Ore Sampling Companies In Utah
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This page was last updated on June 8, 2025.
Overview
Ore sampling companies were independent third parties that assayed the mineral content, and amount of ores shipped from mines to smelters. The smelters needed to know the chemical makeup of every ore that they bought, to determine the best method of smelting the ore. A mix of ore from multiple mines or mining districts allowed the smelter to operate more economically by balancing the mixture of ore they smelted.
Some smelters were built to process only from a known large mine, or group of mines, such as the Garfield smelter that processed almost exclusively copper ore from the Bingham Canyon mine, or the smelter at Midvale processed almost exclusively lead-silver ores from the Lark and Bingham mines of the United States Smelting Refining and Mining company, especially in the years after World War II.
The smelter at Murray and the International smelter near Tooele, as well as smelters in Montana and Arizona, were what was known as custom smelters, meaning that they processed a wide variety of ore from a variety of mines throughout the Intermountain West, with all the ore being shipped by rail. The custom smelters were highly dependent on the ore market, with boom and bust cycles as metal prices fluctuated. The variety of ore meant that close attention was needed to balance each smelter load for the most economical operation of the smelter.
Ores bound for the custom smelters came from mines in Utah, eastern and southern Nevada, western Colorado, and parts of Montana, and passed into the smelter market by way of local ore samplers. In later years, especially after the late 1930s, the custom smelters developed their own in-house sampling plants, and the need to independent ore samplers slowly died.
The consolidation in 1909 that created Utah Ore Sampling Company would benefit the market by economies of scale. The "market" being the variety of custom smelters that were located in area smelters, including smelters in Utah, Nevada, Arizona and Montana.
Fluxing Ores
Some mines in Utah produced low-grade ore that was not valuable by itself. But due to their unique metallic makeup, many of these low-grade ores could be mixed with other ore from other mines or other mining districts to create a balanced smelter load. These low-grade ores were known as "fluxing ores"; because of the iron or silica content of the ore. These mines could operate at a profit on ore that was otherwise too low grade. Depending on their metallurgy, high grade lead and copper ores were also considered valuable as fluxing ores.
A typical smelter run for gold, or for silver, or for lead, needed a very narrow range of ore quality to be successful, so the smelters were always looking for what they called "fluxing ores," to balance the metallurgy of their smelter runs.
How Sampling Works
The goal of ore sampling is to extract a small quantity—a sample of just a few pounds—of finely crushed ore. This sample, known as "pulp," must accurately represent the entire shipment, containing the same proportion of each mineral as the original carload or lot. By ensuring this, an assay of any portion of the pulp could be used to determine the total amount of each element in the entire shipment.
From the early 1870s through the 1930s, ore buyers and sellers recognized the need for precise sampling of each shipment bound for a custom smelter. Initially, samples were prepared manually by gradually reducing larger samples into smaller portions until a manageable, representative sample was obtained. As mining operations expanded, and ore shipments continued to grow, particularly by the mid-1880s, automation became necessary. Hammer crushing gave way to roller crushers, hand screening gave way to shaking-pan conveyors, and manual dividing gave way to automated cutting machines. Independence and accuracy was vitally important.
Ore in a typical rail car shipment ranges from fine dust to large chunks, and its mineral content is unevenly distributed throughout the shipment. In theory, the most accurate sample would require crushing the entire shipment into extremely fine dust, forming a steady stream, and taking countless small samples from that stream. But all parties agreed that this method of crushing and sampling an entire shipment was unrealistic, time consuming and not economical. So by the mid 1880s, to ensure independence and accuracy, the industry adopted standardized procedures for sampling only a portion of the shipment.
The sampling process begins as ore is unloaded from the rail car and passed over a "grizzly" with 12-inch openings. Larger pieces are returned to the car, while material smaller than 12 inches moves forward for sampling. This ore is crushed to a first-stage size, usually 1-1/2 inches, dropped in a stream through a sampling machine, or “cutter.” The cutter moves back and forth across the stream at regular intervals, collecting 20 percent of the material and discarding the remaining 80 percent, which is returned to a holding bin.
The 20 percent sample is then crushed again to a smaller half-size, usually 3/4-inch, and passed through a second cutter, repeating the 20 percent sampling. This sequence continues through four stages of crushing and cutting, each time reducing the particle size by half and retaining 20 percent (one-fifth) of the material. After the fourth stage, the sample is reduced to 150 pounds out of the original 50-ton rail car, and is fine enough to pass through a 10-mesh screen (10 openings per inch).
This final 150-pound sample is then further crushed, dried, mixed, and subdivided using the most precise and approved methods until only about three pounds remain. This pulp is divided into six sealed, labeled, and numbered “assay” bottles: two for the seller, two for the buyer, and two retained by the sampling company for reference.
At each crushing stage, reducing the maximum particle size effectively multiplies the number of particles in the sample by roughly eight times. With each stage retaining one-fifth of the previous sample, the number of individual particles increases, improving the statistical accuracy of the final sample. This progressive increase in particle count helps ensure an ideal mixture and greater precision in each successive stage of sampling.
(There are numerous online videos showing sampling being done by hand at marginal mines all across the globe. These videos show ore being crushed by hand to fine powder, then piled in the form of a flattened circle, then the circle being quartered to produce a sample. This sample is again piled into a flattened circle, and quartered again, with the process being repeated in the same four or five step process to produce a fractional sample for assay purposes.)
Early Ore Sampling
Starting in the 1870s, there was a wide variety of sampling works, each with its own method, but all used some combination of hand sampling, with varying levels of accuracy. A January 1873 description of the three sampling mills in Salt Lake City included...
- Howland's Mill
- Salt Lake City Sampling Mill (George Johnson)
- H. S. Jacobs & Co's Sampling Works
An 1889 list of the sampling works in Utah included:
- Conkling Sampling Works
- Frank Foote Sampler
- Pioneer Sampling Works
- Germania smelter had its own sampling works
January 4, 1873
The following comes from the January 4, 1873 of the Salt Lake Weekly Tribune.
The first public sampling place was started by Geo. Johnson, Esq., of Boston, in the California corral, on Second South street, Salt Lake City, where the sampling was performed by hand, no machinery being at that time erected. Ore, in lots of five tons and upwards, was brought to the corral and sampled, purchase or refusal being at the option of the sampler.
Howland's Mill. - These were the first complete sampling works erected in the Territory, and are situated at the corner of the block due south of the U. C. R. R. Depot, and contain an engine of twenty horse power, which communicates motion to a Howland Crusher,and a Burr stone mill. The whole of the machinery, together with a spacious sampling floor and private office being under one roof. This mill was erected by Messrs. S.W. Howland & Co. of San Francisco, in the winter of 1870, and was by them sold about the fall of 1871, to W. T. Richmond, Esq., of Chicago, who is the present owner. During the last summer it was leased by him to R. Macintosh, Esq., of this city, who now carries on the business.
Salt Lake City Sampling Mill. - This mill is situated on the west side of the U. S. Railroad track at the corner of 4th South and 3rd West streets, and was built in June, 1871, by Geo. J. Johnson, Esq., who formed a business co-partnership with Messrs. James Lewis & Son of Liverpool, the firm assuming the name of Lewis, Johnson & Co. The machinery consist of a fifteen horse power high pressure engine by J. C. Hoadley of Boston, a Brodie crusher and a French burr-stone mill. The building, which is under one roof, consists of a spacious sampling floor 60 x 40 feet, an engine room, private office, assay office, and laboratory. Since last summer the business has been carried on by Mr. Johnson alone. This mill has a side track from the U. S. R. R., and spacious platforms for the reception of ores.
H. S. Jacobs & Co's Sampling Works - Are situated one block north of the above, and on the eastern side of the railroad, with a side track for loading and unloading ores. The machinery consists of a very finely finished stationary engine and a Dodge crusher. The sampling floor, engine room and office are in one and the same building. These works were erected in June, 1871 by H. S. Jacobs Co., of Pennsylvania, and during the early part of last summer passed into the hands of Messrs. Baxter & Co., who converted them into amalgamation works; having erected two pans with the usual attendant machinery.
October 3, 1873
"There are more than a score of smelting works in the Territory; their capacity is equal to seven hundred tons of ore per day, besides four stamp mills and two steam batteries; the combined crushing capacity of the latter is equal to one hundred tons of ore per day. In addition to the foregoing, the Germania separating and refining works have recently been carried into successful operation. The establishment of ore sampling works, of which there are several in Salt Lake City, is of great service to producers and buyers in determining the values of ores, thereby preventing delay and mutual distrust. The estimated value of ores, bullion, lead, silver and gold bars and dust exported during 1872, aggregated about three million dollars." (Salt Lake Herald, October 3, 1873)
January 1, 1875
The following description of early ore sampling comes from the January 1, 1875 issue of the Salt Lake Tribune.
