The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1906-10-27
THE OTHER SIDE.
smeiter Manager Talks Of company's
Good Work.

manager of the Colorado department
OF the American smelling and Renn-
ing Company, which is operated by
the GuEse LII. inns, spoke betore the del
egatCs regarding the criticisms that
those not well informed some time
pass upon the management OF the
smelling company, WITH which he Is
connected.
Mr.. Guiterman's remarks brought
forth words of warmest praise and ap-
proyal from the delegates, who SAID
they regretted that more publicity was
not given TO the merits OF the Ameri-
can smelling ald Refining Company.
which is doing SO much to build up the
mining industry OF the West. MIR.
Guiterman was made the victim OF
misstate ment in the Denver papers to
the effect that he had retired from
the mining congress after making his
speech to avoid being asked questions.
After this statement was published, a
delegate arose and offered a resolution
to the effect that the congress knew
that MIR. Guiterman sought rather
than retired TO avoid the issue pre-
scented, and that the congress requested
the press of the city to correct the er'
roneous idea that there had been any
attempt on his part to evade debate.
Among the more striking of the
state ments made ty MIR. Guiterman,
during the 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
today, no matter whether 1t be Lake
county, or San Juan. Teller county OF
Mineral county, We have competitor
on all sides, and that we have at 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
to you that the formation of the so
called trust, when the American
Smelling and Refining Company alb
sorbed the last remaining great
smelter in Colorado. namely, the Phil
adeIphia 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 the miner than when individual
smelters were operating.
The miner to-day has the privilege
of supervision of the sampling at the
smelter by his own repre- sentative, as
he had it before, and he has the priVi
lege of making his own assays. He can
resort to the arbitrament of umpire
assays as he did before. There is
nothing that l know of that has been
taken away from him, but what has
been done has been done in the inter
ests of uecency and selt-protection 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
$4441 per ton. In 1905 our average
margin had been greatly reduced, SC
that we were receiving only $7.72
ton, while the values had increased to
the generous sum of S50.47 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 if we were trying to
exterminate that industry.
I'VE found, however, one thing, and
that was tnat in the purchase of these
ores grave abuses were being prac
ticed, much to the detriment OF our
selves, so that we could not continue
the policy Of making reductions in
treatment charges or that account
We found on the part OF the miner that
he could utilize the sampler, the
smelter, and utilize his own appliances
to sample the ores, and that he was in
sstent 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 We're suffering
great 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, and
having adopted it, we would come to
,gether on an agreement as might be
to the interest Of all parties concerned,
There is nothing in the circula- men
toned which can possibly be taken
exception to by any fair-minded indt
vidual.
1T may interest you to know, since
the senator has mentioned it, and com
pared us to railways, that our position
is entirely dissimllar. 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'
opment 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
manner which could not be universally
applied. 1t is a well-known fact that
men will not delve in the ground un.
less they receive their just reward"
Mr.. Guiterman then cited figures for