The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1914-10-16
THAT ELECTRIC FURNACE


Dr. Ernest Barton, the gentleman
who Is putting in an electric furnace
at Loomis, spent several days in Oro-
vile during the past week, and while
he converses freely in regard to his
enterprise, a reporter must be guard
ed as to how he quotes the doctor,
as ne has suave way of putting a
scribe on honor. For the doctor is
IN earnest in his declaration of not
seeking publicity, and would much
prefer to have nothing said of his
operations or process in the press. at
least until he establishes the success
OF MS furnace in the treatment of
Okanogan ores. Even then the less
said the better it would please DR..
barton, although he understands the
value 1t would be to the mining inter-
ests of this locality If the furnace he
Is installing comes up to his expecta-
tions, and by supplying mine owners
with treatment plant Immediately
at home stimulates development of
properties.
This electric furnace that is being
installed is DR.. Bartons own inyen-
tion. 1t is a perfected system of
smelling ores by electricity, perfect
ed only after long and arduous study
and many experiments, and after fire.
quent failures. The doctor is a thor
ough and skilled metallurgist, and af-
ter taking up the problem of smelling
by electricity, that has received much
attention from mining men and met
allurgists in past years, he familiariz-
ed himself with every phase of elec-
trio energy, and in theory and practice
he Is a master of both sciences. He
Is satisfied that he has solved the
problem of electric smelling, and the
severe tests that he has given his
furnace confirms his claim. The in
vention Is the result Of deep research
and exhaustive experiment, and what
ever reward he may derive from his
great invention will be fairly earned.
He hopes to be able to secure suf-
ficient ores of the character he desires,
that is chiefly copper, at his present
location to keep the smelter in opera
ton steadily. Indeed, the country was
carefully examined before the loca-
ton was selected, and the information
derived from such examination en-
cOuraged the installation of the plant.
BY this electric process ores can be
smelted much cheaper than by fire.
He will make price for treating ores
that will leave good margin of pro-
fit to the miner. He believes he will
be able to handle all the ore offered.
If he meets with the success he anti
cipates the doctor intimates that a
furnace Of much larger capacity may
be put in at OrOville, as he considers
this the logical point for treatment
plant to reduce the ores of the sur
rounding country.
DR.. Barton was attracted to this
country by the information he received
relative to the extent of the local min
eral deposits, and believes there is
room, when the claims are properly
developed and ore bodies opened up,
for several of his electric smelters.
The small initial cost, as compared
with the ordinary smelter, and their
ease of construction, makes it pos
sible to install the furnace almost
anywhere within reach of electric
energy. His mission is to smelt ores,
not to buy mines as so many have been
lead to believe. The doctor is from
Portland, not Los Angeles, as has been
alleged, and he is simply a free lance
in the venture he is connected with.
He has been somewhat embarrassed
by report that preceded his coming
that he is millionaire. He does not
pose as a man of large means, and
has no desire to travel or do business
under false colors. The electric fur
mace is his hobby, creature of his
brain and hands, and if he can stimu-
ate the mining interests of this dist
rict with it, and at the same time
make it a source of profit to himself,
he will consider that his efforts in the
field of invention have not been in
vain. Personally DR.. Barton is most
interesting and charming gentleman,
and those who had the pleasure of
meeting him trust that he will find it
convenient to visit Oroville frequently