Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1942-05-09
Mr.. o. I. DeSchon,
Montana Oil & Mining Journal,
Great Falls, Montana.

Mr.. Q. I. DeSchon,
Montana Oil & Mining Journal,
Great Falls, Montana.
Dear Mr.. DeSchon:
You undoubtedly know the criticism
that met my wire to oscar o. Chap.
man, assistant secretary of the in.
terror am enclosing copy Of my
wire to him, his reply to my wire BY
letter, and a copy of a news item
which appeared in the Mining and
Contracting Review Of Salt Lake City
and my answer to the question that
the editor and a Nevada miner asked
as to who in the hell in Handbook
Coolidge"
If you see fit to publish this cor
respondence in your paper, 1 will be
Very truly yours,
E. B. COOLIDGE.
Mr.. Oscar L. Chapman,
Assistant Secretary Of the Interior
Washington. D. C.
Having lived in Montana IS years,
having been a successful, exclusive
gold miner in Montana for many years,
having obtained an E. M degree from
South Dakota School Of Mines in 1905,
and having served in every capacity
from construction monkey on a gin
pole to mine manager, take the liberty
of making this suggestion: That all
mines producing the precious metals
be closed down as soon as these hard
rock miners can be transferred and
placed on mines producing emergency
metals. No mine should be allowed to
run except those producing on a pay
ing basis emergency metals without
any consideration of gold and silver
which should be considered a by
product. Good hardrock miners are
scarce and we need them in our war
effort. This viii relieve not only a /
bottleneck on labor, but powder, ma
chinery and all other appliances as
there is no need or no necessity for
operating gold and silver mines. In
fact, believe the Homestake mine in
the Black Hills, where I served my
apprenticeship should be closed entire
", miners transferred to other dis
tricts where they can enter the war
effort and their machine shops and /
equipment put on war emergency work
as they have a wonderful organization /
and could be an asset to our war effort I
instead of a bunch Of parasites piling
up more gold to be planted down in
Kentucky. I believe this is an about (
effort and nothing else should matter
and can see no reason why the ad-
ministration should use Chamberlain's |
methods Of appeasement which has
only made it tougher each day with
cost In human lives and expenditures
IN order to stop and win this war. The
administration must get tougher and
only tolerate such industries as essen
tial to win this war Regards.
E. B. COOLIDGE.
Mr. E. B. Coolidge,
Great Falls, Montana.
My dear Mr.. Coolidge:
Your telegram Of March 16 addressed
% me at the Finlen hotel, Butte, Mont,
the closing down Of precious
metals mines is much appreciated.
Action has already been taken by
The War Production Board to limit
,he priorities accorded such mines /
believe, however, that special regard
should be paid to your suggestion re-
yarding the transfer of the miners
concerned to properties that produce
metals. 1t is desirable to .
exercise every possible care to mini
ntze disturbances of the established 4
'asis Of living that affects, not only
he miners themselves, but their fam
lies.
Your telegram has been brought toi
he attention of the Bureau of Mines {
or discussion with other government e
'gencies as suitable occasions may I
rise. e
Sincerely yours, I
OSCAR L. CHAPMAN, $
Assistant Secretary. q
The Mining and Contracting Review
Vol. A, No. April is, 1912 h
Handbook" Coolidge n
Reno, New, April 4, 1912. t,
In your March 81 issue there ap- r.
leared caption Who the Hell Is ii
:. B. Coolidge" over that individuals a
etter to Assistant Secretary Chapman, o.
recommending the shutting down of b
old mines, particularly Homestake. ii
The attached clipping from the
south Dakota School of Mines d. p
ectory for 1941 will enable you to see n
THAT sort of "hard rock miner" he n,
5. In his letter to Chapman he was +,
areful to omit any mention of the p
act that he Is an oil man. n,
NEVADA MINER. Q,
Thank you. Despite Identification of m
coolidge as president and general man 81
ger Of several Montana oil companies. al
lcluding the Handbook OIL Co.." with
headquarters In the Ford building ~
treat Falls, Mont, insofar as his letter D
Chapman is concerned, repeat. ..
Who the Hell Is E. B. Coolidge" e
EDITOR. ..
BURT B. BREWSTER, EN- - ~
Editor and Publisher. ~
q. Burt Brewster, Editor Publisher. b
lining and Contracting Review, -
'ooly Building, IT
alt Lake City, Utah.
Dear Mr.. Brewster:
Acknowledge receipt Of your pubH-
saS Aa.~sfT