The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-11-09
AT SWORDS POINT
Col. Fred Close Locks Mr.. Gage
Out of ShaIe Mill.
Says That the Chemist Tried to
Be the Whole Show.

Colonel Fred Close and Prof. Chas. II.
Gage have had row. Col. Close has
locked up the Gage" gold mill at
Smoky Hill city. and Prof Gage is on
the outside Close CLAIMS that Gage
got smart and tried to be the whole
show.
This morning Col Close arrived in
Topeka, and related the incident of the
difficulty with Gage to his numerous
friends and acquaintance.
1t appears that there has been trou
BILE brewing in the Close-Gage company.
Mr.. Close has come to the conclusion
that Gage was trying to run everything
to suit himself. Close told Gage that IL
he didn't be good, he should not use the
mill. Gage defied Close to keep him
out
The mill, however. was built, and Is
owned, by Mr.. Close. Gage is said to
not own any financial interest in the
building. 1t stands on land owned by
several shale spectators.
After Gage and Close had had their
wrangle, Mr.. Close went to the building
at night and placed new locks on all
the doors He locked everything up
fast, and told Mr.. Gage to break III II
he dared. Mr.. Gage didn't break in.
Some of Closes friends are guarding
the mill while Mr. Close is in Topeka
Another of the officials of the Trego
Mining and OIL company which has re-
Gently announced an increase in its
capital stock to $1,000. 900, has kicked
out" This time it is Chas. H. Gage,
the vice president. He says in letter
received today:
Editor of the Topeka State Journal.
II notice in the Daily State Journal
of the Sth inst. an article quoting me
as vice president of the Trego Mining
and Oil company. This is a mistake,
as 1 resigned vice president of that
company some two or three months
ago, and I do not own dollars worth
of stock in said company. Neither does
said company own or control any part
of the Gage process or processes for the
extracting of gold, silver or zinc.
Very respectful yours,
"CHAs. H. GAGE"
Another officer announced by the
company was c. K. Holiday, as treas
urer, and Mr.. Holiday declares that
he has no connection with the concern
whatever, and has not had for three
The Hays City Republican speaking
of the recent investigation of the gold
fields by Prof. Haworth of the Kansas
State university, says:
Prof. Haworth of the state univer-
sity, and Prof. Ellis, his assistant ar
rived in Hays last Friday afternoon
and drove to the Smoky Hill shale fields
with a view to discovering whether it
carries gold in paying quantities. Prof
has insisted all along there Is
no gold in the shale, and said he would
resign his position If it was found. He
does not now deny there is gold there,
but doubts if it is in paying quanti- |
ties So far as we can learn he did |
not investigate the Gage process
COLONEL CLOSE TALKS.
Col. Fred Close was seen today at the |
National hotel by a reporter for the |
State Journal. He said:
1.-The fact of the case is that some of |
those fellows with whom I have been |
are trying to beat me and |
do not blame Mr.. Gage for anything |
he has done. 1t was Corbin and Brown |
who have been opposing me, and it was |
hose fellows that 1 locked out. Prof. |
Gage has agreed to leave the mill |
closed till the trouble is settled. E. G. /
formerly of Topeka, who is the |
attorney for the International Reduc- |
ion company, is at the bottom of the
whole trouble.
I'VE are going to incorporate our
company under the laws of South Da-
zota, and Mr.. Gage is standing by us |
n this plan. He signed the application
or a charter. 1t is the other fellows
who are trying to beat us.
Everything is splendid as far as our
work is concerned. / am going to en-
arge our mill at once. I have the ma
,hinery on the ground. We can get all
he gold we want out of Kansas shale.
might state, also, that another pro-
,ess, not covered by the Gage patents, |
las been discovered for extracting the
,old from the shale. 1t is a success,
Ind a mill is soon to be erected for the
IS of this process. 1t is not the OFT
process. but something entirely new
Expect to be interested in the new COM
tanu1