Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1884-01-20
ORE REDUCTION.
A Comparison of Eureka Rates
with the Rates Elsewhere.

The following communication from
''Tomaso" will be read with interest:
MINERAL HILL, Jan. 10, 1884.
Ed. SENTINEL: Several TENS which re-
Gently appeared in the SENTINEL to the
effect that an effort would be made to
lease or erect q furnace exclusively for
custom ores in Eureka has caused consid-
cradle discussion among mine owners in
this vicinity. Some persons take, perhaps,
an ultra view of the situation, and une-
quivocslly assert that the present lack OF
energy displayed in opening mines ia due
entirely to the illiberal policy pursued by
the managers of the Eureka furnaces in
the matter Of purchasing custom ores.
They also claim, and apparently with good
reasons, that unless better inducements
can be held out to miners prospecting will
entirely cease. As good an illustration Of
the general feeling as we can give came
from an honest miner, working on the
Hill, and as he voices the sentiment Of
nearly every mine owner in this section OF
the country, we.reproduce what he says,
for the benefit of mine owners in general.
A MINERS VIEWS.
We found the knight of the drill busily
engaged in sorting ore, of which he had
perhaps five tons already sacked for ship
ment. To our interrogatory as to what
point he would send his ore he replied,
Ito Salt Lake."
Reporter-Why do you ship to Salt
Lake? Would it not pay better to send
your ore to Eureka?
Miner-No; not by any means. In the
first place they pay us but 81 per cent of
the assay value of our silver ores, in other
words, we get but SGT for 500 rock, and
that is equivalent to making q gift of $33
for every ton of 500 ore shipped to them.
In Salt Lake we receive 81 .06 per ounce
for our silver and $40 an ounce for our
gold. This, you will perceive, is an i'm
mense difference in our favor.
Reporter-How much are the freights to
Salt Lake. and how do they compare with
those to Eureka?
Miner-We get our ore to Utah for SIG
a ton, right from the dump, including the
regular rates Of Sill so per ton on the Gen.
trail Pacific. To Eureka it costs us about
81 90. 1t therefore costs So so more to
Salt Lake than to Eureka; but the fur
naces in Utah deal with US i'll such q
liberal manner that we can stand all extra
freight charges, and yet do far better than
we can in Eureka.
Reporter-Do you receive anything for
your lead
Miner-In Eureka we do not. In Utah
we receive from $40 to S45 a ton. Thus,
il we ship ore carrying say rs per cent
lead, we will receive about Sill additional
on every ton of ore, which goes q long way
toward paying the total freight rates.
Reporter-That is quite al item. What
would be the difference in say $50 rock be-
tween Eureka and Salt Lake?
Miner-The difference is very great.
For example, we send $50 rock to the
sampling mill in Salt Lake City. 1t is
sampled and asssyed, for which we are
charged 81 so per ton. The ore is then
sold TO the highest bidder, and as there are
a good many purchasers, competition is
brisk, and our ore is sold for about SAG q
ton. Deduct SIT so for freight, sampling
and assaying. and we have left us $28 so
net profit over and above all expenses.
Send the same quality of ore to Eureka;
one-third is deducted on the start, which
dwindles our $50 rock to $40; $12 for
working leaves US S28; for freight, deduct
81 so, which reduces our pile to $40 so;
~shrinkage will beat us out of say another
So, and il we get S18 or $40 for $50 rock
we are doing well. The difference in favor
of Utah, after standing high freights and
all other iEcidentals, brings us out at least
500 ahead on every carload OF $50 ore
shipped. II We ship our rock direct to any
one furnace In Salt Lake City they charge
US So for working, and give us ST. O6 per
ounce for all our silver, $40 an ounce for
all our gold, and about 2 cents q pound
for all the lead our ore contains. We can
make more out OF our ore by shipping that
way, but to avoid any trouble in disposing
OF it, it is usual to ship to the sampling
mills.
Reporter-But cannot they give better
terms in Eureka?
Miner-You know about how furnaces
and mills always do whenever they can
combine to cinch the miners. In Eureka,
as in Leadville. they have it all their own
way. They will buy our ore if they can
get it at their own prices; if not, they
don't want it. Twenty-dollar ore pays q
large profit In Colorado and Utah, and
should pay as well in Nevada, if the fur
mace companies would adopt the policy of
live and let live. II they do not, pros
pecting will entirely cease. Where there
should be perhaps 1000 miners and pros
pectors, each contributing his ore to the
furnaces in Eureka, we find perhaps but
200, and those but barely making a living.
No, sir; that sort Of business will never
do, and unless there are enough energetic
citizens left in Eureka to lease or erect
furnaces for custom ores, depend upon it,
miners will quit sending their ore there,
and the tow will suffer in consequence.
Reporter-But have they o made q
move in that direction?
Miner-I believe there has been some
thing said about it, and it is to be hoped
the move will not be allowed to die
in the contemplation. There Is also q
furnace being erected in Palisade, which
may benefit the miners IL they will pur-
chase ore at something near the Salt Lake
prices. 1t is also said that the E. Il P.
r. R. will make special rates to Utah, and
unless the furnaces in this county will
come down to living rates all ore that will
bear the cost Of transportation will shortly
find its way to Utah.
The reporter here thanked the miner
for the information impaired, and as he
wendell his way to interview "Uncle Bob"
could not refrain from the conclusion that
the miner was right in his views and
thoroughly we'll informed upon the sub.
ject Of which he spoke. ToMAso.
uylsYo a.mz---.zt =. - 49, -. 5000