County;" "Genesis of
Petroleum and Asphalt in California;" "The Mother Lode
Region of California;" "Oil and Gas Yielding Formations
of California;" "Copper Resources of California;" "Saline
Deposits of California;" "Quicksilver Resources of Califor-
nia;" "Production and Uses of Petroleum in California."
These bulletins are in addition to the usual biennial
reports, and the annual statistical bulletins issued showing
by counties the amount and value of all substances mined
or quarried in California. This state mining bureau was
established in 1880 and has grown in importance and value
ever since. The annual appropriation for its support aver-
ages about $30,000.
There is also in the state an organization known as the
California Miners' Association, an unofficial body, but hav-
ing branch organizations in the mining counties, all having
a care for the mining industries of the state. An annual
convention is held, comprised of representatives from the
different counties, where matters relating to the benefit of
the miners of California are discussed and passed upon.
To an executive committee is left the duty of carrying out
the resolutions of the convention. The main objects are to
prevent adverse legislation and to suggest that which shall
be beneficial to the mining interests.
The Geology and Mineral Resources of Idaho.
BY ROBERT N. BELL, STATE INSPECTOR OF MINES.
In the nature and proportion of its rock formations,
Idaho compares more closely with Colorado than with any
other state. The principal feature being its enormous de-
velopment of granite formations and extrusive lavas which
together with their included alluvial areas occupy fully
seven-tenths of the total area of the state. Of much smaller
extent than either the granite or the lava, but at present
of much greater economic importance in a mineral way, are
the limestones and crystalline metamorphic rocks which,
occur in detached areas throughout the length and breadth
of the state and are noted for the lead silver minerals they
contain, particularly in Shoshone, Lemhi, Ouster, Elaine
and Owyhee counties.
In the southeastern corner of the state a limited field of
unaltered cretaceous coal bearing formations are now being
exploited with most gratifying evidence of disclosing ex-
tensive deposits of excellent bituminous coal.
Limited horizons of Permian formations occur in the
mountains east of Pocatello, while the tertiary is repre-
sented by quite extensive jareas of post miocene lake bed
deposits along the western areas of the Snake river valley
and contemporaneous with the basalt flows.
Literature on the Subject.
Southern Idaho has enjoyed considerable attention
from the officials of the United States Geological Survey,
including King, Hayden, Becker, Eldredge, Russell and
Lindgren, and some important and entertaining observa-
tions have been recorded. Among those of special interest
at the present time are the following: A reconnoissance
across Idaho by George H. Eldredge, "Sixteenth Annual
Report, U. S. Geological Survey." The Mining Districts of
Idaho Basin and the Boise Ridge by Waldman Lindgren,
"Eighteenth Annual Report." The Gold and Silver Veins
GEOLOGY AND MINERAL RESOURCES OP IDAHO. 201
of Silver City, DeLamar and other Mining Districts in
Idaho, "Twentieth Annual Report." The last named work,
issued in bulletin form, is especially interesting and in-
structive, and covers, besides Silver City and DeLamar, spe-
cial chapters on Wood, River, Seven Devils, Warren and
Florence. North Central Idaho, especially the Clearwater
mountains in Idaho county, including Elk City and Buffalo
Hump districts, are given a brief review by Mr. Lindgren in
"Contributions to Economic Geology, 1902," issued by the
survey.
The Coeur d'Alene district, of Northern Idaho, with an
output of lead and silver approximating one hundred mil-
lions of dollars, has, until the present time, been singularly
slighted by the Government service considering its eco-
nomic importance. The IT. S. Geological Survey Depart-
ment published a fine topographic map of the district last
year, however, and now have a corps of experts studying
its economic geology. Its forthcoming report will be antic-
ipated with a good deal of interest as the district contains
distinctive features at variance with every other important
lead producing district in the United States.
The most complete published account of the resources
of the Coeur d'Alene is a paper by Mr. J. K. Finlay, "Trans-
actions American Institute of Mining Engineers." New
York and Philadelphia meeting, February and May, 1902,
-entitled: "The Mining Industry of the Coeur d'Alene,
Idaho." Mr. Finlay was a resident engineer of the district
for several years. His paper is a very able review of the
subject and is handsomely illustrated.
Topography.
The broad topographic features of Idaho are the drain-
age systems of the Snake and Columbia Rivers with a vast
arid plain along the former and crossing the full width of
the state with some prominent mountain uplifts and broad
desert plateaus separating it from the great basin on the
south, while north of the Snake River, extending through
the British line, is a labyrinthian mass of mountains and
canyons without any definite range system; a deeply eroded
202 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
broad plateau, remanent evidences of which are left along
the western border of the state, where important areas are
in the humid zone, and produce rich crops without irriga-
tion.
Idaho is one of the best Avatered and timbered states
"in the Union. This statement cannot be appreciated by
travelers on either of the main divisions of the Oregon
Short Line Kailway, which traverses some of the most deso-
late areas of the Snake River Valley; a trip on any of the
Short Line branches in this state, however, lends a better
impression.
From the bold uplifts along the northern rim of the
Snake River Valley, the mountains are heavily timbered
through to the northern extremity of the state and contain
some extensive stretches of yellow and white pine, red fir
and cedar, that will support an extensive lumbering indus-
try for years.
The extreme elevations range from eleven hundred feet
at Lewiston to a cone-shaped peak of eruptive granite thir-
teen thousand feet above sea level called Castle Peak in a
rugged aggregation of sharp summits known as the East
Fork Mountains that form a spur of the Sawtooth Range in
Ouster County. Elevations of ten thousand feet are not un-
common over the southeastern part of the state and along
the Continental Divide, which forms a portion of the east-
ern boundary line; but the general elevation of the numer-
ous ridges and summits which separate the deep cut can-
yons over the central and northern portions of the state are
very much lower and fall aAvay quite rapidly in the direc-
tion of the drainage to the west, affording steep grades for
numerous large streams and available water power practi-
cally unlimited.
The Granite.
The granite mass of Central Idaho, with the limited
areas and island-like inclusions of crystalline metamorphic
rocks and igneous overflows, is probably the largest con-
nected area of granite in the United States. It extends
from the north rim of the Snake River Plain to the British
Columbia line, and is from fifty to one hundred and fifty
GEOLOGY AND MINERAL RESOURCES OF IDAHO. 203
miles broad from east to west and is doubtless connected
under the sediments and lava flows with the bold uplifts of
granite in Owyhee and Cassia Counties south of the Snake
River Plain.
The age of the granite formations of this state vary in
the opinions of the different geologists who have examined
them, from Archaean to Post Carboniferous. That w^ide
areas of them are of eruptive origin and of comparatively
recent date, there can be no doubt. From the included belts
of altered sedimentaries and intruded dikes that may be ob-
served at several points branching out from a main granite
base into overlying strata of limestones, quartzite and
slates of known carboniferous age. This is especially true
of the southeastern portions of the main mass. Further
north in the canyon of the main Salmon Kiver and through
the Clearwater Mountains along the western slope of the
Bitter Root Range extensive areas of coarse gneiss have
been assigned to the Archaean. The granite formations of
Idaho have been responsible for fully ninety per cent, of
the great gold production of the state and are likely to con-
tinue of great economic importance in this respect.
Igneous Hocks.
The Basaltic lava fields of Southern Idaho, estimated
at 20,000 square miles, cover the Snake River Basin in a
thin sheet that gradually thickens to the west where it
joins the Columbia flow of older basalt and forms a narrow
belt that covers a portion of the whole western tier of
Idaho counties.
