Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1905-11-27
Professor Makes Sensational
Charges About Institution.
THINKS IT SHOULD BE MADE
DEPARTMENT OF UNIVERSITY
Gordon Asserts Schools Facilities
Are Grossly Misrepresented and
Management Incompetent.

Dr. C. H. Gordon. who last year
was professor of geology of the New
Mexico school of Mines. and Is now
assistant geologist on the United
States geological survey, has just
closed up field work in the Magdalena
and Black range districts and depart
ed for his home i'm Seattle, Wash. Af-
ter a short stay he will go to the
headquarters of the survey in WASH
ington d. c., to complete the prepar-
tion OF his report
Prior to coming to New Mexico In
1904, DR.. Gordon was acting professor
of geology in the State university OF
Washington for one year. and for sew
eral years before that he was superin-
tendent of the city schools of Lin
coin, Neb He received the degree OF
doctor of philosophy from the Univer-
sity Of Chicago in 1895, afterward go
ing abroad for time to study under
Professors Rosenbush and Goldsmith
at Heidelberg university.
In response to request from the
Morning Journal he consented to give
his Views concerning some of the con-
ditions reported to exist at the School
of Mines in Socorro.
"ln my opinion" said DR.. Gordon,
"the conditions In New Mexico are
favorable and the mining interests of
the territory demand the building up
of strong school of mines, either as
an independent institution or, prefer
able as 1t seems to me, as depart
/ mtnt of the territorial university at
/ Albuquerque. The mining interests
/ of the territory are increasing in inn
portance rapidly, and there ought to
I be an institution which will command
4 the confidence of these interests and
I to which they can look for co-opern-
ton and support In developing the
natural resources of the territory, an
institution suited TO meet the demands
for we'll trained young men In mining
work Unfortunately. under present
conditions the Socorro institution
-6ails to meet the responsibilities placed
mon 1t. There is manifest a marked
laAk of confidence i'm the integrity of
thAmanagemen of the school in min
ingScirCes There must be harmony
of interests and cordial cooperation
between a mining school and its con-
stituency. and the methods of con-
ductng any school must be such as to
command the confidence and respect
of its constituency.
These relations are notably want
ing In the case of the Socorro school
one indication of this feeling toward
the school on the part of the people
of the territory is the fact that aside
from the two preparatory students.
whose homes are In Socorro. there Is
but one student from New Mexico in
the school"
Concerning the catalogue Issued by
the institution DR.. Gordon said it had
t,been the subject of much criticism.
1t Is well recognized by Socorro peo-
pie" said he that many of the state
ments put forth i'm the catalogue are
highly colored, II not purposely mis-
leading. Among those familiar with
conditions as they are, the catalogue
ig looked upon as a hot air PROPOSE
ton. on coming 10 SOcorro for the
first time new students say that from
the statements In the catalogue and
from letters received they have been
led TO expect TO find n smeters and a
mine in practical operation as adj
iuncts of the school, and many other
things that do not exist. The presl-
dent of a mining school recently told
me that he was under the impression
that these features were accomplished
facts. Socorro people frequently OBJ
serve that new men come In, look over
the institution, and depart. saying they
we're duped.
For two years or more this state
ment has apepared In the catalogue:
The New Mexico School of Mines has
been able to practically close nego-
/ tiations whereby It now comes into
/ possession of this property (the Rio
/ Grande smelling works. for its metal
lurgical department. and for the me-
chanlCal and electrical engineering
work. | am Informed by those best
Informed as to the Intentions of the
/ board of regents that the final acquisl-
tion of the smelter was never seriously
considered by them, as the proposition
submitted TO them by the president
and urged upon them by him was one
/ they could not possibly accept. Two
! professors not now connected with
the school have stated they were In
duced to accept places In the school 4
/ largely by the representations made
to them of the splendid advantages
the smelter would give for work IN
their departments, only to find on arr
/ rival that there was no basis for the
statements.
at the last anual meeting Of the
board of regents. II Is said the presi-
dent was directed TO expunge from
the catalogue all statements relating
/ 10 Nnc bHnelttIs Olilg III part HOW~
ever. has this been complied with.
as an inspection OF the last catalogue
will show.
The statement Is made also that
the School OF Mines owns an impor-
tant property, the Torrance Gold aud
Silver mine. which II utilizes in In
struction in practical mining As TO
I this II may be said that I'D The school
owns n part only OF the mine. as
have been informed. CD Instead OF
being an important property It Is gem
orally considered worthless with
the exception OF a dilapltated hoist
house and ore bins the works we're
dismantled years ago and the ma
chinery and buildings taken away. ls)
AS TO is utilization In instruction. Il
is rarely visited by members Of the
school. In view OF the foregoing tha