The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1913-01-20
FINE YEAR EXPECTED
IN MINING
PACIFIC NORTHWEST PROPER
TIES LOOKED TO TO sURPAss
LAST YEARS RECORD.

1912, the most successful the Pacific
northwest mining industry has known,
men close to the pulse of the industry
look forward to a year even, more re-
markable In 1913.
The annual report of the Spokane
Stock exchange shows the heaviest
business in 1912 for any year since
the organization was formed, with the
single, exception of 1906. the boom
year. The. total number of shares sold
was. 4,717,9 1868, valued at $2,116,355, but
little less than the 1906 figures, when
the transfers were estimated at s.
102,710 shares Of an approximate value
of $2,260,000.
In many respects the year Is re-
garded by members of the stock ex-
change as the most promising in his
tory from the standpoint of the legiti-
mate mining industry of the Pacific
northwest. as practically all the issues
represented in the transactions of the
board are either shares of proven
mines or properties sufficiently de-
veloped to warrant the belief that they
will become profitable producers
eventually.
OF the 1913 outlook, William A.
Nichols, a prominent broker and
operator, says: AT no period during
the last II years has this industry
received such enthusiastic support
from conservative capital. Producing
mines have been opened up in every
important district tributary to Spo-
kane, and the present year promises
renewed prosperity. Capital is avail
able both from the large n small
investor for legitimate enterprises"
Edward Pohlman said: In my
opinion 1913 will excel all previous
years in the mining industry. The
record of dividend disbursements for
1912 has never been surpassed in his
section, and great as it has been, the
year 1913 will eclipse this record by a
wide margin.
A nc time since Spokane achieved
recognition as a mining center AVE
there been SO many new and assured
dividend paying mines, yet, strange as
1t may seem, neither has there ever
been a time when securities of that
character commanded so low a price,
AS a result of years of experimental
ton by Milton F. Webster, a Spokane
assayer. the B%ullwhacker teaching
plant at Butte, Mont, is turning out
pure copper in sheets of varying
thickness, ready to go to the manu-
facturer without being subjected to a
refining process, according to Patrick
Clark of Spokane, principal owner of
the mine, who said: THAT the pro-
cess is a commercial success has been
demonstrated in our plant. Our ore is
crushed and then subjected to a leach
ing treatment, the principal part of
which consists in mixing the pulp
with sulphuric acid. When the copper
Is dissolved, we draw the solution off
into watts, where a heavy electric cur
rent Is turned into it through an agi-
tating device that keeps the liquid
constantly rotating, and the copper is
precipitated by his method and COL
lected In thin sheets on plates placed
vertically around the sides of the vat.
This system of treatment is not only
saving fully 95 per cent of our values,
but We are cutting out the refineries
as well. The success of Mr.. Webster's
system Is certain to mark a new era
for cope mining in the northwest,
as 1t provides a simple and satisfac-
tory method of treatment that can be
employed In any teaching plant, and
1t promises to revolutionize existing
methods of treating the copper de-
posits in nan districts where car
Donate Of copper ore exists in guam
titles"
More than 500 visitors, including en-
gineers representing practically all
industries, are expected in Spokane
during the engineering congress, Feb
ruary 10 to 81 inclusive. On .Satur-
day, February %, they will be taken
to various engineering points in and
near the city. Visits will be mad to
the Monroe street bridge. which has
the longest concrete arch in America;
to Long lake where the Washington
water Power company is expanding
$4,000, 900 building a dam and power
plant, n to the construction work
of the Milwaukee and O.-W. r. & N.
company railroads. The program on
February 10 will be given over to
delegates of the American Institute of
Mining Engineers, the United States
Mineral Surveyors, the American In
stitution of Architects and the Ameri-
can Society for the Advancement of
Science. L.. K. Armstrong of Spokane
Is in charge Of arrangements. !
Reports from the Standard mine in
British Columbia, of which Tohn A.
Finch of Spokane is the principal
owner. are that the richest strike in
the history of the mine has been made
at the property. The reports say the
new ore body has been proved to be
30 feet wide and 40 feet long. Five
feet assays Is per cent lead and the
balance 20 per cent This is <onsid-
cred the main ore shoot of the mine,
the vein from which the big dividends
have been paid being a parallel one, |
The big ore body has been uncovered
in No, 6 level, which Is 24O feet be-
low No. s..
Need Of a geological survey by the
state of Washington and the issuance ,
of regular reports by the department
on the production and progress of de-