Arizona republican., 1921-02-20
An Address Before the Rotary Club of
 Phoenix, by P. c. Salisbury


 The work of mining engineer is not generally understood. The classi- fication between the profession, the mining man and the promoter is not considered by the public. Of all the productive professions none has higher standards of service nor stricter ethics.
 In order to become a mining en- gineer it is necessary to secure four years technical education, followed by probably ten years of practical and economic experience. The engineer is required to have a firm grounding in the essentials of all the engineering professions, m chanicS, electricity, chemistry and geology. He must know business principles. finance and eco monies. In addition, he must have practical experience in the handling of labor, both from the laborer's point Iof view and from the managers side. By the application of all this knowl edge he gradually acquires what we call mining judgment. This is his final and greatest asset.
 The work of a mining engineer may be classified under three heads:
 First: TO search for and discover new deposits and bring them to pro duction.
 Second: To operate developed mines.
 Third: To rehabilitate companies wrecked by promoters and well in tentioned business men and save the pieces.
 The first-developilH engineer usually hnown as a consulting engineer. is the man who is called on to decide whether certain property is worthy of financing To reach this point re- quires wears of experience and mature judgment which will allow the engineer to accurately measure the risks in volved and to state these risks to his principals in clear and concise manner.
 The second group are the men who carry on the manufacturing operation, requiring both technical skill and busi- ness ability
 INhe third group or rehabilitating engineer is called in to save a company which has been promoted and carried on without technical advice and when all the money has been expended It is surprising to knoY that about 30 per cent of the work of the engineer is in handling this class of mines.
 The average man when he breaks a leg, calls in doctor; when his wife sues him for divorce he calls in a. lawyer; when he has money to invest he goes to his banker: when he wishes to buy mine or mining stock he uses his own judgment and then planes the mining profession for being swindled.
 The duty of a mining engineer is to produce. He creates more actual wealth than any other profession. He finds ores: extracts the useful metals and delivers these to be manufactured into all sorts of products.
 The mines are the basis of and closely allied 10 nearly all the manu- faeruring industries of the country and supply the greatest proportion of all railroad freight. Mining may be classed as the basic industry of the United States.
 Mining is the principal industry Of Arizona The value of the production during the year 1920 was as follows: Copper $95, 741 900 Gold 4,6s6,0o0 SaiVef o,o5z,ouo Lead ....-..-.--.--.... il4a, 900 Zinc ................ 11S,000
 The total value of the metals pro duced for 1920 was S107, ,725 900. The assessed valuation of mines for 1919 was s576,0o0,00o, almost 70 per cent of the total tax valuation of the state. The mining industry with the railroads pays about so per cent of all taxes in the state. These figures are given to 1 impress upon you the importance of the industry and also to let you con- slider if the mining industry, paying the ] largest proportion of all the taxes, should have some right to say how these taxes are expended and if you consider it fair for other industries in Arizona to criticize the mines and railroads for stating their views re- garding the increase of taxes, of which ; they carry the burden.
 1 The total dividends paid by mining companies for 1920 amounted to less 1 than 5 per cent of their assessed valuation. In addition to carrying 6S i per cent of the cost of operating the state the industry paid in 1920 for wages, all (which money was spent l in the state, some S35, 5,000,000 and SPA : oo0,000 for supplies, much of which was purchased through agencies eX- isting in the state, so that it is fair to assume that approximately s45,000.000 was distributed by mining companies for the benefit of general business The present condition of the copper market is so vital that wish to give a few figures regarding it. The nor maI production in United States pre- ious to the war was 1,224 000, GOO pounds. In 1918 this had risen to 1 = 90S,0000 000 Of this 1918 production