Gilpin observer., 1907-10-31
SILVER CAMPS OF COLORADO
OPENED.
BY Capt. James t. Smith.


Two important government reports,
with ample time for revision behind
them. have Just been given to the pub
lie. One is the final report-the SWAN
song''-of Director George e. Roberts
of the United States mints; the other
is the review Of lead, zinc and copper
smelling in America during 1905 and
for the fve-year period between 1900
the census year-and 1905. 1t comes
from the census bureau and is the work
of Story B. Ladd and William M. Stu
art, the latter being chief statistician
OF manufactures. In the report cogni-
zance is taken of 103 establishments
engaged in the combined industry Of
copper, lead and zinc smelling and re-
filming. Their combined capital was
$164,346.036. They employed 26.853
wages, consumed materials worth $780,
723. .480 and manufactured products to
the value OF $451, 1896, 1854.
The relation Of copper. lead and zinc
mining to the output of silver is seen
by a perusal Of the report from Mint
Director Roberts for the calendar year
1906. These are the figures which will
20 to Congress next December. They
give Colorado second place in the sill
yer column, while its position as pro-
ducer OF gold Is seriously threatened
by Alaska only, which this year will
show a reduction as compared with
last, the reduction being traced to la
Dor troubles when the goldwinning
season should have been at its best.
Nevada, with only $9,278.600 in gold to
its credit, is a negligible quantity. Like
Wall street, 1t is now engaged in
cleaning house." and this unpleasant
duty will keep it busy for some time,
much to the detriment OF its badly in
fiated stock issues.
OF the 56.517, 800 ounces of silver pro-
duced in America last year. worth $685.
256.400 at the market price. such cop
per states as Montana. Utah and Ari-
zona produced 26.997..500 ounces. or
forty-eight per cent. Of the total. This
was all by-product, in being safe to as
sert that not a single property in Ari-
zona, Montana or Utah was worked
mainly for silver. The large producers
were all on a copper basis, and to the
high prices for the latter may be at
tributed the phenomenal output of the
red and white metals. Thousands of
men have recently been laid of in the
prominent copper camps. The move
ment Is not confined to the United
States, but has crossed the line into
Mexico. where the retrenchment pro-
cess is yet under way. Mexico has
1000 producing copper mines and 500
additional under development. At all
Of these, without notable exception,
The laying-off process continues. so that
silver this year will be largely helped
by the decrease In supply. Since Sat
urday last the market quotation has
steadily advanced, with India and the
United States mints again in the mar
ket as purchasers.
While silver must fall off with cop
per in Montana, Utah, Arizona and
Mexico. 1t will gain with gold, lead and
zinc in the Colorado camps. At Sill
verton alone the gain this year over
last will be close to thirty per cent,
as the months of July and August, with
the Ross copper basis plant in full op-
Grafton, showed an increase in output
over 1906 equal to sixty per cent
party of Cleveland capitalists. interest
ed in the Old Hundred sroIp, are now
in Silverton. inspecting the mines and
the modern concentration. About all OF
the machinery is now on the ground.
The ore runs well In silver and lead,
and tests made with the new method
of concentration show an average saw
ing Of ninety-two per cent of the assay
values, at very small cost. This means
another large shipper for this grow
ing camp.
Rico. the first camp to the west and
xxf h. ltatr lot ts, uI
ing itself abundantly af.e- several years
OF slump. 1t is primarily n silver camp
and furnished its share Of the bonanzas
and millionaires in the white metal era.
For more than year past the United
Rico Mines Company. made up OF New
York, Philadelphia and Denver capital
lists. has been carrying forward an ex-
tcnsive and well planned development
program on purely up-to-date lines in
the matter OF power, mining and ore
treatment. The ores carry silver. zinc,
lead. gold and copper. in the order
named, making 1t rather difficult to re-
cover fair percentage OF values save
by the application of special methods.
The Australian "fiotation" process is
about to be installed, and while the
plant Is going up unit by unit the In.
vestors are cheered by the numerous
strikes in the ore veins. no less than
five In one week being n recent record.
The Group Tunnel mill has been taken
our and will be thoroughly overhauled.
An electric power plant Is now in serv.
ice, the wires extending to the various
mines, tunnels and mills OF the com.
pany. In fact, Rico has advanced in
one year from the sputtering miners
candle to the latest development OF the
bulbs that glow.
In the Gunnison county camps,
where the veins are large and run well
In silver, lead and gold values, Eastern
and Middle West capital Is busy this
season. The Raymond company is on
n dividend basis. the mill being operat-
ed by day and night shifts. Recently a
new ore shoot was cut In the 950-level,