Other works included the Salt Lake City Sampling Works, located on the west side of the Utah Southern track, at the corner of Fourth South and Third West streets, and was built in June, 1871, by George J. Johnson, Esq., who is the present owner. The machinery consists of a fifteen horse power high-pressure engine, by J. C. Headley, of Boston, a brodie crusher and a French buhr stone mill. The building, which is under roof, consists of a spacious sampling floor 60 by 40 feet, an engine room, private office, and laboratory. The mill has a side track from the Utah Southern Railroad, and spacious platforms for the reception of ores.
The Utah Works is located one block north of the Salt Lake City Works, and on the eastern side of the railroad with a single track for loading and unloading ores. The machinery consists of a very finely finished stationary engine and a Dodge crusher. These works were erected in June 1871, by H. S. Jacobs & Co., and during the summer of 1872 they passed into the hands of Messrs. Baxter & Co., who converted them into amalgamation works; having erected two pans with the usual attendant machinery. The works are now owned by Messrs. Lilley, Leisenring & Co., of Philadelphia, who leased them to Mr. J. C. Conklin, by whom the business of sampling ores is now carried on.
The Pioneer Works are located at Sandy Station, on the line of the Utah Southern Railroad, about ten miles distant from Salt Lake City. They are the largest and most comprehensive in detail of any in the Territory. They were erected by the owner, Richard MacIntosh, Esq., in the spring of the present year (1871) at a cost of over $15,000. The machinery is propelled by a twenty horse power engine. It consists of a Howland and Brodie crusher, a Buhr mill for pulverizing, and a large drying kiln twenty-five feet square. Side tracks, both narrow and broad gauge, connect the established with the Bingham Canyon and Jordan Valley, and the Utah Southern railroads. The platforms around the building have accommodations for one thousand tons of ore. The dimensions of the building are over one hundred feet in length, with a breadth of upwards of sixth feet. The works have a capacity of sampling 250 tons of ore daily.
Method Of Sampling. In sampling rich milling ores the whole bulk is usually crushed, but with poor milling ores, galena and copper ores, one fifth of the bulk is generally operated upon. The ore, after having been crushed, is thoroughly mixed and spread out evenly on the sampling floor. It is ten by a succession of what is termed 'quarterings,' reduced to a bulk of about two bushels. This is pulverized by hand with 'buckers,' on an iron plate until it will all pass through a one-eighth sieve. This is again thoroughly mixed and reduced by repeated quarterings to about the quantity of sample required by the buyers and sellers; say sufficient to fill four four-ounce sample bottles.
The pulverized ore is now reduced either in a mortar or by 'bucking' irons, to a state of division fine enough to enable it to pass through a sieve containing from fifty to sixty meshes to a linear inch. The sample is again thoroughly mixed and put into bottles, which are sealed and labeled with the number of sacks, weight of ore, date of sampling, and of sale.
Owing to the great difficulty experienced in perfectly cleaning the buhr stone mills, they had to be abandoned, as it was found almost impossible to remove the whole of the previous sample, the fine particles of which lodged in the joints, etc. of the machine, thereby being liable to cause serious error by portions of a previous rich sample becoming mixed with a succeeding poor one, and vice versa.
March 15, 1873
"The Fairfield Mill. - This mill, owned by Hussey, Baxter & Co., is located at Fairfield, Camp Floyd. It was started about the 20th of last month, and is in successful operation on ores from the Queen of the West mine at Lewiston. The system adopted is dry crushing by the Dodge crusher, and pulverizing by the attrition mill. From thence the pulp is taken to the Dodge pans, then amalgamated and flowed by the Dodge settlers, which collects all quicksilver that may possibly pass off in the pulp from the pans." The process was averaging about 90 per cent of value, with 10 tons being worked per day. (Salt Lake Weekly Tribune, March 15, 1873)
(While the above item describes a typical gold amalgamating mill, it was being operated by the Hussey, Baxter & Co., which was reported as having operated, by ownership or by lease, the Jacobs sampling mill in Salt Lake City in the 1872 time period, prior to it being leased to J. C. Conklin. - see January 1875, below)
"The two sampling works of Oliver Durant and Scott & Anderson sampled and sold in 1875 nearly 30,000 tons of ore and 7,000 tons of base bullion." (R. W. Raymond, Statistics Of Mines And Mining, Eighth Annual Report, Washington, 1877, page 271)
(In October 1874, Oliver Durant advertised his services to broker, buy, sell and transport freight of all kinds to all points in Utah and Nevada, from his yards in Salt Lake City, Sandy and Provo, later moved to the terminus of the Utah Southern railroad at Santaquin. His business included the buying, selling and transporting of a wide variety of items, including coke, coal, iron ore, charcoal, grain, ore, bullion and mill machinery. He was also a dealer for "Howe's U. S. Standard Scales." He could also weigh, sample, furnish certificates of weight, and advance payment for ore and bullion. -- Salt Lake Tribune, October 13, 1874)
November 30, 1875
"We are pleased to learn that Mr. Oliver Durant's business at Sandy has increased to such an extent as to compel him to make additions to his already large establishment. A visit to his sampling works will convince the most skeptical that Utah is rolling out immense quantities of rich ore." (Salt Lake Tribune, November 30, 1875)
January 1, 1876
Oliver Durant - "Among the many businesses that have contributed directly to the advancement and prosperity of this country, the forwarding and commission business of Oliver Durant stands preeminently among the first. During the year 1875, it has so increased it size, that to-day it has no rival in the Territory. In receiving, sampling and selling ores and bullion, Mr. Durant has made it his study to ascertain the best mode of securing to the miner the most satisfactory return for his labor, and his attention to the details of all business entrusted to him has fully merited the increased demand made upon his ability. A visit to his ore depot at Sandy, cannot fail to demonstrate that Mr. Durant has kept pace with the times. He during the year, received, weighed, sampled and sold over 20,000 tons of ore and 7,000 tons of bullion, and everything indicates that 1876 will chronicle a large increase over 1875. Besides the handling and sampling of ores and bullion, he has imported and sold to the smelters six thousand tons of Pennsylvania coke, three hundred and sixty thousand bushels of charcoal from Wyoming, and four thousand tons of iron ore." (Salt Lake Tribune, January 1, 1876)
(In October 1876, Durant sold his business to O.H. and J.T. Earll, under the business name of the Earll Brothers. They continued to advertise that they could sample, weigh, assay and sell ores and bullion. Then in October 1877, the Earll Brothers sold their freight forwarding and ore and bullion sampling business to Anderson & Rolfson, who continued to run the same advertisements, word for word. Their ads stop in July 1878. Research suggests that by the 1877 period, the sampling business was much more of a side business to their freight forwarding business.)
By January 1876, there was a "Wasatch Ore Sampling and Crushing Mill" located at Sandy Station, operated by H. A. Van Pragg & Co., with regular ads through the year and into January 1877.
"Utah Sampling Works" (R. W. Raymond, Statistics Of Mines And Mining, Eighth Annual Report, Washington, 1877, page 275)
April 21, 1883
"Next to the smelters are the sampling works, deserving of notice: The Salt Lake Sampling Works, capacity, 200 tons daily, owned by J. C. Conklin; Pioneer Sampling Works, owned by R. Mackintosh; Sandy Sampling Works, owned by Messrs. Scott & Anderson." (Salt Lake Herald, April 21, 1883)
H. S. Jacobs & Co.
1871-1873
Dating back to 1871, one of the earliest ore sampling businesses was the sampler built by H. S. Jacobs & Co., located at Second South and Third West in Salt Lake City. This site was later sold to Baxter & Co., then to Lilley, Leisenring & Co., and leased to J. C. Conklin as his first in the sampling business.
July 10, 1871
"The firm of H. S. Jacobs & Co., have fitted up a very neat, compact building, two blocks south of the depot of the Utah Central Railroad in this city, for the purpose of crushing and sampling ores, and they are now prepared to receive any amount of ores, for which they will pay the cash as soon as it is crushed, sampled and weighed. Mr. Jacobs has had a long experience in mining and working ores by all the most improved methods, in California, Idaho, Nevada and Colorado. His partners are all wealthy men from Pennsylvania, one of them being President of the First National Bank of Mauch Chunk in that State. The firm have their own assayer, and are determined that the miner shall know exactly what his ore contains, for if he desires to do so he can see it crushed, thoroughly mixed together, and can take a portion of the same sample that is assayed, that he may know as well as the assayer what per cent of the metal his ore yields." (Deseret News, July 10, 1871)
"One of the celebrated Starkey engines," 16-horsepower, had been imported from Brooklyn, supplied by a 20-horsepower steam boiler. The company had installed a six-horsepower Dodge crusher, and the company was capable of crushing 60 tons per day. The crusher could crush ore to as fine as meal, or as coarse as "hickory nuts." The crusher was elevated three feet above the floor, and the crushed ore was run into a wheelbarrow and wheeled to the sampling floor. The company would soon have its own spur from the Utah Central, allowing ore to be received either by rail cars or by wagon. (Deseret News, July 10, 1871)
(Mauch Chunk, Pennsylvania, changed its name to Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania, in 1954. It is a town in eastern Pennsylvania, on the Lehigh River, about 23 miles northwest of Allentown. It was a shipping point for the anthracite coal mines of eastern Pennsylvania.)
