The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1941-12-24
Montana Is
CONTINUED from Page one)

| IltS. we dlSO hHOW LudI bcdluS "
metallic tin have been found in Broad
water county. We also know tina
geologically there are several places
in Montana where tin should be found
The prospectors must have help ii
searching for and determining tin ore
More important they must be pro
tected in their work, when the ore is
| found.
Senator McNary of Oregon has
shown what can be done in this ca
pacity since he has started an in
vestigation that will rock certain gov
ornamental agencies that attempted to
block the development of the recently
discovered Burns field" in that state.
First the government declared the tin
was not of commercial value. Nc
Nary and the operators proved other
wise. Then an attempt was made to
create livestock range proving" re
serve right in the field. McNary
blocked this nefarious move.
The Oregon congressional delega-
ton have done a patriotic work" in
this fight, which will help the Mon
tana operators.
We reiterate If given a chance we
will be producing tin in commercial
quantities in very short time.
We can prove this by what we are
doing in the production of chrome ore.
The Saturday Evening Post also
states that the United States in 1910
used 100000 tons of chrome ore and
produced but $500 tons. This metal
is a vital war material. 1t mas no
substitute in the manufacture of high
speed machinery and armament.
The bulk of this ore formerly came
from Africa, East Indies, South Amer
lea, Philippines, Greece and Russia.
The government reports for 1912
will likely show that at least one
fourth of the 100000 tons of chrome
ore needed by this country will come
form Carbon and Saltwater counties
in Montana. In other words the
North American production will be in
creased one hundred fold in year.
Two heroic fights for years have made
this condition possible. One group
headed by the late Ben Bow, who was
succeeded by Judge B. B. Berg of Liv-
ingston and associates battled in and
out of season to get the Saltwater
chrome into production. Another
group headed by the late Johnny
Martin, and engineered by E. B. Hub
ard and associates in spite of adverse
government and state reports sue
ceeded in having approximately 800
tons of chrome ore mined a day for |
the past few weeks, from the Carbon |
county pits.
The nation owes the men who pio-
neered this work a very, very deep
debt of gratitude. The small remun-
GRAFTON they will receive will never
repay them for the hardship and ridi- |
Guile they encountered.
A third strategic metal is tungsten |
A similar condition exists in the locale |
Of its production. In the past most of
the supply came from China and |
Africa.
The alert small mine operators and |
within the past few |
months have found four showings of |
tungsten ore in different communities
within Is miles of the capitol building. |
This in spite of the fact that tung- |
stem requires the minutest inspection |
Tor determination and the further fact |
hat the prospecting is being carried
On in the winter months. Some of
.hese finds will develop into CONNER
,ial bodies right in sight of our state
house. Tungsten also has been found
n Madison, Carbon and Broadwater
Again the prospector finds himself
lampered by lack of funds and de-
ermination facilities, as we'll as mar
leting problems The latter is being
thoroughly aired by two senate COM
nittees. Senators Murray, O'Mahoney,
Bone, Trueman and Mead have dashed
It the tungsten trust and the sale of
tungsten to the axis powers.
Our entire congressional delegation
ould help us with these investiga- |
ions. They also could join with Sen
tor McNary and the Oregon delega-
ion in the investigation of the gov
agencies. They could as
ertain why loans are not made for !
re development by the Reconstruc-
ion Finance Corporation. They could
ct up branch offices in the state of
he bureau of mines similar to those
4 Utah.
We also feel that our state govern
lent has not been alert in this mat
er. An investigation of certain activ-
les of the state bureau of mines
vould be enlightening to the public
redit should be given to the work
DR.. Rowe at the university. A
Lrategic metals committee should be