Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1905-12-29

in fact, It Is almost here now. Does
this foTebode evil 10 the miner? ! hope
not in fact, | think not; for those IN
dustries are now passing through
most radical transition.
PROGRESS IN MINING,
The mines Of today are not the mines
OF quarter OF a century--nor even of
few short years ago. The so-called
'frea milling" gold ores, ana simple
carbonates, oxides and Salenas, which
our mines erstwhile yielded In gem
erous abundance-and which yielded
their precious contents to the most
crude metallurgcal deyices-have all,
or nearly all disappeared. whilst in
stead we find only confused masses of
complex sulphides absolutely unyleld-
ing to all former methods OF treatment,
or so degenerated In values as TO render
them worthless without the aid OF
Improved methods and OF technical skill
OF high order, and then only when han
died in volumes that are absolutely be-
wilderng 20 the miner OF former days.
The situation was further complicated
by the fluctuations In the market price
OF the metals-lead and copper-and the
almost complete destruction OF the val
ne OF silver as money metal.
Permanent and profitable solution Of
the problem thus presented was poss-
Bile only by aid Of vast aggregation
Of capital. wisely directed by lntellec-
tual masters OF sGience--industry and
craftsmanship Il use the term states
manshlp adVisedly).
The refined metals must be placed
In the hands OF the manufacturer ut
prices freed from ruinous daily fluctua-
tons. before dependent Industries could
be established upon safe and firm foun-
dations.
WORK or STANDARD OIL
H. n. Rogers and associates Of the
much'abused Standard OH company
were first TO enter the field with plan
10 control the worlds copper market
The result was the formation Of the
Amalgamated Copper company. the
story Of which has been terscly, but not
fairly. told by Thomas W. Lawson. in
BRIEF. the purpose was to consolidate all
Important producing copper mines, cope
per shelters and rehneries under one
management--toget with an NuXil-
larry organization or adjunct which
should market all products and fix the
price at which they should be sold
For time the producers OF ;e
copper, together with the owners Of
heavy copper producing mines I'm Ari-
IONA, refused coalition. Then followed
Wild fluctuations In the market shares,
as well as that Of the metals, The
French syndicate. which had but re-
Gently failed 10 a somewhat similar
venture, was made TO unload its hoard
ed stocks Of the metal. and for time
confusion and disaster followed thick
and fast, but the purpose was pursued
steadily on, until with the exception
OF HeinZes United Copper company,
practically the entire copper produce
tion of the United States was sold upon
n price dictated by the Amalgamated
Copper company And thus has been
established a system which though en-
ornously profitable to its promoters,
will, / believe, result In the highest
benefit to the Independent small pro
ducer "a well as to the manufacture
er of the finished product.
AMERICAN SMELLING co.
This gigantic enterprise was soon
followed by another and still more stu
pcndous underaking--th American
Smelling & Refining company, which in
a similar manner has combined prac-
tically all important slyer-lead ore re-
ducing plants in the United States and
the republic OF Mexico.
In order that this enterprise should
succeed It was necessary that the price
of lead and silver be established upon
higher and more stable basis. This
could be accomplished only by extending
the use of the metals and by control
ling and restricting their production
This semed impossible at first. but was
brought about by simple and effective
means, though not without persistent
and Intelligent effort. In order to Sc
cure favorable rates Of treatment for
their ores mine owners were required
to Sign longtime contracts wherein
they agreed TO limit production to
amounts named by the smelling COM
pany II being understood that any cur
taiment IN the quantity OF ore pro-
duced should be apportioned fairly
among the various producers. Under
this arrangement for some three or
more years the capacity Of the large
producers was reduced from 80 10 40
per cent. The price of lead was low,
and there was large surplus stock on
hand much OF It the product Of British
Columbia and Mexican mines. and held
In bond awaiting n market thai would
Justify payment Of duty. This had to
be disposed Of before full productiG.
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