The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-12-08
NEWS OF THE MINES.
PReslaent Hill and Patrick Clark
Thsroughly Discsss~d the Prop
osaAlOn During Their Recent
Coaference - Proposed Branch

Special Dfspatch TO the Post intelligence
SPOKANE, Dec 7.--Gnaesz ali signs
fail. the cses from the many mines tfioa-
fary 10 Spokane vii! Dc nnsiled IN uls
city before another year rods aIouha-
From sources the Reliability o. winch CAN
not be questioned. il is learned that d
large sized sIneIter project Cor SPOKANE
IL well under way and from the character
OF the backing behind the proposed en-
terpris~. II bids fair TO be a realization
In the very near future. No less pei
souage than President James j. HUI. OF
the Great Northern IL said 10 De one oil
the prime movers in the project In connec-
ZION with the Kansas City Smelling and
Refining Company.
Several weeks ago Mr.. Jackson. rep
Yesenting the Kansas City company. made
n trip to the various mining camps up
north during which he obtained all possi-
BILE information concerning the output.
actual and prospective. of the different
camps tributary to Spokane. and while
he maintained q discreet silence as to the
object of his Investigations. the impression
was rife among mining men that the uig
Kansas City concern was preparing 20
branch out into this territory. Since Mr.
Jacksons return home, G. ID Porter, OF
this city. the local representative OF the
same company, has been quietly carrying
out the same mission through some OF the
big mine owners I'm this city
The building Of smelter here formed
one OF the leading topics that was discuss
ed between President Hid and Patrick
Clark, of the Republic mine. al their
conference In this city last Friday night
This much the representative OF the POST
Inteilisencer learned az certain In addi-
ton TO securing Mr.. CIarks views on the
smeiter project Mr. Hill also absorbed all
the information he could from the million
aire mine owner as to the Feasibility OF
building a branch line into the northern
mining country. Where MI. hliis sohiiss-
noting such an enterprise la Spokane
comes In In explained IN this manner by
q prominent resident here who Is THOR
0ughiy posted In railway and mining al
fairs. especially as they relate to this sec
ton Of the country:
because of the low rates necessarily
made TO sme!ter points on all shipments
of ores there Is but little money in this
class OF tonnage for western roads and
now with the constantly increasing traffic
in other products from this section OF the
Northwest, paying better transportation
for railroads TO make long hauls OF ore
shipments. The Canadian Pacific is the
first road To take steps In this matter
and IL preparing TO erect smeiters along
its lines contiguous TO the mines In British
Columbia. Now that Mr.. Hill has acquir-
ed the Spokane Falls & Northern road
he Is preparing TO follow SUIT and with
this end In view he desires smelter in
Spokane. As he Is not building shelters
himself he has no douhs animated TO the
Kansas City sfne!ter company that unless
II puts in q smelter here some other con-
Germ could probably be induced TO do so
as with the aid OF his road IL was assured
OF being a profitable move"
Mr.. Porter when questioned In reference
20 the matter said his company had no in
tention OF BRANCHING out into this terri
tory Notwithstanding his denial. how
ever the general impression In ioca!
mining circles 10 that a smelter will be
erected here In the early spring. Ii is
even said that a location for the plant
has already been secured at some nearby
point on the Spokane Falls Northern
road.