Idaho Springs siftings., 1904-05-28
Alex. creyhoffer Arises to Make a Fes
Remarks on Mining
S.shferts


with a great deal Of interest, sugges-ai
bv Fred G Shaffer. former editor nf
Siftiues. and now extensively interezt
ed in mining. All honest mining pro
moters must approve Of MFR. Shafers
suggestions for the protection OF tHe
investor and which In the end woft Z
be Of greater benefit to the minr-
Mining is the one great natural indus
try Of the state Of Colorado in whfeH
we unhesifatinglT ask the capita 81
of the eastern states 10 invest To
ore coming here from the East I
laws Of Colorado appear very amztelr
ish. one might say. and especially s5
as they are framed by men that are l
'sTested In mining. and manv OF WHOM
have made fortunes In this way. WI le
others probably have lost fortunes be
our laws not being effective. Ar
again. We hardly pick up one of Our
western papers but what we read 1'
some wild cat exposure. or. whtTe
some few men tHat have offices aa
Wall street or in Boston. successfully
hoated some big scheme with milliOIs
in sight. that proved on further invest
igation 10 he only a pipe dream ui
some clever advertiser II seems very
strange that the organization OF our
mining corporations are not under the
control OF board OF state commission
ers. My idea would be to organize fhs
board Of commissioners on as broad
basis as the Agriculture Department .u
the government of the United State
and there Is assured plenty OF business
FOR them 20 look after to keep several
OF our most broad minded and expeF5
enced mining men busy in payment ot
the salary they might draw. | believe
that We now have a commissioner Of
mining. but Il is so seldom that we
hear anything about him we hardly
know what his title really IS. or what
his duties OF Office are. We Of the hii.s
certainly never see him. nor do
have any fear of him: and I really do
not know what he draws salary for
II Is probably an Office that is hold
complimentary. as that of the state g
clOgist. and | certainly would thauk
some one to tell me. in a most cost
dentlal way. what he Is supposed 10
do-foF he has never done anything.
that have heard Of. Hut we can lot
deny that there is a need for hem.
and great deal OF need II thef can
be organized under bureau of mining
In such a way that viii put them In
active operation To start an agrees
i've movement along this line I will
outline my ideas for the organization
Of this bureau of mine commissioners.
as follows:
First-To organize a board Of CON
missiOners of at least three members
They are to have complete charge OF
the mining interests Of the state so
far as this industry might come under
their control. One OF this number
shall be the president Of the board and
shall receive his appointment. as well
as the other members of the beard,
from the governor
Seoond-This hoard will do the du
ties now imposed on the state commits
sioner OF mines and that OF state geol
ogist One member of this board
should be a recognized authority on
metaliurgy. one an authority on geol-
ogy. and the president Of the board
a competent business man OF ability
and one who has had charge OF large
mining interests would be at once rec
ognlzed as the person suitable Tor the
position.
Third-This board should be the rec
ognized head Of departments. organ
ized more or less on detailed plans.
The president of the board should be
the mead Of a department of mining
Under this department would come the
organizing of mining corporations and
il would have the issuing of the char
ter to such companies as saw fit to
make application for same. He should
inspect all such proposed propositions
and their properties and with an espe-
cial view as TO their merits. He should
have the saw as to the amount OF the
capital stock of such corporation.
+ based as TO his opinion on the value OF
property to be owned by the company
at their organization. He should have
the power TO increase this capital
stock at any time he saw fit on the in
f crease value Of the property or the 'ac-
quirIng of additional property by the
company or corporation. He should
have the power to appoint what assist
+ ants necessary to the competent han
ding of his department. | would also
advise having a desk of advertising and
inquiry under his supervision for the
benefit of both the miner and investor
Fourth-One of the members of the
board should be the vice president OF
the board. and this person should be
I a thorough metallurgist. He should
organize his department with a thor
ough competent corps OF assistants.
/ He should have under his charge q
/ complete chemical laboratory for the
j testing of minerals in every form. He
should be empowered to establish as
/ saying plants at the different mining
I districts. where. in his opinion there
/ is a suflicient production of ore to jus
i tify same. and to place In charge Of
these assaying stations competent
assayer who shall receive his salary
| from the receipts OF his plant. He
hall have the power to act as the agent
between the buyer and seller OF ores.
and he shall have the power to fix the
smelling charge on any class OF ore.
His authority should be absolute in
this respect. and he should in every
way possible prevent fraud in either