Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1901-04-27
W ebb and Chambers Mining Bureau.

i 1@as A<iA w WV oha Dhs AAs ShduA-
bers, who arrived from the east last
week, haye arranged to establish their
laboratory in Hill City and to operate
oyer the entire Black Hills. They have
designated their establishment as the
Webb and Chambers Mining bureau,
and they will perform chemical, an
alytical. netallurgical and assaying
work of all kinds. The firm is 10 be
composed of Eli Webb, late chemist Of
the Jones & Laughlin American Iron
and Steel works, Pittsburg; w. ii
Chambers, b. E., B. s., M. ID. Ph. d.,
late surgeon of the Pittsburg and Lake
Erie railway. McKeesport; Henry
Mitnach, chemist, Baltimore, Md, and
James A. George, attorney, Deadwood.
The objects in establishing headquar-
ters at Hill City are two: First. to To-
cate as nearly the central point Of the
Black Hills as possible, for the convent
ence of miners of all parts of the region
second to secure the benefit of labora-
tory building already fully equipped and
saye time and expense In securing and
furnishing. They have done this by
leasing the laboratory of the old Har-
ney Peak Tin company. In doing 30
they have secured laboratory second
to none in the Black Hills, and will saye
much time that would otherwise haye
been necessary in securing the equip
ment
Mr.. Webb. DR.. Chambers and COL
George went to Hill City Saturday to
close the negotiations with J. T. Shot
well, agent for the Harvey Peak COM
pany, and returned to this city that
night. The two former gentlemen went
to Hill City again yesterday to arrange
the laboratory, determine what is need
ed in addition to carry on their work,
and prepare to begin work. They ex-
pect to start for the east within few
days to purchase supplies, and will prob
ably be on the ground prepared for
business by the first of the coming
month.
The purpose of the Webb & Cham
bers Mining bureau is to determine the
value OF mines by making assays or
metallurgical treatment Of the ores in
quantities sufficient for such determine.
tlon. The quantity necessary for the
accurate determination will be altogether
Innnn1ant iha nl, IF ha
ore. And it should not be less than so
pounds, and in most cases 100 pounds
would give a more accurate average.
The bureau is going to handle all kinds
Of ores and ascertain for the benefit of
the prospector the am cunt Of all metals,
acids and elements contained. On all
only the amounts of metals,
etc. contained, will be given. On large
practical tests will be made,
with view to determining by what
processes the ores may be most cheaply
and satisfactorily treated, from actual
technical work, with report upon ma
chinery required.
1t is the intention to visit mines in all
parts of the Black Hills and place the
benefits before the miners in the most
emphatic manner possible. 1t is con-
tended, and reasonably, that many of
the valuable minerals and elements con-
tanned in the Black Hills ores, aside from
gold, silver, copper and lead, have never
been regarded as important, and the
mining bureau of Webb & Chambers is
calculated to cover field of work that
has Heretofore been altogether neglect
ed. Miners have heretofore sent their
samples to assayers to ascertain their
value in gold and silver only, and it is
believed that there is much wealth in
the Black Hills hitherto overlooked.
This is particularly true of the southern
and central Hills. Custer and Penning-
ton counties represent almost every
known mineral aud element, and it has
only been within the last two or three
years that they have come to the attens
tion OF men in all the importance that
their commercial worth entities them
to.
There will be three chemists connect
ed with the bureau. as DR.. Henry Mitt-
nacht will be here after the first of June
and will devote his attention to the
work with his two associates. He is an
old miner. as well as a chemist. having
mined in Colorado and Montana in the
early days of mining in those territories,
and being therefore qualified for the
practical mining work. Mr.. Webb had
as his preceptor in his line that we'll
known chemist and metallurgist. DIR.
Charles S. Manly, Lead of the chemical
and metallurgical department of Oxford
university, in England.
Mr.. Webb and DR.. Chambers expect
to begin making tests this week. They
will require day or to in which to
clean up their laboratory, repair the fur
naces and get everything in readiness.
They brought with them quantity of
chemicals and other materials for that
purpose. -Pioneer-Times.
~
Married.
At the residence of Thos. Long, Tues
day Anr,I 18th lQ0i AlliorIesh 7 DIXON