Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1890-03-28
IRON ORES.


much as her iron resources? If she
had no manufactures of steel rails and
railroad necessities, would her wealth
have been as great? This has never
been questioned. 1t has always been
acknowledged that the metallic veins
in her mountains were responsible for
her wealth more than her coal
The State of Washington, with an
area one-third larger than Pennsyl-
vania, has the same natural advantages
of which 1 have spoken, excepting
iron. Now let us turn to that. 1t is
well known that the iron deposits in
Washington ere very large. and the
character of the ore compares favora-
bly, with the best steel ores in the
world, but the mines are undeveloped
We lack manufacturing machinery.
Give us the means to convert our raw
material into a commercial product,
and in ten years the State of Wash
ington should be able to drive out of
the Western market the entire iron
products of Pennsylvania. We claim
every State west Of the Tooth degree
Of longitude as tributary to our soil
We even take exception to the claim
that England holds a mortgage on the
iron trade of the Asiatic countries and
for many years will supply Japan and
China with rails. Washington will
throw down the gauntlet and battle
for American supremacy. ii we had
to rely upon Pennsylvania, We never
could get our iron products into the
Asiatic countries. 1t is almost i'm.
possible to send rails from the East
into China as against England, for the
reason that rails are selling to-day in
London for $35 ton. Freight added
to Hong Kong by water would bring
it to $42 ton. 1t is not possible for
Pennsylvania to lay rails down into
China under $47.5O In Washington
we can make steel blooms four dollars
a ton cheaper than the lowest cost in
Pennsylvania, and will be able to
make steel rails for less than $26 a
ton. We can sell these rails in China,
Siberia, and Japan, with profit, at
$35 ton. Then we will sell our
smaller iron products all over the Pa
cific Coast, South America, and the
Asiatic countries, if the proposed re-
vision OF the tariff goes into effect
The iron ores of the State of Washing
ton have the advantage of being near
the finest charcoal timber in the
world. Besides, we have magnificent
coking coal. Now l will speak of a
resource that few States are blessed
with, and one that will give Washing
ton Il worldwide reputation.
| PRECIOUS METALS.
The present prosperity of Colorado
and Montana has been largely as
sisted through their possessions OF
rich deposits of gold and silver. 1t is
seldom that any country grows alb
solutely on its resources of the pre-
cious metals: a fitting illustration OF
this is the State of Nevada. But in
the two States mentioned there is no
doubt that the wealth hidden in the
rocky recesses Of the mountains, and
finally brought into commercial chan
nels, has materially assisted their pro-
gress. Pennsylvania has no precious
metals, so here again we have an adj
vantage over her, as we do in timber
and landed area, for the entire north
eastern portion of the State of Wash.
ington is covered with mountains
practically ribbed with gold and silver.
1t is only during the last three years
that the minerals of Washington were
recognized, from the fact that the
prospectors of the United States, who
are the pioneers of a country's mineral
wealth, had their attention turned to
the better developed fields of. Colorado
and Montana, and they looked upon
Washington as an agricultural coun-
try. But after having explored the
mountainous regions to the east few
found themselves in the Cascade
Range. The result shas shown that
not only has the State lead and cop
per, but is very prolific in the more
precious metals. In fact, in the last
few years SO many discoveries have
been made that the mining element
claim that in five years the State of
Washington will sway the sceptre as
our greatest producer of precious
metals. Altogether there have been
about 5000 locations made in our
State, and the mountains are not vet
half explored. Where the veins have
been opened they have shown re-
markable richness, but lack of rail-
road facilities in this direction has
kept them from utilizing their discov-
cries. 1t is only necessary to say that
we have an abundance OF low-grade
ores running $40 to the ton. This
class of ore in Montana or Colorado is
considered a bonanza. But our min
eral section being almost destitute of
railroad communication, the actual
transportation charges on ore to the
nearest smelling works, at Helena,
Montana, being about $50 ton, as a
consequence we are shipping no ore as
compared to our possibilities. Ii a
smelter were built at Spokane Falls, a
large profit could be made by such an
institution, and the entire section OF
the country would be benefited by this
home market. There is possibly no
portion OF the West SO well adapted
for smelling centre as the vicinity oI
Spokane. Here seven lines of rail
road centre, and they will bring ore:
to this locality just as soon as a home
market is prepared. Tributary tf