(H. S. Jacobs was notable in early Utah railroads and mining and was active in developing the early mines in the Ophir and Rush Valley [Stockton] districts. He built one the earliest smelters in Utah, at that time known as "furnaces." He arrived in Utah in early June 1871. He was instrumental in establishing one of the first smelters in Utah, when he and associates opened their smelter in Stockton in 1872. In 1873, he and others bought the City of Corinne lake boat to transport their Stockton ore north across the Great Salt Lake to Corinne for shipment on the Central Pacific. In May 1872, he and a group of investors organized the Salt Lake, Sevier Valley and Pioche Railroad, to build a railroad from Salt Lake City, west to their mines in Stockton and mines farther to the west. In August 1873 after the railroad failed to reach the stated destinations within the stated period of time, Jacobs was removed, then resigned from his position as president, and as a board member due to questions concerning his "unusual" tactics in obtaining funding for items such as iron rail, fishplates and spikes for the railroad. He had left Utah by mid 1874, having sold his interests to William Lilley and John Leisenring, of Mauch Chunk, Pennsylvania, doing business as Lilley, Leisenring & Co.)
(A Dodge crusher was a jaw crusher with a fixed upper jaw, and a moving lower jaw, with the pivot at the bottom. The Dodge crusher was primarily used for laboratory work, small-scale mining operations, and preliminary crushing before finer crushing or grinding.)
January 15, 1873
H. S. Jacobs listed his ore sampling works as being for sale. The building was 30 x 80 feet, with an engine room, coal house and office. The machinery consisted of a 20 horse power boiler, a 16 horse power engine, and a crusher, with all appurtenances for continuing the business, also a lease on the ground for over three years. (Utah Mining Journal, January 15, 1873) (The ads continued on a weekly basis through the end of February)
April 8, 1874
"J. C. Conklin was granted the privilege, under the direction of the street supervisor, of putting down a switch between Second and Third South Streets, from the Utah Southern Railroad to the old H. S. Jacobs sampling works." (Deseret News, April 8, 1874)
George J. Johnson
Salt Lake City Sampling Works, 1871-1876
A second early sampling works was established by George J. Johnson, also in 1871, after he moved his sampling works from what was known as the California Corral, west and south to a new site at Fourth South and Third West. This later site at Fourth South and Third West was known as the Salt Lake City Sampling Works.
"The first public sampling place was started by Geo. Johnson, Esq., of Boston, in the California corral, on Second South street, Salt Lake City, where the sampling was performed by hand, no machinery being at that time erected. Ore, in lots of five tons and upwards, was brought to the corral and sampled, purchase or refusal being at the option of the sampler." (Salt Lake Weekly Tribune, January 4, 1873)
(The "California Corral" was located on the northeast corner of the intersection of Second South and West Temple street in what today is downtown Salt Lake City, a "half block west of the opera house." Dating back to the 1866-1867 period, it was the location of sales of all manner of livestock, including horses and mules, as well as blacksmithing services. It was also the location of wagon and carriage maintenance. By late 1873, as the city grew, the livestock sales and blacksmithing moved to other locations, and in April 1883 construction began on a block of brick three-story buildings 165 feet on the front and 50 feet deep. The 1884 Sanborn fire insurance map, sheet 9, shows the recently completed block of brick buildings, with the Walker Opera House at mid-block on the north side of Second South.)
September 9, 1871
"Salt Lake City Sampling Works. - These works, situated in the 6th Ward, are doing a regular business in crushing and sampling ores. The situation is a good one, and as the railroad is extended south must secure a large amount of ore from that direction. Mr. Johnson, the proprietor, has already shipped a considerable amount of mineral to Europe, and his facilities arc now such that he can pay the miner the full value of his ore; the latter receiving the most perfect assurance of what his ore in mass is worth."
(Salt Lake Weekly Tribune, September 9, 1871)
(By January 1876, Johnson had moved his sampler to a new site at Fourth South and the Utah Southern railroad at Third West, and had sold it to Scott & Anderson, which continued to operate it until the mid 1890s; see below)
Pioneer Sampling Works
Sandy, 1874-1910
January 3, 1874
The first reference to the Pioneer Sampling Works. "Yesterday we called at the Pioneer Sampling Works, now owned by Mr. McIntosh of this city." (Utah Mining Gazette, January 3, 1874)
March 14, 1874
The Pioneer Sampling Works, owned by J. R. MacIntosh, was located in Salt Lake City "near the depot." It was equipped with two crushers and one pulverizer, driven by a twenty-five horse power engine. Their capacity was 20 tons per day, employing about 12 men. "Mr MacIntosh is about to erect large sampling works at Sandy Station, on the line of the Utah Southern Railroad. The crusher and pulverizer for the new works are already completed at the Salt Lake Iron Works." (Utah Mining Gazette, March 14, 1874)
March 21, 1874
"The New Sampling works of Mr. Macintosh at Sandy are progressing favorably and it is expected that they will be ready for business with the opening of the season." (Utah Mining Gazette, March 21, 1874)
April 22, 1874
"Will Start To-morrow. — The Mackintosh Sampling Works, at Sandy, are now finished and will commence working to-morrow. There was a grand ball at Sandy last night, in celebration of their completion, to which a special car took some of the guests from this city." (Deseret News, April 22, 1874)
May 2, 1874
The Pioneer Sampling Works. A new sampling works has been erected at Sandy, by R. Mackintosh, Esq., consisting of a substantial frame building 100x30 feet, with engine and boiler houses and office attached. The engine and machinery are from the Utica Manufacturing Co., of New York. The works are well calculated for the business, and possess a capacity for sampling 500 tons of ore daily. Fred Day is superintendent, and F. A. Williams engineer." (Utah Mining Gazette, May 2, 1874)
November 7, 1877
A new sampling machine had been installed at the Pioneer Sampling Works at Sandy. The machine was run by steam power, abolishing the old hand process. It occupied a space of eight feet by six feet on the ground, and was 40 feet high. It brought a 10 ton sample down to 300 pounds in one operation, with a capacity of 20 tons per hour. The machine was invented by Fred Day [of the Pioneer] and William J. Silver, who also built the machine. A patent had been applied for. (Deseret News, November 7, 1877)
In the period of 1879 to 1885, there were no ads for any other company other than Conklin's mill in available online newspapers until March 1885 when Pioneer Ore Sampling Mill and Assay Office in Sandy became a regular advertiser, with the following subtext, "Situated in Sandy, Utah. Controlling also the Park City Sampling Mill. The Oldest and Most Reliable Sampling Mill In Utah." From March 1885 onward, there were daily ads for both companies. The ads stopped in June 1885.
In March through May 1887, regular daily ads appeared for the Pioneer Sampling Works at Sandy, and the Park City Sampling Works at Park City, both owned by R. McIntosh.