Some of the fresh black corrugated basalt flows that
look like a recently cooled slag dump that may be observed
at numerous points along the north border of the Snake
River Plain are suggested by Professor Russell (Bulletin of
the U. S. Geological Survey, o. 199) to have been in eruption
at. as recent a date as one hundred and fifty years ago.
Underlying the basalt cap at a comparatively shallow
depth are five to eight hundred feet of grey, pink and brown-
ish rhyolites and trachytes. These formations are well ex-
posed by faulting along the borders of the valley, especially
204 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
at Heises Hot Springs on the South Fork, where they are
underlaid by coal-bearing cretaceous sandstones and shales.
None of the basalt or massive rhyolites of the Upper Snake
River Valley have so far proven ore bearing, but a more
brecciated and mineralized variety of rhyolite overlying ba-
salt, both resting on the eruptive granite of the Owyhee
Mountains, form the walls of the Trade Dollar, Black Jack
and DeLamar veins, which have been famous producers of
rich gold and silver ore for years.
An immense system of rhyolite dikes in the mountains
immediately north and east of Boise are all gold bearing.
The whole intermountain region north of Snake River shows
an excessive development of igneous intrusive rocks of infin-
ite variety with acidic types prevailing. Great cone shape
mountain masses of quartz, syenite quartz, porphyry rhyo-
lite and andesite occupy the Yankee Fork Mining District
in Ouster County. They rest on crystalline metamorphic
rocks and the regional granite, and at Ouster Mountain and
Estes Mountain have been very productive of high grade
silver gold ore from nearly vertical fissure veins.
These formations and their associated tuffs and
breccias are continued in extensive outbursts and flows
through the rugged ranges to the north in Lemhi County,
where they are frequently found gold bearing en mass, but
of low average value.
At Thunder Mountain the .whole district for twenty
miles square is filled with volcanic formations of acidic
types that rest on granite and rise to numerous sharp cones
and ridges eight to nine thousand feet above sea level with
deep cut narrow canyons intervening that produce a rugged
topography.
The prevailing formations of the rugged Seven Devil
Range in Washington County are old eruptive resembling
fine grained diorites and green stones that have, deluged the
underlying metamorphic formations of schist slate and
marble, the latter being well exposed at numerous points,
in the deep transverse canyons on either slope of the main
range as is also in some instances the underlying granite.
Diorites and porphyries find an extensive development
GEOLOGY AND MINERAL RESOURCES OP IDAHO. 205
in the lead and copper bearing limestones and quartzites of
the Wood River, Lost River and Birch Creek Mountains, in
Blaine, Ouster and Lemhi Counties and are intimately asso-
ciated with the ore bodies.
Intrusive dike rocks are less prevalent in the northern
part of the state, but they are not entirely wanting in any of
the developed mining districts.
The Metamorphic Formations and Limestones.
This important division of Idaho's geology finds its
greatest development covering an area of five or six thou-
sand square miles over parts of Lemhi, Custer and Blaine
Counties, a limited but very important area in Shoshone
County and several other limited areas and narrow belts in
Kootenai County and along the southern border of the
state.
These formations have made Idaho famous as the lead-
ing lead producing state in the Union. Their petrographic
character has never been closely studied, but they are sup-
posed to range all the way from Algonkian to upper Carbon-
iferous in age.
From where it strikes almost due east near Gibbons-
ville in Lemhi County, the Continental Divide is a bold,
clean cut mountain range for seventy-five miles to the south-
east. Its sharp crest of, bare rock is broken by a succession
of pyramid peaks that mostly exceed ten thousand feet in
altitude, consist entirely of crystalline metamorphic forma-
tions that range from true vitreous white quartzite to
schisty grey slates and greywacks, often excessively con-
torted and containing comparatively few dikes of intrusive
rock, which are of a heavy basic variety. These formations
in color, texture and general field appearance very closely
resemble the formations of the lead producing center of the
Coeur d'Alenes. .They have been provisionally assigned to
the Algonkian by Mr. Eldredge. They are extensively fis-
sured and contain numerous prospects noted for coarse
specimen gold ore, usually associated with lead and copper
minerals.
Near the southeastern corner of Lemhi County, the
:206 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS/
lower flanks of this range show a remarkable development
of heavy bedded, rather coarse grained, pink and white
quartzite and blue limestone. At Skull Canyon, near Kauf-
man Postoffice, the successive beds of clean massive blue
limestone and lime breccia rich in middle and upper car-
boniferous fossils aggregate fully four thousand feet thick.
Southwest of the main range from Nicholia, the Birch
Creek, Little and Big Lost River Mountains are really three
lofty spurs that put out from Salmon! Kiver Mountains car-
rying numerous elevations of ten and eleven thousand feet.
They extend southeast as fairly regular ranges for thirty or
forty miles and suddenly drop off to hog backs and isolated
buttes in the western edge of the Snake River Plain.
These are typical desert ranges of deeply faulted and
fractured formations that are almost devoid of surface-
.streams in spite of their great elevations and deep snows.
Their formations consist of massive blue, grey and drab
limestones, dolomites and marbles, fine grained quartzite
.and enormous intrusions and outbursts of diorite syenite
and feldspar porphyry. They are rich in lead, copper and
iron minerals. Present idle conditions for the occurrence
.and development ,of profitable ore bodies, are easy of ac-
cess, and afford a very inviting and extensive field for ex-
ploitation. West of these spurs the main mass of the Sal-
mon River Mountains consists of great folds of diabese
schists, Cambrian quartzites, true slates and some lime-
stones with an extensive development of tertiary lavas,
-especially along the main Salmon Canyon where massive
flows of rhyolite and andesite predominate.
In the vicinity of Bayhorse, Clayton and Slate Creek,
pronounced fissure veins occur closely associated with dikes
of greenstone that contain some famous producers of high
grade silver lead and silver copper ore.
The Wood River formations are a sharply folded series
of quartzites, slates, grey limestones, dark shale and slates
of carboniferous age, associated with great bodies of quartz
diorite, andesite and eruptive granite of more recent date.
This district is very extensively fissured and richly mineral-
ized with high grade silver lead and some gold ores. It con-
GEOLOGY AND MINERAL RESOURCES OF IDAHO. 20T
tains some noted mines that have laid dormant for several
years. Until recent interest in them has been renewed by
the bonanza ore disclosures in the deep levels of the Minnie
Moore mine, the occurrence of which below a depth of one
thousand feet in the vein lends the impression that the ore
resources of the district have by no means been seriously de-
pleted.
South of the Snake Elver Plains metamorphic sedimen-
taries warp about the island-like uplift of diorite, forming
South Mountain in Owyhee County, and contain large fis-
sured zones of fine concentrating silver lead ore in schist
and crystalline limestone, which, while quite zincy, carry
important compensating values in gold and copper.
Idaho's Metals and Minerals.
The most important metal output of Idaho at the pres-
ent time is lead, in the production of which this state excels,
in its famous Coeur d'Alene district, any other lead min-
ing district in the world.
During 1903 ten mines in the Coeur d'Alenes produced
something over a million tons of crude ore that yielded one
hundred thousand tons of lead bullion and five million, five
hundred thousand ounces of silver, showing a yield largely
increased over 1902, and current operations indicate a still
greater yield for 1904.
The Coeur d'Alene mines are operated on master fissure
veins and sheeted zones in a deep series of metamorphic sed-
iment aries of unproven age, consisting of sharply folded
quartzites and slated siliceous argillaceous rock called grey-
wack, closely resembling the extensive development of sim-
ilar formations in Lemhi County which are thought to be
pre-cambrian. Limestone is entirely wanting and intrusive
dike rocks are scarce. This, together with the deep seated
fissure character of its deposits, gives the district an indi-
viduality different from that of any other important lead
producing district in the United States.
