The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1898-01-13

the New York companies who actu.
ally desired to open the conntry,
a smelter to Weiser for the
Seven Devils. Their agent was in
structed to 60 to Weiser, take charge
of things and look after their inter-
ests. Carrying ou. the line of con-
duct previously referred to, the agent
passed his destination, went to another
point and at once leagued himself
with the "boat" and "narrow gague"
promoters, in the interests OF whom
he promised to use his authority and
locate the smelting plant on Snake
river at the foot of the wagon road,
a point inaccessible and clear out OF
the copper district. This, had it
been done, would have made the pres
ent effort to develop the district u
total failure. A contract with the
navigation" company was also made
by the agent, but this the New York
capitalists refused to ratify. The
force Of circumstances caused the
Snake river location for the smelter to
be abandoned by the enterprising
agent. Finally, after having lain in
Weiser two months, the smeter was
hauled northward and located tenn
porarily at compromise point
where it might still be lever for the
speculative plans already mentioned
as detrimental to the progress Of the
country. 1t was partially set up, but
present indications are that it will re
moved 70 new location in the spring
and made fully ready for active work.
SURVEY SUSPENDED.
About this time the men engaged
in running the railway survey, having
received no pay, suspended opera
tions and placed the field notes IN
escrow as possible security. The
wagon road enterprise soon began to
see it's doom, and is now dead, the
expected sale of the $40 900 bonds
failing to materialize, and not dol
lar being secured by the promoters.
While these attempts to mislesd the
New York parties into the belief thai
the country could be opened more
cheaply by the "narrow gauge" piar
Ito the benefit OF the speculator and
the damage OF all Legitimate enter
paise) failed, still it was enough OF
milestone to defeat any substantial re
suits from this years operations
The friends OF the camp believe, how
ever, that these goblins can now b.
considered out Of the way, and tina
next year will see all legitimate en-
ergies turned into the only channe
that will make the camp take its pro
per place. In fact, during the pas
ten days a substantial sum of none
arrived from the New York men, an
was paid out to the surveyors VIII
held the field notes.
The promise is also made that tn
balance will arrive before the expir
aton Of the year. This indicates tina
the New York interests behind til
smelter will at once
PUSH THE RAILWAY
enterprise, thus guaranteeing the sue
cess of every interest involved, com
Portable returns from all money in
vested and happy and prosperou
future for the whole district Th
future certainly looks bright.
AS further guarantee Of the eal
nest intentions Of the New York pal
ties, it may be stated that, prior
the arrival OF the last mentione
funds, they had, as they state, ex
pended some $l3, 900, although the
do not feel that compensating prt
gress has been made through the mil
applications and circumstances aboy
recounted.
This concise statement OF the su
!, rounding circumstances and opprei
sive conditions that have retarded I'll
development OF great district, it
hoped will give Tribune readers
clear idea of the causes that ha,
forced so wonderful and rich mine
al territory to occupy non produ'
ing status for so many years; al
may this honest statement of revers
d do the camp more good than the usu
rehash of "assays, leads, vein
:, widths, workings, etc.
u The result of the seasons even
; have been an unusual amount Of d
velopment work in Seven Devils an
surrounding territory, and this d
l, velopment has materially increas
; the force OF the representations ma
n for the camp. New ore bodies ha
,r been uncovered and old ones work
z on have shown increased values
e copper.