(In 1889, the Pioneer Sampling Mill was among the listing of the three sampling works in Utah, including the Conkling Sampling Works, the Frank Foote Sampler, and the Pioneer Sampling Mill. The Germania smelter had its own sampling works. - Salt Lake Tribune, January 1, 1889)
January 1, 1898
The Pioneer sampling works was included as being one of three active sampling works in Utah. "This city has three well-equipped sampling mills conveniently located for handling all ores coming into Salt Lake valley. The work of these samplers is a pretty good index of the amount of smelting ores being mined in the contributing districts through Utah, portions of Nevada, Idaho, etc." 1897 saw an decrease of 10,676 tons, from the 1896 total of 160,129 tons, to the 1897 total of 140,473 tons. The three sampling mills are the Taylor & Brunton Sampling Company (60,736 tons during 1897), the Pioneer Sampling Mill (18,700 tons during 1897), and the Conklin Sampling Works (70,000 tons during 1897). (Salt Lake Tribune, January 1, 1898)
(Richard Mackintosh passed away on February 21, 1900, at age 61, from stomach problems that he had been suffering from for three years. - Salt Lake Herald, February 21, 1900; February 22, 1900)
(The site of the Pioneer Sampling Works in Sandy, consisting of 119 acres in the SW corner of Section 31, T2S, R1E, was sold to Arthur J. Cushing, on December 26, 1900. The description describes an area between 8300 South and 8600 South, and between State Street and 300 East in Sandy, likely adjacent to the Oregon Short Line [now UTA TRAX] tracks. Cushing was the manager of the sampler works. - Salt Lake Herald, December 28, 1900)
January 30, 1901
"The Pioneer Sampling Works at Sandy have been closed down after many years of successful operation, and it is stated that Manager A. J. Cushing, owner of the plant, will still keep his yards open for the reception of ore brought in by wagon, consignments thus made to be handled by the Taylor-Brunton Sampling Works at Pallas station." (Salt Lake Mining Review, January 30, 1901)
February 11, 1903
"Pioneer Sampling Mill. Machinery Coming Along Rapidly. Ready to Start Next Month. Manager J. B. Jensen of the resurrected Pioneer Sampling Works at Sandy, stated yesterday that the two carloads of machinery which arrived last week is about placed in position at the mill, and before the end of the present week, two more carloads will be at the plant, as well as a carload or two of heavy timbers to be used in the rebuilding of a portion of the old mill. He expects to have the plant ready for business by the 15th of March, and says that he is already assured of enough business to keep the wheels moving. The mill is to be equipped with his own patent sampling devices and the plant will be made as nearly automatic as is possible." (Salt Lake Herald, February 11, 1903)
December 7, 1903
"An important adjunct to the mining industry of Utah is the revival of the old Pioneer Sampler at Sandy, south of Salt Lake, and in the neighborhood of the great smelter in the valley. These operations begun in September last, under the management and ownership of the Pioneer Ore Sampling company, a recent corporation under the laws of New Jersey. Of this company J. R. Jensen of Salt Lake president and manager; A. J. Cushing, the pioneer sampling man of this region, with thirty years experience in the business is superintendent; S. L. Butler of New York is vice president and he, with his associates in that city, are principal owners of the stock. This mill is a historic property and was erected and operated until his death by the late Richard Mackintosh. Subsequently, it was held by lease by the Taylor & Brunton Ore Sampling company until February last, but that company did not operate it. The present owners then acquired the property and have since repaired, improved and materially enlarged the plant." (Salt Lake Herald, December 27, 1903)
(During 1904, the Pioneer Sampling Works handled 51,190 tons of ore, compared to the Taylor & Brunton sampling works handling 154,990 tons. - Salt Lake Mining Review, December 30, 1904)
(A typical rail car of the period carried about 25 tons. A typical freight wagon of the period carried five to eight tons.)
April 28, 1905
"The first consignment of ore that ever came into this valley from Las Vegas over the San Pedro road reached the Pioneer sampling works at Sandy yesterday morning. It consisted of two carloads, the initial shipment from the famous Shoshone bonanza on Montgomery mountain, in the Bullfrog district. The consignment was sampled during the afternoon in the presence of A. E. Montgomery, Malcom L.. McDonald and James C. Connor, the chief owners in the property, who came here for the express purpose of witnessing the performance and to make arrangements for the regular marketing of the company's product." (Salt Lake Herald, April 28, 1905)
(Daily ads for the Pioneer Sampling Works began appearing in late September 1905, under the name of the Pioneer Ore Sampling Company, although all other references were to the Pioneer Sampling Works.)
August 1906
"The Pioneer Ore Sampling company was incorporated in 1874, and until August of this year was in the control of an Eastern capitalist under the management of Mr. Charles D. Rooklidge, but since this date the control of the company has passed into the hands of local men, Mr. Rooklidge being president and general manager." (Salt Lake Telegram, December 24, 1906)
March 31, 1909
"Control of the Pioneer Ore Sampling company - 60 per cent of the company’s capitol stock, it is understood - was yesterday purchased by Ernest R. Woolley and associates. The price paid for tho stock was not given out, but it was a cash transaction and naturally involved a considerable sum. The Pioneer sampling works is truly the pioneer public sampler of the inter-mountain country. It was established about 1873 by Richard McIntosh. Since that time it has passed through many hands and its various parts have been changed from time to time - but it is the same old sampling works. When it was first built automatic sampling was unknown. Now it is entirely automatic. The mill was partially remodeled five or six years ago, and the finishing touches required to make it a complete, up-to-date plant, were given it two years ago." (Salt Lake Herald, March 31, 1909)
December 5, 1909
All of the ore sampling works in Utah were to pass into the ownership of one company, Utah Ore Sampling company. Ernest R. Woolley, president of the Pioneer Ore Sampling company had just returned from Denver, concluding the terms of the purchase of the Utah plants of the Taylor & Brunton Ore Sampling company. The plants taken over by the new company included the Pioneer plant at Sandy, and the two plants of the Taylor & Brunton company at Murray and at Silver City in the Tintic district. The combined capacity of the three plants was 500,000 tons per year. The Taylor & Brunton company came to Utah in 1893 when it built its Murray plant. It has been busy to capacity since then. To ease the load of the Murray plant, a new sampler was built at Silver City, and it, too, operated at capacity. The Taylor & Brunton company also had plants in the Cripple Creek and Aspen, Colorado, and at Miller, Nevada. The Cripple Creek plant was closed "a couple years ago," but the Aspen and Miller plants were to remain in Taylor & Brunton control. (Salt Lake Tribune, December 5, 1909)
April 9, 1910
The Pioneer sampling works of the newly formed Utah Ore Sampling company, was closed indefinitely. The sampler was working only with Alta ores, which would be sent to the Murray sampler instead. (Salt Lake Tribune, April 9, 1910)
Scott & Anderson Sampling Works
1876-1893 (Two locations)
- 1876-1877 (Salt Lake City)
- 1877-1893 (Sandy)
The Salt Lake City Sampling Works owned by Scott & Anderson, began their newspaper ads in August 1876, and continued through December 1876.
(Scott = John S. Scott) (Anderson = Judge James Anderson, a judge in both the Third District Court and the Second District Court)
January 1, 1876
"Scott & Anderson's Sampling Works. - The business of sampling the rich ores of our Territory is one that requires great care and strict honesty. The works, located at the junction of Fourth South street and the Utah Southern Railroad, formerly conducted by Mr. George J. Johnson, and more recently by Scott & Anderson, have earned a wide-spread reputation for the accuracy of their samples, both with local and Eastern buyers of ores. They have sampled during the past year 4,726,375 lbs. of ore, running from $10 up to $5,000 per ton." (Salt Lake Tribune, January 1, 1876)
August 1, 1876
"Having sold my business to Messrs. Scott & Anderson, I take pleasure in recommending them to my friends as worthy of their full confidence, and trust they will continue to the same kind patronage they have extended to me. signed Geo.J. Johnson" (Salt Lake Tribune, August 1, 1876)
(At some time between December 1876 and April 1877, Scott & Anderson had moved their sampling works from the Salt Lake City Sampling Works site originated by George Johnson, south to new site in Sandy, calling their company the Sandy Sampling Works. The newspaper ads for the Sandy Sampling Works continued through May 1893.)
In September 1893 the "old Scott & Anderson" sampler was leased to a new company by the name of Anderson Sampler, promoted by Judge T. J. Anderson.
(No further reference to a sampler in Sandy being operated by Anderson.)
Conklin Sampling Works
1874-1903 (three locations)
- 1874-1879 (Second South and Third West)
- 1879-1895 (South Temple and Fourth West)
- 1895-1903 (Eighth South and Fourth West)
April 8, 1874
"J. C. Conklin was granted the privilege, under the direction of the street supervisor, of putting down a switch between Second and Third South Streets, from the Utah Southern Railroad to the old H. S. Jacobs sampling works." (Deseret News, April 8, 1874)
October 15, 1874
J. C. Conklin and M. J. Rourke dissolved their partnership in the Utah Sampling Mill, with Conklin continuing the business as sole owner.
(Salt Lake Tribune, November 3, 1874)
By January 1875, J. C. Conklin was leasing the sampling works originally built by H. S. Jacobs & Co., which had passed to Baxter & Co., then passed again to Lilley, Leisenring & Co. These works were located between Second and Third South and the Utah Southern railroad at Third West.
January 1, 1876
"The Utah Sampling Works, under the able management of Mr. J. C. Conklin, has done a fair share of business, in a very satisfactory manner. During the past year there have been sampled at these works 5,725,056 lbs. [2,862 tons] of ore from several mining districts, the estimated value of which was $143,189.02." (Salt Lake Tribune, January 1, 1876)
January 20, 1878
J. C. Conklin had leased the "Wasatch Sampling Mill at Sandy," and would "run it in connection with his Utah Sampling Mill of Salt Lake City." (Salt Lake Tribune, January 20, 1878)
Throughout 1879 and in March 1885, there were regular ads for J. C. Conklin and his Utah Ore Sampling Mill (later as J. C. Conklin & Co.). The first location was at the corner of Second South and the Utah Southern Railroad on Third West.
