Delegates of the first Pan American Conference visited The Consolidated Kansas City Smelter and Refining Company at
Argentine, Kansas during their cross-country tour of the United States in 1889. Meyer conducted tours of the plant and was
host to delegates of the Pan American Congress. This was the only industry visited during their stay in Kansas City.
The first place they were taken to was the assay office, where the process of testing the value of the ores was made. The
next stop was the sampling floor. Materials that assist in the smelting process were added. The ores were then ready for the
blast furnaces. Descending a story to the bottom of the furnaces, the bullion is seen pouring out of a spout at a point into
receptacles and the slag at another. The slag is received into a bowl-shaped barrow two feet in diameter and a foot and a half
deep. Some valuable material remains in this. It settles to the bottom, while the part that is only fit for tie ballast remains on
top. When the slag cools the portion containing valuable material is easily separated from the rest by a blow with a hammer and
treated again. The slag is sold to the railway companies for ballast.
During refining, the pigs of bullion which came from the blast furnace contain gold, silver, lead, zinc and a few minor ingredients.
The bullion then goes to the refining department where it is subjected to several processes, which separates the silver and gold
from the lead. The lead is loaded into cars at the smelter and shipped, while the bricks of silver and gold are shipped by Wells
Fargo Express. The silver and gold are not separated by the smelter, this being done at the government mint.
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