Taken as a whole, the product of the Coeur d'Alene
mines is low grade, but there are several notable instances
where zones of secondary enrichment have produced a con-
:208 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
siderable tonnage of carbonate ores rich in silver. The
principal producing ore bodies are remarkable for their
great width, lineal extent and persistence in depth. Several
of the more important ore shoots have been exploited and
proved to depths ranging from fifteen hundred to twenty-
five hundred feet below the crests on the dip of the steep
pitching fissures in which they occur with no deterioration
in volume of ore, or in lead or silver values, nor do they
show at those great depths any serious increase of objec-
tionable foreign sulphides.
Some of the most productive ore bodies show their
highest crest at considerable depth below the apex of the
fissures and make a very inconspicuous surface outcrop.
The numerous new properties undergoing active develop-
ment in the district are bound to bring in new ore bodies
'Occasionally, and to maintain its lead for years, for experi-
ence teaches that with the discovery of a new ore body of
uny extent in this district, its future productiveness can be
.about as definitely figured on as a coal deposit.
The principal ore produced in the Coeur d'Alenes is sil-
ver bearing galena which occurs as narrow bands of clean
mineral along the planes of movement in the vein and dis-
seminated through the sheeted and shattered quartzose
rock, there being comparatively little true quartz or other
gangue minerals with the ore in the veins. The common
accessory minerals are zinc blend, iron spar and pyrite.
Grey copper, chalcopyrite and barite have been noticed
.sparingly in some of the mines. There are several exten-
sive ore bodies in the district, at present not being worked,
thai carry an excess of zinc and pyrite associated with the
lead, but the bulk of the concentrates now shipped from
the district are remarkably clean and practically free from
objectionable percentages of zinc.
Other Sources of Lead Ore.
At the southern end of Lake Pend d'Orille, in Kootenai
Oounty, in a formation of limestone and quartzite, a great
lode of good grade concentrating lead ore, ten to -fifty feet
wide, has been developed to the extent of several thousand
GEOLOGY AND MINERAL RESOURCES OF IDAHO. 209
feet of tunnel work. Still further north, near Port Hill,
the Idaho Continental mine has been developed on a wide
fissure vein said to show thirty feet of good concentrating
galena lead ore of good grade, and also to carry a pay
streak one to three feet of clean mineral worth sixty per
cent, lead and thirty ounces silver per ton.
Between 1882 and 1887, the Viola mine at Mcholia,
near the southeastern corner of Lemhi County, produced
one hundred and fifty thousand tons of ore that yielded at
the rate of sixty per cent, lead and twelve ounces of silver
per ton from a single lens shaped body of clean sand car-
bonate mineral, that was one thousand feet long, five to
seventy feet thick, and was followed on a flat dip for nearly
two hundred feet, where it merged into a body of soft
brown iron gossan ore, fifty feet thick, all carrying a little
lead, in which condition it has laid idle ever since, an inter-
esting possibility of the recurrence of a similar monster
lead ore body at further depth below the iron gossan. This
deposit is in blue limestone near a quartzite contact. It
has recently gotten into the hands of some successful min-
ing people and is likely to be extensively developed in the
near future.
On the opposite side of Birch Creek Valley in one of
the lofty limestone ranges, previously described, there are
dozens of handsome silver lead prospects extending along
a wide belt of very favorable formations for a distance of
fifteen miles on the northeastern slope of the range, several
of which have shipping ore, and from recent reports, the
Gilmore mine, near the center of this belt, is assuming
bonanza proportions. It has developed an ore body in
limestone about two hundred feet deep by three hundred
feet in length, and by two to fifteen feet thick, that is
largely of shipping value. The owners are at the present
time giving steady employment to fifteen heavy freight
teams hauling the ore to the railroad, eighty-five miles dis-
tant (but over one of the finest natural roads in the world)
from where it is shipped to the Salt Lake Valley smelters.
The ore is lead carbonate sprinkled with galena, and is
shipped direct from the mine without milling and carries
210 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
average values of between fifty and sixty per cent, lead,
thirty to forty ounces of silver and one to two dollars of
gold per ton. The ores of this district occur both as fissure
veins and contact deposits and for extensive development
it promises a resource of ore that may justify railway trans-
portation at no distant date.
The principal silver lead mines of Ouster County at
Bayhorse, Clayton, Squaw Creek and Slate Creek, which
have only been worked in a desultory manner since 1890,
are likely to soon again become active producers under a
merger of interest that is .being negotiated.
These mines have a bullion record of something like
|10,000,000.00 and have lead and silver ore reserves now
in sight estimated at $3,000,000.00.
The Minnie Moore mine at Bellevue, in the Wood River
District, after being practically abandoned as worked out
and left for twelve years, was taken hold of by more enter-
prising spirits who have been operating in bonanza ore
from the nine hundred to the eleven hundred-foot level,
shipping for a good part of the time during the past
eighteen months from fifteen to thirty cars per month of
crude ore and concentrates that have averaged fifty to sev-
enty per cent, lead and from sixty to one hundred and
twenty ounces of silver per ton. The successful reopening
of this old bonanza, which is the deepest mine in the dis-
trict and had a previous record of $7,000,000.00 production,
has strengthened the faith of other operators in the field
and a good deal of intelligent development work is in pro-
gress with definite prospects of other rich ore disclosures
of considerable extent.
The South Mountain mines contain a very extensive re-
source of fine concentrating lead ore containing a good
deal of zinc, but also very important values in both silver,
gold and some copper, a combination, very much resembling
the ores of Park City, Utah, and while this district is at
present somewhat remote from railway transportation, the
rapidly growing demand for the metals, together with its
natural geographical advantage, will naturally bring it
into market before very long.
GEOLOGY AND MINERAL RESOURCES OP IDAHO.
These are a few of the principal lead silver bearing dis-
tricts in the metamorphic rocks of Idaho, whose develop-
ment will assist the Coeur d'Alenes to maintain this state's
present prestige in the matter of lead production indefi-
nitely.
Gold.
I
Idaho first came into prominence as a gold producer
by the discovery of rich placer diggings on the North Fork
of the Clearwater Kiver in 1860, at a place called Pierce
City, now situated near the southern end of Shoshone
County. From there the hardy pioneers extended their
search over the rugged intermountain sections of the state,
resulting in the discovery of a dozen other districts that
subsequently became famous producers.
According to conservative estimates, the placer dis-
tricts of Idaho, from discovery to date, have produced gold
bullion to the total value of |200,000,000.00, and while the
rich and easily available diggings are practically ex-
hausted, the placer product from deeper ground that has
been equipped with modern machinery at several points in
the state, amounted to over forty per cent, of the $2,000,-
000.00 worth of gold produced by Idaho mines in 1903.
A most interesting feature of the occurrence of these
placer deposits, from the northern end of Shoshone County
to the district around Silver City south of the Snake Eiver
is, that they are almost invariably confined to the granite
formations. The most extensive and productive placer dis-
trict in the state was that of Idaho Basin, forty miles north
of Boise City, the state's capital, which alone is credited
with an output of $100,000,000.00.
