The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1916-09-01
THE STEEL PLANT TO BE
DISMANTLED AND SOLD
A Ten Ton Hammer Was Shipt Out the
Past Week-Mr. Moore of Spokane
Here Last Week.

n ACaNCuWOItu UuSlucSS ludu ldlllIIidI
with the Washington Steel & Iron Co. S
venture in this town, past week met Mr.
0. c. Moore, of Spokane, secretary OF
the company, who last week superin-
tended the removal of some of the
machinery, and in conversation with
him learned that the entire plant would
be sold for what it would bring. He
recites very briefly in the folovling the
history of the affair:
The best laid plans Of mice and
men gang aft aglee." This was the
finding in the observations of the poet,
Robert Burns, in his day. The strength
of this saying fittingly applicable as it
was then, can today be applied to the
failure of many we'll planned projects
that are to be met with on every hand.
Some ten years ago Mr.. E. H. Roth
ert drifted quietly into Leavenworth
and made known a discovery. He in
formed the people of Leavenworth that
the mountains around Blewett contained
an inexhaustible amount Of magnetic
iron ore; which, however, could not be
smelted or put on the market in the
shape OF manufactured product, in-as-
much as when brought to the melting
point froth or scum was formed which
adhered to the sides OF the crucibles to
such an extent that the vessel was
rendered useless for further smelling.
Mr.. Rothert's discovery was 1ux,
which when mixed with the crushed
ore and put into the smelter, did away
entirely with the frothing OF the molten
metal. A meeting was called to dis
cuss the matter, and when it was limited
that the plant might be erected in
Leavenworth, business men saw loom
ing up in the dim distance the name
and fame of their beloved town appear
ing on the map like a star OF the first
magnitude, instead of an infniteimal
fly speck, and then and there fortified
themselves with liberal blocks
OF stock. A corporation was formed
headed by Mr.. Rothert and board OF
directors, composed of business men
OF good reputation.
AS the years rolled on the plant as
sumed somthing OF the appearance OF
factory. A track was built connecting
the plant with the Great Northern main
line. Tons OF machinery, rock crush
ers, hammers weighing many tons, and
smelters were installed. Some steel
was made, the quality of which if turned
out on a commercial basis at lower
cost than the imported article, would
have revolutionized the tool steel in
dustry of the world. Experiments had
to be made; all OF which appeared to
be aboitive of the results aimed at.
The stockholders and directors got
uneasy and would not allow time for
further experiment, demanding the
secret process-the details OF which
had been put in escrow. whereby Roth
ert claimed to be able to make the
steel. This Rothert refused. Litiga-
ton followed with the result that Mr..
Rothert turned over all his holdings in
the company to. the directors are with
drew his secret process from escrow.
After allowing the plant to lie dor
mant for the past year, it is now stated
that the machinery is to be dimantled
and moved away, and the buildings
disposed of at what they will bring. A
ten ton hammer was moved away about
a week ago. Thus has one of Leaven-
worth's dream OF greatness been dissi-
pated, dream which cost the stock
holders seventy-seven thousand dollars,
Approximately thirteen thousand dollar:
of this amount was subscribed in Leav'
enworth and the greater part oil the
balance in Spokane.
Mr.. Rothert has formed another com
pany and is still confident OF his ability
N make the metal by his process.
Some critical smokers have discov'