San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1886-11-13
Those Smelling Works.


The San Antonio smelling works have
not given up the ghost, as many OF our
people seem to imagine. They are bound
to get here on time II our people stand
by their subscriptions. The delay 10
owing to no particular cause, but to a
combination Of several causes. Principal
of these has been the delay in securing
written contract with the railway lines
for the transportation OF ores. This
delay arises almost wholly from the I'M
expected sickness Of the manager Of the
smelling works and the serious Illness
of the great Missouri-Pacifc railway
manager, Fl. NJ. Hoxie. A verbal agree
ment was made between the railway
companies interested and the smelling
works, rs to the rate per ton at which
ores would be carried from the mines to
this city. Upon the basis Of this agree
ment the company's agents came here,
looked over our facilities and made their
proposition. This proposition our peo-
pie accepted and are waiting the coming
Of the company to commence operations.
The smelling company very naturally
objected to commencing work involving
Of not less than 100000 until their con
tracts with the railway companies were
signed and delivered. The very serious
illness Of Mr. HOxis and the sickness as
well OF the manager Of the smelling
works have delayed the contamination
of the agreement verbal, previously
made by the parties at interest
in this matter. SO soon, however,
ka NJ = in
Is sufficiently recovered to enable him to
give personal attention to this matter 1t
will be promptly disposed OF.
In the meantime all signs indicate an
intention on the part Of the Smelling
company to put In their works here, and
thus give San Antonio one of the most
important industries of the state. At
Ell Paso, Laredo and Eagle Pass sam
ping works are either already built or
10 progress, and these ssmpling works
are themselves q guarantee of the cree
ton OF smelling works In some central
locality, accessible to rail, where the re-
duction OF ores can be economically car
ried on. The immense amount OF low
grade ores in Mexico has rendered the
erection OF smelling works at some
point much nearer than Kansas City q
necessity, and the choice has fallen up
on San Antonio. The Importance Of
these low grade ores In fiuxing more
valuable ores 10 so great that the COM
pany could afford to handle and smelt
them at cost, receiving their profits
from the richer ores, and this was the
original intention OF the company as
frat organized. Under this plan Of
operations they would nave handled no
low grade ores beyond what was neces-
sary TO flux the high grade ores. Find
ing, however, SO vast a volume Of low
grade ores that could be probably
smelted at some convenient railroad
center not TOO remote from the ore-beds,
n location was prospected for and San
Antonio selected. The sampliDg works
at Laredo, Eagle Pass and FL PasO
will afford a basis for rating duties on
the ores and also for settling with the
shippers of ores whose car lots the
smelling works may desire TO hold until
they can be more profitable mixed for
smelling. From these sampling works
the ores will come to this city for con-
version into lead and silver, instead OF
being fr, lighted to Kansas City. The
saving in hauls will be for the Eel Paso
product not less than 900 miles, and for
the Laredo and Eagle Pass output
mense saving in transportation that has
decided the location Of there works in
our midst. With their establishment
will come new impetus to all our indus
tries; q new spirit will enter into our
merchants new life and a more vigor-
Gus one permeate all our trade. Sail an
tonic has rested on her oars and waited
for the goods the gods supply about as
long as is profitable. The growth Of
industries are mutual. Each new plant
Is but the stepping stone to some other
and the multiplication goes on with in
creasing rapidity, once the industrial
ball Is fairly set in motion. Following
these smelling works, will come meat
refrigerator, cotton compress, and cot
ton and wooden mills. paper and shoe
manufactures and all the fine OF creative
Industries, for which the raw material
and the market is at our own doors.