The morning call., 1893-04-25
NOT IN KEEPING.
Mr.. Huntington's Letter
on Ores.
RIDICULED BY THE MINERS.
Denver Gets All the Smelling BUSH
ness of the Coast on Account
of Excessive Rates.
RIDICULED BY THE MINERS.

A few days ago c. P. Huntington, presi-
dent of the Southern Pacific, forwarded
letter TO an officer OF that corporation ex-
pressing himself as being deeply concerned
in the establishment of a smelter in San
Francisco.
Quoting from Mr.. Huntington's letter,
which was evidently composed with a view
of publication. he says:
Il shall write to my people that ii smelt.
ing works are built in San Francisco we
must take over particularly lean ores at any
price that does not pay an actual loss on
transportation.
1T seems such pity that, with so many
advantages of climate and cheap feod for
men, San Francisco has not done more in
this way.
THE companies that l am interested in
would be glad TO help manufactures of all
kinds by gathering crude material and
taking 1t to the mills &C the lowest possible
rates and then distributing the output-the
manufactured prOduct-as widely as possible
within the commercial circle, even though
we made no money directly out of the goods
that went to the outer rim of the circle that
is on the long haul, as there would be some
thing made by the carrying companies out
of the Increase of tonnage which would fol-
low the establishment OF such an industry"
To say the least Mr.. HuntingtOn's prom
ises of cheap transportation to shippers of
crude ores is inconsistent with his past
policy with the mine-Owners of the State.
Promises, unlike railroad rates, are cheap
and are subject to a very changeable mar
ket, especially when they originate in the
sanctums of Fourth and Townsend streets.
Although Mr.. Huntington has dictated
his ideas of SmelterS in general and crude
ores in particular his benevolent promises of
cheap trans pOrtation for an enterprise
which is bound to benefit the country have
not been met in the same joyful manner by
those who own or are interested in mines in
the interior of California.
In Fresno County is mine which has
been operated for years solely for the benefit
of Denver smelling companies.
The oelby Smelling Company could have
handled this prOperty's output, and San
Francisco Industry would have been bene-
fitted 10 the extent of thousands of dollars
per month. But there was very good Tea-
son why the owners of the mine did not and
do not give their business to- San Francisco
it would cost them So 30 per ton more to
bring their crude ore to this city than it
costs them TO ship it to Denver, Colo,
nearly five times til distance.
This is only one example of tie charitable
charges of the Southern Pacific Company
on a class of freight which Mr.. Huntington
is assuring he public will be trans ported by
his roads "for the actual cost of transpOrla-
ton"
Bailey 6 Co.. mine-owuers of Denver,
Colorado, seeing what n magnificent ad-
vantage this city has over territory tribu-
tary to and within few hundred miles of
San Francisco. have recently purchased
near Trinidad a mining property, all of
the smelling and refining of ore from which
Will be performed nearly 1000 miles from
this port in State actively in competition
with California in mining matters. simply
because the good Mr.. Huntington will not
make a special rate for hauling the ore to
San Francisco at price which would per-
nit Messrs. Bailey q Co. to realize a few
dollars interest on their Investment after
paving local railroad charges.
The charges for bringing ores from MaZat-
Ian, Mexico, by steamer to Port Costa are
Sc per ton. The railroad charge from points
200 or 800 miles from San Francisco is on an
average OF S12 per ton.
contract was made recently by mining
syndicate TO bring 100000 tons of ore from
Mexico every sixty days to the United
States.
1t was the original intention of the COM
binatiCn to bring the ore to this city for
shipment to Nevada. but freight rates scared
them away, and the stuff is going to Colo
RADIO.
Mining Expert Crowell, who is as we'll
posted on the shipment of ores as any man
in the State, when questioned yesterday as
to his opinion Of Mr.. Huntington's promises,
laughed heartily at the idea of the Southern
Pacific trying to win over the snelter men
by means of Huntington's blarney.
There Is not miDe-owner in the State"
said Mr.. CrOwell. who will not tell you
that it has been the policy of the railroad
company in the past to investigate as TO the
class of ore miners were shipping and make
rate according to the probable profits to be
derived per ton.
fairly rich and could be worked If it were
possible to get the ore TO San Francisco or
Nevada 10 he smelted without having To pay
the railroad all the profits for shipping.
1T Is rather late in the day for Mr.. Hunt
inRtOn to make promises TO the miners.
Why didn't he publish his recent statements
ten years ago and live up 10 them? 1t is
all nonsense to expect any mining man to
believe the Southern Pacific will ever give
them a chance to live"
At least n dozen mine-oWners corrobO-
rated Mr.. CrowelPS statements
The clause in Mr.. Huntington's letter
reads Even though we make no money di-
rectiy out of the goods in itself is sufficient
evidence that the railroad contemplates
making few ducats indirectly.
For instance. valuable mining properties
could be bought up by agents OF the rail-
road company, who could work them ''indi-
rectly' and get the benefit OF cheap trans
portatiOu," while former owners would uer
hapS have been told suavely that the railroad
company was sorry. but was unable to
handle their ore.
The steamer Newbern, which arrived on
the 22d from MazaIan having a humber
VI tOHS Vi Cluuo ore on DOaTQ IOr THIS city,
also brought the news that very little Mex
lean rock would come this way hereafter,
as an Eastern mining com binatiOn was buy-
ing up nearly all the crude ore obtainable
with view 10 shipping it to Salt Lake
CITY and other central points.
This same company, it is said, expert
mented with shipping ore 10 California, and
were obliged to give up the enterprise, as
they could obtain no concessions from the
railroad.
There are iron mines in Shasta County
which remain dndeyeloped, because, as
their owners state: ''If silver and gold
ores cannot be smelted in San Francisco on
account of high freight rates, how do you
suppose we could make out with iron bear
ing rock ?'
Some Of these owners say that the rail-
road has acted In such a dietatOriai manner
with them that they are even afraid to allow
their names TO be published, fearing the
almighty Southern Pacific Company would
forever shut down on their chances for get
ting their mines output 10 market.
Mr.. Huntinston's past record on the ore
question Is not dead, but only in Allowance.
His letter on crude ores has already given 1t
q rude awakening.
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