The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-04-07

internationally there has been much
talk in this city about the need Tor a
snelter here There is another project
which has not been so much talked about.
and that IS a public sanpling works. In
the following Interview ]. II. Wise, min
ing engineer. presents in very forcefui
way the benefits that would result 10
Seattle by the establishing OF such a
plant here The cost would be compare
lively small. IL would attract here the men
who have ores to sell from all the Pacific
Northwest. and would also bring 10 Sc
attic agents and buyers for srnelters all
over the world. II would make Seattle
the headquarters for the mining industry
of the Coast. But the story is best told in
Mr.. Wise's own words;
From all appearances there is to be
great activity in the Pacific Northwest
this year" he said. mot only in the min
ing Of ores. but also in the disposition of
the mineral after il IS extracted. / notice
considerable interest Is being manifested
by the citizens of Seattle in smelling and
reduction works il one may Judge rightly
from the number of articles on this sub
1ect not only IN the Post-Inteliigencer
but in many other publications which nave
come TO my notice.
really desire to make this the head center
of all the Northwest country in mining
products. not only of her own state, but
also much OF British Columbia, Australia.
Montana. Idaho, California and nearly all
of Eastern Oregon. besides other sections
i need not mention, il can be done with
out working a hardship on any one or
jeopardizing sound business Judgment,
besides making the investment paying
one.
Sampiing Works.
Denver is not so Wen situated TO COM
mand so vast an amount OF mineral trade
and the handling of large tonnage of ore
as Is Seattle, and Denver some twelve
years ago came very nearly losing the OPP
portunity to erect the one plant that
brought more ore buyers and ore sellers,
which caused the handling of more actual
cash than perhaps two shelters combined.
/ have reference TO a hrst-ciass public
sampling works.
IF you put that in cold type. some one
who has not given the subject much
thought will say What is the use of a
sampling works in Scatter But IL you
care 10 work up short article on the
subject / will try TO explain why Seattle
is the city for such an institution.
Seattle is conceded TO DE the metropolis
of the Sound and Northwest. both at home
and abroad. and as l have been studying
The mining maps more than the commercial
geographical position, | will make the
statement that Seattle has more mining
territory that properly belongs to her In a
commercial way than Denver and Salt
Lake City combined. and both of these
cities have two or more first-class sampling
works that have no connection whatever
with any smelling plants.
'tAll OF the territory | have mentioned
rightly belongs to Seattle on account OF
her geographical location. and the splendid
railroad and waterway facilities fer trans
portation of ores adds to her natural adj
yantages.
4 Competitive Market.
1.-THE producer of ore likes a competitive
market. and viii have 1t If possible. even
though he ships his ore right past a
smelter 100 or 200 miles. and even farther,
TO a place where a dozen or more buyers,
for as many smelters are waiting for an
opportunity TO bid on his product.
"Of course. 1t is understood that the
miner In disposing OF his ores gets simply
the value OF his product less freight and
treatment charges, with the deduction also
of certain percentages for moisture and
refractory material which may DC in his
special ore. The ore is sampled at the
smelter TO which 1t Is shipped, and after
the purchase Is made his ore Is thrown with
other lots from other camps and often with
ore from other countries Every smelter
that is run on business principles has
agents or buyers out in the different pro-
ducing mining camps buying ores and
making contracts for future shipments Of
so many tons per month. where the mines
are developed TO that stage as 20 be able
10 estimate ore tonnage. All these smelters
also have agents at every public sampling
works. ready 10 put in their bid on all ores
sampled and presented for sale and bids
would naturally Zoe closer at sampling
works. where others were competing than
at the dump Of the mine, on account OF
the competition prevailing at the sampler
In 1856 had occasion to ship ore for
mining company from Kingston. n. NJ. to
the Denver public sampling works. and
very frequently Pueblo or Omaha would
get the ore by bidding tho highest, not
understanding the fact that the Argo and
other smelters were many miles nearer
than the places mentioned In 1892 I
shipped ore 70 the Taylor & Brunton
sampling works. Salt Lake CITY. from
Idaho. and almost every car load was pur-
chased by the Kansas City. or Omaha. or
Pueblo smelters. while three home sneiters
OF salt Lake were competitive bidders
The system.
THE sampler receives the ore from the
miner, puts II through a crusher or rolls
Chera are different apphances), and care
fully taking samples automatically from
the whole. has il assayed for gold. silver.
lead, copper, etc. IN fact. gives a perfect
report OF all the rock contains and marks
On as many different cards as there are
buyers or Bidders what the assayer's re-
suits are, and sends these cards 70 the dif-
ferent bidders In n few hours the bids are
al in. and the successful party is notified
who, in turn. gives his check for the
amount payable 70 the sampler and IN
tarn ina manager IN charge deducts the
amount OF sampiing charges and freight
and pays the miner hts net profit.
i do not mean 20 say that the miner
does not get "A square deal where he ships
direct 70 a smelter and has TO competitive
oid on his ore. On the contrary. the smell
ters always give as much as they can AZ
FORD But do mean 20 say that a large
and varied assortment Of different kinds OF
ore coming 10 a sampler causes cornpeu-
ton from the outside and compeis close
bidding in order 10 get the ore.
Where large number Of business
houses are IN competition with each other.
one can usually buy goods a little cheaper
than = there were only one. and where
there are a large number If buyers for an
article Of value that one man offers for
sale. be usually gets n little better price
tran y dealing with but one bidder
II would astonish you % 90 % thsse
c0nters where f,ablic samplers are receiv-
Ing ore 10 see the number OF buyers pres
ent, and almost from every quarter OF the
Eio5e Swansea. Wales. and F-ihorg Ger
mary, navs their agents IN me United
states buying ore. snelfeFs from all this
mineral region around rs have agents in
old Mexico. Australia. Alaska and British
Columbia, purchasing ore, as well as II
our rome camps