The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1893-08-20

posed. From the nature of the ground
and the formation. it is argued that the
ore can be quarried and at an expense not
to exceed dollar a ton.
Due to the remoteness of the market for
copper ore and the lack of facilities for
near, owners of the claims were neither
encouraged in developing their properties
nor justified in trying to market the pro-
duct. Location of the big copper plant
in Salt Lake city served as incentive to
put the properties in condition for ship
ping.
Attention of big operators was at
tracted- Franklin Farrell, a big brass
founder. of Connecticut, and president of
tana, visited the Lost River mines lew
weeks ago. He was accompanied By
Superintendent tBenp Tibbey, of the
Parrot company, and Cornish expert.
From the favorable opinion expressed re-
garding the properties, local enthusiasm
was kindled, and sale at big figures was
considered a foregone conclusion. Finan-
cial depression is the explanation offered
for the failure to make the deal.
When it was learned, few days ago,
that the big Parrot smelter and the COM
paDy's two mines at Butte, that employed
500 men, were closed there was greater
encouragement that something might be
done. Colonel Sharp and his associates.
however, don It propose to lose any time
or advantage this season by awaiting the
pleasure Of anybody. With the prospect
of big demand for copper at the Salt
Lake refinery they plan to make large
shipments of copper matte to that plant.
Good roads lead to the mines. OF the
distance, twenty-five miles of the haul
can be made over the stage road between
Ketchum and Challis, by which all sup
plies for Custer county are transported,
and the balance of the way, about fifteen
miles, would be good freighting. Con-
tracts can be made to lay down the ore at
ketchum for S. a ton. Cost of treatment
would amount to So, and the same charge
would be imposed for delivering the
matte in Salt Lake city. Even though
the estimated cost of mining exceeded 81
ton, as claimed, there would be profit
in working the mines.
Aside from the individual benefit that
would accrue to the owners of the mines
it would prove a blessing to this COM
munity, If operations were begun. There
are lots of idle men here who have moth
ing to do and the outlook is gloomy so
long as silver continues in this low es-
tate. Business men and others interested
in Ketchum and its future, while holding
out no false hopes to the unemployed,
have given much time and attention to
plans for the temporary relief of a de-
sirable class of citizens whose services
would be required in the event that sill
yer was given show and a resumption
of operations in that branch of the in
dustry was justified.
1t remained for an old Salt Laker to
aid by suggestion and in practical man
ner encourage plans which would provide
work to those who needed it. Major
William Hyndman, who practiced law
in Salt Lake city for ten years prior to
1879, was recently appointed the resident
agent OF the Philadelphia and Idaho
company. The major has acquired large
mining interests in Alturas county. He
has made large investments on his own
account and represents other extensive
interests. If the present plan of utilizing
the smelter for the treatment of copper
ore is carried out it will be due to the
charges for working the ore and 10 the
assistance he has given in other direc-
tions.
The Philadelphia smelter, as it is
known, is the largest in Idaho. The works
were erected about ten years ago, and
have produced upwards of 81 COO, 900, a
large share of (which resulted from the
output of the company's mines. The
syndicate which started the enter
prise was composed mainly of the same
men WHO made millions out of the street
began operations in New York city in the
same line about ten years ago. Through
the efforts of P. A. B. Widener, w. L.
Elkins and z. J. Matthews, who were
formerly the largest stockholders in the
Philadelphia and Idaho company, the
Union Pacific railroad was induced to ex-
tend its Wood River branch from Haley
to KeJchum, a distance of fifteen miles.
A large cash bonus is said to
have been paid by the smelling
company toward the construction Of this
line. 1t was good thing for the miners
and in fact to everybody interested in the
country that this portion of the railroad
was built.
Owing to bad management and the
actual squandering of money on the part
of managers who were unattentive to
business if not Incompetent, the Phila-
delphia company has not realized profits
such as could rightfullg be expected.
Some of the heaviest hackers of the enter
prise lost interest in it. At the present
fully seven tenths of the stock is held by
the great banking house of Borle & Co. /,
of Philadelphia. This firm is disposed to
do all in its power to make the mines and
works pay, if that can be accomplished
without the expenditure of too much
money.
The selection of Major Hyndman as the
manager and agent of the company is re-
garded as significant. He has demon
strated that he can make legitimate
mining enterprise pay when he has half a
show. But until the silver question is
settled it is likely that the two sixty ton
stacks of the smelter will be run on cop
per ore and the product refined in Salt
Lake city. GEORGE F. CAMS.