The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1913-01-17
{. Il. ROthert, Manager of ". S. &
|. Go. Goes East This Week to
Close Negotiations
PLANT IS TO BE LOCATED IN SUPERIOR
Eastern Co. and Denver Concern Owned
By Washington Steel & Iron Co.
Will Turn out Steel in Spring

E. H. Rothert, the largest stock
holder, also manager of the Washington
Steel and Iron Company of this city,
an enterprise which in the next few
years will prove one OF the biggest fac
tors in the growth and upbuilding of
Leavenworth will leave this week for
Superior, Wisconsin, to sign papers
and close negotiatiations for another
steel plant similar to the one here, to
be located in that city. For several
months Mr.. Rothert has been receiving
letters from eastern capitalists, who
have heard of his process of converting
titaniferous magnetic iron ore into
high grade tool steel, and owing to the
large deposit of ore near Superior it was
decided, says Mr.. Rothert, to build
plant in that city. ]. L. Torkelson,
one OF the directors of the company
has spent the past two months in the
east making arrangements for the To-
cation of plant in Superior and it
is in response to his telegram that
Mr.. Rothert will go east to close the
deal.
F1ns
Mr.. Rothert states that the plant to
be erected at Superior will be twice
to three times as large as the one here,
and it is planned to start construction
work by the first of March and have it
in operation by the first of November.
This will be the third subsidiary
company of the Washington Steel &
Iron Co., there will be one under
construction at Denver, Colorado, this
spring. In the past few months Mr.
Rothert has been besieged with let
tiers from different parts of the coun-
try wanting him to establish a plant
in their section, but he says no
other companies will be established
for the present. Recently he re-
ceived letters from English capital
lists, who. have investigated his pro-
cess, wanting to finance company to
be located in Canada near a large
body of magnetic iron ore, but this
proposition like numerous others will
receive no consideration at present.
In year or so. or after the plants now
under construction are in operation il
is the intention OF the company to
build plants in various localities thruout
the United States where large depos-
its Of this character OF ore is located.
Greatest Discovery of Age. says Prof.
In speaking Of Mr.. Rothert's pro-
cess which has already become world
famous, ]. A. Merrill, state geologist
and professor Of geology in the state
Normal school of Wisconsin says he
regards the discovery as the greatest
improvement in the iron industry in
the past century" He is taking a
great interest in the plant to be To-
Gated in his state and predicts that
the new process will revolutionize the
steel industry.
Mr.. Rothert also informed an Echo
reporter that regardless Of the number
of plants erected in the future, the
home company of the Washington
Steel & Iron Co., located in this city
would hold $40 OF the stock of all
other companies and that the stock
holders would share in the dividends
OF all subsidiary organizations. The
amount of interest being taken in Mr..
Rotherts process by capitalists thruout
the country, and the hundreds Of com
plimentary reports by chemists and
others who have made a study Of the
new method Of converting magnetic
iron ore into high grade steel, no
longer leaves any doubt as to the out
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