, 1885-10-03
SmeIter and Refinery.

issue OF the 26th, presents many val
liable suggestions that concern SDo-
kane Falls. OF course, men who
have devoted their lives to other
pursuits know but little Of mining
terms, having had no occasion to
learn them.
Reduction works are those used
simply to reduce the ores, as they are
taken from the lodges, to bullion,
which is the bars OF metal made by
smelling but are not refined. In
other words, bullion, or base bullion,
is generally composed of two or
more metals. The mines in Stevens
county will In many cases produce
gold, silver, lead and copper, and, In
almost all cases, the three former
and In some cases other less valuable
metals. To reduce ores to bullion on
the ground is the first economical
step in reducing the) expense of
transportation, and is most proper
where all the fluxes and fuel can be
obtained with facility and economy.
Refining works take this bullion
and separate each bullion to itself,
making bare or refined bars; the
bars Of precious metals being ready
for the assayer and cOiner and the
baser metals for the artisan and man
ufacturer. The Stevens county peo-
pie are on the right track and we
should encourage and assist them In
their efforts to establish reduction
works on the ground, II they have
the power and other requisites on
hand. They should weigh carefully
whether 1t would cost more to trans
port their ore from, or their material
to the mines. II they find in favor
Of the latter, that It is the cheapest,
then 1t is the proper thing for them
to go ahead. II they do not, then
Spokane Falls is the most eligible
Bile point, for both reduction and re-
flnlng works, and they should COM
bine with Spokane Falls. With un-
equalled water power and situated
on a great national highway, we can
draw the material needed from any
other state or territory. Should they
establish their reduction works, Spo-
kane Falls wants a combination re-
duction and refining works anyhow.
One smelter in Stevens county can
not meet the future demand for re-
duclng all the ores Of the great and
varied metalllne region OF which we
are the center.
Such works once established here,
1t would require only the shadow Of
an effort to get United States assay
and sub-treasurer's office, where the
precious metals would be purchased
and the money directly distributed
among us. In that event the course
of thousands Of precious streams
would be turned into Spokane Falls,
and, possibly, at no remote day,
mint would be established here. If
the results follow that are so loudly
proclaimed by our metal-rlbbed hills,
It will be. The immense country Of
the Coeur d'Alenes, with its slum-
bering millions, is daily expanding
and reaching out north and south.
1t is now principally tributary to
Helena, Butte City and'other points
east, but can be turned to this place.
Soon the dividing line between the
COeur dAlene and the Clearwater
and its tributaries south, and the
Stevens county belt north, will be OBJ
liberated and 1t will be one grand
mining country, unequaled in ex-
tent, variety and mineral wealth.
This can mostly be brought to our
doors by the divergence from this
point of railroads, south to Lewiston,
and north to Little Dalles, virtually
spikiug the Oregon Short Line to
the Canadian Pacific, the central
spike being driven here on the N. P.
R. r. Capitalists will do this II we
"make" virtue Of our other necessi-
ties.
These reflections may be smiled at
as wild fancy, tut energy, with a
fixed purpose and unity Of action,
will bring in all to pass In the near
future. What we advance now In
the furtherance of these reduction
and refining enterprises is only
temporary loan and will pour back
with royal interest.
BASE METAL.