The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-08-11
THE TEMEsCAL TIN MINES.

The New York Tribune is Republican
paper of stiff protection views, and it has
taken pains through its San Diego, Cal,
correspondent to ascertain the truth con-
corning the Temescal tin mines. This cor
respondent has visited the mines, which
lie about ninety miles in a northerly direc-
ton from San Diego, and cover $4,000
acres of land. The owners are English
men, who began to develop the mines in
December, 1890. The Tribune correspond
ent says that good deal of fiction and ex-
aggeration has been printed concerning
these mines by the local papers, which
they have imposed upon the Eastern press
copying them. The management of the
mine deny that they shave shipped $4,000
pounds of pig tin at Is cents pound to
the tin plate company in st. Louis; that
they have orders to the amount OF 100000
in advance of their output; that their
works have at any time been closed down;
that they are employing $50 men; that
they have promised within any definite
period of time to produce any stated
amount of the metal; and that they have
arranged to send each member of congress
little tin pig"
The Tribune correspondent states the
present mining situation as follows:
Tn TO the present time the active operations of
the mines have been confined strictly TO expert
mental tests A mill of moderate size, with the
requisite machinery, has been built. Besides
this, a smeter has been erected, and has been
subjected to more or less change to accommo-
date the mode of reduction, which Is entirely
different from that employed in Wales. To pro-
mote and perfect tho means OF production has
oecunied the whole attention OF the company,
which has made no effort as yet to court the
market or solicit others. The result of the oper-
ations however, has been an incidental output
OF fine quality OF pig tin, which our eyes have
seen, and which has been caught up by an eager
trade as fast as produced. One lot OF S,l93
Mounds. and another of $50 pounds, have
been shipped in small orders TO different tin
factories The manufacturers OF tin goods in st.
Louis, Chicago, Cleveland and Philadelphia
have taken small invoices for the purpose of
trying American tin. In San Francisco the
metal has been found equal to any obtained
from foreign mines.
The cost of the Temescal plant thus far
amounts to SS00,O00 exclusive of the original
purchase About 100 carpenters and other
mechanics were employed in the erection of the
buildings and furnaces, and when these had
finished their Work ana lett the place the repOrs
went out that the mines had closed down. The
actual number of men employed is about sixty,
which is as large a number as the machinery
established and the shafts opened can proftabiy
work. These men are worked by shifts, day and
night
The ore is of remarkable purity, in some cases
reaching 50 per cent 1t is found in quartz
matrix. and in some specimens the native metal
is apparently pure and evident to the eve as in
many specimens of gold Quartz Investigation
thus far proves the quantity of rich ore TO be
inexnaustibs.
The management mean business, but In the
conservative, solid. iudicious. English way
They have just left this port, having paid duty
of $3.50 on new machinery received from
England. They refuse to boast or to indulge in
glowing predictions, but the facts speak for
themselves
The Temescal mines and the reduction works
which will grow apsce with their development
give lair promise of an ability 10 produce tin
enough to supply thu American continent