Gilpin observer., 1914-11-19
GIVE US A SQUARE DEAL


readers and show them the error of
their way The gold mines of Gill
pin county contain as large and rich
veins of ore as ever, and the deep
drainage tunnels whose portals are
at Idaho Springs penetrate our noun
tains from 2O00 to 2300 feet beneath
us, disclosing our large fissure veins
at that depth to be stronger and even
richer than at the surface.
While we have the fissure veins
there are many things that under
present conditions are detrim entail to
the camp and state and must be re-
medied before success can ever be
obtained. The first and most i'm
pOrtant is in the marketing of our
ores. The American Smelling and
Refining Company has driven cut all
producer at the mercy OF their avar-
icious greed.
Gold 1000 fine is worth 500. 81 per
ounce at any U. S. mint yet this
guished protege, the Chamberlain
sampler at Black Hawk, that has no
competition in this district, will only
pay the shipper of small lots SIS per
ounce and larger lots S19. The smelt-
er on large lots will only pay $3.50
per ton, thus robbing the producer of
so cents. The sampler, that is of no
more use to the miner than virtue is
to the prostitute, comes in with an
additional rake off of $1.5O per ton
that is nothing but fine graft But
this is not all: we have been shown
a statement where only $500 per
on silver, 11a%c off the copper and
80 off lead, with an $500 per ton
treatment charge; there is also a
penalty on zinc that We are unable
to obtain. The sampler and smelter
when they make their sales are paid
in full for all these by products they
so numerically penalize and take
from the producer.
Gilpin, Clear Creek and Boulder
counties are at the mercy of this ra-
venous corporation that will not allow
competition to enter the field.
Cripple Creek has solved the pro-
blem by erecting their own mills at
their mines and treating their own
ores, thus being Independent of the
smelters, and gold in that camp is
selling for $4,000 per ounce.
1t is claimed by the American
Smelling Company. that there are in
dependent smelters in the state where
" not satisfied the shipper can slip
his ores but let the miner attempt it
and he will at once get a letter in
return saying that Gilpin, Clear Creek
and Boulder counties are outside of
their purchasing jurisdiction and will
refer you to the tender mercies OF
the A. S. & r. Co. whose books are
so skillfully kept that Uncle Sans
Investigating committee could not see
wherein it was a trust.
Gilpin county mines never showed
better gold ores than at the present
depth of 2O00 feet where larger and
richer bodies of ore are disclosed in
these tunnel workings. As a greater
portion OF our mines are only from
two to three hundred feet deep, the
wealth lying between this point and
the tunnels level can be figured into
the many millions.
There Is another point to which
We wish to call attention, and that
Is the price fixed by the owner upon
our idle mines and the high royalty
demanded when bonding the same.
We're the mines to be taxed In pro-
portion to the price of bond asked,
the treasury of Gilpin county would
be oyerflowing with wealth. Let all
mine owners be reasonable In their
bonds and royalties. as few own
ers are now doing. and we will be
the most prosperous mining county
in the state.
II is not our aim to do an injustice
To the mine owner. but they should
be reasonable and bend every effort
to assist in bringing capital to the
county to develop the many rich gold
VEINS that produced largely at the
surface, and are now known to be
rich 1000 feet below. With the pre-
sent demand for gold to supply for.
eign nations, and the metal decrease
ing yearly In every other portion of
the globe, the world must hence.
forth look to the western hemisphere
Tor It's supply. and TIE Rocky noun.
tains when properly explored can fur