The chief source of the lode or vein gold produced by
Idaho mines in the past has been from the mines of the
Yankee Fork, Atlanta, Rocky Bar, Silver City and DeLa-
mar districts. These mines are of the Comstock type, true
fissure veins in volcanic formations of Tertiary age, contain-
ing rich gold and silver bearing silicious milling ores. Their
combined output to date may be conservatively estimated
at $100,000,000.00, of which probably $50,000^000.00 was
212 PROCEEDINGS AMERICANA MINING CONGRESS.
gold and the balance silver. The mines of these districts
have continued in more or less continuous production for
forty -two years. Three of them, the Trade Dollar Company
and DeLamar in Owyhee County, and the Lucky Boy at Cus-
ter City, Custer County, produced gold and silver bullion of
the coinage value of f 1,663,000.00 during 1903. In the light
of modern mining experience, the many evidences of mineral
still remaining in these famous old districts, together with
the cheaper methods of milling, now in vogue, make it safe
. to predict that they will continue to produce an important
yield of precious bullion for some years to come.
The production of gold in Idaho, especially from origi-
nal ore sources, and as a bi-product from the treatment of
other ores, is destined to increase very rapidly and it is not
unlikely that sensational disclosures may be made in some
of the more remote districts such as have characterized the
gold mining history of Colorado.
Rich gold-bearing tellurium ores are reported from sev-
eral districts in this state, but the writer has only seen this
mineral in one of them, at Elk City, in Idaho County, where
it occurs in bunches associated with rich gold-bearing pyr-
ites in a ten-foot fissure of white quartz accompanied by a
small porphyry dike in walls of Archaean Gneiss. The tellu-
rium ore was of the variety petzite and occurred near the
water level. Above that level the vein was oxidized and
was very successfully operated during 1903, producing bull-
ion to the value of about |75,000.00, with a ten-stamp mill.
Several districts in the granite and porphyry formations
further south are rich in fluorite and fluorspar, the common
associations of tellurides. In many instances these districts
have been very imperfectly prospected and favorable infer-
ences may be drawn from these conditions for the future
discovery of rich gold ore deposits.
The principal increase in gold bullion production in
this state, however, will come from its extensive deposits of
medium and low grade ores and from its low lying placer
beds that are being equipped with hydraulic and dredging
machinery, several plants of which have been installed or
are in prospect.
GEOLOGY AND MINERAL RESOURCES OF IDAHO. 213
The Buffalo Hump District in Idaho County gives defi-
nite evidence of being able to increase the gold output of
the state at no distant date by $1,000,000.00 per year. This
is one of the most promising gold districts in the West. The
Hump is a hog-back elevation of eruptive grey granite
eighty-eight hundred feet in elevation and the highest point,
is a densely timbered region of broad granite ridges and
deep-cut canyons fifty miles square.
This district is traversed by a well defined system of
large gold-bearing quartz-filled fissures that carry pay ore
in bodies five to twenty feet wide and in places several hun-
dred feet long.
The Jumbo mine, originally not considered one of the
best surface showings, but cropping in the walls of a deep
cut canyon lent itself to ready development by adit tunnels,
of which it has three, exposing two ore shoots to an ex-
treme depth of five hundred and twenty feet by an aggre-
gate length of five hundred and fifty feet, and from five to
seventeen feet wide, of ten to twelve dollars average gold
values, and has a fourth adit under construction that prom-
ises to double the present ore reserves.
This property has practically paid for its own develop-
ment with a four-stamp prospecting mill. It is now equipped
with a twenty-four-stamp mill that has been in operation
since January 1st, producing from twelve thousand to fif-
teen thousand dollars in bullion per month, and piling up
tailings values of about seven thousand dollars per month
to be handled by cyaniding.
The Cracker Jack mine in the same district is operating
a ten-stamp mill on an ore body that is ten to twenty feet
wide and several hundred feet long, of a little better grade
than the Jumbo.
The fissures of this district are usually nearly vertical
with clean cut walls frequently beautifully polished. True
dike rocks are rare, but veins and irregular segregations of
coarse pegmatite and inclusions of schist are common. The
filling of the ore shoots is ribbony to massive white quartz,
usually well sprinkled with iron sulphides, together with
some copper and lead sulphides. The lead, as in most other
214 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
Idaho granite gold districts, usually indicates higher gold
values. These ores, as far as treated, yield from forty to
sixty per cent, of their gross value to plate amalgamation
and a high percentage of the balance can be recovered by
concentration and cyaniding. There are a number of prop-
erties undergoing development in this district at the present
time, and as a rapidly increasing source of gold bullion, its
future is assured.
The Elk City Placer District, north of Buffalo Hump,
is developing some good mines and produced seventy-five
thousand dollars' worth of quartz gold last year and has an
exceedingly promising future.
The Big Creek District, thirty miles north of Thunder
Mountain, has some monster fissure veins and contact de-
posits in granite, white porphyry and metamorphic rocks,
that are being quite actively developed, and are reported to
be showing fine paying values in widths varying from ten/
to two hundred feet.
At Thunder Mountain the gold occurs in sheeted flows
of pyritic rhyolite and volcanic tuff. The Thunder Mountain
Company's property has been successfully operated during
the past year with a light ten-stamp mill. Several thousand
feet of development has been done in this district during the
past year and the values found under ground are said to far
exceed the surface indications. The completion of the State
Wagon Koad to Thunder Mountain is promised by Septem-
ber of this year and a large amount of machinery is already
headed into the district from the railroad.
At Indian Creek, in Lemhi County, the Kitty Burton
Mining Company completed a thirty-stamp mill last fall
wihich has since been in successful operation, producing gold
bullion of the net value of from fifteen thousand to eighteen
thousand dollars a month. This mine is operated on a con-
tact vein, five to twenty feet wide, of granular quartz carry-
ing from f 5 to $20 gold per ton and yields a high percentage
of its value to plate amalgamation and tailings values yield-
ing readily to cyaniding. The formation is a schisty quart -
zose rock, and the vein is accompanied by a small dike of
GEOLOGY AND MINERAL RESOURCES OF IDAHO. 215
feldsite porphyry. The surrounding district has many prom-
ising prospects.
The recent discoveries at Loon Creek, in Ouster County,
promise an important new source of gold. The Lost Packer
mine has developed an extensive reserve of rich gold-bear-
ing chalcopyrite ore. It shipped five carloads last year
which averaged eight ounces gold and ten per cent, copper
per ton. The owners of this property are constructing and
extending a wagon road into this district, twenty-five miles
from Custer City, and are anticipating a big production in
the near future.
The Lost Packer mine is opened by adit tunnels on a
nearly vertical fissure that crosses a deep canon in a forma-
tion of eruptive granite and grey porphyry. The vein is
from five to twenty feet wide of milling ore, and carries pay
streaks one to three feet wide of almost clean chalcopyrite
that also contains a sprinkling of bismuth sulphide and in-
variably runs high in gold, up to ten ounces per ton. The
Loon Creek District is richly mineralized and is attracting
a great deal of attention at the present time.
The Valley Creek Mine, twenty-five miles south of the
Loon Creek District, has recently been equipped with a
twenty-stamp mill and cyanide plant. This mine is opened
on a monster fissure in granite associated with large dikes
of porphyry. Its ore bodies are as much as thirty feet wide,
containing average gold values of eight to twelve dollars
per ton and the amount of ore now exposed is said to exceed
a third of a million dollars in gross value.
On the opposite slope of the Saw Tooth Range in Elaine
County, the Hailey District has a gold belt of no mean im-
portance. The Creosus Mine, within four miles of Hailey,
is being developed with a three compartment vertical shaft
to.be 1,000 feet deep and has already reached the 700 foot
level.
