Los Angeles herald., 1910-03-18
FAVOR FEDERAL
ASSAY OFFICE
REPRESENTATIVES PLEDGE
THEIR SUPPORT
WESTERN SENATORS LABOR FOR
BUREAU OF MINES
Two Measures of Vital Importance to
Mining Industry Receive Con-
sideratlon and Opposition
at Washington

The Los Angeles chamber of mines
is in receipt of communications from
all California representatives in con
gress, assuring their support or the
bill providing for the establishment
of a federal assay office IN Los An
geles The members of the mousse COM
mittee on mines and mining, with the
notable exception of Delegate Cam
eron of Arizona, are non-committal on
the subject I'm their letters TO the
chamber of mines, though they give
the usual promise that the measure
will receive their careful consldera-
ton
Senator Perkins writes under date OF
March 10 that he hopes the bill pro-
yiding for the creation of federal
bureau of mines, which has peeh re-
ported to the senate with amendments
and is now on the calendar, VIII ne
come a law at this session or congress,
Senators sutherland of Utah, Nixon or
Nevada and Scott of Virginia write
the chamber of mines that they are
heartily In favor of the passage OF the
bill and will do all possible IN tnelr
power to procure its passage curing
this session. The other members OF
the senate committee on. mines ana
mining are non-committal IN thelr as
surances of support, though IL Is uh-
derstood that they are all in favor OF
the passage of the bill as amended.
The chamber of mines Is in receipt
of the act providing for the estapllsh-
ment of the federal bureau OF mines,
with amendments suggested by the
senate committee on mines and min
ink and the bill reported by the sem
ate committee is as follows:
For Bureau of Mines
Re II enacted by the senate ana
house of representatives of the Unlleu
States of America in congress assem-
bled. that there is hereby established
in the department of the interior
bureau to he called the bureau OF
mines and n director of said bureau,
who shall be thoroughly equipped lot
The duties of said office by techhlIal
education and experience anu VINO
shall be appointed by the president
nv and with the advice ana consent
of the senate, and who shall receive
a sa.arv of $4,000 per annum; and there
shall also be in the said bureau eN-
nerts and other employees, that may
from time to time be authorlzeu pg
congress. ..,.,.,
SEC . That II shall be the province
and dutv of said bureau and its direc-
tor under the direction OF the secre-
tarv of said department, to make an
cent investigation of the metious ol
mining. especially in relation 10 lhc
safety of miners. and the appiIdIiCSs
hest adapted to prevent accldehls' lile
nossible improvement of conditions un
der which mining operations are car
,,ied on. the treatment of ores ana
other mineral substances, the use OF
explosives and electricity, the preVeh-
tion of accidents, and other injuries
and technologic investigations pert
nent to said industries, ana from lnilS
10 time make such public reports ol
tbe work. Investigations, and intorma-
tion obtained as the secretary OF salu
denartment may direct. with the rec
concentrations of such bureau.
sec 3 That the secretary of the IN
terror shall provide the said bureau
with furnished offices within the city
of washington. with such books, rec
ords. stationery, and appliances ana
ench assistants, clerks, stenographers'
tvnevvriters and other employees as may
he necessary for the proper dlschafSe
of the duties imposed by this act upon
such bureau, fixing the compensation
of such clerks and employees wlthlh ap-
nominations made for that purpose.
Sec a That the secretary of the IN
. tarior is hereby authorized to transfer
10 the bureau of mines from the Ohlleu
states geological survey the superNi-
sion of the Investigations OF struc
tural materials and the analyzihs anu
testing of Goals, lignites and other MN
era1 fi,el substance and the investiga-
tion as to the causes of mine eNplo-
eions, and the appropriations made Tor
such Investigations may be eNpehueu
under the supervision OF the director
of mines in manner as II the same
were SO directed in the appropriation
acts. and such Investigations shall
hereafter be within the province OF
the bureau of mines. and shall cease
md determine under the organization
Of the United States geological survey
Sec. 5. That nothing in TINS act
shall be construed as in any way
Granting to any officer or employe OF
the bureau of mines any right or au-
tboritv in connection with the inspec-
lion or supervision Of mines or metal
lureical plants in any state or ter
The recent additions to the Los An
roles chamber Of mines exhibit lnclude
three large specimens from Jophh'
Mo. One of these specimens SHOWS
large group of calcite crystals, an
other a combination of calcite ana
galenite (eubic crystals of lead ore)'
the third a large specimen Weighing
about 100 pounds, showing perfect crys-
tallizations of sphalerite (zinc(, gaze
nite Qead) and calcite. The chalhpSI
has also received a complete eXhlplt
from the famous United VERDE at
Torome. Ariz; also a characteristic eX-
Iibit from the Cerro Gordo TINS eX-
hibit is growing with gratifying rapid
Nv and it is anticipated that the time
g. not far distant when 1t Will exceed
IN character anything of similar ma
ture west of the Rocky mountains