The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1918-11-21
GREAT LEAD.z|NC MINE
EMPLOYS ARMY OF men
SITUATED IN INDIA AND Is OP
GRATED UNDER MANAGE.
MENT OF AMERICANS.


miles from the Chinese border, Thos.
e. Mitchell, formerly assistant sup
erintendent of mines of the Anaconda
company, stopped off In Butte yes
teriay to see some of his old frlenos'
saws the Anaconda Standard. He
has resigned his position as genera
manager of the Burma Mines, Limit
ed, and is going to London TO meet
the board of directors before nnaiy
settling down In this country. MT.
Mitchell decided that the nearly hve
wears he spent in India was enough.
On the long journey home Mr.. and
Mrs. Mitchell and their two. children
came by the Malay straits. Hong
gong, Japan, and Honolulu. They
left Namtu on August II, and landed
in San Francisco on October ..
Mr.. Mitchell is leaving wondertul
organization on the Indian property.
There are employed from 1000 TO 49,
900 persons, the larger number work
ing In the dry season from the miduie
Of November to the 1st of May. Inc
force Is cut down during the wet sea-
son. when 1t Is impossible to do any
construction or forest work. All OF
the labor Is Chinese and there are
about $50 Europeans on the JOB. SIX
ty of the Engineers are Americans.
A Great Mine.
The mine being operated by the
Burma company, Mr.. Mitchell terms
the greatest silver-lead zinc property
in the world. 1t Is now producing
about 1000 tons of lead and 100000
ounces Of fine silver a month Pro-
duction has been increased more than
200 per cent in the last seven months
and they are still planning for the
future. One of the features OF the
mine is a tunnel two and a quarter
miles long. AS it's products were
needed for war purposes, 1t has been
fostered by the British government
ever since the war broke out. The
property covers Ga square miles and
|, has a reserve of 80 square miles, 1t
Is a town in itself.
'Namtu, l believe now, to be one oil
the most beautiful spots in the
world" Mr.. Mitchell said enthusiast
tically. I'VE had much trouble witt
sickness among our forces, but we
went at sanitation in a scientific man
ner. We secured wonderful medi'
cal officer in DR.. stills and he organ
lied a staff that successfully combat
ed the fever. We drained the swamps
cut away the forest and introduced
healthy brush from Australia, unti
now we have cut down our sick rat
and made the place a delightful spo
to live II one can stand the enervatin'
effects of the Indian climate 1t doe
not do for a European to stay too lon
in that country, however, without
change.
Tribute to Administration.
zone can not say too much of tn
British administration OF India,
mere handful of men are successful
governing 320.00O,000 of people an
despite the German propaganda tina
was carried on in India, chief
through educated Hindus, who ha
received their education in this coun
try, there has not been a single up
rising among the natives. The civ
government has handled affairs in
most diplomatic and tactful way.
believe the British civil servant
India is about the finest type Of pub
lie man that l have ever met any
where. They have done wonderft
work there and they are deserving {
every praise that any one can Civ
them"
American engineers now are play
ing prominent part in the develop
ment work carried on by the CON
pany, Mr.. Mitchell said, Forty Am
orleans arrived at Namtu year ag
and are still there All the heads {
departments, including the mine mar
ager, chief mechanical engineer an
chief electrical engineer, are Amer
cans. One, Thomas Foote, is fol
mer Butte man.
Every EnsIishman Volunteers.
When the war broke out the con
pany lost its English employe
EVERY Englishman employed by Il
company promptly volunteered M
Mitchell said "Forty-seven of the
got away at once"
The mine is one of the most anciel
of which authentic information is
be had. 1t was in continuous oper,
ton from the year 1412 until lS5
when 1t was closed down by the r,
bellion and remained closed uni
opened up again II years ago by Il
present company.
There are manuscripts in the a
chives at Mandalay which have be-
authenticated and show that the mil
was operating In 1412. There are a
so manuscripts in Picking which a
Of doubtful origin but which wou
attempt to prove that there was
mine in operation as far back as 90
years.
Another historical fact is found
the trenches which surround Il
property. There are 26 miles of the
and they are built on both sides