This is nearly vertical fissure in diorite following a
narrow dike of andesite. It is as much as forty feet wide,
in certain shoots, of concentrating pyrrhotite and chalcopy-
rite ore, said to carry average gold values of from five to
fifteen dollars per ton and often carrying pay streaks of
216 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
clean sulphide ore that runs several ounces in gold. This
straight gold copper ore mine has had the remarkable ex-
perience of developing a considerable body of high grade
lead silver ore in its lower levels, which would indicate that
the extensive field of diorite and eruptive granite is in part,
at least, an overflow or overthrust and is underlaid with
the lead-silver bearing Wood River series that bound it to
the north and east.
A few miles west of the Creosus in the eruptive granite
of the Hailey gold belt proper, the Tip Top Mine is the
deepest shaft developed gold mine in the state. It has been
explored to a depth of 1,100 feet on a steep pitching~fissure
vein accompanied with a small basic dike and developed its
largest and richest ore body at and below the 900 foot level
which is five feet wide and several hundred feet long, and
is said to contain an average value of nearly an ounce of
gold per ton. The ore is a white quartz, well sprinkled with
pyrites. , The property has elaborate equipment, including
a fine mill and should contribute an important output of
gold in the near future.
Another important gold ore development of Elaine
County is now being made at the Liberal Mine in the Little
Smoky District, where some large contact bodies of gold
bearing iron pyrite ore are being exposed in walls of granite
and porphyry and are exhibiting the evidences of a very
extensive reserve of pay mineral which will justify deep de-
velopment and 'a, large mill.
The entire drainage basin of the Boise River, includ-
ing the Pearl District, is on the low divide between the
Boise and Payette Rivers, and all conveniently accessible
from Boise City, presents one of the most extensive and
most promising fields for gold mining investments in the
West.
This great field, which includes among its districts,
Idaho Basin, Rocky Bar and Atlanta, has produced gold
constantly since 1862, and a total amount which would be
equal to an annual yield of about f 2,000,000 a year if equally
distributed over the whole period of production. The indus-
try has been at a low ebb for several years, but has picked
GEOLOGY AND MINERAL RESOURCES OF IDAHO. 217
up lately and the disclosures recently made in some of its
old districts, as well as in new discoveries in its virgin fields,
are such as to warrant the anticipation that it may again
assume the importance of its palmiest days as a gold pro-
ducer, for while its rich placer deposits are about exhausted,
it has gold-bearing vein croppings containing pay values at
the surface and invariably of tiie granite and porphyry con-
tact or fissure class, by the thousand.
The ores of this field at a comparatively shallow depth
are generally more or less base, that is, the gold is found
associated with iron pyrites and also often with a light
sprinkling of lead, zinc and antimony sulphides. This con-
dition is largely responsible together with inadequate capi-
tal, misrepresentation and mismanagement for a number
of small mining failures.
In comparison with the extensive development that has
been necessary for successful mining in many other western
fields, the Boise Eiver region has barely been scratched,
and its most promising districts worked in a half-hearted
manner where manifest evidences of great ore resources
exist.
The Checkmate Mine at Pearl was worked by its former
owners to a depth of 500 feet by sinking one level at a time,
gouging out the ore, then sinking another, and so on. This
mine is reported, from good authority, to have produced ap-
proximately |100,000 in gold for each level, but it is doubt-
ful if the method of operation employed was very profitable.
The property carries four or five parallel fissure veins of
about equal surface strength. All the work was confined
to one and its ore bodies expanded from sixty feet at the
surface level to five hundred feet in length at the fifth level,
by an average width of something like four feet and an
average value of about $10 per ton. This property has
come into new hands within the past year and its develop-
ment is being undertaken on a broader plan.
The Lincoln Mine on the same belt, has been under de-
velopment for three years for a total depth of 300 feet, and
has a remarkable showing of pay mineral conservatively
estimated at $500,000 in sight.
218 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
This mine is opened on a sheeted fissure zone of altered
and mineralized granite. It has exposed an ore shoot of dis-
seminated and banded sulphide mineral which is from two
to twenty feet wide and continues along the strike for 1,100
feet, carrying an average gold value of from $8 to $10, and
occasionally pay streaks of clean mineral a foot or more
thick which run three to eight ounces of gold. This mine
has recently put into commission a six-foot Chilian mill
and is reducing about 150 tons of ore daily.
At Quartzburg, the Gold Hill and Pioneer claims have
been worked to a total depth of 400 feet and have exhibited
almost continuous ore for 1,500 feet in length.
This property is idle at the present time. It was
equipped with an old fashioned hand-fed mill that was run
almost constantly for twenty-five years, prior to 1894, and
was subsequently destroyed by fire. This property is cred-
ited with a total production of $3,000,000. The ore was a
gold-bearing iron pyrite in a shattered fissure zone in a por-
phyry and in bodies ten to forty feet wide, worth $6 to $10
per ton, and in small contact vein between porphyry and
granite, one to six feet wide, carving much higher values.
About fifty per cent, of the value of the ore was savable as
free gold, and the only method of keeping track of the values
in thousands of tons of tailings which were allowed to run
to waste, was the gold pan, as there never was an assay
outfit on the ground.
At Neal, fifteen miles east of Boise, the Golden Eagle
Mine is opened on a mineralized fissure zone in granite re-
sembling the Lincoln at Pearl. It has 1,000 feet of actual
development work from which $40,000 worth of ore has been
shipped and included several carloads which sampled over
five ounces of gold per ton. The pay ore in this mine is from
five to twenty-eight feet wide and its development consists
of a 300-foot incline shaft and three short levels.
The Monarch Mine, at Atlanta, after lying idle for a
number of years, was taken up two years ago by some Colo-
rado operators. It has since been undergoing systematic
development with the result of putting in sight a very ex-
GEOLOGY AND MINERAL RESOURCES OF IDAHO. 219
tensive reserve of good pay ore and proving the inadequacy
of its former development and exploitation.
The Franklin Mine, at Pine, which was equipped with a
ten-stamp mill and through poor management was aban-
doned and left idle for ten years as a deserted failure, until
tAvo years ago when it was taken hold of by more intelligent
hands and has produced bullion to the value of $150,000
with the same old stamp mill within the past eighteen
months, and at this date has an ore reserve estimated at
half a million dollars.
Twenty miles north of Atlanta, on a tributary of the
Middle Fork of the Boise Kiver, a new district called Black
Warrior, is showing up some very fine surface ores. Numer-
ous specimens are being sent in, and in some instances moss
covered and well sprinkled with visible native gold, said to
be taken from the croppings of great contact veins of quartz
five to fifty feet wide, in walls of granite and porphyry, and
carry ing ipay streaks of a foot to eight or ten feet wide which
sample f 10 to f 30 per ton.
Such are some of the more promising features of the
Boise gold fields. Its numerous ore deposits, invariably of
the fissure class, have been developed to a very limited ex-
tent. In depth they vary from a simple fissure filled with a
narrow band of quartz to a wide fault fissure zone of min-
eralized country rock of the Lincoln type of which there are
'several in the field which bear all the structural evidences
in their shallow horizons of continuing and carrying their
values to great depth and producing millions of tons of pay
ore.
The Silver City De Lamar District.
This district is situated in the Owyhee Range, its veins
are not very large, but they are rich and very persistent
in length and depth. They occur as nearly vertical fissures
cutting eruptive granite and surface flows of tertiary basalt
and rhyolite.
The Trade Dollar Consolidated Vein has been operated
for twelve years and has produced f 10,000,000 worth of gold
and silver, of which two-thirds was silver. Its connected un-
derground developments extend along the strike of the
220 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
vein for two miles in an extreme depth of 1,700 feet. The
mine is in successful operation at the present time and pro-
duced bullion to the gross value of about $500,000 during
1903-.
