0, 1903, the plant caught f

ire and was leveled. Silv

er City's hopes were dashed since the whole operation was going to be sold and once again put into productions. The sale took place anyway, and Comanche Mining Smelting Co. was the new owner. The reduction works were build on a larger scale. In 1906, the newspaper had this to say: "The big red

bui

lding in which this pon
derous machinery is hou

sed is 72 feet high

and is by far the most imposing structure in theses parts, being 63 feet in width and 122 feet long. "A metallic conveyer will carry the ore from the bins to the large crusher, from whence it will be elevated... the oversize of this going to the picking belt were boys and me

n wi

ll be employed to pick
3 credit hours: $768.35

out the different c

lasses of ore that is to go direct to the smelter. "The water for the mill will be pumped from the arroyo, which passes through Silver City and past the smelter... The little Silve

r City, Pinos Altos &a mp; Mogollon railroad

hauled ore to this
smelter, but only brief
ly. Comanche wa
s absorbed by Sav

annah Copper Comp

any which operated the plant for a short time. Even at first,
Savannah was caught up in the dream that first captured the Hearst family, and later the Comanche C
o. Savannah made some improvement at the plan, and the smelter

could allegedly handle between 250 and 300 tons or ore

per duse this linkay. Like Comanche, Savannah was also interested in buying ores from small mining operations. Again, the Independent - the weekly predecessor to the Daily Press - had thi