The Elk Mountain pilot., 1920-02-05
a. K. GERS ms
FROM }. e. PHILLIPS
Los Angeles. Calf, Feb. l. 1920

Los Angeles. Calf, Feb. 1. 1920.
Mr.. Editor;
1t has leaked out what has brought
Mr.. A. X. Stevens to California this
winter. He was on still hunt for
the hand of widow, but another
Gunnison county widower beat him to
1t. P. T. Stevens and myself did our
best to get him there, and as we
rushed in the big Marmon car to the
abode Of the adored. we arrived just
in time to hear the strains Of the
wedding march, and to see the smiles
of the victorious rival. 1t was no
use. The deed was done, and for
once in his life A. X. was outwitted.
As he came tripping down the
massive stone steps from the resi-
dencc of the newly made bride, after
the ceremony had been performed.
looking the picture of despair and
disappointment, he shook his finger
and said, "P. T.. drive me to the sta
tkon." No manner of persuasion
could prevail upon him to stay longer
but back to Gunnison county he must
go. hope his neighbors will cheer
him up, that he may soon overcome
the bitter sorrow of his disAppoint-
ment Now As matter of fact our
old friend, A. X. Stevens, has survfv-
ed and come out victorious in many .
bitter and tempestuous political
storm. He has lived many year.
whore it gets = million below zero
Gust as well be . million ~ forty
couldn't be any colder.) He has
chased hostile Indians up and down
the Black canon IN the early days
He has rode sleepless nights through
the wintry blasts Of that country
after horse thieves and sheep killers
and otherwise taken many . dssper
ate chance, In his long and eventfu
life, yet, like Miles Standish in thu
days Of the PuritAns long ago. he dit
not have the courage to ask Priscill,
for her hand in marriage. FINAL!
when he did muster up courage in I
faint sort Of way, he was too late ant
had to return home without tn
prize. Alas, alas poor Yoric, chee
up and may your fate have q bettel
ending nsxt time.
In the days before the consolidation
Of the smsltsrs into tbs so-callet
TRUST, wa,sa- thsrs was cempetittcn IL
[thS buying and smslting Of ores, IL
I2snvsr. Omaha. Pueblo. Lsadville
SslA Lalps and El Paso, thsre WAS n
all " tAsss smelling centsr wta,
w~s h.own a. ths Public Gamplins
Wseks. !, M funskioa Of these
aAmpline Worls WAS to receive on
on consignment from the mine thAa
producsd u, cr6iA sample and assay
the ore, thsu announce to the smelt-
en- that tAsy had 10 many tons OF
ers of H. grade that tase assay gave
It, and dhs different smelters would
bid for It. The smelter bidding thu
highest price would get it. Often
ons smelter would have plenty Of sill
lea, but would be short Of lead OF
iron ore to make fiux, and II the
orc In the market was the kind they
wore snort Of they would bid more
than their competitor, who might
have plenty of that particular grade
and in that manner tho miner always
seemed to think he was getting all
that was coming to him.
After the formation Of the Ameri'
ca Smelling and Refining Company, in
which all smelters were bought and
merged into one company. some
thirty years ago. that has all been
done away with, and the Public
Sampling Works went out Of business
a. there was no more composition In
the sale Of ores. Nf-f
Nearly all mining companies that
had ore to ship usually had . sampl-
ing works. The local camp samplers
would buy small lots, less than a car
lot, as often as prospectors would
have few sacks that he could take
in. and the sampler would pay assay
value, less the sampling charge and
the freight to the smelter.
Irwin had sampling works in
1880. The firm name was Rose, Reed
4 Williamson, and they brought in q
very complete plant, which, I think
they operated for two or three sea-
sons. These gentlemen were all three
from New York City. Col. Willet
Rose. who received his title by being
appointed an aid on the staff Of Gov
]. B. Grant, l think had been in the
sampling business in Georgetown
Colorado, before cofiink to Irwin
but 8. A. Reed and W MNilliamson
both of whom were tee4iVIcal metal