Tonopah bonanza. [volume] (Butler City [i.e. Butler], Nev.) 1901-1909, 1908-02-01
NINE OWNERS MUST
CONTROL SHELTERS

1ONA SNlEl4l EiAP
For several years past there has
been a shadow Of competition be
tween the We smelling plants operat-
ing in Salt Lake valley, but, of late
there has been such a perfect under
standing between these concerns that
the ore producer has been almost as
much at the mercy of the buyers as
if there were only one plant for the
treatment of ores in this intermoun-
tain region; and not one of the smell
tiers could honestly be called an in
dependent proposition, free to act as
necessity demanded, and able to give
a fair show to the big as well as little
producers,
Quite recently, however, ever this
shadow of competition has disappear
ed, four of the FIVE smelling plants
have drawn their fires, and now the
mine owners are up against the real
thing, and the trust has closed upon
them with an iron hand.
Unless mine owners have an un.
expired contract with this plant, they
can hope for nothing but robbery. No
matter how much his ore is worth he
may thank his stars that the shelter
does not gobble up the entire con-
signment in the payment of outrage
Gus smelter charges, harsh penalties
and side crafts; and, even then
should be fortunate enough to have
a paltry suri coming to him, he MAJ
have to wait sixty days for what is
due him. while the smelter draws in
terest on his money.
In a free country such conditions
cannot long continue, and the indica-
tions are that it will not be long,
now, before a number of independent
smelters will be in operations which
will offer relief to the ore producer.
AS a matter of fact, a number OF
such enterprises are now on foot. and
before the closing of the present year
1t is safe to say that several indepen-
dent smelling plants will be in oper-
alton in Utah and Nevada: plants
which will give the producers fair
treatment and which will not PLAY
into the hands of the trust.
One of these, which should be IN
commission early in the spring, the
knight smelter in Tintic district
Utah, is now in curse of construc.
ton and when it is in successful CD.
GRAFTON it will be a God-send to the
silver-lead producers of this and the
nearby districts. Another proposi
ton of this character is the smeltei
to be built by F. Augustus Heinze OF
the west shore of the Great Sal
Lake.
Prominent Salt Lake and Utaf
people will doubtless be identified
with Mr.. Heinze in this enterprise, in
cluded in the number being ex-Sena
tor Kearns, Hon. David Keith, Hon
John Dern and others. In Nevada
also smelter building is on foot in F;
number of places. The cost of con
struct'on is being inquired into, pro
motors are being consulted and CAPT
tai is waiting for the signal for in
yestment in a number of undertak
ings of this character.
The country needs eompetitio,
In smelling operations as much al
it does along mercantile lines
When this feature is eliminated il
all pursuits, the big fellows eat III
the little ones and the progress o
business is checked. With independ
ent shelters in commission the meta
output of the west would be NOR
than double what it is today. TIL
producer would get more for the out
put of his mine, and the whole coun
try would be vastly benefited
Salt Lake Mining Review.