In July 1879, the address of Conklin's sampler was changed to the northwest corner of South Temple street and Fourth West, between the Utah Western (later Utah & Nevada) and Utah Central depots.
February 25, 1886
The ore sampling works of the J. C. Conklin & Co. were sold to a newly incorporated company, Conkling Sampling Works, with J. C. Conklin as president and F. O. Horn as general manager, with each holding 25 percent ownership.
(The last reference showing J. C. Conklin as being affiliated with the Conkling Sampling Works was in late August 1888. After that date, and beginning with regular ads in October 1889, his name was only shown in other advertisements as being in the real estate business.)
(Note the name change in February 1886, from Conklin to Conkling. Advertisements for the Conkling company continued through February 1895. The use of the "Conkling" name in newspaper references continued through late 1902.)
(In 1889, the Conkling Sampling Works was among the listing of the three sampling works in Utah, including the Conkling Sampling Works, the Frank Foote Sampler, and the Pioneer Sampling Mill. The Germania smelter had its own sampling works. - Salt Lake Tribune, January 1, 1889)
(The 1889 Sanborn fire insurance map of Salt Lake City, sheet 29, shows "Conklin Sampling Works" as being adjacent to and immediately east of the Salt Lake Sampling Works on South Temple street at 4th West.)
(At some point between 1889 and 1895, or possibly in 1895, the Conklin [or Conkling] works moved from the site to South Temple street and Fourth West, to the new site on the block between Eighth and Ninth South, and between Fourth and Fifth West.)
March 12, 1895
The Conkling Sampling Works was sold to C. B. Markland , having purchased the interests of F. O. Horn. (Salt Lake Herald, March 13, 1895, "went into effect yesterday")
September 10, 1895
"The business was originally established in 1878 by Mr. J. C. Conklin, who was succeeded in 1883 by Conklin & Horn. In 1886 the concern was incorporated, and in March 1895, Mr. C. B. Markland became sole proprietor. The works are situated between Eighth and Ninth South and Fourth and Fifth West, comprising a two story frame building 50 x 200 feet in area." The sampling works had a 200 tons per day capacity, and employed 20 men. (Deseret News, September 10, 1895; the identical description of the Conklin Sampling Works in the July 24, 1897 issue of the Deseret News)
(The above location at the address shown, is shown in the 1898 Sanborn fire insurance map, sheet 83.)
(Before purchasing the Conklin [or Conkling] sampling works in 1895, C. B. Markland had been the company's secretary, beginning in September 1893. He had been shown as associated with the sampling company as early as August 1892.)
January 1, 1898
The Conklin sampling works was included as being one of three active sampling works in Utah. "This city has three well-equipped sampling mills conveniently located for handling all ores coming into Salt Lake valley. The work of these samplers is a pretty good index of the amount of smelting ores being mined in the contributing districts through Utah, portions of Nevada, Idaho, etc." 1897 saw an decrease of 10,676 tons, from the 1896 total of 160,129 tons, to the 1897 total of 140,473 tons. The three sampling mills are the Taylor & Brunton Sampling Company (60,736 tons during 1897), the Pioneer Sampling Mill (18,700 tons during 1897), and the Conklin Sampling Works (70,000 tons during 1897). (Salt Lake Tribune, January 1, 1898)
January 1, 1900
The "Conklin Ore Sampling Works" "celebrated its prosperous condition by replacing its steam motive power with electricity and otherwise improving and enlarging its capacity The year 1899 was record breaker in the amount of business done, over 75,000 tons of ore having been sampled during the year and over fifty men having been employed at the works. This is an increase of 5000 tons over that of 1898." (Salt Lake Tribune, January 1, 1900)
July 1, 1903
The Conklin Sampling Works was in the hands of a local bank due to non-payment by Charles Markland of the debt. "Two years ago he purchased the Conklin sampling works from a local bank on the agreement that he should pay certain monthly installments. These he was unable to pay as arranged for and the works were forfeited on July 1st. He was retained by the bank as manager of the business, in the hope that he would yet be able to pay out." (Salt Lake Tribune, August 6, 1903)
July 21, 1903
Conklin Sampling Works and the company's bank, the Bank of Commerce, were sued by Silver Brothers Iron Works for non-payment of an amount due for improvements made at the sampling works.
(Salt Lake Telegram, July 21, 1903)
(On August 6, 1903, Charles Markland attempted suicide by morphine overdose "with the intention of escaping bodily ills and financial embarrassment." He was discovered unconscious after 5 a.m. by a policeman "walking his beat" in the lobby of the building where his office was in downtown Salt Lake City. He was immediately moved to St. Mark's hospital and was in critical condition. Other than the Conklin Sampler, he was also involved in mines in the Stockton and Tintic districts.)
November 21, 1903
The Conklin Sampling Works was closed indefinitely. The following comes from the November 22, 1903 issue of the Salt Lake Herald.
Conklin Sampling Works Closed After Thirty-three Years’ Run. - After a practically continuous run stretching over thirty-three years of time, the shutters were nailed up at the Conklin sampling works yesterday and business indefinitely suspended. The plants which was built by a man named Johnson, was originally run on ores from Stockton and others of the early-day camps. Then It was bought by J. C. Conklin and run by him for many years.
Finally it went into the hands of a company, of which C. B. Markland was manager and chief owner, and it continued to serve the producer as a medium through which to get his product to the smelters. Mr. Markland’s ill-health and business reverses finally resulted in the plant’s falling into the hands of the Bank of Commerce and, since the retirement of Markland, E. W. Wilson has done what he could to keep the business alive. What with the samplers put in by the smelting company and the operation of more modern custom mills, the business of the old Conklin has finally dwindled to a point where it was no longer possible to operate it at a profit, and Friday evening Manager Wilson issued orders to Superintendent W. R. Waples to close down. For the past eight years Mr. Waples has had charge of the mill and under conditions that would have made a less resourceful and persevering man give up the proposition, he has kept the wheels moving and done everything within his power to make the plant more than earn its way.
The Conklin sampling works is one of the old landmarks of this city. They are located between the lines of the Rio Grande Western and Oregon Short Line, on Fourth West, just below Eighth South street.
May 29, 1905
"Utah Junk Company Acquires Old Conklin Sampling Works. - Kelsey & Gillespie yesterday sold to the Utah Junk company the southern half of block 9, plat A, at the corner of Fourth West and Eighth South. The property was formerly occupied by the Conklin Sampling works. The price paid was $15,000. The Utah Junk company will immediately begin the erection of buildings for the purpose of their business and will improve the property." (Salt Lake Herald, May 30, 1905)
In June 1905, W. R. Waples became superintendent of the Pioneer Sampling Works at Sandy.
The Sanborn 1911 fire insurance map, sheet 166, shows the Utah Junk Company occupying the site.
Park City Sampler
1883-1917
March 1883
The Mackintosh (or Mcintosh) Sampler in Park City was opened at some time before March 1883, the first reference in available online newspapers. "R. Mackintosh, Park City Sampling Mill, Ores Carefully Sampled."
(The newspapers tended to use the two spellings of Mackintosh, or McIntosh, interchangeability.)
March 30, 1890
"There were no ore shipments this week to the Park City sampling mill. The mill is undergoing repairs, and when completed operations will be resumed." (Salt Lake Tribune, March 30, 1890)
July 4, 1891
"The Park City sampling mill is closed down for a few weeks to enable the rearranging of the machinery, which is now being done." (Salt Lake Tribune, July 4, 1891)
October 22, 1891
"The Park City Sampling mill has been enlarging its boundaries. The ore shed has received an addition, 40x80 feet, and a new sampling room has been built; size, 30x35 feet. The business of the sampler is constantly increasing. At the present it is handling about 175 tons a day. With the daily increase of ore the additions made will hardly give sufficient room. For some time back the day shift has been working half night shift. Beginning with to-night a full eight shift will be put on. The ore production of Park City is constantly increasing." (Salt Lake Herald, October 22, 1891)
(Richard Mackintosh passed away on February 21, 1900, at age 61, from stomach problems that he had been suffering from for three years. - Salt Lake Herald, February 21, 1900; February 22, 1900)
May 30, 1902
"Charles Read, of this city, executor of the estate of the late R. Mackintosh, has awarded the contract for the machinery for the new Park City Sampling Mills to H. V. Croll, of the local branch of the Allis-Chalmers company. The plant will be automatic, modern and up-to-date in every respect, and should be in commission by August 1st." "J. B. Fleming, M. E., designed the plant and drew the plans which will govern the erection of the new Park City Sampling Works." (Salt Lake Mining Review, May 30, 1902)
December 30, 1902
The following comes from the December 30, 1902 issue of the Salt Lake Mining Review.
