It's common knowledge the early companies that tried to develop the White Knob mining properties did not enjoy success. Modern day writers are fairly polite when discussing those troubled days early in the 20th Century.
Not so with a 1909 publication entitled: "Successor to the Mines Handbook and the Copper Handbook, Describing the Non-ferrous Metal Mining Companies in the Western Hemisphere, Volumes 8-9" The authors had some scathing, scintillating purple prose the likes of which are rarely seen these days. We found this commentary on Pages Pages 1427-1428. A link to those pages is below.
Not so with a 1909 publication entitled: "Successor to the Mines Handbook and the Copper Handbook, Describing the Non-ferrous Metal Mining Companies in the Western Hemisphere, Volumes 8-9" The authors had some scathing, scintillating purple prose the likes of which are rarely seen these days. We found this commentary on Pages Pages 1427-1428. A link to those pages is below.
The general drift of discussion is about "the miserable flounderings" of the White Knob Copper Company and its predecessors, to wit:
"To give even a remote understanding of this crazy-quilt patchwork corporation, it is necessary to outline the history of the various preceding White Knob corporations, all under the same general management — if such a respect able word as management can be misapplied to such gross mismanagement as this corporation and its predecessors have suffered, from birth.
It is doubtful if in the history of mining there is a finer example of utter incompetency than is afforded by the spectral succession of White Knob corporations, organized in various states, and at frequent intervals, all born with weak constitutions, but all, unfortunately, retaining sufficient vitality to pass along to their progeny the scrofulous taint with which the first was endowed. The White Knob Mining Co., which seems to have been the ancestor of the entire decrepit family of White Knobs, was organized, circa 1899, under the laws of West Virginia.
The White Knob Copper & Development Co., Ltd., which is the present corporation, though how long it may be for this world the rashest prophet scarce would care to guess, in view of the family history.
The various White Knob corporations expended circa $3,000,000, on the property in Idaho, to most excellent disadvantage, the policies of the White Knobs being consistent only in their utter inconsistency. Mining officials were changed repeatedly; reorganization followed reorganization; stock was increased and decreased, and again increased and decreased; bonds were authorized, issued, and redeemed; the smelter was blown in, blown out and again blown in, and out, repeatedly; local officials were changed so frequently that it scarcely would be an exaggeration to say that nearly every position had three incumbents — one going, one on the job, and one coming. Such a witches' dance of financial and technical lunacy would be difficult to describe adequately.
The company and its management are viewed with utter disgust, and the shareholders with derision."
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