Gilpin observer., 1905-12-21
Value Of Cooperation.

In his address before the Mining
Congress at El Paso. Victor G. Alder
son, president of the Colorado State
School of Mines, said:
The most pressing demand of the
present age is for greater industrial
efficiency Between nations, the con-
stant struggle in the Industrial war
fare is to train workmen who shall be-
come highly influential factors in the
industrial world. The most successful
nation of the present century will be
that one which becomes industriously
the most efficient. The same high re-
quirement will be demanded Of indl-
viduals as OF nations. The work OF
the superintendent, of the manager,
and of all administrative officers Is
made more intense and more effective
by the increased use of modern time
saving inventions. The great problem
before the consulting engineer, before
the designer of labOr-saving devices,
before the contractor, before the busi-
ness man, before the mining engineer
and the metallurgist is one of secur-
ing increased efficiency.
In the mining industry the same
conditions prevail Leaving out of ac-
count the fond hope each mining man
cherishes that he may be the lucky one
to uncover an underground jewelry
shop, just as the lottery fiend hopes
some day to win the grand prize, it is
evident that success in mining depends
upon concerted eff rt, wise business
judgment, economical management,
and the application of correct engi-
neering and chemical principles. The
influence of the Institute of Mining En-
ri 1f fnin ,P
the American Mining Congress is in
each case national in it's scope, but in
each mining state there are two great
influences of an institutional character
whose hearty cooperation is necessary
for the advancement of mining inter
ests within the state-the State Bu-
reau of Mines and the State School of
Mines.
A mining bureau treats of the min
ing industry in general. is in part a
bureau of information. a repository
of books and specimens, and has the
distinct advantage of being in touch
with the practical problems of MIXING
and metallurgy.
The primary work of a school OF
mines is to train young men for active
and successful work in the mining pro.
fession. To do this 1t must have q
competent faculty composed of ex-
perts, have large working collections.
and well equipped laboratories. The
students should make frequent visits
to mines, mills, and smelters to be-
come familiar with the applications. on
commercial scale, of the principles
taught in the lecture room. This work.
however broad, thorough and valuable
1t may be for the embryotic mining
engineer, does not advance the inter-
ests of the mining profession except as
1t graduates well trained men who
may, later in life. do creditable work.
The primary function of the school
therefore. is to develop as far as it can
the future mining engineer. The men
of the bureau, actively engaged in in
specting mines to see the laws relat-
ing to the safety of employees are
obeyed, busy in tabulating ore produc-
tion, Jealous in enlsrging their mu-
scum and their library. are little in
clined to consider the education of the
men who each year take up the work
of mining.
The professors of the school. on the
other hand. absorbed in the technical
features of education, busy with their
Investigations. going through the rou-
tine N impressing upon young men
the fundamental laws of gold mining
and metallurgical engineering practice
are prone to neglect opportunities for
broad. comprehensive view of the
mining industry. Neither institution.
however. can reach the highest stage
of efficiency without working with and
for the other.