SMELTING WORKS. 



625 



i TABLE II Continued. 



XII. ASSAYS OF LOTS AND MIXTURES OP ALL SORTS MADE AT THE LA PLATA SMELTER IN THE 



TEAR 1880. 



Discussion. The preceding tables are valuable as furnishing, not only data for 

 reference, but also proofs of the activity of mining and smelting in Leadville. It is also 

 evident from their examination that there is uo relation whatever between the lead 

 and silver contents of the ores. This could scarcely be otherwise, if it is considered 

 that lead exists in the state of carbonate or sulphide, and silver in the state of 

 sulphide or chloro-bromo-iodide, compounds which have no common properties. A 

 carbonate ore rich in lead may coutaiu a large quantity of residual or untouched sul- 

 phide of silver, and be rich iu silver, or its silver may have been carried away in 

 the state of chloride and the ore be poor in silver. This chloride of silver carried 

 away may be redeposited iu any kind of mineral, in porous quartz or in clay, and the 

 ore may be very rich iu silver and contain no lead. In other cases both carbonate of 

 lead and chloride of silver are carried away and deposited iu the same gaugue, giving 

 ore rich in both lead and silver. 



SMELTING WORKS. 



Location Since Leadvillo became an important mining camp sixteen distinct 

 smelting works have been erected. Two smelters only are situated in Leadville 

 proper, the Harrison Reduction Works and the Grant Smelting Works, which both 

 stand on the northern bank of California gulch. Iu the outskirts of the city, and at 

 the junction of the upper and the lower roads of this bank, stood the Leadville smelter, 

 now pulled down. Then come in succession, but still on the northern bank of Califor- 

 nia gulch, the La Plata, the American, Billing & Eilers's, and the California Smelting 

 Works. At the lower end of California gulch is situated the small town of Malta, 

 near which were erected the Malta and Lizzie smelters. Iu Adelaide, on Iron Hill, 

 stood the Adelaide smelter, which belonged to the Adelaide mine, but has long since 

 ceased running. On Fryer Hill and immediately above the Little Chief mine stood 

 the Little Chief smelter. This smelter has since been pulled down on account of the 

 sinking of the ground upon which it was erected, and its furnace is now running 

 at Messrs. Gumming & Finn's smelter. On the southwestern bank of Big Evans 

 gulch are found in succession, going westward, the Ohio and Missouri. Gumming 

 & Finn's, Gage, Hagaman & Co.'s, Raymond, Sherman & McKay's, aud the Elgin 

 Smelting Works. 



At the time this report was made (August, 1880) several smelters had entirely 

 ceased running, viz, the Adelaide, Little Chief, American, Malta, Lizzie, Leadville, 

 Gage, Hagaman & Co.'s, and Raymond, Sherman & McKay's. Since that time the 

 American and Malta have resumed work, the former successfully, its plant being iu a 

 perfect state of preservation ; the latter rather unsuccessfully, mainly by reason of its 

 i ai perfect plaut and machinery. 



MON XII 40 



