The San Francisco call., 1901-12-15
Miners Seek Protection.

nize their claims now located, and that the
SlVil Governor and the Philippine Commission
lutions in their report to Congress and that the
gress that the United States mining laws be
extended to said Islands, and that a COPY of
these resolutions be sent to the Civil Governor
OF the Philippine Islands, to the Philippine
Commission, TO the President of the United
States. TO the Secretary of the Interior to the
individual members of Congress as may be
reached by mail.
Decision Makes Precedent.
The Mining and Scientific Press urges
that the decision of the Board of Railroad
commissioners of the State of California
IN the OIL rate case establishes a prece-
dent under which the high charges for
transportation that have hampered the
mining industry of this State can be in
in 9gea and lI1 DGatfcs In g4Tew D Of the proceed
10 1urther Its conclusions the Press says:
The commission has ignored, as irrelevant
and immaterial, the mass Of testimony nut
before it as to freight charges on othef com
points POI Is Accepting the outside statements of
cost OF the service, and basing the rate they
order on II, the only possible question that
could now be raised by the railroads would
gin the order allows This the Commission in
its formal opinion says is 441a per cent This
ing Of all its freight traffic as shown by the
annual statements Of operation of the roads
Inc last opinion and order of the commission
is IN form and substance an improvement on
the one 1t replaces. 1t not only improves the
condition OF the petroleum industry to the
extent OF the reduction but its method of
reaching conclusions establishes a precedent
under which the commission can examine in
telligently Into freight charges made on other
commodities and can correct them when proved
inequitable- The way would seem clearly
opened for securing to the miners of California
equitable fair establishment of freight rates
on ores, in which there is much ineouality
The railroads running out of Cripple Creek,
f1xr St..g-
put into effect fat rates on ore independent of
its commodity value. There is no logical rea-
rule in California The California Railroad
Commission would have to reverse its own pre-
cedent in ordering into effect rates based on
values OF metal contents.
Suggest Profits in Silver.
The Lovelocks CNev.) Tribune figures
out how silver mining may be again
found profitable in Nevada. The principal
point In its argument is that prices of
materials have been reduced and that
modern mining processes are sufficiently
economical to warrant the statements
that 1t makes. As to the cost of mate
Iials. the following allegations are made
by the Tribune:
We will make few comparisons Of the
prices Of the principal commodities used in
silver mining then and now. These figures are
taken from authentic records, furnished from
reliable sources, and represent cost delivered at
the mines:
Powder. former price s5c per pound, now
caps. formerly So TO- per 100 now SC. csn, en-,
formerly s. 5O now ST. OG so1eIs N3S e forerH 9U Pick
each, now S5c; hammers, formerly 50 so now
Soc; pick and drill steel, formerly Csc per
pound, now lie; track iron formerly 5000 rer
mon, m now $50; mine timbers, formeiy SIPS per
pound now 4c Water and air ppe are rec noT pGT
procurable at about 25 per cent of their former
cost.
relative cost OF the expenses in Connection with
the milling Of silver ores, assuming that these
treatment necessitating the use of the same
chemicals that were in use thirty years ago
which is not the case by any means. Simpler
and less expensive methods are being used at
the present day-the result of strides in the
years-which we will not take into considera-
tion.
Quicksilver, former price at mills $125 per
flask Of seventy-two pounds now $55
Bluestone, former price 25c per pound, now
Salt, Of which considerable quantity was
used, was gathered IN impure state from
the salt marshes and fed to the mills without
first being refined. increasing the milling cost
in this item. since the salt crust rarely con-
tanned over 35 per cent of salt. to about three
times what 1t should have been, not to speak
of the extra cost of running through the mill
the IS per cent of waste contained in the crude
salt cake. The impure article cost $25 per
ton; now the pure rock salt is obtainable for
$50 per ton. other chemicals of minor i'm
their former cost.
The cost Of power. the principal milling item.
formerly about 81 80 per horsepower for every
4Oc. And the same power in the same time
will reduce than formerly on account
of the greater efficiency Of modern mills.
With the progress that is being made in the
use Of hydrocarbons fuel for generating
steam, the cost of mill power will admit Of
much greater reduction than the price named
as the present cost. On the whole, the milling
cost of reducing would be less than 40
per cent Of the former cost.
Assessment Work Defined.
A H. Ricketts, contributes definition |
to the Mining and Engineering Review of
what constitutes legal assessment work
on mining claims" Some extracts are |
taken therefrom as follows:
Until United States patent shall have been |
issued for any claim not less than 500 worth |
Of labor must be performed thereon each wear |
When the price of mining claim has been |
paid to the Government the equitable rights
o. tne owner are complete. No third partv |
can acquire from the Government any interest
as against him. Annual work may be done st |
any time in the year after location and each
subsequent calendar year thereafter until nat
ent issues. The law of California provides
that the owner of a claim must file in the
otnoe OF the County Recorder an affidavit de-
scrlping the labor performed or the Improve
lnents made by him and their value This
athdavit may be filed within thirty days after
the time limited for the performing of such