Show BUTTE ZINC HISTORY communicated that some men are born rich and that others acquire riches while still others have riches thrust upon them is demonstrated by the experience of W A dark clark ot of butte former united states senator from montana according to james breen of kane washington pioneer northwestern mining and smelter operator 1 I do not recall a more striking illustration of the element of luck in mining ventures than the dark clark case said mr breen his zinc properties in butte which he tried to dispose of several years ago for little or nothing now are netting him not less than monthly and they probably will maintain this rate of earnings for an indefinite period it is well known that at the time he disposed of all his copper interests in the butte district to the anaconda copper company he tried hard to unload on them his zinc properties and his butte street railroad as well neither of these propositions looked good to the anaconda company which would not have them at any price being unable to divest himself entirely of butte property mr dark clark determined to try and put the zinc mines on a producing basis I he ie secured the best metallurgical and engineering advice possible and after a long and expensive series of experiments built a zinc mill embracing the latest flotation practice on timber butte directly south and in sight of the city of butte the mill has a capacity of tons of ore daily I 1 and cost making allowance for the period of experimentation before the mill was completed it was figured that money could be made by the operation of the elm orlu and mr darks clarks other zinc mines in butte with spelter at 5 cents a pound results hardly came up to expectations and the works were in danger of being closed when the war demand for spelter sent the price up and made the venture a regular bonanza the anaconda company has since embarked in the zinc business with other properties than the dark clark mines as the base of its operations |