Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1908-12-02
MINING CONGRESS
IN SESSION
Charges Shelter Trust with
Stealing Ore From
Miners.

every mineral and metal producing
state from the Atlantic &c the Raclnc
represented BY distinguished dele
gates. the American Mining Congress
opened It's eleventh ann ,aI session
IN the Smoky City today. II is es-
timated that the delegates and viBi-
tors number thousand. and this at
tendance Is expected TO be doubled
BY Friday, when the governors and
mine experts Of the coal states win
hold conference for the purpose
Of promoting uniform state legisIa-
ton for protecting the lives OF miners
and protecting the fuel supply from
waste.
Proposals for elimination Of fraud
ulsnt mining stock operations, the
relation between ustom smelters
and the ore producers; federal aid
for mining schools and experiment
stations; the exploitation OF the rare
mineral resources OF the country; the
conservation or mineral resources,
timber and water supply and uniilca-
ton Of the mining laws OF the sew
eral states are the particular sub
iects which will be under discussion.
One Of the leading objects or the
congress II the enactment OF ade-
qnate laws for the prevention OF fake
mining schemes. Ii has been sue
ceasful In having stringent laws pass
ID BY some Of the states covering
this subject. and Il Is the intention
70 in time have every state enact 4
law which will guarantee protection
70 legitimate mining interests.
Tho pittsburg convention win take
long step toward having such
Law enacted in Pennsylvania. The
law that the congress Ii anxious 10
have passed IL modelled on law
now IN successful operation in Calf
fornia.
Another topic which will come up
for discussion at the congress will be
that Of rare minerals such as radlum.
DF. Herman Flick. Of the Colorado
school OF mines. win discuss this mat.
ter. Practically no radium IL pro-
daced In this country at present, but
mining engineers believe that n prop
erly sought for II can be procured.
Sensational developments are ex-
paetad TO follow the assertion Of Sec
Rotary calbraIth that the standard
OH company Is rapidly securing con-
troll OF the output OF the mines with
the amelteF trust
According 10 calhraith. John D.
Rockefeller ID slowly but surely gain
Ing control Of the mineral resources
Of the United States. Through his
alliance with the transportation trust
and the smelteF trust. which Il in
reality an adjunct OF the standard
0il Co. Rockefeller can now tell
nearly every miner in the United
states what he must take for his ore.
The smelter trust has patented
methods Of ore reduction and ore re.
dnction machinery until miners are
compelled 70 ship ore to the trust and
take ita estimate OF value.
III has been shown says Cal
braith. that the miner receives ap.
proximately but SO per cent OF the
value Of his ore after paying the reg
ular smelling and transportation
charges. The smelter trust must Do
compelled 10 devise better method
q ore reduction or to quit deducting
profits under the vuise Of penalties.
u han been shown that on shipments
covering period Of eight years. the
miner received "a per cent, while
the value unaecounted for was 81
per cent. IN other words. ST per
cent Of the value OF eight years
shipments was either Lost or stolen.
In most eases. II was stolen out
rtght. The smelter trust charges,
for instance an extra penalty for
smelling ainc ores. The ainc Ii kent
~ the trust and no payment IL even
given the miner for the value Of thls
metal"
Calhraith believes be has remedy
lie wants the senate to pass the bin
egsabliah = bureau OF mines. which
has already been passed BY the house
Of representatives He win urge on
the mining congress that pressure be
brought apon the senate to secure
the passage Of the BIN
When the bureau OF mines Il e.
tAblished, the fght IL just begun.
SAYS Caihraish, The struggle win
thea be % secure annual appropria-
lions for the use Of the bureau OF
mines TO be used in experimenting
% methods Of ere reduction for the
esneft Of The whole people.