Reflections: Mammoth plant completed and ready to begin its great mission

Reprint of this story from the June 12, 1903 issue of The Grand Encampment Herald brought to you courtesy of Grandma’s Cabin, Encampment, Wyoming. Preserving History - Serving the Community.

Mammoth Plant Completed And Ready To Begin Its Great Mission

The big smelting works of the North American Copper Company are ready for business. The concentrator, roaster, smelter and converters could be started up on twenty-four hours’ notice, and will commence business just as soon as the tramway gets in enough ore to warrant a run. All of the concentrating tables have been tested and found in first class shape. The roaster has been fired up for trial, and every motor and machine has been tested. Everything works to perfection. The exact date of starting up the works has not been given out but it is thought that the date will not be later than June 25.

Among the improvements now in progress at the works is the building of a freight and elevator house on the north side of the tramway terminal, through which will pass all the merchandise for the Ferris-Haggarty mine and the tramway camps. The foundations for a coal house have been laid on the west side of the terminal. Carpenters have nearly finished sealing the power house. Electricians have finished wiring the entire works, including the grounds which are lighted by arc lights. Water pipes have been laid all over the grounds, connecting with the pipeline, and minor improvements are being made in various parts of the works and grounds.

Improvements At The Ferris-Haggarty

Seventy men are employed by Supt. Reedy at the Ferris-Haggarty mine, and the force will be increased at once by a number of workmen who will be engaged in sorting the dumps. In the two dumps there is a quantity of ore, variously estimated at from 12,000 to 20,000 tons. The upper dump near the 285-foot shaft has measured by Samuel Harsh who reported that the dump contains 6,500 tons. The best ore from the dumps will be shipped to the smelter at Grand Encampment over the tramway.

The ore taken out in the development work now in progress is being placed in the bins near the mouth of the tunnel and will be shipped over the tram. No effort is being made to knock down ore in the workings, but more or less ore is shot out in the development, and this is being carefully saved.

The wagon road between the mine and Copperton is being improved with corduroy and grading. The tramway is landing from fifteen to twenty tons of ore every hour at the lower terminal and it is expected that this rate of shipment will continue for some time. The ore is being sampled. There is a quantity of Ferris-Haggarty ore in the old smelter bins, the remainder of that hauled in a year ago last winter.

 

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