The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1916-01-06
HIGH METAL PRICES MARK BEGINNING
OF I9I6-,-,W|LL Be THE BANNER YEAR
PAST PROFITS AND ASSURED MARKET IMPETUS
MlNNe-RALRoAD CONSTRUCTION FEATURE
OF THE YEARS OPERATIONS.
Lead $50, spelter sls.25, silver 5s4
cents, copper $3.50.

= Lead $50, spelter $16,25, silver 56A
cents, copper $2S.5O
These prices of the metals are the
cheerful New Year greeting to the
mines of the Coeur d'Alene district
They forecast another year of great
dividends to fortunate shareholders
! and greater disbursements through
the payment of wages to an army of
Workingmen direct, the purchase of
supplies and the payment of freight
and treatment charges on ore, most of
which finds its way into the channels
of trade and contributes to the pros
perity of thousands who have no con-
nection direct or indirect with the MIN
ing industry, And they do more.
Those figures taken in connection with
the remarkable dividend record Of the
mines of this district present an ar
gument to capital seeking safe and
profitable investment not duplicated
in any mining section of the west. Ac-
cording to the sworn statements on
file with the county assessor, and
published in detail in the last issue of
The Miner, the mining companies Of :.
this district during the period of IS
years from 1902 to 1914 earned net pro-
fits aggregating $47.045,576, and dur
ing the same period the net losses ag-
gregated only $1,135294. 1t should be
borne in mind that the net losses.
small as they are by comparison, do
not imply failure of the mines report
ing them, for many of them are today
earning dividends. In most cases net
loss means that during the year for
which the report was made expendi-
lures for betterments or unusual de-
yelopment work were excessive and
for the period more than Offset the
earnings of the mine.
The high prices of the metals and
the reasonable certainty that they will
maintain a high average for a period
of years is responsible for the spirit
of optimism that prevails throughout
the district Every operating COM
pany is crowding production to the
limit, and the same aggressive meth
DDS prevail among the development
companies in opening new mines.
Prosperity is everywhere in evidence,
and the new year which begins so au-
spiciously gives promise of establish
ing a new record in this district where
prosperity is the rule.
D. EaasI;A;ns
New mines mean more tonnage and
more tonnage means improved trans
portation facilities for handling it. The
railroads do not extend their lines un-
til there is business in sight to justify
it, and they do not always construct
new lines in keeping with the demands
of business. However, the mining OPP
erations in at least two sections of the
Coeur dAlene district have reached a
point at which transportation facili-
ties are a necessity and the prediction
is made that branch railroads will en-
ter these new fields during the pres
ent year These two sections are Bea-
yer creek and Pine creek, and it is ex-
pected that the O.-W. r. & N. will be
the company that occupies both of
them. There is one shipper on Bea-
yer creek now, the Tuscumbia, which
is using the Idora mill and hauling
concentrates 10 miles to the North
Fork branch Of a the O.-W. r. & NJ,
and the management of the Ray-Jeff-
erson is preparing to erect large mill
in the same vicinity as soon as the
weather will permit 1t has been an
nounced that railroad would be built
by the time this mill is ready for OPP
GRAFTON, and the presumption is that
the O.-W. r. & N. will build it. But
in any event 1915 will see a railroad
up Beaver creek.
Pine Creek to Have Railroad, Too.
Information was received this week
that a right of way man is now at
work along Pine creek securing rights
for branch that will extend to the
mouth of Hilarity gulch, a distance of
about 5 miles What company he rep
resents is not known, but it is natural
ly supposed that it is the O.-W. R. &
N. AS an evidence Of business in
sight, it may be stated that six teams
are now engaged hauling concentrates
from the Highland Surprise mill, and
the management of the Little Pitts
burg announces that his company will
be prepared to make regular ship
ments by January 15. A large number
of teams are reported on the ground
to haul the product of this mine to
the railroad. In addition to these the
Constitution is crowding development
and expects to have mill in opera
tion during the summer. The parties
who recently took lease and bond
on the Douglas expect to be shipping
, ore in the early spring, and there are
other properties that may soon be in
, position to increase the output of Pine
) creek within few months. with this
tonnage in sight and much more that
: is reasonably certain in time, branch
CONTINUED on Last Pagel