Gilpin observer., 1906-12-13
Black Hills Tin Mine.
'I.MHai.!s

real tin-the only tin produced in the
United States and one of two tin
mines In the western hemisphere, is
being shipped into Denver in twenty
five pound pigs, says the Denver Re
publican. While the industry in this
country is still in its. infancy, the
small production of Americas only tin
mine has SO far met an almost limit
less demand for the glittering metal,
and together with the saving Of time
and money to manufacturers, it is ex-
pected that within the next few years
American tin, from the Black Hills
mines, will be a watchword not only in
this country, but all over the western
part of the world.
While biologists jeered, scientists
sneered and mining engineers and
chemists laughed his proposals to
South Dakota, went quietly to work,
fought in the courts for five years, ac-
quired titles and after nearly ten
years untiring labor he has at last
succeeded in working out his roseate
plans and dreams of the past. He
now has well-developed mine, with
seeming limitless bodies Of ore, re-
ducing plant and his own smelter and
refining equipment. The Gertie tin
mine has forced the recognition OF
great corporations, which has been
buying the metal from far-off Cornwall
or from Bolivia and even from as far
as Australia and the Malay Straits set
tlement.
Mr.. Johnson is in Denver interest
ing local manufacturers in the product
of his mines, the unexpected order
from the Bogue Lead Company here
bringing about his visit and forming
the idea of making Denver center of
the great industry his energY has
opened up. In Denver and Colorado,
tin, in numerous manufactures. mines
and iron works is indispensable, and
the opening up of tin mines in this
country and as close to Colorado as
South Dakota is expected to do the
state a vast amount of good. Mr..
Johnson may make Denver the west
ern distributing center of his mines.
The Chicago, Burlington & Quincy
railroad was the first to wake up to the
realization that better tin than they
had been getting abroad was here at
hand, and the railroad Immediately
bought out the entire production of the
mine that was then on hand. The
Bogue Lead Company of Denver last
week received a shipment of one-half
ton as a trial sample of American
smelted tin. They found it entirely
satisfactory, conclusively proving that
Mr.. johnson, the promoter, knew what
he was talking about when he perse-
vered despite the scornful taunts of
those experienced in the art of tin
smelling.
you Americans can never smelt
tin," they said in Cornwall. The same
taunt was thrown from Bolicia, from
Australia and from Malay. The only
reason given was that no experienced
labor could be gotten in America. The
United States was barren of expert
ence in the process of tin extraction.
His success in taking the metal in
the rough out of the granite rock OF
the Black Hills and converting 1t into
marketable product meant the educa-
tion of over a hundred men in the sci
ence of tin mining and smelling, and
up to within short time ago the entire
work had to be supervised by him.
Mr.. Johnson was formerly an attor-
ney in Chicago. He had large real es-
tate holdings and did real estate
brokerage business. About ten years
ago he took much-needed vacation
and went to the Black Hills for rest.
Entirely by accident he stumbled
upon the proposition, in which he
thinks millions lie waiting to be gath
cred. He hired team and drove
through the country, intending to leave
all business cares behind him. Two
days after he reached the region he
was in fever Of excitement. He had
fallen victim, for the first time in his
life, to the mining fever. On his trip
he met Frank Hebert, who has mined
in nearly every gold-producing part of
the United States and in many other
countries. Hebert confided the exist
ence of tin in the Black Hills, and
Johnson investigated. The result was
that he took up claims ofover 15S acres.
His title was Immediately contested.
and for four years the case was In liti-
CATION, until now he has clear titles.
Closing out all of his interests in
Chicago, he went to the Black Hills TO
live, locating in Hill City, and he has
been there ever since working out his
plans on the Gertie mine. 1t was all
uphill work and not until very recently
was he enabled to refine the mines
production. The shaft was first driven
500 feet before any work at all was
done on the smelling plant, but now
the mine is in working order and the
owner has more orders than he can
meet until many enlargements on the
first system are installed.
AS It comes from the mine the tin Is
coal black in the white granite rock.
The black deposits in the rock are
seventy.eight per cent. pure tin and
twenty-five per cent. hydrogen. The
hydrogen is consumed in the smelters,
leaving only the pure tin. After rehn-
ing the tin assays at 9O.9 per cent.
pure. T.,
The market price OF the metal IN
New York is $43 per Kindred POUNDS,
and to the western consumer tne
/ freight is added In the majority o,
cases the Gertie owners nave sou
their product at the quoted price plus