Four miles below the Trade Dollar Vein on the same
creek, the DeLamar Mine has been developed on a close
parallel system of fissures in rhyolite which seemed to cut
off or stop at a blue clay fault plane where the ore shoots
had attained their greatest width and richest values. That
these ore shoots received their pregnant solutions from this
fault plane seems most unlikely, arid that they may be
picked up on the opposite side of this rather obscure dis-
placement in all the glory of their former bonanza values
is one of the possibilities of extensive development along
that line. The mine is still in successful operation, has large
reserves of low-grade ore and yielded f 300,000 in 1903, over
ninety per cent, of which was gold. This mine is credited
with a total yield up to date of f 8,500,000.
This district has many geological features in common
With Cripple Creek, Colorado. It contains a number of fine
prospects and its partially developed properties carry rich
surface values and warrant extensive development.
Silver.
The chief source of supply of the white metal in Idaho
is as an associated value in lead ores of the Coeur d'Alenes, *
Wood River, and from the Trade Dollar Consolidated Mine
at Silver City, the latter being the largest producer of any
rnine in the state in which silver is the principal product
sought. The output of this mine alone during the year 1903
amounted to about 700,000 ounces. The normal increase
of the Coeur d'Alene mines this year together with a largely
increased yield from the Minnie Moore Mine at Wood River,
whic/i for several months has been shipping 900 to 1,100
tons of ore per month worth from fifty to seventy per cent,
lead and seventy to one hundred and twenty ounces of sil-
ver per ton, together with an important yield from the big
copper smelters of the White Knob Copper Company at
Mackay, and an important new source of lead silver ore now
GEOLOGY AND MINERAL RESOURCES OF IDAHO. 221
going to market from the Gilmore Mine in Lemhi County,
give definite evidence of an increase of fully two million
ounces for the state for the year 1904.
One of the largest silver mines in the state is the Barns-
horn at Bay Horse, Ouster Oounty, which has been idle for
several years. This mine is a true fissure in slate that
strikes due north and south and dips west at fifty degrees.
It has produced silver to the value of $2,000,000 in the past,
has ten miles of connected underground development . and
ore reserves now blocked out containing about three million,
ounces. The ore is a grey copper in a gangue of iron spar.
This mine is adjacent to a rich silver-lead district and a
merger of interests is being negotiated that is likely to
bring this mine and district into heavy production again
within a year.
Copper.
Tihe copper resources of Idaho are varied and extensive.
This state is destined to become a very heavy producer of
the red metal at no distant date. Many of our largest cop-
per ore deposits are situated at considerable distance from
railway transportation, which fact has retarded their de-
velopment, but engineers and investors are commencing to
appreciate the fact that the present enormous consumption
of, and rapidly increasing demand for copper, is more than
keeping pace with its production and development. The
larger bodies of copper ore in the remote districts of Idaho
are already attracting investors with a view of future de-
mands. Idaho's copper ores are invariably associated wit h
important values in gold and silver, especially gold which
together with the natural economic advantages that usually
surround them in the way of water for power, timber and
tunneling advantages, will afford important aids and in-
ducements to their exploitation.
The principal source of copper bullion in Idaho at pres-
ent is from the property of the White Knob Copper Com-
pany at Mackay, in Ouster County. This property is equipped
with a large new smelting plant which has been run with
little intermission since the first of the year, treating from
222 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
300 to 600 tons of crude ore a day which yields high grade
matte containing good gold and silver values.
The steep pitching ore bodies of the White Knob prop-
erty are of immense size. They occur in contact with blue
limestone and big porphyry dikes and have been
continuous for 700 feet below the apex, showing their
best values at the deepest point cut by a cross-cut tunnel
where the earthy red oxides and green carbonates are,
changing to blue and yellow sulphides. A new tunnel is now)
well under way which will tap tn*e ore courses 1,600 feet
from the surface, which, from present evidences, should be
well within the sulphide zone and afford an important in-
crease in copper values. The ores now being treated carry
values of from two to five per cent, in copper and from f 1-
to f 2 per ton in gold and silver. The Mackay Copper Belt
is quite extensive and carries numerous very promising de-
posits.
Owing to the fact that lead mining is so much, in fashion
in the Ooeur d'Alenes, a remarkably promising copper belt
that traverses the mountains just east of Wallace and Mul-
len, has been neglected and warrants much more extensive
development than it has so for received. The Snowstorm
Mine, near Mullen, has been steadily producing quite a large
tonnage of copper ore during the year, which is shipped
to the coast smelters. This property is also installing an
extensive leaching plant for treating its extensive reserves
of surface carbonate ores.
The veins of this belt are great copper-bearing gossan
iron-filled fissures, which can be traced for thousands of
feet. They are on a par in size with some of the big lead
veins and in several instances have been developed down to
where the massive variegated sulphide ores are commenc-
ing to show. Other very likely copper properties occur
along the tributaries of the North Fork and it is safe to
predict that copper is destined to become an important
factor in the total bullion output of this remarkably rich and
varied mineral field.
The Seven Devils Range and Health Districts in Wash-
ington county contain some very extensive deposits of gold
GEOLOGY AND MINERAL RESOURCES OP IDAHO. 223
and silver-bearing copper ore and a matting plant was
quite successfully operated by the Ladd Metals Company
during the first half of this year on their properties at
Mineral on the Snake Kiver. The same company is now
erecting a sixty-ton plant at Landor in the heart of the
Seven Devils copper district, where extensive reserves of
ore have been developed.
The copper ore bodies of this range are often of im-
mense size, ranging from fifty to one hundred feet thick.
They generally occur at contact with limestone or slate and
porphyry and carry average values of from three to five per
cent, copper and pay streak values from two to ten feet
wide, running from five to forty per cent, copper and always
associated with gold and silver values amounting to several
dollars per ton.
Lemhi County, in the east central part of the state,
also has extensive copper resources which occur in a variety
of formations in several different districts which are likely
to form ti!ie basis of some very populous mining communities
when transportation facilities are afforded.
The Blackbird District in this county has had consider-
able development and contains fully fifty patented claims
and a great many still in the hands of the original locators
that in many instances contain very flattering ore show-
ings.
The ores in this district vary from a pay streak of rich
ore, six inches to six feet wide to great impregnation zones
of low grade ore one hundred feet or more wide. The sur-
face croppings are brown oxidized gossan carrying a little
gold and no copper, but usually at fifty feet deep under the
surface change to sulphides. The big bodies run from two
to five per cent, copper, and concentrate to excellent advan-
tage. The concentrates carry a light percentage of cobalt
and nickel and usually not less than twenty-five cents worth
of gold to each unit of copper, but very little silver. The
formation of this district is mica schist and granite.
At the Yellow Jacket District, fifteen miles west of
Blackbird, the Steen Mine exposes a zone of concentrating
copper sulphide ore in a shattered quartzose formation
224 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
which is seventy feet thick and carries three per cent, cop-
per, and three dollars gold per ton together with a sprink-
ling of lead sulphide and fair silver values.
Some handsome copper prospects occur at Beaver and
Indian Greeks and near the mouth of the North Fork of Sal-
mon River which promise to develop large bodies of ore.
They occur in slate and silicious schisty rock.
At Worthington Creek, south of Salmon City, the Klon-
dike group of claims carries a large vein of gossan iron ore
in greywack. There is very little development on this prop-
erty, but it has thrown out a flow of float boulders amount-
ing to fully one thousand tons and some of them several feet
square, which all carry good copper values and some of
them high grade red and black oxides.
