The Duluth rip-saw. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1917-19??, 1918-03-23
NATIVE SON OF DULUTH
MAKES A COLD MILLION
Victor Rakowsky, Mining Engineer, Makes Brill
liant Record i'm the Lead and Zinc Fields
of Miami District, Oklahoma.
drilling was done on the outside acre

drilling was done on the outside acre
age.
Mr.. Rakowsky remained at Miami,
which Is six miles south of Com
merce. Still confident that the local
ity promised good opportunities for
profitable mining, he secured leases
from Clyde Fullerton and w. w.
Dobson, who controlled ground in the
northern part of the district along
the Miami fault, the axis of the ore
belt. He leased $500 acres on a
royalty of 12h per. cent, without a
bonus, but with the privilege of test
ing the ground for year, and longer
If his work proceeded continuously. :
"Fullerton and Dobson had obtain
of the land, paying sums ranging
from $50 to 5000 per lease of 200
acres; they knew that Rawkowsky
had conducted negotiations with tht
Commerce people and they were will
ing to give him a chance to promote
large enterprise.
Rakowsky placed the business be-
fore o. S. Pitcher, president Of the
Pitcher Lead Co., a firm engaged in
the manufacture of pigments at Jop-
lin and now consolidated with the
Eagle Lead Co. of Cincinnati.
Mr.. Pitcher was anxious to increase
his supply of lead product for the
sublimination process and was al
ready interested in the development
of lead in the Joplin district; he
knew from his purchase of ores COM
ing from the Oklahoma mines that
their output contained a greater por-
ton of lead than the Joplin ores,
so he closed deal with Mr.. Ra-
kowsky. The latter was put in
charge of the exploratory work, be-
ing paid salary and remaining
under contract from October 1913 to
January 1915, by which time he had
proved 100000 tons of per cent
ore, that is, ore from which per
cent of lead and zinc could be re-
covered in the mill. This successful
demonstration Of the local mineral
resources was made on the orebodies
that are now supplying the Meta.
Crawfish, Bingham and Whitebird
mills.
"In 1915 Rakowsky sold his equity
and severed his connection with
Pitcher. He then secured options in
Kansas, on ground adjoining the
Pitcher property, to the extent Of A.
500 acres on 20-year leases at 5 to
per cent royalties. This business
was submitted to J. L. Bruce of the
Butte & Superior Mining Co. Mr..
Bruce represented D., C.. lacking in
the deal that formed the Miami Zinc
Syndicate to conduct operations,
which were commenced in June 1916.
The work still is in progress and
Mr.. Rakowsky, I am glad to add, re-
tains an equity in the property, so
that he will participate in the sue
cess of it.
"The immediate result of the work
has been to prove the extension Of
the ore-belt from Oklahoma north
eastward into Kansas. Since the
summer of 1916 Mr.. Rakowsky has
acquired leases along the projection
of the Miami fault and in December
of that year had secured $4,000 acres
under first lease from landowners
in Kansas on royalties ranging from
to ~ per cent for distance FL
miles northeast Of the Kansas-Okla-
homa line.
"These leases have been transferred
from the Jackling syndicate to the
American Metal Co., which now is
operating drills and was expected to
begin mining at three points before
the end of 1917.
Another suggestive discovery has
been made at the extreme north end
of the known zinc belt, near Waco,
on the border of Kansas and Missouri
where run of ore is being tested by
local people, namely, P. B. Butler, T.
J. Franks and Frank Danglade. Mr..
Rakowsky is also interested with o.
M. Bilharz in the successful exploita-
ton of the Bluebird, Shorthorn and
Chapman properties, which now are
among the leading producers Of the
so-called Miami field. His faith has
been splendidly justified and he has
the satisfaction Of knowing that the
honorable part he has played in the
development of this important min
ing industry is recognized by the
community in which he lives.
1T is worthy If note that the Com
merce Mining & Royalty Co. which
negotiated in 1909 for the sale Of a
half interest to A. M. Chisholm at
$175,000, has recently given an OPP
ton on part of its holdings for
$5,000,000.
Among other incidents of the boom
I may refer to the good luck Of Phil
ip Moore, president Of the American
Institute of Mining Engineers. He
and his friend C. P. Perrin acquired
control of the Admiralty group, COW
ering 100 acres, in 1915. They paid
less than 100000 for the leases and
20 months later sold their rights
through Mr.. Rakowsky to Cosden,
Aiken G. Curtis for 100000. In
March 1917 Bulkeley Wells, repre-
senting the Metals Exploration Co..
of Boston, bought leases on $50 acres
also through Mr.. Rakowsky, for
| $250,000. 1t Is evident, therefore,
that Mr.. Rakowsky has played not
able part in starting intelligent ex-
ploration and in the later transfers
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