The Goldfield news and weekly tribune. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1911-1947, 1919-07-26
ONGRESsH HAS
new DIVISION LEADER
n. n. LAwRIE Is CHAIRMAN OF
PRECIOUS METALS
BRANCH d.

NaA0 OAGeOh o.
ology commission, Hon. H. N. Law
RE has assumed a nationwide post
at Washington as chairman of the
division of precious and rare metals
of the American mining congress.
Mr.. Lawrie, who is now in Washing
ton, has addressed an interesting let
ter to Governor Olcott, at Salem,
rendering his resignation from the
Oregon commission, and expressing
his gratitude to the state which has
stood solidly back of his efforts to
develop it's latent mineral resources.
The decision of Chairman Lawrie
is a distinct loss to the northwestern
mining interests but a gain to the
mining industry in that he will
henceforth devote his time to a
practical work in connection with a
national organization in solving the
vexatious problems facing the gold
and silver producers of the country.
The alarming decline. in the produc-
ton of gold, not alone in the United
States but in Africa and other pro-
ducing centers, coupled with the
rapidly increasing cost of produc-
ton, has forced the gold men to re-
quest the American mining congress
to take up a special work in their
behalf. This work will be in the
Io-1~ &c NJ nrio uyI,n n ornn into
prominence, nationally, through his
much discussed analyses of the gold
situation in connection with the gold
conference at Reno last year, n
the international mining convention
at Vancouver, B. c., this year. The
keen foresight and deep knowledge
of the Oregon geolOgist was quickly
recognized and widely commented
upon. Plans for the future affecting
the gold problem, says Mr.. Lawrie,
will be developed within a few
weeks, meantime, silver and the re-
ta.rilitation of the world silver mar
ket will receive his attention.
Chairman Lawrie, formerly a New
York consulting geologist, came to
the northwest in 1905 to look over
the possibilities of these states. He
discovered many promisingmineral
deposits and, finding sympathetic
listeners, mapped out before the leg
~islature of Oregon, a constructive in
vestigational program. At that time
Oregon's mineral output was $780,
600 a year, chiefly gold and silver
and there was no mining organiza-
ton in the state.
Mr.. Lawrie organized an Oregon
chapter of the American mining CON
gress and that organization prepared
and put through the law a%pprOpri-
ating $4,000 for the ensuing BIZ
enium for a bureau of mines. Mr..
Lawrie was made chairman of the
commission and has since held that
position and assisted in formulating
the states mineral program. Ore
CONT output last year was $4,000
900, of which $1,000, 900 was in
chrome.
Since the beginning of the Euro
pean wal Mr.. Lawrie has realized
that the worlds dependency upon
gold for it's financial reserves would
bring financial embarrassment UNI
less production could be kept rea-
sonably near the normal mark. He
began a worldwide study of the
problem which became more complex
as war progressed. Today he is per-
haps n of the best equipped stu
dents of gold and silver economics
in the producing group.
Locally, Oregon has profited
greatly by the work of Chairman
Lawrie's commission, and~an inter
esting program is in process of oper-
alton at this time including: A COM
prehensive field examination of
western Oregon to determine gas
and oil possibilities; similar inves-
legations in cooperation with the
United States Geological Survey in
eastern Oregon; detailed examina-
lions of the metal mines of south
western Oregon. assisted by the as
say auto-truck and corps of epgi-
neers; a study OF the geological con-
ditions of northwestern Oregon;
personal assistance being rendered
to prospectors by state biologists in
several counties: an examination of
the iron ore resources of the Column
bia river basin below Portland, for
commercial iron; an investigation OF
quarry sites in relation to proposed
highway building projects.