, 1898-10-22

the New Company.
In all probability the faith Of many
Laramie people in the immense value
Of the natural soda deposits southwest
OF the city, and their confidence In the
ultimate utilization OF the product on a
large scale, will at 10 distant day be
justified in the eyes Of those who have
not realized the wide uses to which the
material may be put and the immense
capital that is needed to properly de-
velop the industry to its full extent.
1t Is reliably reported that the lease
held by Messrs. Paddon & De Steiger
on the soda lakes and refining plant,
which are owned by the Union Pacific
railroad company, has been purchased
by a syndicate of New York. Chicago
and Denver capitalists, and that a CON-
pany has been organized, with a
capital OF SO. 900, 900, for the purpose Of
taking out this natural sulphate Of
soda. refining 1t and fitting 1t for
market in the various forms in which
it may be used and for which there is
an almost unlimited demand. Soda Is
an important factor in glass-making.
and it is stated that the new company
will have for one of it's objects the es-
/ 10 h1ichnan nf q Iarua p1ocS plonf In
connection with its other manufac-
tories.
The deal has been under way for
some months and a competent mar sent
cat by the company has made a thor
ough examination Of the lakes and the
chemical works. His report on the
conditions as he found them was 30
favorable as to induce the capitalists
to close the deal with Messrs. Paddon &
De Stelger for the purchase Of the
lease.
Several Laramie citizens have been
in correspondence with the parties and
have helped the matter along as much
as possible.
1t has been demonstrated beyond
doubt that the natural product of the
Laramie plains is the best which can
be obtained for the manufacture OF
glass. and carload after carload Of the
soda has been shipped to the east and
used with the most satisfactory results
in the making of fine plate glass.
Sulphate Of soda is used in enormous
quantities in different kinds Of manu-
featuring enterprises in the United
States and almost the entire amount
consumed Is imported. 1t is made by
the mixture Of common salt and sui
phuric acid and at the present time Ia
quoted at 50 per ton in New York. The
manufactured product contains many
impurities, while the natural soda OF
the Laramie plains is almost chemically
pure. analyses Of the dried product
showing 99.1 per cent OF sulphate OF
soda.
A few words as to the extent Of the
deposits near Laramie will not be out
Of place here. In a report written in
1893, Prof. w. C. Knight of the Uni
versity OF Wyoming said:
"The entire area of these deposits Is
about 200 acres, which is covered from
a few inches to several feet with crys-
tails Of sodium sulphate. These depos-
its are covered in the springtime with
water which dissolves a portion Of the
soda. but as they have no outlet, the
soda is again crystalized. The crystals
are gathered in the fall by means OF
scrapers and shovels at a cost of Is
cents per ton. Glassmakers in all To-
calities where this soda is used pro-
nounce it the very best upon the
market. The following analysis will
serve as proof of the quality. There is
MOI an ingredient in its combination
that will condemn or even impair Its
value in any way:
Sodium sulphate. .......4 ALSO per cent
water. ........ .....54.9C per cent
1nsoluble mater (silica).. 0.50 per cent
Organic matter. ...... trace
From the Union Pacific lakes
there have been taken 10, 900 tons Of So
da, and the lake level and the depth of
soda deposit is the same as twenty
years ago."
John Davis. who has handled the
product for many years. and who is
probably more familiar with the forma-
ton than any other man, maintains
that the supply of soda is practically
inexhaustible. He mentions as an in
stance Of Its rapid formation that some
time ago he dug a trench through a por-
tion Of the deposit and that on the fol-
lowing day the soda could be obtained
in the very same spot, the crystals hav-
ing formed during the night, and this
process was repeated day after day.
You invite dtsappointment when you