The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-05-03

Special Dispatch to the Post-Intelligencer.
ROSSLAND, u. c.. May 2.-The con-
tract system has now been in operation
in the principal mines here for nearly
month, and is giving full satisfaction to
both sides While still working eight
hour shifts, the miners are earning from
81 to $3.50 per day, as compared with $3.50
under the time system. The mine-own-
ers are not grumbing at this for they
are getting more work done in the same
time, and, in consequence, the cost per
ton OF ore produced will be lessened, as
the fixed expenses will be distributed
among a larger tonnage. The lie Roi is
the only mine which has gone into oper-
alton in full blast. and is producing on
the same scale as before the shutdown.
The War Eagle is increasing its num-
Der of contracts slowly, but the gen.
eral resumption of underground work
in the Center Star awaits the completion
of the new hoist
object Lesson In Buying Machinery.
The British-American Company has re-
Gently had an object lesson in the diff
ference OF methods between Canadian
and American mining machinery manu-
facturers, and the contrast is decidedly
favorable to America. That company
ordered three boilers with fittings from
a company in Eastern Canada, and four
months later ordered three similar boil
ers with fittings from a Chicago firm.
The three Chicago boilers arrived a few
days ago. with all the fittings. accom-
panied by a detailed manifest, so that
the whole shipment could be checked up
as II was unloaded. On the same day
two OF the Canadian boilers arrived with.
out fittings and without manifests, so
that they are useless until the fronts
and anchor bottom are received. The
three American boilers are now being set
up, and the smokestack is In place. Such
an exerience causes mine-owners to say
that II is cheaper in the end to buy in
the United States. although the Canadian
duty makes the price little higher, for
the delay in getting returns on the capt.
tai invested costs more than the In
creased direct cost of the machinery.
The Gertrude Is shut Down.
The Gertrude mine. which adjoins the
No. 1, and is believed TO have the ex-
tension of the No. l vein, has been
closed down pending decision by the
owners-the Montreal Gold Fields Syndi-
cate--on plans for more. extensive de-
velopment TO greater depth. This de-
cision will be guided by the advice of
John ]. Sanderson, the consulting engi-
neer. A shaft was sunk 200 feet and
drifts run north and south for several
hundred feet by former management,
but encountered no ore. Mr.. Sandman.
by running short drifts. has found ore in
no less than five places, the body In one
place being feet wide, OF shipping
grade. But this work is all on top OF
the ore body and has been done in
broken, faulted ground. where the blow
out had scattered the ore in number
of seams. Ii is believed that the
tension of the shaft. or the running OF
a tunnel to a greater depth. will open
up a body of ore below the area of dis
turbance. which will make the Gertrude
a mine.
south belt Is Inactive.
There Is now not single mine in OPP
Grafton in the south belt. the Sunset No
2 having shut down in accordance with
orders from the East. There is hope
though, that the talk OF prospecting for
defined ore bodies in that section, which
has been carried on alone by the Cana
dian Gold Fields Syndicate on the Sun
set, will be taken up on the Home
stake That company. which was COM
PEELED to shut down by lack Of funds
just as It had reached body OF good
ore which promised to be continuous, has
just voted 20 make its stock assessa-
bile. and will thereby raise funds for a