The Bruce Mines at Spring Mountain District, near the
southeastern corner of Lemhi county, are of the White
Knob type and consist of immense bodies of copper gold-
bearing hematite and magnetic iron ore in limestone and
diorite. One shipment from this property besides ten per
cent, copper, gave nine dollars in gold per ton. All the cop-
per districts of Lemhi county are noted for intrusive dike
rocks which range from rhyolite to basic hornblend diorite
and at many points give definite evidence of permanency
and large deposits of ore.
Rare Metals.
Idaho is noted for the occurrence of rare metals and
minerals, and while this branch of our mining industry has
not as yet gotten a start, the prospects for profitable min-
ing in this line are good.
Monazite. This mineral containing the valuable rare
oxides of Thorium, Cerium, Didymium, etc., is very prev-
alently disseminated through the old placer gravel beds of
Idaho Basin and in the Warren Basin. This mineral occurs
as a yellow sand in about the same proportion as black mag-
netic iron sand occurs in most other diggings. It is de-
rived from the disintegration of the granite formation and
is also found in small quantities in the richer gold quartz
veins that traverse these districts. Monazite is a very
GEOLOGY AND MINERAL RESOURCES OF IDAHO. 225
heavy mineral, readily saved to a clean product by under-
currents and ordinary burlap tables. It has never been
sampled very extensively, and whether a commercial prop-
osition or not, has not yet been proved. The value of this
mineral at present seems to depend on its thoria contents
and ranges up to two hundred dollars per ton. Monazite
has been reported from several other points in Idaho.
Molybdenum, Osmo-ridium. At Deer and Platinum
Creeks, fifteen miles east of Boise City, a San Francisco
chemist has given a result of one-half an ounce of Osmo-
ridium and one-fourth ounce of platinum from samples of
rock taken from some great dikes of felsite or rhyolite in
granite. These dikes are of great size, up to five hundred
feet wide, and all carry low grade values in gold; one to
three dollars per ton. The writer panned a number of sam-
ples of this rock, but failed to find any metallic particles of
the rare metals mentioned. These same dikes, however,
carry some fine specimens of flaky molybdenum, and one
course ten feet wide gave an average sample of four per
cent, of that mineral. Other investigations are being made
in this field.
A blue-white, very heavy metal, in very fine particles
hangs behind the fine gold pannings in the Salmon River
placer bars near the mouth of Owl Creek in Lemhi County,
and is thought to be platinum or iridium. The same is re-
ported from the bars below the mouth of Little Salmon in
Idaho County. The formations are gneiss and schists.
Cobalt and Nickel. These metals occur in all the cop-
per ores of trie extensive Blackbird copper district in Lemhi
County. The copper sulphide concentrates show cobalt
nickel values ranging from two to ten per cent. Nickel
values up to three per cent, occur with large bodies of gold-
bearing iron pyrites in the eruptive granite formations of
Washington Basin in Custer County. Similar values also
occur associated with pyrrhotite and copper pyrite in meta-
morphic rocks at Profile Creek in Idaho County.
Tungsten. This mineral occurs in large fissure veins of
white quartz in a formation of diabase schists at Patterson
Creek, Lemhi County, ^here some quite extensive develop-
226 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
ment work has been done and four per cent, average values
are found three to ten feet wide.
Tin-Vanadium. High grade stream tin ore carrying
sixty-five per cent, metallic tin is found associated with gold
bearing placer gravel at Panther Creek, Lemhi County, and
in the neighborhood of Salmon City, also, in Lemhi County,
from well defined fissure veins in granite. Samples con-
taining thirteen per cent, tin associated with gold lead and
vanadium are reported.
Mercury. Pebbles of cinnabar that assay as high as
eighty per cent, mercury are found in the clean-up boxes of
the Stanley Basin placers in Custer County. At Sugar
Creek, Thunder Mountain District, a shattered and rece-
mented bed of quartzose sandstone contains average
values of two per cent, mercury, and produces some fine
specimens of ore. An extensive bed of volcanic tuff near
Pine Grove, Elmore county, contains an average value of
one pound of mercury per ton, and also some specimen cin-
nabar. Both the last mentioned points bear evidence of
solfataric action. Native quicksilver has been reported at
several points in Idaho.
Opals and Corundum, Fire opals of fine gem quality
have been mined in Latah, Owyhee and Lemhi Counties, in
basalt and trachyte formations, and rough crystals of
corundum occur associated with the placer gravels of Stan-
ley Basin, Custer county, and along with placer bars of
Lake Creek, Idaho County.
The Mineral Resources of Maine.
BY LESLIE A. LEE, STATE GEOLOGIST.
The state of Maine has an area of 33,040 square miles.
So numerous are the lakes and other bodies of water that
the actual extent of the land surface is only about 29,000
square miles. While no mountain ranges now exist the oc-
currence of many isolated peaks and the much folded and
disturbed condition of the rocks show that the state once
possessed mountain scenery of the most magnificent kind.
The greatest elevation is found in Mount Katahdin which
has a height of 5,248 feet. The average elevation above the
sea is considerable. This fact, taken together with the
many lakes which serve as reservoirs for the abundant rain-
fall, gives to Maine a water power which far exceeds that
of any other equal area in the United States. The Andros-
coggin Eiver has a developed water power which is greater
than that of any other river of our country. Undoubtedly
the available water power of the state is its most valuable
asset. The surface of Maine is well diversified into hill and
valley. Above the rocky base the loose surface deposits are
often of enormous thickness, partly filling the valleys and
covering the more level areas. These superficial formations
are almost wholly of glacial origin of the usual sorts. Many
of them furnish road-building material of the best quality.
Such, is the hard unchangeable nature of the rock forma-
tions that few decomposed rocks are to be found in situ.
When found these products of rock disintegration are also
excellent for road construction.
Geologically speaking Maine is of extreme antiquity.
Excepting the marine clays and sands of the glacial period
no formation is of later age than the lower carboniferous
and even these, about which there is some doubt, and those
of the devonian age, are of relatively small extent. The
greater portion by far are granites and allied rocks, gneisses,
schists, slates and crystalline limestones. The schists,
gneisses and slates have been variously assigned to the
228 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
Archaean and earlier Palaeozoic eras. The degree of gen-
eral metamorphosis is so great in these that fossils are gen-
erally absent. The amount of uplift, folding and faulting is
so much that it is difficult to determine the natural relations
of the different bodies of rocks of entirely .unlike character.
The main areas of these rocks have been mapped with a
considerable accuracy, but much remains to be done in the
way of locating their exact boundaries. These coarsely
crystalline strata are crossed by many huge veins of pegma-
tite and quartz, as well as by volcanic dikes filled with a
variety of igneous rocks. The pegmatite carries a large
number of interesting and valuable minerals, including
many which have a marked degree of commercial import-
ance, a description of which will be given on a later page.
Extensive areas of clay slates exist in the central and
northern portions of the state. These are probably of Cam-
brian or Silurian age. Several small and widely scattered
bodies of an impure Silurian limestone are found. These
usually contain abundant fossils.
The principal Devonian rocks form a band extending
through the northern part, nearly two hundred miles in
length. Lastly, some small areas of sandstones and shales
occur in the northeastern and southeastern parts, the age of
which, as before stated, is still a matter of controversy, opin-
ion being divided as to whether they belong to the upper
Devonian or the lower Carboniferous.
