The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1917-12-27
Review of Mining
During Year 1917.
CONTINUED from Page ID

(Continued from Page ~
poets in the Hoodoo district of Latah
county, a country not usually consid-
cred as a mineral producer
Good reports continue to come In
from the Marshall Lake district In
central Idaho, and several other
quartz properties in this once famous
placer field are giving evidence of
new life.
Model Smelling Plant.
The outstanding feature in metal
Bunker Hill & Sullivan smelter De-
signed by the most experienced firm
OF smelter engineers in the west, and
with the greatest silver-lead mine in
the world to supply the wherewithal,
1t stands as the last word in mechani-
cal Genealogical construction. OF
steel and concrete throughout, it af-
fords a startling contrast to the older
plants which, like Topsy, have "just
groWed" in response to an ever-yary-
ing ore supply. From automatic
charge weighing hoppers to refinery,
and from Dwight Lloyd roasters to
bag house and Cottrell plant, every
thing Is as complete as money and
brains can make it.
Flotation continues to find wider
application. the tendency throughout
the practice of the section being about
equally divided between pneumatic
and agitation machines of various
types; and so far Minerals Separation
Limited seems disposed to content it.
self with an occasional circular letter
to the operators.
A. S. & r. VS.. Bunker Hill.
To the student of mining litigation
the year has been unusually interest
ing, there having been two major
cases each of a different character,
involving in turn two of the greatest
Of the. Occur d'Alenes
First in interest perhaps is the suit
of the American Smelling & Rein
ing company VS., Bunker Hill e. Sulli-
van M. & c. company by which the
former, claiming breach of contract,
seeks to prevent the latter from
treating its own ore in it's own smell
ter The first round has been fought
on the question of injunction pend
ente lite--but no decision has as yet
been rendered. However, from the APP
pearance of things at the new smelter
ii is evident the owners of the KEEL
logg plant have neither intention nor
expectation of being put out of bust
ness.
Star VS.. Federal.
The next suit in point of public in
terest Is perhaps the apex litigation
of Star VS.. Federal, involving own
ership of ore bodies adjacent to the
mine at Mullan. AS in most
cases of the kind, the local public has
been highly edited by the startling
difference of opinion among eminent
md distinguished members of the
mining profession upon matters where
unanimity would seem to
be inevitable, The man in the street
begins to wonder whether economic
leterminism has not become con-
trolling factor among the adherents of
, certain school of geological opinion
Like other defects in our system of
litigation, the matter of ex-parte ex-
bert testimony has waited long for
emedy, Decision on this case has not
'et been rendered-the ore bodies in
question are extensive and valuable
md the future of each of the parties
O the suit depends to considerable
xtent on the outcome, Either COM
'aratively unknown prospect win at
nee become a big mine, or the Star
ompany will lapse back into OBJ
curity and the great Morning mine
gill pursue the even tenor of its way.
War and the Metals.
The war situation from mining
oint of view Is somewhat disquiet- |
lg. The demand for lead is sluggish,
ne doubtless to cessation of normal |
obstruction and painting demands,
nd to the fact that ammunition Is
cling made largely in England and
nat lead supplies for this are presum-
bly, coming from Spain and Australia.
In zinc the situation is disquieting,
artly because England is becoming a
rye producer from Australian ores,
nd at government price for copper
ANY Of the smaller producers are not
aking much money. We are getting
abnormal prices for the metal and
aging abnormal prices for labor and
lpplies, Having been smitten on
lis cheek, Uncle Samuel asks us to
i'm the other one and let him swat i,
J with an ill-considered war tax. The {
of dollar silver is the one |
y of hope on the horizon of the $
ming year. +
Distribute Load Fairly. d
in conclusion, however, lest this be v
tale of woe, let me say s
ON an intimate contact with the u
ming industry of this part of the Q
rthwest, that those responsible for C
e productive operations are not only o
lie and willing, but even anxious to "
try their share of the war load u
a