Tonopah bonanza. [volume] (Butler City [i.e. Butler], Nev.) 1901-1909, 1905-10-21
OFFICIAL PAPER OF NYE COUNTY.
LARGEST CIRCULATION IN TONOPAH
MORE sMELTFRs NEEDED.

Since the discovery of Tonopah by
Jim Butler and the wonderful disclos-
ures of millions of dollars worth of ore
in its different mines, many difficulties
have been overcome in the matter of
transportation Of its smelters and while
the reserve Of high or shipping grade
ore has in no sense been materially de-
pleted, those most familiar with the
situation locally have realized all along
that the time would come when cheaper
methods of reduction would have to be
found. No mining district known has
ever been able to depend entirely on
ores of sufficient value to stand the
high cost of shipping a thousand miles
and also the high treatment rates that
are now being exacted by the smelters
on account of being short of huxing
ores. The Tonopah mines are today up
against a hard proposition on these
lines for the smelters are choked with
salicious ores. There is also an in
creased treatment charge of several
dollars per ton and an intimation that
shipments may have to be almost en-
tirely discontinued for the present.
This condition staring the mine owner
and mine manager in the face, has
brought to them a full realization of
the fact that the great ore reserves of
this district are too valuable for the
Tonopah mines to long be at the mercy
OF the great smelter trust. What is
needed here and need badly are smell
tiers. 1t is almost an assured fact that
z. M. Schwab and John McKane will
erect a smelter and a good one, m
where in this vicinity, but others are
needed and there is a world of profit in
them. Here are big mining companies,
the Tonopah Co., the Tonopah Extension
the Montana, the North Star, the Bel
mont, the West End, the Midway and
others, with many hundreds of thous-
ands of tons of rich, but s%alicious ores,
IN sight and no market for them. This
IS a condition, not a theory. 1t is not
what might be, but what is ar existing
fact today. Shelters are certainly the
crying need of the hour in Southwest
ern Nevada and there are millions in it.
Good lead properties are also a neces-
sity and it is known that several of the
blg Tonopah companies have had men
IN the field for some time on the lookout
for such properties with the view of
making developments and possibly
erecting smelters themselves.
Lead ores in abundance can be OBJ
tanned close at hand, for it is an es-
tabished fact that Lone Mountain,
Reveille, Ray, Ida, Sodaville, Pal
metto, Montezuma and jefferson can
yon are great producers of such ores.
The demand for fluxes is becoming
greater every day and no time should
be lost by those interested in silver
lead properties in the districts above
referred to, in opening them up, for the
conditions are certainly most favorable.
The hundreds of men now given m
ployment in the Salt Lake, Washington
M California smelters would in time
become employed here and the benefit
to Tonopah Independent of the increased
earnings to the mines would be great.
The same condition at Lone Mountain
and other districts would prevail that
made Bingham a camp of several
thousand inhabitants and it was named
the odd reliable" for the reason that
It's network of assures, all carrying
iiuxing ores, gave opportunity to the
ieaser and man with small capital &c
make money by working those veins.
After sufficient depth was attained or
the properties, Bingham proved to be {
close rival to the great camp of Butte.
That the smelter is a necessity t
Tonopah with its millions Of tons of low
grade ores, no one questions anC
with intelligent development in tn,
lead districts, the ores for fuxinp will
surely be disclosed in large quantities
The near future should therefore plae.
Tonopah and the surrounding district,
IN an independent position as to tn,
treatment Of its minerals.