The Ordway new era., 1906-10-26
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A. tie session Of the mining con.
Eress. held in Denver Thursday Of last
veek. Franklin GuitermRn. general
manager of the Colorado department
of the American Smelling and Refiu-
ing Company, which II operated by
the Guggenhcims. spoke before the del
eRates regarding the criticisms that
those not we'll informed some time
pass upon the management OF tho
smeltiny company. with which he is
connected.
Mr.. Guiterman's remarks brought
forth words OF warmest praise and ap-
proval from the delegates. who said
they regretted that more publicity was
not given to the merits Of the Ameri-
can Smelling and Refining Company.
which Is doing 80 much to build up the
mining industry OF the West. Mr..
Guiterman was made the victim OF n
misstatomcnt In the Denver papers to
the effect that he had retired from
the mining congress aftor making his
speech to avoid being asked questions.
After this statement was published. a
delegate arose and offered resolution
to the effect that the congress knew
that ME Guiterman sought rather
than retired TO avoid tho issue pre-
sented, and that the congress requested
tho press of the city to correct the er-
roueous idea that there had been any
attempt on his part to evade debate.
Among the more striking OF tho
statements made ey Mr.. Guiterman.
during tho reading of his paper. were
the following: The senator has
stated that In Colorado there Is prac-
tically no competition. wish to gain.
say that statement OF his and to de-
clare that in every field In Colorado
to-day, no matter whether It be Lake
county, or San Juan, Teller county or
Mineral county. wo have competition
on oil sides, and that We have Mt all
times been ready to meet such compe-
tition in a spirit Of fairness and equity
TO the producer.
with particular reference to the
Cripple Creek district, desire to say
10 you that the formation OF the so
called trust. when the American
Smelling and Refining Company alb,
sorbed the last remaining great
smslter In Colorado. namely. the Phil
adelphia plant owned by NJ. Guggen'
helms sons, that since that time in
stead of there being an advance In
treatment charges there has been a
steady reduction of the same. with the
result that there has been more paid
to tho miner than when Individual
smelters were operating.
THE miner to-day has the privilege
Of supervision of the sampling at the
smeltcr by his own representative. rs
he had II before, and he has the privi'
lege Of making his own assays. Ho can
resort to the arbitrament OF umpire
assays as he did before. There lie
nothing that / know Of that has been
taken away from him. but what has
bcen done has been done In tho inter.
ests OF aecency and sclfprotection to
ourselves, to which We hold We are en-
titled.
.'In Cripple Creek In 1902. and the
Guggenheim smelter was taken In
1901, our average margin was $500 per
ton. the gross value Of the ore being
344.4l per ton. In 1905 our average
margin had been greatly reduced. so
that we were receiving only $7.12
ton. whilo the values had Increased TO
the generous sum of $50.i7 per ton. In
other words. the Cripple Creek pro
ducer was receiving 81 per ton more
three years after this combination had
come Into existence. 1t does not look.
consequently, as II we were trying to
exterminate that industry.
: I'VE found, however. one thing. ana
that was tnat In the purchase OF these
ores grave abuses were being prac.
ticcd. much to the detrimcnt OF our
selves, SO that we could not continue
tho policy OF making reductions In
treatment charges on that account.
We found on the part OF the miner that
he could utilize the sampler, the
smelter. and utilize his own appliances
40 sample the ores, and that he was In.
sistent on getting the very highest re-
turns on his ores which could possibly
be procured by any means. And we
also found that in pursuance OF these
methods the smelters were sunerinS
sreat damage on account OF metal con
tents which they paid for but which
did not exist.
Hence. the circular was Issued
which the senator has mentioned In hns
paper read before you. namely. that we
would adopt such means as to fairly
ascertain the value OF the ore. ana,
having adopted 1t, we would come to-
Kether on an agreement as might be
to the interest of all parties concerned.
There is nothing in the circular men
toned which can possibly be taken
exception to BY any fair.minded indi'
vidual.
1T may interest you to know. since
the senator has mentioned It. and com
pared US to railways. that our position
Is entirely dissimilar. Railways are
common carriers for public conven-
ience. We are not common receivers.
We must exercise the doctrine OF Sc
lection In the class of material we can
utilize. We must exercise with the
shipper this doctrine OF selection and
must determine for ourselves to what
extent We can go to the aid and devel-
opmcnt OF this important industry.
And thus It appears that to aid them
we are called upon very frequently to
give to certain shippers facilities to
assist them In their development In