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Show INTER-MOUNTAI- INTER-MOUNTA- IN MINING REVIEW. and Smelting Interests of pivoted to the Mining West. in the 1': Intor-Mounta- by C. T. H ARTE, Rook blished Weekli 223 Block. Atlas TERMS: (Payable in Advance.) $2.00 One Year.. 1. 00 Six Months .50 ..... Three Months...... Mexico and countries except Canada, To foreign S3 per year, postage prepaid. Entered at the Salt Lake City Postoffice as econ(l-das- s matter. kan Francisco Office : 64 and 65 Merchants' Exchange, where this paper is kept on file- Advertising contracts can be made with E. C. Dake, Agent. Chicago Office : 761 Monadnock Building. - Salt Lake City, Sept. 10, 1896. Guarding His Secret. The current number of the New York Engineering and Mining Journal de-vot- es considerable space to the remarkable claims made by Dr. Stephen H. Emmens, described in the Mining Review August 27th, that he had discovered a method of changing silver into gold. The editor of that journal addressed to Dr. Emmons a request for more specific information, which he firmly declined to supply. His reply, whether intentionally or otherwise, war so worded as to convey the impression that he and his associates intend to engage in the transmutation of silver into gold in such a manner as will assure them vast fortunes without causing serious disturbance to the finance of the world. Inasmuch as his alleged discovery has excited the interest of the mining public, although expert chemists and metallurgists are in dined to regard his statements as those of a fakir or the dupe of designing associates, we quote extensively from this correspondence. He says: ' The case is not one that can be viewed from the standpoint of science alone. The commerce and finance of the whole world are involved, in addition to vast individual fortunes. It seems to me that my duty, not alone to my colleagues and myself, but to the world at large, compels me to delay, for as long a time as possible, the publication of formal evidence and specific information. To bring conviction home to the scientific minds of the day would, to my thinking, be a wholly un- justifiable proceeding. It would be b.Uunount to notifying the money market of every country that gold was no linger a standard of value. "I believe that I am only one of many chemists who are now at work upon the same problem. It is not a cao of squaring the circle or devising Sf,mo system of perpetual motion. It is a search for the philosophers STne or far an elixir vitae. It is sim-li- y a matter of extending the control which we already possess, to a degree 11 that grows greater and greater every fifty, over the grouping of atoms and MINING REVIEW. N 3 facturing gold. I am of the opinion that if such absolute, incontrovertible metals having become an accomproof were made public at the present plished fact in some laboratory of this time, the effect would be to strike away country or Europe. Accordingly, it the foundation of all commence, and has seemed to me to be prudent to en- thus to cause widespread confusion and ter my caveat and thus protect what ruin to prevail. As we interpret the foregoing exI conceive to be my rights. The time for producing my evidence and estab- pressions, Dr. Emmens seeks to conlishing the validity of my caveat will vey the idea that his discovery is quite not arrive until some rival claim shall beyond the comprehension of men of ordinary scientific attainments; that be put forward. Meanwhile, I am perexfectly content to be dubbed a crank, however much he might desire to a dupe, a dreamer, a charlatan, or plain it, the welfare of the financial to receive any other of the pretty and commercial world demands that his names that second-rat- e scientists are future operations remain enshrouded in accustomed to employ when faced a veil of mystery. The public will own conclusions, but we are with what they dont quite understand. draw its to risk the consequences of any d The more the conviction of willing proof that he is able to accomplish and the money mar- what the second-rater- s he claims to have performed. The ket that gold cannot be made from silEngineering and Mining Journal comver, the better I shall be pleased. ments editorially on his statements as Dr. Emmens then quotes from a let- follows: ter written by him to a firm of Denver So far as our knowledge goes there chemists, who had asked for some fur- is nothing yet known that gives any ther information. Replying to their firm ground for a belief in the transrequest, he said: The interests in- mutation of the elements; in fact, the volved are by far too important to altendency of scientific investigation low of my entering into details, much seems to lead to the concluas I should like to do so, from a purely sion. Neither is there opposite in Dr. scientific point of view. Indeed, it is Emmens s statements anything would conthat assoto be expected that my hardly vince any careful investigator that he ciates and I will ever claim to be suc- has succeeded in- converting silver into cessful on a practical scale in the large Dr. Emmens s discovtechnical establishment we are organ- gold. is Perhaps ery only for present political izing. If gold is to remain saleable at the standard price, it must not be allowed to enter the market as a manuReservation Locations. factured product. While thus guarding our fortunes I may, I think, withIt is widely known that the asphalt-u- m so to much out Imprudence, concede Indian fields of the the cause of science as to say that the reservation are theUncompahgre richest in the world. essence of my discovery consists in the In addition to the large deposits of extension to solid bodies and molecules rock, there are great veins per se of Andrewss doctrine of critical asphaltic of gilsonite (pure asphaltum) that, temperatures. with reasonable transportation faciliHere, if I mistake not, continues ties, can be worked at great profit, as the Doctor, is specific information the product sells for $60 to $100 per ton which will flash, as an electric searchin the Eastern markets. The announcelight, into the field of vision of all ment, therefore, that fifty-fiv- e locascientists of the first class, though to 1100 acres, had been it may tions, covering the eye of the second-rater- s these lands, all within the made appear but as an ignis fatuus. When, limits upon of the reservation and extendfor example, the number of the Enacross it east and west, has created gineering and Mining Journal contain- ing a sensation among mining ing this letter shall reach Prof. Dewar, something of I expect that gentleman will forthwith people and caused a good deal of consee his way to making such changes cern to the large number who have in our numbering and classification of been patiently waiting for the reservathe chemical elements as shall cause tion to be thrown open, as directed by my poor argentaurum to pale its in- Congress two years ago. For some effectual fires. years several strong syndicates have I promised an expansion of the hint been fighting each other for the possession of these lands, and all have given to Messrs. Von Schulz & Low. It to is this: Atomic volume is arrived at been advocating various schemes exclude the general public, but it does by considering the relation of molecular not that the recent locations weight to specific gravity. Specific were appear in the interest of made any of gravity, however, depends not only these organized combinations. They upon space occupied by atoms, but on were made by the State Coal Mine unoccupied space as well. I purposely refrain from pointing out the conclu- Inspector, and among the locators are of sions that are reached by pursuing this the Governor and the Secretary State. Following are the names of the train of thought. I do not regard the discovery of the locators: Joseph Jenkins, J. M. Thomas, A. E. transmutation of metals as of a benefiT. McGurrin, cent character, and its only legitimate Welby, W. O. Norrell, F. Thomas Lloyd, J. C. Shipp, Harvey development will, in my judgment, be Dan Lloyd, attained by keeping it in as few hands Hardy, A. II. J. Cowie, M. Morris, William Charles King, as possible. G. P. I do not agree with you In thinking Iglehart, W. H. Brand, Gerald A. T. Biddle, W. II. Dickson, that the interests of the public would Jackson, H. W. Milburn, W. G. be served by proof being given at the David Keith, Helier M. Wells, Robert For- present time of the possibility of manu Sharp, molecules. At any moment, therefore, we may hear of the transmutation of wide-sprea- - ; |