The new plant of the Park City Sampling works (otherwise known as the Mackintosh sampler), which has been in the course of construction for several months past, is now completed, and, on the 19th inst., was accepted by Manager Charles Read from J. B. Fleming, who was the builder, as well as the designer of the plant.
After being brought to the sampler in railroad cars the ore is taken by a 24-inch belt conveyor to the crushing department, where it passes through a No. 5 Gates machine. From this crusher it is elevated and delivered to a Vezin sampler, which cuts out one-fourth, which is retained in the sampling system, the remaining three-fourths being rejected and conveyed by means of another elevator to the shipping bin. The sample cuts go through another crushing process; passing through a set of 36x14-inch rolls, which reduce the ore to about one inch. It is then elevated to a second Vezin sampler which again cuts one-fourth, rejecting the balance, which goes to the shipping bin. The sample cuts which are now one-twenty-fifth of the whole, go to a second set of rolls, 30x10 inches. Following along the product reaches a third sampler, which again cuts out one-fourth, making a sample now of 1-125th of the whole. It is then crushed again in 24x8-inch rolls. From this bit of machinery the product goes to a fourth sampler, one-fourth again segregated, yielding a sample cut of l-165th of the whole. Going along in the same order the sample cuts are sent to a set of 9x4 rolls, making about a 1-10th-inch product, which goes through a last sampling process, concluding with a representation of 1-3,125th part of the whole amount of ore originally sampled. The sample is then made ready for the assayer by being pulverized to fit a 50-mesh screen, in a fine sample grinder.
The power plant in connection with the works is equipped with two Scotch marine boilers of 125 h. p., with automatic stokers. The capacity of the sampler is 500 tons of ore per day.
January 30, 1903
"Park City, Jan. 21, 1903.—The new mill of the Park City Sampling Works is now complete and has been in operation since December 15. They are now handling 90 cars of ore per day, and give employment to four men." (Salt Lake Mining Review, January 30, 1903)
(The Park City sampling works may or may not have been included in the 1909 merger that created the Utah Ore Sampling Company, but by 1917 when it closed, it was shown as being part of the company.)
("The McIntosh sampler at Park City is owned by E. R. Woolley and associates, but it will not, it is said, go into the merger. All of the ore samplers of Utah will, however, be under virtually the same management." -- Butte Daily Post, December 9, 1909) (Woolley may have held a lease on the park City works.)
(In reality, the Park City sampling mill remained in the hands of the Richard McIntosh estate, as shown below.)
June 18, 1912
The Utah Ore Sampling Company purchased the Park City Sampler from the McIntosh estate. The purchase was completed and Utah Ore Sampling took control of the Park City sampler on Monday June 30th.
(Salt Lake Herald, June 18, 1912; Salt Lake Tribune, June 30, 1912)
March 23, 1917
"What was known for many years as the Park City Sampler, but later as the Union Ore Sampling Mill, has been put out of commission and has been taken over by the Judge Mining sud Smelting company, and will hereafter be used by that progressive company as a loading station. Ores from the smaller properties of the camp which were formerly sampled and shipped from the above mill, will be now loaded at the railroad stations, and shipped direct to mills at Murray. With the closing down of this sampler, passes an old timer from the milling field of Park City. It was built in the eighties and many millions of tons of ore have been shipped therefrom to the various smelters in different parts of the country." (Park Record, March 23, 1917)
(There are no references in available online newspapers to a "Union Ore Sampling Mill" in Park City, other than the above single reference in 1917.)
March 27, 1917
The Park City plant of the Utah Ore Sampling company was closed permanently. The Murray plant with its capacity of 1000 tons daily, has the capacity to allow the Park City plant to be closed. (Deseret News, March 27, 1917)
Salt Lake Sampling Works
1885-1889 (South Temple and Fourth West)
July 20, 1885
The first day of operation of the Salt Lake Sampling Works. "Frank Foote, as well-known assayer, is the proprietor." "It is the only sampling mill in Utah that is provided with the new patent rolls, which are fast coming into popularity as an ore crushing medium." "Mill near Utah Central depot." (Salt Lake Evening Democrat, July 17, 1885, "will be open for business on Monday next." Daily ads after that.)
October 16, 1885
The Salt Lake Sampling Works was busy day and night, with double the force of men, keeping up with the rush. The manager complained about the city not allowing a side track for the railroad to be built to serve the sampling works. The platform and bins had a capacity of 400 tons, but it was not enough. They were the only sampling mill using rolls to crush the ore. (Salt Lake Tribune, October 16, 1885)
December 25, 1886
The Salt Lake Sampling Works, during the year, had handled 18,404,725 pounds [9200 tons] of ore, employing an average of ten men. The Pioneer Sampling Mill at Sandy had handled 25,000 tons during the year, employing 30 men, and the Park City Sampling Mills had handled 15,000 tons, employing 18 men. (Salt Lake Herald, December 25, 1886; the Pioneer and Park City mills were referred to as the Mackintosh Samplers; the owner's name was R. McIntosh)
(In 1889, the Frank Foote Sampler was among the listing of the three sampling works in Utah, including the Conkling Sampling Works, the Frank Foote Sampler, and the Pioneer Sampling Mill. The Germania smelter had its own sampling works. - Salt Lake Tribune, January 1, 1889)
(The 1889 Sanborn fire insurance map of Salt Lake City, sheet 29, shows "Salt Lake Sampling Works" on South Temple street at 4th West. The same map also shows "Conklin Sampling Works" as being adjacent to and immediately east of the Salt Lake Sampling Works at this location. Research has not yet found a reference to the Conklin works being at this address or location.)
March 4, 1889
Frank E. Foote, "the well known assayer," passed away on March 4, 1889 "of blood poisoning" at age 38, leaving the Salt Lake Sampling company in limbo. His wife was forced to sell all of the contents and furnishings of their home at an auction held on April 20th. His father, Erastus Foote, ran a small classified ad in the January 7th and 9th, 1890 issue of newspapers, advertising the sampling works as being for sale, "to close an estate." The probate case for his Frank Foote Coal Company remained active in the state probate court through January 1891.
Taylor and Brunton
1891-1909
(Taylor = F. M. Taylor) (Brunton = D. W. Brunton) (Both men were residents of Denver, with their original sampling works being located in Aspen.)
