Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1893-04-01


wishing you to believe that think tha
these are the richest gold mines 20 have
far from IL. But the ores from on
richest mines are quartz, and therefor,
not available for this experiment on &C
count Of the cost of treatment. AnC
mark you again, do not wish you t.
think that this is the most profisabl,
way to treat even our pyritic oges, bu
it is the best we can command at th,
present time, because we have ne plant
1t is my belief that the most profitable
process for treating our pyritic orSe lanc
have no reference now to any Other
kind Of ores) is first by crushing, thsr
concentrating, then treating the coEcen.
trates by the cyanide process. The
cyanide process, according to my expe
riments is by far the cheapest process
and yields the highest sxtractics o.
gold and silver This sneesn<r.As q
applied TO the treatment of pyritI ores
only this and nothing more. But we
have no such process at hand, and there.
fore il is idle TO talk about it, We must
take things as we find them, and do the
best we can under the circumstances
And the best we can do just now in my
opinion is TO do as / have suggested
Seek out the location which yields the
most gold. together with the highest per
centage OF iron, and ship il to the ryritic
smelter at Deadwood. They want all
We can ship them. They need the
pyrite Of iron to fux their dry Bald
Mountain ores which abound in silica
and carry no iron.
Now | wish to say few words about
our silicious or quartz ores These are
our true high grade ores ofths Southern
Hills, but they do not enter into the ex-
pertinent which we are now considering.
They are refractory and the gold is In
combination with tsllurium and other
volatile substances, and their treatment
must be considered as a separate propo-
sition. These ores are not free milling.
| for the gold is not in a condition to
amalgate with quicksilver. They are
not adapted to smelling as the combina.
ton is volatile and the gold goesf o in
roasting IL no good for the same thing
takes place in the roasting. Chlorina-
tion without roasting is all right as ap-
piled to most Of onr quartz and saves a
fair per centage of the gold, but does not
save the silver, and that implies too
great a waste. The cyanide process
fHikII uO WclA Ou tuCSc OEcH WUcn
handled by a truly scientific chemist
who could analyze the ore before treat
ment and know its exact constituents
But so far as have experimental with
the process il is very delicate and the
result when applied TO these ores is ex-
ceedingly variable. But my expert
ments are not final. am not a chem
list, and the promoters Of that process
have an excellent field in this district to
prove their process as adapted to our
volatile refractory gold ore. There is
another process in which / have great
hope. II is called the Moffatt process,
invented by a man by that name in
California. We have already shipped
to Stockton, California two lots Of $50
pounds each of ore to be treated by that
process. 1t would take too much ofIour
time to describe the process, but tros
sSssaeass Ssssd On one a Ming L this fskbe
fumes pass through water and the metal
they contain in gaseous form is con-
densed and saved. The result of our
shipment is not yet known, as it is TOO
soon to expect returns. When they are
received they will be announced.
Now, in conclusion / wish to say 10
auultnC0, anu W vile WNOlc COfu-
munity, 10 the merchants and to the
ranchmen in the country, as well as to
the miners and prospectors, that each
and all must bear in mind this one fact,
that we are all in the same boat. II the
mining Interest prospers you will all
prosper If the mining interest fails
you will all fail--we must sink or swim
together. Outside of all consideration
of mines and mining this country will
not support you. This industry must be
promoted and fostered, or there is no
use of our remaining any longer ia this
country. We must realize from our
mines or we must leave the Southern
Hills. We cannot always subsist on
climate and gorgeous scenery, although
the things have much to do with
many Of us, to bind us to this favored
section. We have indeed q beautiful
country. We are all 10th to leave it,
Go where we will We shall never see its
like again. Whenever / 90 away am
home sick to get back, not for the town
alone, my affection for the town is only
because il is the place where so many Of
my friends reside, outside of this care
but little for towns. / am happier in
the country.
Where the sun shines the brightest,
Where the Shadows are the deepest,
Where the grass grows the greenest,
Where the water Is the purest,
That is the place for me, and know
many of you feel that way. The people
Of Custer are lovers OF nature. Ifit
we're not so you would not be here.
What other excuse have you to offer for
staying here through the long years OF
toll beset with danger and hardship
Was it for the money you have made
No, not so, il must be something else.
Is it because you can find here more
than anywhere else, the pleasures and
charms Of our modern civilization? No,
you smile at the absurdity of the idea.
What is il then which binds you to this
spot? The truth and the secret Of Il Ill
10 you are In love with the Southern
Hills, and 90 am /. And now this bni1R
the case. let US act together and sell
we cannot bring to the light of day
some of the hidden wealth which liee
slumbering beneath our feet know OF
no good reason Why we should not all be
living in homes Of comfort, beauty and
elegance in this favored country. %
richly endowed with all the natural and
native resources Of wealth. The secret
of 1t all hes in one word, and that
charmed word is cooperation.
A burst ofapplause followed the con-
clusion Of the speakers remarks, and il
was quite evident that his expressed
ideas we're received with favor by the
grea. majority Of those who listened to
them. 0shs- gentlemen prominent in
mining circles were called to the floor
and the remarks Of each Indicated main
ly-that they were ready and willing To
put their shoulders to the wheel and do
oil in thslr power to insure the success Of
any plan or enterprise which had - its
object the development Of the mineral
resources Of the region and the improve
ment ofthe general condition. Mr.. Rob
bins suggestion thst attention should
first be turned TO the pyritic ores of the
district was discussed pro and con, and
II was finally decided that . committee
should be appointed to examine the
mines Of that character, and to ascertain
what propositions the owners Of them
would make to local company which
would undertake to develop the prop
srtsast and khopossUktv s>.s tka or~~