Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1907-03-20

taken from the mines is matter of
no small Importance to the state. The
railroads engaged in hauling the ore,
coke, coal and timber. the stamp
mills, cyanide plants, concentrators
and smelters all furnish work to
thouands of men.
1t is hard to say just what the min
ing industry of this state will be in
the future but it is safe to say that it
will be of no less Importance than it
has been in the past. New bodies of
ore will, no doubt, be discovered by
means of the time honored pick and
shovel, but long after all the mines
which can be reached by this method
have been tapped, others will be dis
covered by the rich mans way of
prospecting-the diamond drill. These
drills whose cutting surfaces consist
OF number of diamonds of some
species, are operated by steam or elec-
trio power and can penetrate the earth
for a quarter of mile or more turn
ing out all the time ''core'' which
is assayed and shows just what is to
be found at any depth without the ex-
pense of sinking shaft or running a
tunnel. The new railroads now being
built will do much to help the miners
in many places. There are lots of
small mines carrying but a low grade
of ore where the cost of freighting
the product by teams to a railroad in
order that it may be shipped to re-
duction plant is so great as to eat up
nearly all the profit. The new roads
will permit of shorter haul which
will leave greater return after pay
ing expenses
The mines of these western states
with their allied industries, furnish.
ing as they do, work for thousands of
men at wages which are, believe,
higher than those paid for similar
work in any other part of the world
with the single exception of Alaska,
are worthy of more than the passing
notice of anyone who is considering
change of location and especially those
who are interested in any branch of
farming. Everything that can be
raised in Iowa and the surrounding
states can be produced in Montana,
corn alone being the only crop which
will not give a greater yield ON irri
gated land. The mines now furnish
and will continue to do so for num-
ber of years to come, the very best of
markets for everything, cattle and
sheep excepted, that these farms can
produce.
But although mining is the most
important industry in Montana, it is
not the only one, by any means Mills.
factories and manufacturing establish
ments are gradually finding their way
here. The high price of labor has a
tendency to retard growth along this
line but the unlimited power which
can be developed by the rapid flowing
streams in all these mountain states.
partly offsets that objection. But aside
from these industries and considering
only those which create new wealth
like stock-raising and farming, brings
the total, when added to the mineral
production up to $3.50. 600, 600 Per-
haps this doesn't look very large to an
Iowan whose state produces annually
nearly three times as much, but as
the population of Montana is only
one. seventh that of Iowa, the compar-
ison would not be odious to Montana
people after all. Just by the way, /
may mention that for its population.
Montana has more wealth than any
other state in the union. California
has heretofore claimed the distinction
with per capita wealth of about
81, 600. 90, but the latest statistics give
Montana first place with a per capita
wealth OF over 81, 900. 90 and that too,
by the way, is little more than twice
the average allotment throughout the
United States.
l am as ever, your son,
j. j. Trzcinski.