The Mena weekly star., 1919-06-26
GOVERNMENT MAY
HELP MANGANESE
Congress Is Considering Tariff on Min
erals Which viii Mean Much to
Mena IL Adopted-The Enid Com
pany Will Resume Work.
lBy Robert N. Berry,

10y 4AODtFl M bcity.J
Congress has been asked to put a
protective tariff on manganese. A
bill is now up for consideration which
provides for a minimum of $40 per
ton on all manganese imported into
the United States. The measure was
introduced by Representative Swan
son of West Virginia and will likely
be made part of the general pro-
tective tariff measure the new con-
gress is expected to pass to help home
| production of minerals of different
| kinds.
The measure has the approval of
the American Mining Congress, it is
said, and Secretary Edwards of this
organization, while attending the
meeting of the war minerals claims
committee at Little Rock this week,
urged that those who favored the pro-
lection of American industry, should
request the support of their congress
sional representatives.
Should the new measure be enacted
into law it will mean great things for
the Mena mining district. Under
the present conditions manganese pro-
duced in the United States has to COM
pete with the ore shipped in from
Brazil and Europe, where labor is
poorly paid and living conditions are
at low standard. 1t will be impossi-
BILE to pay anything like customary
wages to American labor and compete
with the imported ore.
Helped with a small tariff, it is be-
lieved that manganese can be mined
in the United States and sold at a
price that will permit good wages
for workers and leave a reasonable
profit on the business. In addition,
should the tariff help develop pay
ing American industry it will make
the United States independent of the
world at large insofar as manganese
is concerned in case of another war.
1t has been suggested that those
who desire to see the manganese min
ing industry of Mena's district devel-
oped, should request favorable action
on the tariff measure of such con-
gressmen and senators as each booster
can reach. United effort may mean
the success of matter which means
much to a promising local industry.
Getting Ready to Work
Another of the mining companies
in the Mena district that is preparing
to resume operations is the Enid Man
ganese Mining & Milling Company.
Richard Messall, manager of the COM
pany, stated that arrangements are
being made, whereby the company
will soon receive ample finances to
complete the development of its prop
erty on Big Brushy.
The plans for development as now
outlined call for the expenditure of
$4,000 to finish the crusher and mill;
81 900 for a telephone line to Mcna i;
$4,000 for road work; $4,000 for
trucks and transportation, 1t is es-
timated that another $4,000 will be ex-
pended for labor.
Manager Messall's announcement
has greatly encouraged the local min
ing fraternity and particularly those
who have been afraid the manganese
industry had gone by the board.
The Enid company is one of the few
Arkansas companies that filed a claim
with the war minerals organization.
The company has asked the govern
ment to refund for losses suffered
while engaged in the patriotic duty Of
helping supply manganese during the
war. Manager Messall was at Lit
tie Rock this week and appeared be-
fore the investigating committee, sub
hitting photographs and data re-
quested by the congressman.
He believes that the large part of
the claim will be allowed. 1t may not
be generally known, but the books of
the Enid company show that over
$4,000 was expended for labor alone in
Mena last fall. The Enid company
has spent over $4,000 in developing
its holding in the Mena district and
has worked great transformation in
the hills on Smoke Rock And better
yet, it is willing to spend more to at
tain its goal