Northport Smelter 1916 - 1921

In Sept. 1915, the smelter property was purchased for $80,000 by the Hercules Mining Co. and the Custer Consolidated Mining Co. with brothers Eugene and Jerome Day trustees for the two firms. By March 1916, the smelter was renovated for the treatment of lead ores.*

Colville Examiner Sept 25,1915

1916

In 1917, a Cottrell precipitator was installed to recover metals lost through the chimney

from Northport Pioneers by the Northport Over Forties Club

"By 1919, the Northport plant had complete equipment for sampling, crushing, sintering, and smelting gold, silver, and lead ores, including a drossing plant, thaw house, assay office, engineering office, general office, store room, hospital, fire and electrical systems, machine shop, roaster building, and sampling mill." *

Lead bullion produced at Northport was refined in Pennsylvania. Inability to secure favorable freight rates led to closure of the Northport smelter in 1921.*

Slide show of smelter scenes

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*  University of Idaho special collections and archives 'Northport Smelting and Refining Company'