August 8, 1891
"The Taylor & Brunton Sampling works company of Aspen, Colo., has purchased ground at Bingham Junction, and ordered machinery and timber for the erection of what they state will be the largest sampler in the United States. Work is to begin immediately." (Omaha Daily Bee, August 8, 1891)
November 19, 1891
"The building of the new sampling works at Pallas, near the Germania smelter, is well advanced in construction and the machinery is in town, so that it will not be long now before the great works are in operation." (Salt Lake Tribune, November 19, 1891)
December 25, 1891
"The Taylor & Brunton Ore Sampling company, a Colorado corporation, has located its works at Pallas, seven miles south of the city. Both railroads touch the premises. The plant cost $60,000; capacity 500 tons every twenty four hours. It is what is known as automatic time sampling, and the samples are mathematically correct. Works on this principle are in New York, Pueblo, Denver, Great Fails, Helena and San Francisco. This will be the largest ever established. The mill is completed and the machinery is being placed in position and will be ready for operation in about a mouth. The company is composed of D. R. C. Brown, Elmer T. Butler, Jerome B. Wheeler, F. M. Taylor and D. W. Brunton. Everything is handled by machinery as elevator would handle grain, and the only labor is in feeding the crushers. Wherever in use this process gives exact satisfaction to buyer and seller. Mr. D. W. Brunton, of Aspen, is manager." (Salt Lake Herald, December 25, 1891)
March 23, 1892
"Taylor and Brunton Ore Sampling Co. - Denver, Colo. March 23. - James W. Neill, of Salt Lake, and Frank M. Taylor and David W. Brunton today filed articles incorporating the Taylor and Brunton Ore Sampling company, to operate mills and works near Pallas, Utah, for sampling and testing mineral bearing ores. The capital stock is $27,000. Directors: James W. Neill, Frank M. Taylor and David W. Brunton. The principal office is at Aspen." (Salt Lake Herald, March 24, 1892)
April 2, 1892
"The Taylor & Brunton Ore Sampling Company. Works at Pallas Station, Utah (Half mile below Germania Lead Works) Now open to receive ore by Rio Grande Western or Union Pacific Railways." (Salt Lake Tribune, April 2, 1892)
June 29, 1893
"The Taylor & Brunton Ore Sampling Co. of Salt Lake City has since it commenced operations has by fair dealing received a great portion of the ore for sampling sent to Salt Lake City. Every carload of ore shipped from this section this year has been consigned to them, shippers knowing that the full value of the ore would be returned. The opening of the Taylor & Brunton works was a bright day for the producers who ship their ore to Salt Lake City." (Pioche Record, June 29, 1893)
August 2, 1894
"The Taylor & Brunton Ore Sampling Works handled about 3000 tons of ore during July, most of which came from the Tintic mines." (Salt Lake Tribune, August 2, 1894)
January 1, 1898
The Taylor & Brunton sampling works was included as being one of three active sampling works in Utah. "This city has three well-equipped sampling mills conveniently located for handling all ores coming into Salt Lake valley. The work of these samplers is a pretty good index of the amount of smelting ores being mined in the contributing districts through Utah, portions of Nevada, Idaho, etc." 1897 saw an decrease of 10,676 tons, from the 1896 total of 160,129 tons, to the 1897 total of 140,473 tons. The three sampling mills are the Taylor & Brunton Sampling Company (60,736 tons during 1897), the Pioneer Sampling Mill (18,700 tons during 1897), and the Conklin Sampling Works (70,000 tons during 1897). (Salt Lake Tribune, January 1, 1898)
December 31, 1899
"Taylor & Brunton Ore Sampling Company. - This company is operating a modern sampling mill at Pallas station, Utah, and has continued its prosperous career throughout 1899. It has sampled during the year 85,060 tons of ore, the last half of December being estimated. This is approximately the same amount as sampled during the year 1898. This company is also erecting at the same place a complete new mill for the sampling and crushing of sulphide ores. The framework of this new mill is now up and sheeted-in and presents an imposing appearance. The machinery is ordered and on the way, and this fine new plant is expected to be in operation about the first of March. This mill will have a capacity of 150 tons per ten-hour shift." (Salt Lake Tribune, December 31, 1899)
September 7, 1906
Taylor & Brunton have acquired additional land immediately to the south of their existing plant in Murray, to expand their ore sampling capacity. Plans were to have the new plant in operation by the first of the year. The newly expanded plant will be able to crush 15,000 tons per month, an increase from the present 11,200 tons per month. All of the Salt Lake valley sampling plants were receiving ore from mines in Utah, Nevada, Idaho, California, Wyoming and Colorado. (Salt Lake Tribune, September 7, 1906)
December 5, 1909
Taylor & Brunton was among the ore sampling works in Utah that were to pass into the ownership of one company, Utah Ore Sampling company. Ernest R. Woolley, president of the Pioneer Ore Sampling company had just returned from Denver, concluding the terms of the purchase of the Utah plants of the Taylor & Brunton Ore Sampling company. The plants taken over by the new company included the Pioneer plant at Sandy, and the two plants of the Taylor & Brunton company at Murray and at Silver City in the Tintic district. The combined capacity of the three plants was 500,000 tons per year. The Taylor & Brunton company came to Utah in 1893 when it built its Murray plant. It has been busy to capacity since then. To ease the load of the Murray plant, a new sampler was built at Silver City, and it, too, operated at capacity. The Taylor & Brunton company also had plants in the Cripple Creek and Aspen, Colorado, and at Miller, Nevada. The Cripple Creek plant was closed "a couple years ago," but the Aspen and Miller plants were to remain in Taylor & Brunton control. (Salt Lake Tribune, December 5, 1909)
"The merger will include the Murray and Silver City plants of the Taylor & Brunton company and the Sandy plant of the Pioneer company. The McIntosh sampler at Park City is owned by E. R. Woolley and associates, but it will not, it is said, go into the merger. All of the ore samplers of Utah will, however, be under virtually the same management." (Butte Daily Post, December 9, 1909)
December 15, 1909
"The Taylor & Brunton Ore Sampling Company, having sold its sampling plants and the good will of its business through Ernest R. Woolley, to the Utah Ore Sampling Company, desires to thank its friends and customers for their good will and favors in the past, and to bespeak their continued patronage for the new Company." (Deseret News, December 15, 1909)
Silver City Sampler
1908-1923
In 1908, Taylor and Brunton (later Utah Ore Sampling Co.) built a new ore sampling mill at Silver City to better assay the value of the ore from the various mines, giving the mine owners the flexibility of shipping their ore to the local Knight smelter (also built in 1908), or to any of the smelters in Salt Lake Valley, which between 1900 and 1905 was the largest center of smelting in the western United States. Many of the mines took advantage of a better market for their ores by the Salt Lake smelters, forcing the closure of Jesse Knight's smelter at Silver City in 1915, although the milling portion remained in operation as late as 1918, processing as much as 200 tons per day for Knight's Dragon, Iron Blossom, and Colorado mines.
While the Eureka Hill Railway was solely a narrow gauge road east of Silver City, after crossing the D&RG line upon entering Silver City, the Eureka Hill road became almost solely a dual-gauge road, with over 10,000 feet of dual gauge trackage to allow unencumbered interchange of inbound and outbound standard gauge cars between SPLA&SL, D&RG, the Silver City sampling mill of Taylor and Brunton, and Jesse Knight's Tintic smelter a half mile to the north.
The ore sampler in Silver City was built by Taylor & Brunton in 1908, and part of the merger that created Utah Ore Sampling Company in 1909. It was a couple thousand feet south of the Tintic smelter in Silver City. A Shipler photo from 1908 shows the sampler.
There were two samplers in Silver City, Taylor and Brunton (Utah Ore Sampling Co.) and the other at the smelter itself. Smelters would, as a matter of course, pull their own samples of each lot of ore they bought. Jesse Knight shipped the ore from his mines directly to the Tintic smelter, so there was no reason for an independent sample to be done. Companies like Utah Ore Sampling would buy small lots of ore from the smaller mines and sell it to a custom mill or smelter.
The Taylor and Brunton (Utah Ore Sampling Co.) sampler at Silver City was served by dual-gauge track on both sides of the building, with standard gauge for the Rio Grande and UP shipments, and narrow gauge for Jesse Knight's Eureka Hill railroad. After sampling, the ore was shipped on the narrow gauge to the Tintic Smelter, or on the standard gauge to a smelter elsewhere.
October 2, 1908
"Tintic's Sampler. - Splendid progress is being made in the construction of Taylor & Brunton's $50,000 custom sampling plant. The new plant is being built just south of the Tintic smelter. The concrete foundation has been completed and the material for the buildings is now upon the ground." (Eureka Reporter, October 2, 1908)
Just a year later, the Tintic sampling mill at Silver City was included in the merger that created the Utah Ore Sampling Company in 1909.
November 2, 1923
The Utah Ore Sampling company suspended operations of its Tintic sampling mill at Silver City. "This was made necessary when the Chief Cons, people, from whom the sampler was getting the bulk of its business, started sending their ore direct to the Salt Lake Valley smelters. Without the Chief's sampling the mill could not be operated at a profit and the Knight mining companies are now sampling their ore at Murray. The Utah Ore Sampling mills, in Tintic and at Murray, are owned by the Knight Investment company of Provo." (Eureka Reporter, November 2, 1923)
Utah Ore Sampling Company
1909-1958
Utah Ore Sampling company had sampling plants in Murray, Sandy, Park City and Silver City. Sandy was closed in 1910. Park City was closed in 1917. Silver City was closed in 1923. Murray was closed in 1958.
Murray Sampler
(tall building, east of 380 West, at 5500 South, Murray, Utah)
Utah Ore Sampling Company built this sampler in 1909. Consolidated mining companies did their own sampling. This was the largest independent sampler between Missouri and California. After the ore was crushed and analyzed for content and quality, smelters decided on the basis of the samples, whether to buy larger quantities of the ore. Ore came here from all over the west. Most of the ores sampled here went to the ASARCO smelter for processing. The close proximity of the two plants allowed the railroads to treat them as a single destination for billing purposes. The large "Thawed House," where loads of frozen ore were completely thawed before they were run through the sample plant, still remains. This mill was unique because it contained the only railroad spur that connected to both the Denver and Rio Grande and the Union Pacific Railroads. The company operated until the 1950's, when the smelting industry in Murray ceased. (Salt Lake Valley Historical Tour, Ron Andersen, 1997)
Utah Ore Sampling Company was constructed between the Union Pacific Provo Subdivision and the Rio Grande mainlines at 53rd South and 3rd West. UP had quite a sizable yard at Pallas (between 53rd South and 59th South) used to store and classify cars for the Sampler and the large Murray and Midvale smelter complexes. The Rio Grande always referred to this location as Sampler long after the facility was closed. (James Belmont, February 5, 2008)
Utah Ore Sampling Company had a location in Park City, at a joint trackage location between UP and D&RGW inside UP's wye. That location closed in 1917 when the Murray plant was built, and the existing structure was built in 1925 to expand on the original operation. There is a nice article in the August 15, 1925 issue of Salt Lake Mining Review.
