Show MORE ACTIVITY IN MINING the horizon of the mining industry throughout the west is beginning to clear after the late financial flurry in midwinter mining in many localities was virtually at a standstill owing to the stringency in the money market and the attitude of the smelters shelters sm elters in their treatment of ore producers now however the embargo on money has been removed and the smelters shelters sm elters are beginning to reach out after ores on more reasonable terms the result being that ore shipments are being quite largely resumed and small shippers are enabled to begin operations upon a more energetic scale while big mining companies who were virtually closed down during the slump are quietly adding to their forces and increasing their payrolls improvements are also being made and there is a noticeable increase in the demand for mine equipment and milling machinery the decline in metal quotations has also been a handicap to the mining operator and every metal with the exception or of gold has been on the toboggan slide although it is believed that the bottom has been reached and that renewed activity along industrial lines will soo soon n see a decided improvement in the metal market As it is only ores of the first cla class ss order can be profitably handled under present conditions and this prohibits the operation of low grade mines which were working at a profit last summer and during the early fall and these unless equipped with reduction works so that higher values in concentrated cent rated form can be furnished fur nishel the smelt ers are practically at a standstill still certain conditions have obtained on account of the depression that are favorable to mining operations at the present time labor is not so arrogant and oppressive and in many camps wages have been reduced so as to be in harmony with the ability of mine owners to give employment and pay for the same while the railroads are far from being as congested as they were during the borom times of six or eight months ago and railroad companies are inclined to be more reasonable in the matter of freight charges in almost every mining section of the west a revival of interest is being felt in mining operation and especially is this the case in the acquiring za and development ot 0 properties of good prospective value money for this purpose is being freely furnished by home talent but the bulk of it is coming from the east the investor beginning to realize that money expended in good mining properties or securities tiei is safer than if put into railroad or other industrial investments As a matter of fact so favorable is the east inclined to attractive mining opportunities in the mining west that the west will soon forget that it has e evar tr been touched or scathed swathed by the wave of unrest and lack of confidence that has held the country in its grasp during the past six months viewed from every standpoint the outlook for the mining industry continues to improve day by day and week by week |