The above brief sketch 'of the geology of Maine will
show that within its boundaries are conditions extraordina-
rily favorable for the development of a great richness of
mineral wealth. The expectation is indeed a reality. No
reasonably complete list of its minerals has ever been pub-
lished, though the writer now has one in preparation. Any
extended research in a limited locality has usually resulted
in the discovery of species not hitherto recorded from that
place, and occasionally of something entirely new to science.
The work of investigation is yet in its infancy, and promises
much to the mineralogist.
An account of some of Maine's minerals and rocks of
economic importance will prove of general interest.
THE MINERAL RESOURCES OF MAINE. 229
Gold has a pretty general distribution in the state.
While many of the river gravels will give a color, placer
mining has been carried on only in the western counties,
notably in the Swift, Dead and Sandy Rivers. The gold is
of excellent quality, though fine, the largest nugget recorded
having a value of about f 19. The gravels are worked in a
small way and give a fair return for the labor expended.
The search for the sources of these deposits has hitherto
been unsuccessful, their origin still remaining a mystery.
Many pegmatite and quartz veins elsewhere give a product
of a few dollars per ton. None of the veins have been suffi-
ciently exploited to demonstrate their real value, the anx-
iety for immediate returns causing them to be abandoned
without proper development. A more liberal policy has
been adopted by those \\ ho have recently entered upon gold
mining here. Little of the ore is free-milling, though occa-
sionally handsome specimens occur in grains and threads
in quartz. Native silver has been sparingly found in con-
nection with trap. Argentiferous galena is widely dis-
tributed, the largest deposits being seen in the southern and
eastern parts of the state, usually in connection with vol-
canic rocks, the vein carrying also pyrite, copper, and some
zinc. A few of thejreins have been worked exclusively for
the lead. Blue Hill7Sullivan, Cherryfield, Hampden, Lubec
and Pembroke are the localities of the best known mines.
The Mt. G liner mine, in Milton Plantation, is developing
considerable copper, with small values of gold and silver.
No iron mines are now worked, though there is much
hematite and limonite in the state. The bog ore of the
Katahdin Iron Works was operated for many years and the
product is said to have been of exceptionally good quality.
The cost of fuel and transportation caused the mine to be-
come idle, but the amount of ore is well nigh inexhaustible.
Tin ore, cassiterite, is of sparing occurrence. At Wins-
low extensive operations were begun about twenty-five years
ago, but the failure of immediate results caused their cessa-
tion.
Antimony has been found at several localities. The
230 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
best showings are perhaps at Carmel and South Portland.
In neither place has any extensive work been undertaken.
"Handsome specimens of molybdenite have long been
known from Maine, and particularly those from Brunswick
have enriched many cabinets of minerals. The increasing
importance of molybdenum in the arts has directed atten-
tion to the deposits of this mineral. It is found in large
quantities at Cooper, more occurring there than anywhere
else in the world, it is reported. A company is now develop-
ing this property.
The non-metallic minerals of Maine possess even
greater interest than the ores.- Feldspar occurs in immense
bodies in connection with the pegmatite veins. The princi-
pal localities where extensive mining has been carried on
are Auburn, Edgecomb, Harpswell, Phippsburg and Top-
sham. The quarries at the latter place have been worked
continuously for more than thirty years, and the product
has been enormous. It is refined near the quarry and is
shipped in that condition for manufacture into pottery and
porcelain. Maine feldspar is of excellent quality and bears
the best reputation. The Topsham deposit is almost pure
feldspar, quartz being the principal accompanying mineral.
Quartz, "flint," is usually mined in veins of a very
coarse pegmatite, the other components of which are feld-
spar and mica, both of commercial value. Where all are
found together the question of the utilization of the three
depends upon the facilities and cheapness of transportation.
The best deposits and qualities of mica are found in the
western counties. At present the largest production is at
Roxbury. In Topsham plates of clear mica twelve and four-
teen inches in diameter are found in connection with color-
less quartz and large masses of feldspar.
Graphite is a mineral with which little has yet been
done here. It occurs in numerous localities, occupying a
belt fifty miles long in the western part of the state. Its
abundance in masses and seams of remarkable purity leads
to the expectation that its mining will prove a profitable
enterprise. Madrid, Turner and Peru are places where it
has been noted.
THE MINERAL RESOURCES OF MAINE. 231
Garnet is found in such quantities as to offer induce-
ments for mining for use as an abrasive.
Lepidolite, Amblygonite and Spodumene, though usu-
ally rare, may yet be mined for the production of lithium
salts.
In the production of minerals used as precious stones,
Maine stands in the front rank. Her gems have a world-
wide reputation. For almost a hundred years they have
been celebrated for their fine color, brilliancy and other
good qualities. The yearly output is increasing, but has
never yet been equal to the demand. Among the gems the
tourmaline leads. Mt. Mica, in Paris, was the original local-
ity where mining was begun in 1820, and still some of the
finest stones are now being found. The mineral here occurs
in pockets in a coarse granite formation. It is found in all
colors and shades green, red, pink, blue, yellow and white.
The cut gems- are of all weights up to 100 carats. One in
the Field Columbian Museum is valued at $10,000, while
others still larger, as yet unvalued, are almost priceless, rep-
resenting the largest and finest tourmalines in the world.
It is said that tourmalines from Maine are unequaled any-
where else for their depth and brilliancy of color. Other
localities celebrated for tourmalines are Auburn, Hebron
and Newry. Of lesser note, but still of fine quality, are the
gems found beryl, aquamarine, chrysoberyl, topaz, zircon
and amethyst.
The rocks of Maine used for building, decoration and
other industrial purposes, are too well known to require ex-
tended mention here. The quarrying of granite on a large
scale began in 1836, and now this state leads in the value of
its production. More than twenty distinct areas of granite
are found well distributed over the state except in the north-
ern portion. Probably more than one hundred quarries are
now in active operation. Most of these of large production,
are near tide water, where the facilities for transportation
are best. Among the rocks which are commercially known,
as granite, are found those of every color and other quali-
ties desired for building and ornamental purposes. They
include gray, both light and dark, black, red and green, and
232 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
are unexcelled for durability. In many cases the size of the
blocks taken out is limited only by the means used for haud :
ling them.
Roofing slate abounds in the central and northern parts
of the state. The Brownville and Monson quarries have
been worked for many years. This slate possesses most ad-
mirable qualities, and besides its use for roofing, is manu-
factured for many other purposes. The recent extension of
the Fish River Railroad has opened up another area which
promises to become of great value.
In the southern portion of the state are great beds of
limestone, which have long been worked for the manufac-
ture of lime, in Rockland, Rockport and Tho'maston. At
present the annual output of lime is nearly two million
casks. Being shipped by water to most distant points, this
enormous production is likely to be further increased.
This brief sketch will merely serve to show that Maine
possesses a vast mineral wealth. Little of it has hitherto
been utilized. Its development has been largely in the bet-
ter settled portions. More than one-half of the state is still
practically uninhabited, and consists of so-called wild lands,
covered with forests. The mineral resources of this portion
are little known. No one can foretell what proper explora-
tion will bring to light. Yet there are innumerable present
opportunities for the profitable investment of capital in the
development of new mineral industrial enterprises. Water
power is everyAvhere within reach either directly or by elec-
trical transmission. Railways are extending into the wil-
derness and thus the cost of the manufacture and marketing
of mineral products is reduced to the lowest terms. Maine
may not contain bonanzas within her boundaries, but she
offers a greater certainty of a liberal return on an invest-
ment than can be assured elsewhere.
Brunswick, Maine.
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY
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