The ore usually processed by the sampling works was galena, a mix of lead and silver ore, with small amounts of other minerals such as zinc, cadmium, antimony, arsenic and bismuth. This mix of minerals sometimes made life of smelter men interesting. Galena is the principle silver ore in the western U.S. Every load of ore was different and the smelters needed to get the proper mix of ores and flux-ores to make each smelter run as economical as possible.
As the rail cars from the various mines from all over the west, but mostly from Utah and Idaho, arrived at the Murray/Midvale smelting complex, the loaded cars had to be "sampled" to determine the mix of ores in each load. The trackage at the Utah Ore Sampling Company was jointly owned and operated between UP and D&RGW, as well as portions of the trackage at Pallas itself.
As loads of ore arrived, they were switched to the sampler where samples were taken. The cars were then switched to Pallas to be held and used as each car's particular mix of ore could best be used. UP kept a full time switcher and crew at Pallas, as did D&RGW at Midvale. The two roads cooperated heavily in the movement of in and around Murray and Midvale. I would guess that at any one time, there would not be more than 50-60 cars in the Pallas yard.
(Read more about the smelters in Salt Lake Valley)
December 8, 1909
"The Utah Ore Sampling company, organized in Salt Lake, filed articles of incorporation with the county clerk yesterday." Ernest R. Woolley was president and general manager, and held 199,996 of the 200,000 shares of the company, excepting single shares to each of the company directors. Among those directors were Jesse Knight and his son. J. William Knight. (Deseret News, December 8, 1909)
The deal for the Utah Ore Sampling Company to purchase the Utah properties of the Taylor & Brunton company was closed on the evening of December 8, 1909. The purchase price was $200,000, the cash for which was furnished by Ernest R Woolley. (Ogden Standard Examiner, December 9, 1909)
August 18, 1916
"Stockholders of the Utah Ore sampling company held a special meeting Tuesday and voted to increase the capital stock from $200,000 to $300,000, or an increase of 100,000 shares. The object of the increase is to cover the expense of erecting the new plant at Murray, which was started in operation last Wednesday. The new mill has a capacity of 600 tons. The old one there treats 500 tons dally. The company is also operating a sampler at Silver City with a capacity of 600 tons and another at Park City with a 400 ton daily capacity. This makes a total daily tonnage capable of treatment at the four plants of 2100 tons. Jesse Knight of Provo is president of the Utah Ore Sampling company." (Eureka Reporter, August 18, 1916)
October 26, 1923
"Within the next few days the Silver City plant of the Utah Ore Sampling company will be closed. This information was given out during the present week and Supt. W. E. Sainsbury states that it will probably take until Tuesday or Wednesday to make a clean up of the sampler. For some time the sampling mill has been operating with but one shift and using a force of about fifteen men and the bulk of the business has been from the properties of the Chief Consolidated Mining company. " (Eureka Reporter, October 26, 1923)
November 2, 1923
"The Utah Ore Sampling company has suspended operations. This was made necessary when the Chief Cons, people, from whom the sampler was getting the bulk of its business, started sending their ore direct to the Salt Lake Valley smelters. Without the Chief's sampling the mill could not be operated at a profit and the Knight mining companies are now sampling their ore at Murray. The Utah Ore Sampling mills, in Tintic and at Murray, are owned by the Knight Investment company of Provo." (Eureka Reporter, November 2, 1923)
June 1925
Article about the Utah Ore Sampling plant at Murray. (Salt Lake Mining Review, August 15, 1925)
This new sampling mill, which began handling custom ore in June, 1925, was built to handle the company’s growing business and to replace an old mill of small capacity at the same site, Murray, Utah.
The new mill which has a rated capacity of 100 tons per hour, contains the best of standard crushing, conveying and power transmission equipment, with its arrangement and details designed to embody the ideas gained by the company during its many years of experience in sampling all kinds of ores.
This plant differs from the earlier types of sampling mills in that all of the crushing units are on one general floor level, that belt conveyors are used instead of bucket elevators, and in the use of a new type of sampling machine designed by the company’s engineers.
Exclusive of office, cutting and bucking rooms on one end and a blacksmith shop on the other, the mill proper consists of a one-story building 22 feet wide by 212 feet long, by 14 feet high from main floor level to ceiling. The building is constructed of reinforced concrete columns and beams with brick curtain walls and large steel sash, which make an unusually unusually light mill.
For handling cars of ore there is a straight railroad track parallel to the west side of the mill with a down grade in the direction of travel. Ore cars are placed upon this track beyond the south end of the mill by the switching locomotive and are rolled down one at a time as needed to the receiving hopper. After being unloaded the car is rolled forward about 100 feet farther down the track onto the track scales where it is under the chute from the reloading bin ready to receive the same carload of ore. On account of this arrangement of bins, the straight track, and the down grade in the direction of travel, no switch engine is needed from the time the cars are first delivered until they are ready for shipment.
June 27, 1958
The following comes from the Thursday, June 26, 1958 issue of the Murray Eagle newspaper.
Murray Mill Operation Ends Friday. - After nearly 50 years of operation, the Utah Ore Sampling Co, plant in Murray will close Friday, General Manager Arnold Herlin revealed yesterday. The mill is the only one operated by the company and the shutdown will place the 18 employees at the plant on the unemployed list. Lack of business was cited by the manager as the reason for closing the mill.
In ore transactions, Mr. Merlin explained, the ore must be sampled. The findings of a sampling mill were the basis upon which the buyer and seller reached agreement. Most buyers now have their own sampling mills. According to Manager Herlin, the Murray plant of Utah ore Sampling Co. was the only independent sampling mill in the world.
The Murray plant started operations in December 1909. During its rich history, the landmark had as high as 50 to 60 employees on the payroll. This peak in operations came during World War II when it was necessary to have three shifts, Mr. Herlin said.
The following comes from the Saturday, June 28, 1958 issue of the Salt Lake Tribune.
Utah Ore Sampling Co. of Murray closed its doors Friday after nearly 50 years of active and fruitful work for the minerals industry in the Intermountain Area. Founded in 1909 by the fabulous "Uncle Jesse" Knight, Utah County mining figure, the company's main contracts in recent years were with the Vitro Uranium Co., a division of Vitro Corporation of America, and the International Smelting & Refining Co.
Although Vitro elected to build its own sampler last year at its Salt Lake plant, Utah Ore Sampling Co. traces its principal difficulties to the fact that the mining of nonferrous metals ores has dried up in the western states under the cruel impact of dumping of foreign concentrates and metals into the American market.
"We are victims of the general depression in the mining industry" which has continued during the post World War II period, said Arnold Herlin, vice president and general manager of tho firm.
He joined Utah Ore in 1919. E. G. Jensen, the president of Utah Ore, joined the firm in 1916.
The firm some time ago had cut its operations to one shift a day and 18 employees from three shifts last year. "We worked only half a day Friday. It was the last shift," Mr. Herlin said.
Utah Ore has some 200 stockholders scattered throughout the nation, some of whom are grandchildren of Jesse Knight.
While not announced by the firm, it is understood that the curtailments effected by IS&R and United States Smelting Refining and Mining Co. at Tooele and Midvale, respectively, were important factors in closure of the Utah Ore operation.
Under this curtailment affecting lead-zinc ore reduction in the state, USSR&M is closing its Midvale smelter, sending its lead ore concentrates to Tooele for reduction. In turn, International will close its Tooele ore concentrator and will direct its ores to the Midvale mill of USSR&M. Utah Ore handled sampling of ores, etc., for the IS&R mill.
The changes made by the two smelting companies resulted from a very substantial decline in mine output in recent years of lead-silver-zinc ores in the western states.
Mr. Herlin told The Tribune that in recent months, the sampling firm was not receiving "more than a car or two a week" of custom ore sampling business from nonferrous metal mines.
December 15, 1958
A special stockholders meeting of the Utah Ore Sampling Company was held at the company offices at 5400 South and Second West in Murray to vote on whether of not to dissolve the corporation, and if adopted, to vote on what to do with the company assets. (The Utah Statesman, November 28, 1958)
(On February 10, 1959, the Utah Third District Court approved the company's application for voluntary dissolution.)
December 23, 1958
The machinery, buildings and other holdings of the Utah Ore Sampling Company were sold to J. J. Coan Company, Salt Lake dealers of new and used machinery. Machinery will be dismantled and sold by the purchaser. (Salt Lake Tribune, December 23, 1958)
June 15, 1959
A public auction was held on June 15, 1959, liquidating all of the buildings, machinery and real estate of the former Utah Ore Sampling Company, including six acres of land and 40,000 square feet of buildings.
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