The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1891-11-21
The Lead Protection Humbug.

E00 A0dO ErOC0CClOu aumOU&.
| The Ceur d'Alene Miner hal
found an instance in British Colum
bia where lead mining does not pay
because the lead is not protected.
This instance it tearfully presents
for democratic consideration bu1
like all of its class it carefully evadet
the statement OF single fact bear
ing on the subject. It merely says
the smelters are there and the ores
are there. The ore is not mined
and smelted because there is no
money in it. There it stops. 1t is
true, we believe, that lead is not
protected in British Columbia. 1t is
protected in Idaho. Here at Ketch-
UNI is the finest smelling plant west
of Denver. It is idle. Our hills are
crammed full of silver-lead ores
known by actual tests to contain so
per cent lead. These mines-the
most numerous and rich found in
any section of our state-are not
worked. Our lead ores can be
smelted at a cost that will not ex-
coed S. ton. Why, then, are our
protected mines, like the unpro-
tected mines of British Columbia,
standing idle? To reasoning man
who desired to give the true reason,
or reasons, for similar phenomena,
similar causes would seem to be
operating in both localities. A man
not a protection bigot or charla-
tan, would reflect before making
assertions so fatty contradicted by
the conditions he was discussing.
But a protectionist doesn't seem to
care how ridiculous he makes him.
self so long as he faithfully serves
his masters-the corporations.
The fact is that lead mining is
not an industry except in localities
where the lead is mined at or very
near navigable waters, and cannot
be made profitable any place else.
This is so partly because lead is so
abundant and SO widely diffused,
and its uses so limited compared to
the ease and quantity in which it
can be produced, that the market
is readily glutted; and partly be-
cause the smelling business is con-
trolled by a tariff-sustained trust
that exacts such onerous rates for
smelling that there is nothing left
for the miner after his ores have
been smelted.
In support of these facts we may
cite in addition to the state of things
existing at Ketchum, that there are
in the neighborhood of Alburquer-
que, New Mexico, vast deposits of
low-grade silver-lead ores, running
from 20 to 80 per cent lead and
from 6 to 20 ounces in silver, which
deposits are not worked, because
there is no money in handling
Them" AT Frazier Mountain, Cal
ifornia, are other immense deposits
of the same quality of ores, some of
extracted and tested by the
writer of this, are 90 per cent lead,
but carry less than s ounces in sill
yer. These mines are idle and of
no value whatever. Between Lam
caster and Los Angeles, and within
three miles of the Southern Pacific |
railroad, is one Of the finest lead
deposits in the world; it is claimed
and protected but not worked.
Three things, then, conspire to make
|ead-mi ming improbable in spite of
protection. These are: excessive
charges for smelling, excessive
freight charges, and an insufficient
market. Regulate these evils; sup
ply market that will take all of the
cad mined secure for the miner
air freight and smelling rates, and
'e will supply the lead and make
money at it, protection or no protec-
ion, and he will do it both here and
n British Columbia. But why are
,ur republican papers forever pratt
ng about lead and lead miners in
IDAHO? There is not lead miner in
he whole state, not one, neither is
here mine in the state that would
Jay to work, under existing con-
litions, fer the lead it carries, not
! single one