Evening journal., 1913-10-09
CONTROL OF ALL
RADIUM BOUGHT
BY A. i. DUPONT
Greatest amount Of Fitch
bIende Now Owned by
Powder Co. Official
CENTRAL CITY, COL,
MINES ASE PURCHASED

MINES A0E PURCHASED
Announcement is made that Alfred J.
duront. first ice-president Of the r. l.
DUPONT Powder Company, virtually has
obtained control OF the Colorado radi-
um-producing mines, which contain the
greatest amount of pitchblcnde
mineral from which radium is extracted
-and now is attempting to produce
pure radium in this country.
Acting under the advice of Madame
Curie, the discoverer Of radium, Profes-
sor B. B Boltwood, professor Of geology
At Yale University, and Doctor Kelly
professor Of chemistry at Johns Hop
kins University, who have made reports
on the DUPONT mines, agents for Mr.. du
Pont, have obtained control OF four OF
the existing six mines which contain
pitchhende, near Central City, Col
Mr.. dupont has organized a 81 100000
corporation. and now is endeavoring to
produce radium in Colorado. The crude
ore already obtained is l25O00 tons,
and is valued az Sl25O00 Should the
radium be extracted IL would he valued
az S52.0o0 900 a pound. IL 10 understood
Mr. dupont is negotiating with repre-
se1ntatives OF the French and Austrian
Governments. and will enter into the
world combine 10 control the element.
Hundreds Of sacks of the finest grade
ores are stored in the Rocky Mountain
National Bank Of Central City. These
are valued al $50 a sack
These facts only became known
yesterday following a dispatch from
Denver which stated that Gen.
T Coleman DUPONT. president of
the powder company had purchased
the pitchblende mines and would
turn over any radium produced %
scientific bodies for philanthropic
purposes. The dispatch was in error,
as T. Coleman DUPONT is not interest
ed. Alfred L. DUPONT however. II
has been learned. Is the real owner,
and the mines have been purchased
as an investment
= The utmost secrecy has been main
tanned regarding the whole deal. Only
the closest friends Of Mt DUPONT
knew Of the venture until he had
purchased the German and Belcher
mines and obtained the operating in
terests Of the Mitchell and Wood
mines-all located on Quartz Hill. .
miles distant from Central City and
az an altitude OF 1000 feet The ad-
joining Kirk and Alps mines. the only
other mines IN this vicinity which
contain pitchhlende in commercial
quantities. are under option to the
Austrian Government
Mr.. dupont has been acquiring the
radium properties In Colorado since
the fall OF 1911. He became inter
ested through Hugh G. Browne. OF
this city, whose offices we're In the
Drexel building. Philadelphia
Only recently the Mitchell an,
Wood mines have come into the com
bine on an operating basis. Tn
German Gold and Uranium Compan,
has been formed. with S100O.00l
capital, Mr. DUPONT. Il is understood
controlling the majority OF the stock
the other portions having been ex.
changed for the original stock Of the
old companies. n. c. Browne "a
president OF the corporation. Mr
Browne is now in Colorado William
Wright. Of Boyertown. Pa. is a large
I stockholder.
Mr. DUPONT visited the properties in
May and made arrangements for the
erection Of mills. A laboratory for
the reduction Of radium is about 20 be
built. the cost of which will be in the
neighborhood OF $4,000 The forces
in the mines are working day and
night bringing the coal-like pitch
blend 70 the surface from the 400
foot shafts The high-grade ore Is
placed In bags and sent to the local
bank The vaults and cellar OF the
institution are filled with the mate
rial. The lower grades OF ore are
piled in the Belcher storage houses
The weekly payroll amounts TO more
than $500. This is drawn from the
DUPONT account in the Central City
Bank II was said by a stockholdeI
OF the company that Mr.. DUPONT al.
ready had invested more than $780,.
600 IN operating expenses, and thai
al least 100000 more would go int
buildings and appartus before th'
FIRST gram Of radium. worth $4,000
could be extracted.
Within six weeks a representative ol
the Austrian government offered 70 pur
chase the stock Of pitchblende Ihn
was refused il is said. The Austrian
later said the low grade ore Of th'
DUPONT mines was Of higher qualit,
than any in Austria. which arc suppose
to be the hest on earth Hermann G..
rhafehrn. a noted French metallurgis
and a representative Of the French gov
ernent. now if az the mines He, toe
failed 70 interest the company in plai
TO export the pitchblende. II is believes
.. these men were successful, however, u
bringing the mines into the foreign com
bine.
, Now that tho company has practicall
obtained control Of the hest mines q
Quartz Hin work will be rushed tn
, services Of several scientists-thc name
are carefully guarded-are 20 be i
in charge of the laboratory With
r two months all the necessary apparatu
will be in place and a scoe Of worSme
/, will begin on the last stage ofprcdu'
= ton
: Whether the entry OF tho dupont IN
y terests into the radium field had an
bearing on the recent advance m IN
. price Of radium has not been ascertain
cd On October , a dispatch was r.
e ceived from Berlin saving that the pris
G mad advanced $4,000 a gram, due
y the unprecedented demand for the sui
& stance. Todays quotations IN berh
a are sll5.00O a gram.
e ACCIDENTS OF-THE DAY.
II John II. Dickinson. OF No. 507 We
J. Ninth street. an employe OF the Anne
ican Car and Foundry Company, w
J. rt~..rr~ a., fbr ava while working tn