The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-01-03

SATISFACTORY as goes anu Is ENAl
of promise for the future. The number OF
mines that have large quantities of ore on
the dump IS formidable. and they will
swell the list OF dividend payers during
the summer OF 1897. The mines in the ini-
tiatory stage Of development are many.
while OF prospects there is legion. II
can be justly said OF the Trail district that
the promise Of its beginning Is beng more
than fulfilled.
Transportation Facilities.
One OF the features in which the most
marked advance has been made during the
past season IS that of transportation. A
year ago the only way of reaching Ross
land from the Columbia was by mount
ain road seven miles long. During last
winter f. Aug. He.nze, having received
the necessary legislative sanction and a
land subsidy, set about building narrow
gauge line for the purpose OF trans
porting ore from the Rossland mines 10
the s11efer. which he had erected on a
bluff overlooking the Columbia river. The
difference in attitude between the river
and Rossland is ZOO feet. consequently,
though the distance IN direct line is only
four miles, the railway is a little over
eleven miles long, not including ats four
miles OF siding. The road cost 100000. 1t
was built IN midwinter. and the rolling
stock was brought 10 the river terminus
$50 miles on iatboats. The company own
ing the hne Is known a. the Columbia g.
Western. Mr.. Heinzs Is its president and
principal stakeholder. and F. p. Gute3us
its general superintendent. This road has
connected the two towns of Rossland and
Trail and has afforded Rossland access 10
water communication. by which connec-
ton has been maintained with the Cana
dan Pacific on the north and the Spokane
& Northern on the south by means OF
steamers on the Columbia river.
Rossland has within the past month
been united with the continental system
OF railways by the Columbia & Red
Mountain railway, which IS an extension
OF the Spokane & Northern from North
port, this state. Through cars are ferrsed
across the Columbia at NorthTrort. BY
means of this road Rossland obtains con-
nectton by rail with the Great Northern
and Northern Pacific at Spokane and with
the steamers running in connection with
the Canadian Pacific TO Nelson.
New Railways.
The season OF 1897 viii witness much ac-
tivity in railway construction In the Trail
district. The Columbia & Western has
let a contract for a line from Trail to
Robson at the foot OF Arrow lake. from
which point cars will be carried on steam
ers 10 the terminus OF the branch OF the
Canadian Pacific extending south from
Revelstoke. The Columbia q Western has
also in contemplation the construction OF
a line from Robson direct 10 Rossland: but
its action in this respect. as well as in
regard 10 an extension OF its line TO the
Boundary creek district. will depend In
some measure upon the policy OF the Ca
madam parliament in regard TO the Crows
Nest Pass railway. II the conclusion is
reached TO build this line and extend II
10 Boundary creek, Il VIII obviate the
necessity OF any line being built by the
f-1.1,s 10 l1 ais Tod
in Rossiand that the Great Northern con-
templates entering the district with
road as soon as the necessary surveys
can be made. There Is also a probability
that a branch OF the Spokane a. North
ern will be built from Sayward station
up the east bank OF the Columbia 10 a
point opposite Trail for the purpose OF
handling the business OF the smelter.
which now IL obliged 10 keep between
thirty and fifty four-horse teams upon
the road hauling coke. which comes from
Fairhaven, and to send its matte down
by water TO Northport 20 take the rail
here. The plan Is 10 transfer the loaded
cars from the proposed branch TO the
smelter by ferry.
The Trail Smeiter.
The British Columbia Smelling and Re-
nning Company operates an extensive
plant at Trail. The company virtually
consists OF r. Aug. Heinze and his broth
er, Arthur P. Heinze. The latter attends
to the company's business IN New York.
the former manages the smelter at Trail,
in addition to supervising another at
Butte Mont, where the company is
known as the Montana ore Purchasing
Company. Work was begun on the Trail
sneiter on October TO- 1895. and fires were
lit in the FIRST furnace in February, 1896.
The plant consists Of a sampling mill
with a daily capacity OF 200 tons. Blake
crusher which can handle 400 tons OF ore
in twenty-fo1ir hours. an O'Hara auto
matte calciner. 40 feet long: six circular
calcinars: a dust chamber $50 feet long,
l1xi2 inside and connecting with a chin
ney 40 feet high; in the furnace room are
four reyerberatortes with hearths f4x22,
which treat 40 tons OF ore each every
twenty-four hours, n +e-inch circular fur
mace wster-tacketed and capable Of han
ding about 80 tons Of raw ore every
twenty-four hours, also a rectangular
blast furnace made after designs by
Msssrs. Baiilnger and Wedekind, who su-
perintend the Helnze properties at Trail
and Butte. The capacity OF this furnace
is $50 tons OF ore per day. The power for
the works Is now furnished by steam. but
Il is the intention OF the company 70 put
in electric power. the cynamos FOR which
viii be driven by water. There are 20
men on the pay rolls OF the smelter Of
whom about 100 are employed IN cutting
fuel in the woods. The whole daily capac-
fly OF the smelter today f. 900 tons bat
what & Will be in the course OF a month
any one would De rash 20 predict, for the
MS nageuens is aggressive 70 an extreme
and propose 70 keep abreast OF the re-
quirements Of the district. as far as one
Plant can DO 50. The ore handled comes
from the lie Roi. War Eagle. Iron Mask
and Crown Point mines. Considerable
difficulty was experienced In treating the
Ro-sisnd ores 30 as 20 OBTAIN the best re-
suits but the problem seems 10 have been
satisfactorily solved as far as the ores
Joshua Peirce,