The White Pine news. [volume] (Treasure City, Nev.) 1868-1906, 1870-07-26
TnE FACILITIES FOR SMELLING ORES IN SAN
FRANCISCO.

FHAhGlaGu.
(From the San Francisco Scientific Press
The White Pine News recently. in an
article on the enlargement of the Newark
IN ~ Reduction Works, alleges that
this was rendered necessary by the in-
crease of shipments of base metal ores,
the smelling facilities in this city being
so limited in capacity and slow in doing
the work and making returns that miners
of Utah aud Nevada are obliged to send
their ore to the Atlantic States for treat
ment. So far, however, from this being
the case, as The Bulletin shows in the
following article, we have in San Fran
cisco the most extensive smelling works
in the United States, which have been
quietly growing up during the last four
years in remote part Of the city, and
almost unknown beyond the large num-
Der of workmen Immediately engaged
and the mining and freighting interests
which are employed in furnishing ores and
crude bullion. We refer to the lead and
silver smelling works of Mayor Thos. ii.
Selby, near Black Point, an establish
ment of the first importance as means
of developing the mines of the Pacific
eoast, aud with reference to the value of
its transactions. These works, which
we have recently visited, consume the
great majority of all the ore and crude
bullion shipped to San Francisco, and
they are being constantly increased IN
extent, to keep pace with the expansion
of the industrial interests with which
they are associated. Their present ca
paeity can be enlarged to an unlimited
extent bnt even now the quantity OF
crude bullion and ore consumed exceeds
that Of any other lead and silver smelt-
ing works in the country, probably work
ing up twice the amount used by the
Newark Reduction Works which at one
time were considered the largest in tho
United States.
SUPERIORITY OF SAN FRANCISCO AS DEPOT
FOR ORES.
The legitimate place for smelling ores
would seem TO be at the mines from
which they are extracted; but as they can
be more adyantageously treated where
science, skilled labor and capital are con-
centrated, as at the seaboard cities, the
nearest and most available locality is un-
doubtedly San Francisco. From the
mines OF Nevada and Utah to this city
the distance is so small, compared with
that to the Atlantic States, as To consti-
tute the former the natural customer for
their ores, rendering successful compe-
tition from the East out OF the question.
And we propose to show that in our city
the facilities for smelling are superior
to what are offered in any other locality.
The small shipments OF ores, which upon
the opening of the Pacific Railroad went
East as experiments, soon established
these facts. as well as that higher rates
are paid a, the smelling works here than
can be obtained elsewhere in the United
States, while the cost of transportation
is at least half less in favor of San
Francisco, to say nothing of the consid-
erable percentage Of ore that is lost by
car shifting and the jolting and sitting
incident to so long transit.
BETTER PRICES PAID N SAN FRANcIsco.
Some of the shippers who for a time
gave Newark trial soon became satisfied
of this, and are now again sending their
ores TO San Francisco, not only because
the work is done cheaper here and the
charges are less, but the treatment is
more thorough, and consequently the
yield greater. This same rule as to
cheapness applies to ores that have been
shipped to Swansea for reduction, and
there is this additional fact in con-
neetion with that market, that while
miners complain of not receiving fair
returns from Swansea, experience has
shown them that at Mr.. Selby's works
they are honorably and promptly paid.
SYSTEM OF MAKING RETURNS.
As regards the time consumed in the
treatment of ores, miners will find that
the advantages, on account of the late
improvements, will be largely in favor
of San Francisco, and that returns will
be made with very little delay. The rule
adopted by Mr.. Selby is to buy the ores,
which is conveniently done, owing to the
extent of his connections and agencies
throughout the mining region. The
works are always ready to pay shipping
expenses on ore from anywhere, and
meet freight bills promptly on delivery
the bills Of all kinds following the metal.
WHERE THE ORE COMES FROM.
Although large and increasing
amount of ore is received at the works
from Nevada and Utah, they are by no
means dependent on those States for
their supply which arrives from about
every important lead and silver locality
on the Pacific coast, including the dis
tant mining regions of New Mexico, Ari-
zona, Mexico, and along the Colorado
river, whence they are brought by sea
via the Gulf of California. No crude
bullion nor ores are refused, unless the
latter are of too low grade to admit OF
profitable reduction. In the early his
tory of the enterprise, ores for while
came too fast for the extent of the works;
but with the present enlarged facilities
1t would be difficult to oyertask their
capacity, which can at short notice be
increased so as to meet any demand
likely to be made upon them in the future.
They were originally designed by Mr..
Selby, in joint interest with his New
York partner, p. Naylor (now on his
first visit to California, during busi-
ness association of 20 years., for the
purpose of supplying their shot tower in
this city with lead The idea of manu-
featuring for Eastern markets, or for ex-
portation, had not then been entertained.
For long time the business was not
financial success, and less persistent
man than Mr.. Selby would have aban-
doned the attempt. Costly experiments
were necessary and heavy expenditures
attended the enterprise before returns
began to be realized The result is the
most important lead and silver establish
ment in the Country, employing, di-
rectiy and indirectly, more than thous-
and men in the various callings with
which 1t is associated. II is the friend
oi the workingman, for whom it acts as
a reliable bank of deposit, and whose
Iapor II conyerts into ready cash on de-
mand.
LOCATION n TIN