Gilpin observer., 1911-09-14
REMEDIES SUGGESTED.

to revive the mining industry in Colo
rado. The prospecting fund will help
It is in the nature of first relief"
When . person is seriously Ill or
wounded aad Is suffering great pain,
F. the doctors first duty is to give
something to ease the pain and slim
ulate the patient; then the real treat
ment must begin. So it is with the
dire illness of Colorado's mining in
dustry: the prospector's fund will
ease and stimulate the patient until
the cause and nature Of the disease
can be located, diagnosed and real
remedial treatment commenced.
In order to arrive at a true un-
derstaDding Of any case, medical,
economic or otherwise, its history
must be carefully studied.
No one viii deny that the mining
industry Of Colorado is intimately
connected with the American Smelt-
ing and Refining company (smelting
trusD, n vice versa as you please.
Here sre . few facts. The mining
industry steadily grew, with but few
setbacks Of no particular Importance,
from the first discovery Of gold TO
the year 1900. From 1900 to the pres
ent time. the value OF Colorado's
mineral production shows an almost
steady and uniform decline, until In
1910 our production had fallen off
35.S7 per cent. from the high water
mark Of the former year u900).
During this same time the price Of
silver, while fluctuating considerably,
actually declined only 1913 per cent.
Lead was a trifle higher at the end
OF the decade than at the beginning;
so also was the price Of zinc. The
price Of copper shows the greatest
decline, 1874 per cent; but inasmuch
aa the total production Of copper
was about one-fortieth of the total
mineral production during this decade
1t can readily be seen that II is not
an important factor in our mineral
industry.
In April, 1899, the smelther trust
was Incorporated, and by the begin
ming of 1900 itc formation was prst,
ty well completed.
II the limited space OF a news
paper article permitted. legions oe
facts could bs cited to prove tha
4 tstateRsat that tie smelter Trust II
fmUfe fespUnslble than my 1sngr1Sa
factor for the decline Of the mineral
industry in Colorado. Only one fact.
which is typical, will be cited:
The Smelter Trust levies q tax AZ
one dollar per ton on every ton Of
ore shipped from two Of the Oldest
and best mining counties of Colo
RADIO. and pays it to a certain samp-
ling firm. 1t makes no difference
whether that firm samples the min.
eral or not.
The next important fact In regard
to the decline of our mining indust-
ry is that our ores (outside Of Grip
pie Creek have become complex
faster than the milling methods have
developed. 1t is safe to say that the
concentrating and ore dressing mills
: (barring Cripple Creek ores againl ldo
not save an average Of IS per cent.
? Of the values Of the various ores
treated.
: Another thing that is retarding th
development Of. but principally the
; prospecting Of our mineral areas ID
l. the forest reserve regulations.
Only one example (but a most vital
: one) will be cited. In recent inter.
views Forester Graves was quoted
as saying that "the Forest Service
would not uphold unreasonable re
strictions on prospecting within the
reserves. Anyone showing good faith
can obtain title to mineral claims
They will only be required to show
y pay ore"
Ye Gods! Why not require the
homesteaders to show pay farm
!. or the corporations seeking righ,
: Of way over the public domain, e
. show pay railroad" or "pay pow
T. err line." etc.?
The remedies are. briefly: The
state must regulate the Smeltel
u Trust. The Denver Chamber of Com
merce and the public organizations In
: terested In the welfare of Colorado
: should raise a fund to finance the
research into and the development
= OF more economical and efficient
y methods for dressing or concentratin,
:. complex ores, OF which there is ar
;. abundance in every mining camp In
u the state.
And lastly. the United States For
=. est Service should be shown the folly
y Of the rule and induced to change
> It, that requires the prospcctor I,
SHOW ray mine" before he car