Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1882-08-11
THE DENVER EXPOSITION.
The Opening Of the National Mining
Experimentation OF the Enter.
prise The buildings. etc,

Denver, Colorado, on Tuesday, at IL O'Clock.
Nearly every Western State was represented.
The military from Lcadvilc and other towns
in the State participated in the exercises.
The city is crowded with strangers. Hon.
VIM. ID. Kelley of Pennsylvania made the
opening address,
The following is Il brief history Of the en-
terprise; Two years ago severa Denver
gentlemen among whom were II. a. W.
Tabor, W. A. II. Lovclaud, II. d. Perky,
ii. 5. Weeks, Herman Silver and s. r.
Armstrong, originated the idea of National
Mining and Industrial Exposition, for the
purpose particularly of placing before the
public the leading products and the capabili-
tiles Of the Western States. 1t was intended
20 secure an appropriation from Congress,
erect permanent building, to be used in
the interim between the annual exhibitions
as museum, aud to open the exposition in
the Summer of 1881. This plan fell through
| for lack Of announcement, but the project
was revived last December. The idea of
selling stock by public subscription was
| abandoned. Ten gentlemen including the
| originators, took equal shares and subscribed
$780, Forty acres Of land were pur-
chased for $685. 600 bonds were issued and
placed at par up to the limit Of 100000
On the I'd of May the cornerstone of the
Exposition Guiding was laid; and and it has
been completed at u cost OF Sl35, 900.
The form of the building is tina, of across,
800 feet from north 10 south, and 3l6 from
east to west The material is brick, the in
side lined with pine, and the lofty roof
braccd with iron rods. There is rotunda
at the centre and towers at the angles. Gal
leres twenty-nne feet wide run around the
interior There are also boiler houses and
an annex building for the heavier ma
chintry.
Two objects of this exposition are shown
first, TO place before the public the extent
and rich returns of the mining business in
these Western States; and, second, to in
dictate undeveoped fields where capital may
safely and proftably be employed. The frs,
aim is important, for many of the richest
mines in this Western country are uoknown
at the East, while the mines most notorious
: on Eastern stock boards often play all in
significant part here in actual mining bust
! ness. Further, the opportunities suggested
2 by this exposition for the development OF
: mineral wealth through the employment Of
ital are by no means alone in gold and
silver mining, which have ovcrshadowed iu-
dustries no less useful. Here are to be seen
c specimens from the vast unworked coal and
e iron beds of Colorado, with examples Of her
. ltiu WHICH llc Unwilling SulclltIs, dUO VI lltl
, unused marbles. Here also are splendid ex-
f amples IRON the extensive but neglected
r bismuth and sulphur deposits in Utah, with
5 specimens of her mineral wax and slabs Of
e her fine marbles side by side with blocks of
l. soda from the beds of Wyoming, and rich
&c copper ores from yet undeveloped mines in
II New Mexico and Arizonia. Together with
II these yet untrodden fields in mining, the ex-
It position points out opportunities for new
,Ca. duet
RS ventors the need Of new and improved ma
N chincry. Last year 206, 40, 900 pounds of
n manufactured iron goods were imported into
this State, where it is estimated that enough
is iron ore lies neglected. to supply the
I'd world. OF lead pipe 1900 pounds were
N brought in although this State produces
It more lead than any other in the country.
s. Over four and onc-half million pounds of
IN cement were imported with abundance OF
limestone and granite in the State; more
than ten and one-half million pounds Of
salt, with the great salt springs in South
he Park only hundred miles from this city
o, two and one-half million pounds of boots
IN and shoes, and over a million pounds OF
Of leather while the State exported in hides
as and pelts 2,5Gs. 900 pounds, with plenty OF
is tan bark ready at hand. Tallow and soft
be timber, too, the State exports, to bring in
d. candles and wooden ware These are some
r. exposition, asking for manufactures. fol
of blast furnaces, for iron and steel works, Al
m her iron mines and for labor and capital L
he develop her coal and marble while hel
sister States in the West tell like story.
We Second in Importance to the mineral displa,
ug at this exposition is the exhibit of mining
Us machinery, and here is indicated anot he
ST. want. Inventors are called upon for
a process which shall make the mining OF low
he grade ores profitable. Before present smelt
he ing processes were introduced less than fort,
or per cent of the assay value of ores was saved
ay but even now there are millions OF tons o
u.s. low-grade ores awaiting II new process o
is treatment that shall be- economical enough t
be make their working profitable, and the smelt
an ing process that Will extract ninety per cen
s." of their assay value will cffec, revolution il
PES mining. There is demand here, create
to than is realized, for new methods of ie
by ducng, smelling and amalgamating ores
cir and improved machinery for excayating
be. drilling pumping lighting and ventilatn
of drifts amt wines. Third in importance
IT'S the agricultural display, which shows tina
rec the old theory of an American desert beyon
ain the one huDdredth meridiaa has become
be myth; that cereals can be raised in tn
I is valleys Of Colorado and New Mexico tina
in even the higher plains of Colorado and Wes
ire, ern Kansas have been in part conquere
ird through irrigation, and at the worst, are tn
in feeding places OF tens OF thousands of ia
ure sheep and cattle and that the splendid fri
ing orchards and rich farms in the lower valley
the of New Mexico yield an abundant return
the the husbandman, while the shepherd caiu
as his reward on the upper plains. The Stat
and county exhibits OF minerals are shown
GU. brightly painted pagodas and pavilions, or o
the shelving tables. The large blocks are q
us- ranged on the floor around the spat
h /" accorded, while the most valuable specimen
alls are displayed on shelves under glass, pr
> ! tected by Yale locks. In the centre, III
son der the rotunda, is a rockery and fountain
ere Before this, on the east, is a huge block rel
cen resenting the mass OF silver at 800 fiji
was yielded by the Ontario mine of the Units
n district, summit County, Utah, from 49,
hen to June 80. 1882. The value of this vie
and has been Sl1 ,0l2, 996.13, and the output U
and to 1878 was only $500, 900, so that nearly Il
ON and quarter millions have been produced
avs the last three and a half years, Specimen
attic of the ore, zinc blende, gray, copper al
rcd silver copper glance are also shown,
sing which 49, 800 tons have been extracted wi
the an average assay value of Sl46.Sl. On Il
her west side Of the fountain is IN obelsk larg
no than the Australian obelisk at the Centenuia
de- which represents in its dimensions the outp
had OF Gilpin county, Col. in gold and silver
ON an average yield OF S325 annually for eve
man, woman and child in the county. A
side other obelisk is in size equal 10 the ma
Ives of Lake county's silver output, viii,
ont | 10 yuluaI of am O00 OOO