The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1916-10-06
NITRATE CAMP ACROSS
SNAKE RIVER IS VERY
BUSY PLACE


to Caldwell but not very well known
to many is the American Nitrate Com
panys camp on Succor Creek about
lS miles out from Homedale. The
companys holdings cover something
like 1000 acres, the deposit being
found both in the surface clay and in
rock, and the supply being practically
incxhaustible.
The camp proper consists of creek
shantics, bunkhouscs and tents which
are taking on a measure OF perman-
ency with the approach of cold
weather. Between IS and 80 men
have been employed all summer, and
will probably continue operations
through the winter.
So far, the work has been largely
experim entail, and preparatory to turn
ing out the mineral products in COM
mercial quantities later. Some idea of
these preparations may be formed
when it is known that the hauling of
lumber and other materials during the
summer has kept two auto trucks and
one lighter truck plying between the
camp and Homedale during the past
summer and fall. Homedale promises
to be the company's shipping point,
and it is rumored that pipe line is
to be constructed from the camp to
this terminal, to convey the ore ready
for shipment. TIL. mines are mile
from camp, the men being taken to
and from their work in auto trucks.
Leaching Process Used.
The ore is extracted by teaching
process. 1t is shoveled and chuted
into tanks which are then filled with
water, and allowed to remain for a
stated time. The resulting solution is
then drawn off through filter to the
evaporating pans the distance of
mile, where, by system of aeration
and evaporation, the salts are de-
posted. So far only the surface clay
has been worked, it being easy of &C
cess and much cheaper to handle.
The evaporating watts alone cover an
acre of ground.
Makes Own Explosives.
Since the development of the mines
on Succor Creek. no little interest has
been awakened in the subject of
potassium nitrates. Chill is credited
with the richest deposits of this ore
in the world and Germany has had her
finger on the marketable supply for a
long time. The development of the
local fields at this particular time is
significant for the product is valuable
both as ferlizing agency and as an
element in the manufacture of am
munition. The Succor Creek camp
makes its own explosives for blasting
purposes. After testing out the local
mines last fall a prominent expert
gave it as his opinion that they were
equal to the deposits in Chill.
The theory of the formation of
potassium beds is an interesting one.
They are said by biologists to have
been brought about by bacteriolysis,
which is chemical decomposition
effected by bacteria without the ad-
dition of OXYGEN. 1t is not generally
known that salt so active could be
the result of psychological action.
The Succor Creek mines are sit
uated in what is known in geological
parlance as a Lake Bed district The
volcanic action of which this country
is an upheaval, was accompanied by
torrential rains which deposited mud
in the form of lakes which attracted
the bacteria which are responsible for
our present supply of this dual pur-
pose product 1t is exceedingly
soluable in water which accounts for
it being found only in regions of light
rainfall.
Headquarters in Caldwell.
The offices and laboratory of the
corncern are located in this city. Mr..
Harry Wilson is vice president and
general manager of the company and
A. E. Robinson is the superintendent
in charge of the camp, which was es-
tablished year ago last spring. The
topography of the section in which it
is situated is somewhat peculiar. A
huge rock representing a neat one
hundred tons is balanced just above
the camp ON base four feet square.
Close by is ten acre tract covered
with thousands of rocks of various
sizes all on pedestals. Shamrock