Tonopah daily bonanza. [volume] (Tonopah, Nev.) 1906-1929, 1908-03-21
Miners ALLEGE
GROSS INJUSTICE

The movement started a few
weeks ago by the mining men of
Montana for an Independent organ
ization was consummated this week
by the perfection of a strong associa-
ton in which are interested and iden.
titled the most prominent mine own
ers and operators in the State. The
primary aim of the organization is
the erection and operation of an in
dependent smelter of large capacity.
which will give a fair market and
reasonable rates to the shippers of
the State and contiguous mining dis
tricts. The immediate cause of the
movement at this time was the al
legged eXtortionate rates of the East
Helena smelter (owned and operated
by the smelter trust) under which
many small mines were forced 10
shut down, as the owners allege. AMI
many mines having low grade ore
were unable to do anything with
their product
Besides the construction and op-
Grafton of the independent smelter.
however, the association has other
aims, and work in the direction of
securing modification of or abate-
ment of the various evils complain
ed of has already been undertaken,
with the result that several commit
tees, appointed at the preliminary
meeting month ago, reported the
result of their investigations of the
| alleged fraudulent classification of
lands of the Northern Pacific grant,
by which it is alleged gross injustice
has been done to the mining inter-
ests. Another committee Investigate
ed the subject of unreasonable and
unjust smelter charges and railway
rates on ores, and another commit
tee made report on investigations
of the hardships alleged to be en-
tailed rbon miners by the Forestry
Reserve regulations and the acts of
reserve officials.
Work on these lines will be car
ried on by the association in Wig
orous and comprehensive manner and
after COMMITTEES of experts have still
further investigated, action will be
taken to alleviate the evils COM
planned of. In case of the land grant
classification, an effort will be made
to have the lands re-classified. Cases
of fraudulent classification were
cited. where lands were declared 1v
! the commission to be non-mineral
where thousands of dollars had been
expended and large amounts of mer-
chantable ores had been shipped
with expensive machinery and build
ings on the ground, and in some
cases where the commission had not
seen the land upon which they ruled
! A delegation will go to Washing
ton to lay the facts ascertained be-
fore the proper officials to secure
| legislation, as also in the case of the
alleged abuse of the forest reserve
administration.
Fully 800 mining men were pres-
ent at the convention, including the
largest and most prominent operators
and owners in the State and some
from Idaho Letters of regret were
read from former U. S. Senator VIII
liam A. Clark and Hon. w. G. Con
rad, proffering active interest and
aid in the movement Both these
gentlemen were made members OF
the executive committee. as was also
former Lieutenant Governor Spriggs
The resolutions adopted declare that
1T has been demonstrated that th5
conditions affecting the reduction OF
ore, on the part of custom smelters
are needlessly and unfairly restric.
tive, and apparently have for their
ultimate purpose the absolute con.
troll of the production treatment and
marketing of the precious metal OF
the mines of America, and it has beef
further shown through our investi.
cations that the profits on the bust.
ness of smelling ores are enormous.
ly great, and further that the risks
in connection with this business are
abnormally low as compared with the
risks of the ore producer. That the
Increasing intolerance of these con-