Yerington times. [volume] (Yerington, Nev.) 1907-1932, 1917-02-03

manager of the company, Mr.. +. w
Guernsey, manager of the smelter,
and Mr. E. A. Cam, chief accountant.
with thpr assistants, are crowded
with, and crowding, work preparatory
to starting to smelt ores. 1t was the
intention to charge the smelters on
the first OF the month, and for this
purpose fires were started on Tuesday
Had it not been for the storms that
have prevailed for the past ten days
or two weeks this would have been &C
complished and the institution witt.
it, large force would now be in full,
activity The storm which carteC
the early part OF last week abated
and the roads were being opened tc
uninterrupted traffic, when the fury
OF its predecessors was surpassed by
the blizzard now raginbg and
which again completely blocked all
lines. On Wednesday nearly score
of passenger and mtil trains weer
stalled and all freight again tied III
with greater uncertainty of removin,
the blockade Immediately than ever
Had it not been for the blockade o
freight in January the company would
have been ready to begin operation
some iime during the middle OF tha
month. but it was beyond human pow
er to accomplish more than the man
agement has done. With the supple.
secured and the road clear it would
have been possible to start on tn
first OF this month, but until the wea
ther is settled the shortage of fue
would render extremely probable the
necessity to shut down on account o
its shortage.
Unauthorized statements, based un
doubtedly on unfoundcd rumors start
ed by people OF the class who were
willing 10 bet, while the smelter was
i'm course OF erection, that it woulC
never light the fires under its furnace
and that it was merely stocksellint
promotion, have been frequently mad
and in some instances have been pub
lished. The Times has been reliably
informed that no such statement has
ever been authorized by the company
or its officials.
For the past two years it has beer
matter OF common knowledg,
among persons informed, that an es
tabishment OF the magnitude of the
Thompson smelter could not be main
tanned by ores available from lease
and small properties. 1t is als'
known that from these sources the
supply is bound to fluctuate and tha
while they might for limited periods
supply sufficient to cause conges
ton at the smelter, yet most OF tho
time the supply would be totally in
adequate TO keep the furnaces going
1t became necessary to secure
source HhS tildt dhoiuSu py ''N ''"N
stone mine. For months negotiations
to purchase that property were con
Quoted. Time and again reports wer
circulated, indicating that the purchase
of the Bluestono by the Mason Valley
Mines Company was about to cul'
inmate, arousing hopes that it would
enable the smelter to start up.
When the arrangements were hnally
made the Mason company made the
announcement that the smelter would
be started. They were conservative
in their statements at the time, and
their attitude was taken for the sole
purpose of preventing confusion
among those who would be discom
moded and put to the expense ano
trouble of shipping ore prematureiy
in the hopes of getting returns winch
would be impossible to realize.
Had the company made or permit
ted to be made the announcement that
tIlcY WOulu ICAViNN anu +aSdl Nto''hi
ores Immediately it does not take an
abnormally vivid imagination to con
lure the situation, and hardships to
leasers that would follow. Leasers
would ship their ore to the plant
which could not possibly treat II
perhaps for weeks after its arrival
Every bin and every space availaDe'
is now full TO the limit. The delays
caused by the storms have caused
congestion already, that is gigantic
in proportions. Under contracts al
ready entered into, delayed as they
have been by the unusual and unpre'
cedented conditions, the ore received