New-York tribune., 1891-05-08
MEXICAN ORES.
AMERICAN CAPITAL INVESTED IN SHELTERS
EFFECT OF THE EXCLUSION OF LowGHADE
ORES FROM THE UNITED sTATEs-THE
sMEDrrSG INDUSTRY EsTAB-
IIsuEp IL MEXICO.

,,,ob is anothcr name for the Kansas
CITY Consolidated Smelling and kehhihs
Works. is establishing here complete Hodern
plant for the reduction of ores OF all graoeS'
The works will he in operation during the ap
proacbing summer. and will comprise 1--WE furnaces
with gross capacity of about 250 tons aaN
A tract embracing 400 acres has been purchaseu
on high ground commanding magnificent pros
meet of the valley and city. 1t Is al'nosC al
ideal site for works Of this kind. since IL anhis
Of tho construction of the plant at three elevations
nrovides n deep gorge for the dumping of Stag ana
sunnles facilities for railway communications with
the mining districts, the coast at Tampico, and
the three main border gateways at Laredo. Eagle
Pass and Ell Paso. The excavations arc now
nracticaIlv completed and rs soon as the ground
Is cleared the buildings will be rapidly erected
The furnaces will be placed on the outermost
line at the edge of precipitous bluh. where the
refuse Stag can be readily dumped without expense
Rack of these furnaces there will be large dust
flue for receiving the smoke and conducting II
long distance from the works The sections OF
this fuc will be framed so as TO admit Of being
constantly opened and cleaned in order that the
metallic sediment and other valuable products OF
the smoke may not be wasted. Behind the dust
fue and furnaces the ore-beds will be situated, NJ
a higher elevation, so that deliveries can be con-
veniently made from cars Behind the ore-Deus'
will be the samping-works provided with crush
era and steel rollers. Here too there Is hlgher
elevation so that cars can run from the sampilng
and mixing machinery TO the tops Of the receiving
bins and the contents dumped there. From the
bins another series of will carry the ore TO
the feeding floors of the furnaces. where II Is
mixed with iron and limestone in requisite guam
titles The engine-houses are TO be built on one
--.fAl.- f.rtao fiirent
behind them. As the excavations are planned
there will be frontage Of 220 feet available for
the furnaces. but not more than one-half Of this
space will be required for five smelters. II the
enterprise proves successful the capacity Of the
works can be doubled. Space has been reserved
for about four miles OF railway tracks in con-
nection with the works. The offices Of the CON-
many will be behind the smelters on the crest of
tbc hillside. and houses will he built there for
the superintendent, chemists, engineers and work.
men.
This is one of four smclters brought into opera
ton by recent tariff decisions and legislation In
the United States The investment OF American
capital here cannot be less than S25o,O0o Dy 'he
terms of the concession obtained from the Govern
mcnt, and Judging from the magnitude OF the
building operations think it will largely eNceed
that sum. At Monterey the Nuevo Leon Smeithg'
Refining and Manufacturing Works are already
in oneration having been rapidly constructed since
the exclusion of low-grade ores from the
United States These works are built on o single
level near the railway stations OF the Mexican Ma
tional and Monterey and Gulf Railways. Inc
dustfue is short one and the works are less scen-
tific In construction than those building IN San LUIS
Potosi Six furnaces each Of fifty tons capacity.
arc now reducing ores of all grades. The capital
nd Eno licl
that invested in the works of the Monterey Smet-
ing and Refining Company now approaching compile
ton. in Monterey. Another corporation, the
Great National Smelling Company. has broken
ground In Monterey for the construction of very
large and complete plant. This company repre-
sents a gyndicate of capitalists in New-York and
Pueblo Colorado. These four corporations Will be
actively competing by the close of this year Tor the
business of smelling and reducing Mexican ores OF
all grades. Their concessions will enable them
to open other smelling works in adjacent dlstricts
Mr. Towne. of the Kansas City Consolidated Works,
is anxious TO have it understood that the furnaces
here are built as a straight commercial proposlton
ond will depend upon the ores in the surrounding
territory tributary to them, and that tne
| tariff legislation of the United STATES
has no bearing on their CONSTRUCTION
| ID. c. Brown, OF the same company VINO
| has been largely instrumental in purchasing tne
| tract and has shown great skill and Judgment III
planning the works. remarks In conservative
spirit that while tariff legislation may have
bastened the DEVELOPMENT of the smelling industry
! on Mexican SOIL its ultimate establishments mere
was inevitable
| The Mexican Government is doing everything
its power 70 encourage the smelling of ores In San
Iuis Potosi and Monterey. The concessions oD-
| tained by these four companies are most liberal
| All the machinery, rolling stock and building ma
| terias which are required for the WORKS are al-
| mitted without payment of duty. Inc puliuluss'
the lands and the products are exempted lroni oaA-
alton. The Government has granted every prlFl-
ere which has been solicited and has displayed un
wonted interest in the establishment OF the new
industry. The smelling companies have the advan-
tage of official protection and suppoLO ana also oi
| cheap labor in mechanical processes WorNnieh
employed in excavating the levels OF tne "orh'
| here are paid about thrty-tive cents uaS. 'ni'
is fair attestation Of the reduced scale Oh wages
which will be in force in these smelters when
working operations are begun Not oniV 10 'lie i"hu
cheap here. but it contains all the stone required
| for building the works and for surrounding them
with walls mile in length. Coke Will nave 10 oe
brought from the United States for firing the fur-
naces. but there will be duty imposed on H.
Exnensiye fuel will be the only serious dlsadvah-
taCe under which smelters in Mexico Will LABOR
provided they can have an adequate market Ior
their lead in England. In order to illustrate the
effects of this establishment of the smelling IN
dustry here may quote the statistics OF the ex,
ports Of the State of San Luis Potosi to the United
States during 1890. shown by the books OF
the efficient and popular consular agent L. T.
| Turnbull: u.
EXPORTS TO THE UNITED STATES.
| .c = ............. S91G,5l3 75
| cTS n
|
| an
| q a
| SundfeS -'''''''-''
Total 1890. ''o io
| Silver ore is shown TO be the chief export OF