New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-07-17
THE TEMESCAL TIN MINES.
A ArroNAL STORY OF THEIR FAILURE DA''
pRovEp-A DISCHARGED ENGINEERS TALK
Gossip.

A SINS ,TroNAI STORY OF THEIR F"iLo NE D'
pRovEp-A DISCHARGED ESGINEERs TAhh
AND EMPLOYEES GOSSIP.
s.r rr.rc,sco Jnlv 1s (SpeciaD.-An attempted SEN
satIon was sprung this morning Dy i"e .t :,
In n tvopage article devoted to exposure Vi $50
legged failure OF the Temescal tin mine al San JAM.
San Bernardlno County which was sold mst year ~
% rnn,,sh srnd,cato for 81 100000. This article Is
founded on the assertions OF a discharged eheioo'
named James j. Quick and the gossip OF e'hpo'e'
Quick declares his signature that .hoio 20 10
enough ore in sight to run the Mill ior 'hiiS u"'
that In all the shafts except one inc ore ha' P'
OUT Thel follow figures showing that IL costs 'o''
to produce the tin than 1t sells ior' ana ola' ,"1
s1,perntendcnt Colonel Harris. practical Corhi9h
miner "a on his way to London to explain the gloomy
tuation to the stockholders. Pictures are given ana
descriptions are printed Of the costly buildings erec'
by Colonel Robinson, who was the Original n''"aso',
as well as cuts Of what called his engineering
plumbers.
Tho whole article is written up and displayed as
convincing argument against the Mckinney DILL DO
cause specimens of this tin were sent to many pupno
man and the mine was used as an ILLUSTRATION ny
RepublIcan orators and editors OF the dement's oi
McKinley's measure In stimulating mahuiac'uio'.
What makes the article mischievous Is the NUMBER VI
halftruths that 1t contains. Tho whole trouoie a'
the works. put In nutshell, Is this Colone hooiiso
erected a small fve-stamp California mill merely as
a experiment, N""N
worked Fuel and water had TO be baued 10 this
MILL which was regarded as permanent because
IL cost too much 10 it. Robinsons plan was |"
hiring water from the nelghborng mountains down lhto
n canyon near the ore body, and then establish
large stamp mill which would be run By water power
After this use, the water would be carried down INTO
a large valley owned by the mining company winch
couId be planted to oranges and sold TO colonists.
The stamp mill was bought in England and brought
to the grounds but the preliminary expenses OF
ditches fumes and dams alarmed the English stock
holders They did not know that no large enterprise
like this can be carried through for less than s2oOOoo
so when the bills came pouring In. they ordered
halt recalled Robinson, appointed practical English
miner In his place and foolshly began to work this
rich mine with their petty fvestamp MILL From this
the output has averaged tons monthly which Yields
5000 or ~ 900 less than the operating expenses.
The expenses OF running 100 stamps BY water power
would not be so heavy this. , .,
As the English company has spent nearly o.
600 900 the property, 1t Will have To develop me
water power or lose the whole plant. IL Is IDLE I'd
talk OF carrying large mill without water as niel
is too expensive and the present mill has not sum
Client capacity for any profit. Robinsons plans were
t6c country The only mistake he made was IN
promising big returns much sooner than they could be
rcalized but this Is falling Of all mining projectors
As regards the amount OF tin ore In sight onV COM
mttee OF experts would decide the question