Arizona weekly citizen., 1883-09-01
THE ASSAYERS.
Business on the IncreaSe-A Healthy
 Future.
ihe Different As,ayers Interviewed and Their EepOFts--A Smelter and Re
 ductinn Works Would Pay


 ] Tucson, and learn just how business stood with them, the reasons for dull ness. fl any, and the prospects for the future. So, armed with Faber and note book. the Journey was commenced.
 E. L. Wetmore was the first man found. As the reporter entered Wet more's assay office, on Ott street, the noise ot the pestie and mortar was heard in the land, and small boy was busy turning at a crank that failed to produce any music, unless it was the music of the spheres as it ground up the ore into pulp.
 How is business? inquired the report CT Of NIT. Wetmore.
 We are busy, replied that gentleman. I have two-stamp mill running here, don't you see? he said, with a merry twinkle in his eye. I am running one stamp and that paisano IS managing the other.
 They were both hard at work, crush ing some fine looking gray rock that was streaked with black carbonates.
 We are making a milling test of some very nice ore, that will go from $500 10 l SS30 per ton, said Mir. Wetmore, handing the reporter a chunk. Business Is stead fly on the increase for the increase for the better My country orders are in- crsasing all the time. I am getting sam- pies from Casa Grande, Crittenden, Fort Thomas, and all around. ] Would a smelter pay here?
 Most assuredly it would, and pay big; there Is no question about it. And it would not necessarily need so much cap ital to commence on; they could begin ] 0n a small scale.
 Arthur K. Brewer was next inter- ] viewed at his office on Congress street He was very busy as the reporter walked in, and could not find time to leave his work 8 few minutes to talk.
 Iu answer to the inquiry as to the present state of business, he replied: ! How can business be good with assayers when It is so very dull with all other branches of business? He could not say how the prospects are, for he could not see that Tar ahead. Do you think a smelter would pay here2
 ! or course. would say so whether thought it or not. would like to see anything that would help the town.
 After watching for few minutes the exceedingly busy men who oddly com plaiued of dull times, tue reporter passed out.
 The next assayer visited was W T. RickarI, on Jackson street.
 After the usual commonplaces the re- porter inquired how business is as com pared with last summer, and whether 1t l was picking up.
 Two hundred per cent worse, and get ting no better.
 What seems to be the matter?
 Well. Americans don't work as the | English companies do. Here they get a | prospect and take out some ore, and | then sell the mine or shut down. There Is too much speculation, and too many good mines have been ruined that may eventually be reopened and made to pay. The English have a more thorough way. They develop a mine for all It is worth. Here We try to mine without capital, which is an lmpossibility.
 Do you thlnk a smelter would pay here?
 It would if it were in the hands of practical smelters. A great seal of cap ital is needed not only to erect the smelter, but to have ready money to buy ore. It would not pay the first twelve months. Considerable money would have to be sunk in it. I have no faith in the present schemes, because no prac- ucal men have hold Of them.
 What are the prospects for the mining interests?
 Poor: I want to sell out my business here.
 The reporter noticed, however, during 1 all -bls discoura 1ug talk, that the as saver was busy filling out assaying cer- tiicates, and had some assistants who were not idle.
 ". NJ Jacobs on Main street was next sought.
 How is busine-s now compared to last summer? he replied; why as candle light k to electric light.
 H hat is the cause?
 Oh, 1t is always dull this time of the year. Ton don't catch any prospectors roIng out in the hills this hot weather, and not a soul of a capitalist will come into the Territory as long as oli Sol sticks his nose above par. Ain't that enough to make it dull? I should think ( it was. How is the prospect for this fall? Go q. always good and ever t. be good. Why, these hills are full of ore, and good ore at that. Would a smelter pay here?
 We'll, I should smile, he replied as be craped a fresh match for his pipe Why, here is Davis mine ont here m he Quiiotoa that would keep a good ! ized smelter at work itself Why, bless .ou. have two or three little claims r myself that uld make q smelter hump - tself to keep even. What do you think 4 that2 he sad, as be threw down a 'aper on the table that showed thirty me assays averaging S250. Tint is line I have just bonded. And there i, re hundreds of others owned here p imilarly situated. The company would ? eed plenty of capital to buy ore after :. ]. citing their plant, for while one kind n [ ore would not smelt fl alone 1t would T hen mixed with another kind. h H. Barnhart, of C. k. Wores' assay P Iice, was next found. He reported tI Isiness for the last three weeks to far 1 II yceed any propOrtionste length of time fl the past summer. Mir. Wores has the | h, .oneer smelter of the town. little .eyican adobe, good for one and half ms Of carbonates per day. <,
 
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