Pioche daily record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1872-1876, 1873-11-20
Proposed Memorial to Congress.
To the Honorable Senate and House O

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Proposed Memorial to Congress.
Totbe Honorable Senate and House of
representatives.
Gentlemen, it is assumed that the pro-
dnction of the precious metals from our
own soil is one of the essential industries
Of the country, and one which should be
encouraged and aided by the Govern
nent, The production of silver and gold
in largely increasing quantities would be
II vast service in aiding to bring the bal
ance of trade with foreign countries in
our favor.
That immense quantities of silver and
cold are to be found in paying proper
tions in our western mountains, il fact
we'll known to all who are familiar with
the mining regions between the east
slope of the Rocky mountains and the
pacific coast. The Pacific railway has
OWEN a great impetus to the discovery of
mines and to the speculations incident to
70 discoveries, but not to so great an ex-
tsrt TO production. Mines are discov-
cred. and wild speculations based on
them: but they are not worked. In q
Thousand mining districts hardy men are
annually proving the existence of ores of
great value or rather which would have
Great value and be made useful in the
channels of commerce, if means were at
hand to reduce the ore. and to separate
the precious from the base metals. Hun
dreds of millions OF bullion might be ad-
ded to the annual product of our coun-
try if mills for the reduction OF ore in
new mining districts were in successful
operation. near by, or within easy ac-
cess
1t is respectfully suggested to your
honorable body, that great Government
which feels the urgent need of a greater
supply Of the precious metals for curren-
cy, and as a commodity to export should
not rely on the slender means of a few
pioneer milsrs Of ore to develop, by fee
bic experiments and with inadeq uate
means, the immense mining interests
that lie locked up in the ores Of many of
the richest mineral districts of America.
The great needs of the mining regions,
the new districts especially, are mills for
the reduction of the ore and for obtaining
the greatest possible proportion of the
precious metals out of them. 1t is a We II
known fact that some of the richest ores
are refractory-that is to say, it is diff
cult to separate the silver and gold from
the baser metals.
The ores of each new mining district,
and often Of contiguous mines in the
same district, are different from each
other in ever varying chemical combina.
tons; and to learn the most economical
mode Of thoroughly eliminating the pre-
cious metals, requires patient, careful
and costly experiments. Private for
tunes are sunk in isolated efforts, in a
thousand different mining districts, to
build smelling and reducing works.
These experiments, all tending to even
tual success, stop short OF it for the want
Of capital. of unity of action, and of full
knowledge Of the means in successful
use in other parts of the world. The
pioneer who sinks his own and his
friends fortunes in unsuccessful mills,
occasionally sees a successor profting by
his failure, and reaping the fruits of his
sacrifices. Oftener, however, the first
failures discourage further experiments,
and postpone indefinitely the develop
ment OF rich mining districts. There is
a vast field here for wise assistance by
the General Government, iu the develop
ment of this mining wealth, and we
would respectfully call your attention to
the following suggestions:
lst The establishment aud endowment
Of Mining Bureau, not only to collect
every kind Of information of n pr tctical
or scientic character, pertaining to the
mining and reduction of the precious
metals; but also, in addition, with the
best experience of the mining regions at
its service, to establish and maintain ex-
perimental mills at the most promising
new centers of ore production.
I'd. The establishment of Government
schools of Mining in connection with the
Mining Bureau. -
These schools should be located at
points central to the greatest mining in
terests, and where students would neces.
sarlly become familiar with, and workers
IN the various departments of mining.
For the precious metals the schools
should be located at such points as Salt
Lake City, Denver, Virginia City, etc.,
and should embrace the smelling and re-
ducing mills, and all the practical opera
tons necessary to success in reducing the
ores peculiar to each region. In these
schools the most successful practical
ore millers, and the most skillful
chemists, could be brought together,
and each successful or unsuccess.
iul experiment be made step towards
success. Such a department, under the
general direction of an able and industri.
ons head, supplied with means to work
with, would be likely to develop with Ger.
ainty and rapidity the best means OF
making the ores of each region profitable
The advantages OF having youths prac.
ucally educated to undertake specialties
IN manufacturing arts, has been toe
iully proved in Europe, within the pas,
twenty years, to admit of doubt. It il
only by training in the mill itself that
one can learn to be skillful miller o!
gram or of ore; and schools for the ad
Vancement of our mining skill must b.
at or near the mines and mills, to devel
op most efficiently the practical results
sought.
The efficiency and utility Of the Mill
tary school at West Point, and our Ma
val schools designed to educate few OK
perts In the arts of war, for the occa
Aonal, and fortunately rare require
Ments OF war, ought hardly to be consid
ered more appropriate kind OF educa
uon to be under Government patronage
than one which, like the schools sug
Bested, will be OF immediate and contin
ual usefulness to the nation in every de
partment Of the arts OF peace; ant
where, as in the case of the Pacific rail
way. and Territorial mines, neithe
state nor municipal aid can be invoked
and individual means are insufficient :,
compass the desired result. IL it not
reasonable hope that our great Govern
ment will appreciate the necessity of de
seloping, by some such means as W
nave suggested, the wealth that lie
locked in her mineral mountains, wait
ing for knowledge and skill to make
into money!