El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-04-20
Probably The First And
Greatest Need OF
The City
VIEWS AND OPINIONS
Of Bankers, Assayers, And
Representatives Of The
Mining And Transpor-
tatiOn Interests.

! Ell Psso should have government
| mint.
By right of the production of gold In
! the territory contiguous to this clsy, g
mint should be located here
Upward OF $4,000, 900 of bullion
passes through, Or is produced a nual-
| ly in the country tributary to this city,
and goes to miuts a Thousand miles
away. By the location of mint here.
hundreds OF niue operators In New
Mexico, Arizona and Mexico would be
saved freight charges, and more than
that, would gain several days in the
matter of returns On their shipm snts-
These are few of the arguments la
favor of a mint at Ell Paso that every
mining man in the territory referred
to will indorse. In addition, from
local standpoint, the benefit to the In
serests of the city would be enormous.
Every mining man who would come
here through the location of mint
would buy his supplies here: many of
them would keep their money In ths
banks OF this city.
These assertions are relax of ex-
pressions OF prominent men of El Paso,
who are posted OF the conditions, au6
who were interviewed today,
The gold that is produced in the
territory that is naturally tributary 70
Ell Paso," said W. A. Seauon, the as
sayer. "is now much greater In value
than that produced In Colorado at the
time the mint was established 10 Den-
yer. In 1897 Arizona produced 81 7Oo,-
600 in gold and much more now; New
Mexico's yield is half million, and
more than 100000 of gold passes
through the port of Ell Paso annually
from Mexico. With mint here this
amount would be doub ed.''
In addition to the figures contrib
uted by Mr.. Seamon. Manager Earle
OF the Ell Paso smelter, gave the ap-
proxiDate value of the bullion prod
uced at the smelser right here az home
as So, 600, 900 Ali this now is sent
away to be refined. Mr.. Earle ex>
pressed himself favorably to ward the
proposition.
u. w. Rsck hart, OF The Independent
Assay Office, said the establis nmeut of
mint here would mean the location
also of refinery: and in that event, is
Is probable that the great Phelps
Dodge 81 Co. 3 corporation would fnd
1t convenient to move its ref uery
where the mint is-nearess to ths
point of production. as at present near
" all the copper bullion of the com-
pany is hauled across the CON
tinent.
In this connection it may be auuouc-
ed positively today that the long-tsIked
of smelter OF The Federal Copper
company is now assured for this city.
President Morehead, of the State
National bank, said ne had seen within
3 few days letters that warrant this
statement. Mr.. Morehead is cordially
in sympathy with the movement and
says it has his warmest Endorsement.
M. B. Davis, superintendent OF
Wells, Fargo & Co., said his company
handles a quantity OF bullion from
Mexico to the American refnecs; that
II q rennery ana mint were located
mere all this gold would be turned over
n this city, and the resultant benefit
10 local interests in the .m after of the
purchase OF supplies would be large.
Cashier Wingo. of the Lowdou Ma
,!onal bank, pointed out the saving of
lime to miners and smelter men by
he location of mint here. He says
uch an Institution would save them
much money in carrying charees, and
What is still more impos tant, d
,reat saving in the time lost In waiting
or returns from other pints thou
and miles away. If they could mint
heir gold here they would get
heir money within few hours after
hey deposited tlcir bullion. Under
present conditions, he says If pro-
lucer desires to sell his gold here to