Gilpin observer., 1908-11-26
The OTHER SIDE OF THE
SMELTER PROBLEM
l ne General Manager of the Smelling Company
Answers Recent Criticisms

concerns have started sampling works
at Georgetown, Central City and Boul-
der, but have not ben able to continue
on account Of lack of ore production.
The field is certainly an open one for
anybody desiring to engage in that
line of business.
The statement has been made by
the undersigned that the American
Smelling & Refining Company is not
and has not been in politics. This is
absolutely true. In one county in the
state where the company has been bit
terly assailed and most unjustly dis
criminated against in the matter of
tax assessments, it has felt constrained
to put a few facts before the public,
but it has never at any of it's places of
operation proposed any person as a
candidate for any political office, nor
has it been politically active in any
way in the aid of any candidates for Of
flee.
Senator Guggenheim has repeatedly
declared his connection with the Amer.
lean Smelling & Refining Company, ex-
ecutive and financial, has been severed.
.,
is also absolutely true.
"The Guggenheim Exploration Com
pany has also nothing to do with the
American Smelling & Refining Com.
pany affairs, excepting in so far as any
ore produced by the former is smelted
at the latter's plants. The Guggenheim
Exploration company has spent many
hundreds of thousands of dollars in
Colorado in the prosecution of mining
enterprises. Gen. Hall suggests that
because of an unfavorable financial
outcome of these ventures in Colorado
the American Smelling & Refining
Company has imposed additional
charges on the other mine operators
of the state. He wishes to know
whether it is unfair to make such
suggestion. 1t is not only grossly un-
fair, it is outrageous and indecent. Can
Gen. Hall cite single instance in war
rant of his suggestion?
Had Gen. Hall desired to do so, he
could have had all of the facts bearing
on smelling charges and ore conditions
before the publication of the Post ar
ticles which seem to have been actu-
ated by political malice and sinister
motives rather than by desire to pub
lish the truth.
Had he so desired he could have
made the fullest investigation and all
of the facts would have been gladly
presented to him. for the American
Smelling & Refining Company has
nothing to conceal and nothing to mis-
represent.
THE recent vilification in the Post
has not and cannot harm the smelling
company in the least, for it had already
suffered a severe blow in it's Colorado
interests by the decadence of Colorado
mining camps. 1t has, however, great
ly injured the state by directing forci-
BILE attention to the fact that the Amer
ican Smelling & Refining Company has
been obliged to close a number of its
plants: and many inquiries which are
being now made as the result of those
untrue charges will reveal the fact that
the curtailment of the ore production
in Colorado is not and has not been
due to the levying of unjust and bur-
exhaustion of many mines which once
ranking as prolific producers of good
grade ore now are entirely depleted or
contain only mineral too low in value
to be mined and smelted under govern
ing metal prices. Finally. there is the
failure to discover new mining camps.
In drawing the public's attention to
this deplorable condition, the Post
must assume the full responsibility of
the result of its misguided course.
which can only reflect itself in driving
away from Colorado capital for mining
investments which otherwise might
have come here.
AS for the smelling company. it will
continue in the future the course which
has characterized its policy in the past,
namely to so act as to aid and stimu.
late the mining industry of Colorado to
its utmost, and to retain that respect
and confidence of its patrons which it
has secured by fair and just dealings.
With this declaration the undersigned
must beg to be relieved from further
newspaper controversy for which he
has neither time nor inclination. He
is most ready at all times, however. as
be always has been, to discuss in his
office with any ore shippers, business
of mutual interest.
FRANKLIN GUITERMAN,
General Manager Colorado Depart.
ment."