The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1917-07-19
Some Elements Are
Responsible for
Condition
SHELTER A BIG FACTOR
Railroad Transportation to
New Sections---A New
Dividend Record

of supplies of all kinds that
enter into mining operations
have had the effect to force
many development companies to sus-
pend operations until conditions are
more favorable. This is the penalty
of our great prosperity due to the war
and will probably continue until the
end of the great conflict. Many COM
panes which depend upon raising rev.
enue for development purposes by
levying assessments find that the usual
levy at rate that is within the
means of the ordinary stockholders
leaves little for actual development
work at the present rate of wages af-
ter paying for powder and other sup
plies at present prices, which have d
tendency to further advancement But
this condition must not be construed
in any sense as discouraging fea-
ture of the general mining outlook in
the Coeur d'Alenes There are many
features that are highly significant of
the permanent prosperity of the dis
triet, and which justify the conclu
sion that the future is brighter than
ever before.
Reduce Ores at Home.
Perhaps the most important of
these favorable features is the actual
reduction of Coeur d'Alene ores with
In the district The benefits that will
come from the building of the Bunker
Hill smelter are just beginning to be
realized and as time goes on they will
become more evident. 1t is reason
able to assume that the home smelt-
ing plant, which is supported by un-
limited capital, will be able to offer
inducements for the lead-silver ores of
the district that will be more attrac-
tive than those from distant plants,
with the result that the product of
the district will eventually gravitate
to it with the exception of that of those
mines which are owned or affiliated
with other smelling companies. The
benefits of the local smelter will there
fore be directly felt by lead producers,
big and little, giving encouragement
to mineral development such as the
district never experienced before.
The lead smelter will be quickly
followed by a zinc plant in close prox-
unity, to be constructed by the Bunker
Hill company from which the zinc
miners will receive the same benefit
that has been extended to the pro-
ducers of lead, and which will give
the same encoura cement to the de-
velopment of new zinc deposits.
Improved Transportation.
Two branch railroads, one already
constructed and the other to be COM
peted this fall, are certain to be i'm
portant factors in the future develop
ment Of the district. The Beaver
creek branch. built by the O.-W. r. &
N. company. while no doubt some
what disappointing to the builders up
to this time is nevertheless destined
to handle tremendous tonnage and
has already afforded substantial en-
couragement to mining development
in a section that is certain to event
ually take the front rank among the
mineral producing sections of the dis
trict And now the same company
has entered into an agreement which
nsures the construction of a branch
up Pine creek: 1t would be difficult
to over estimate the advantages that
these branch lines will bring to the
immediate territory they serve and to
the Coeur d'Alene district as whole.
The mineral merits of Pine creek and
Beaver creek have long been known,
but the absence of railroad transpor-
tation has retarded their development.
Men who invest in mines, whether
large or small sums. want to feel as
sured that there is available means
for marketing their ore, and until the
present time this assurance has been
lacking in both these sections In
spite Of this drawback considerable
advancement was made, enough to
prove the great possibilities of the
sections, and now with transportation
the prediction is made that the next
year will see mining activity such as
has never been seen before.
Increased Profits.
The dividend record of the district
for the first half of 1917 is far in ex-
cess of all former records, and the
producing companies are expanding
their operations in manner that Is
based upon absolute confidence that
favorable conditions for the mining
industry viii continue regardless Of