The Shorey Papers contain little information about his career as a professor at the University of Wisconsin (except for the period 1948-1955) and instead focus primarily on his independent research and consulting work. The most valuable material consists of files on several Wisconsin zinc mines collected by Shorey in his capacity as consultant and manager, especially the Badger Zinc Company about which the Society holds other information in the Dodgeville Mining Company Papers. The Shorey Papers contain some scattered references to departmental matters (chiefly minutes for the period 1951-1952) and information about the professional careers of former students. There is very little personal material here, with the correspondence with colleagues Henry Ehrlinger and William Rundle being the most revealing of this aspect of his life.
The papers are arranged as BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION, CORRESPONDENCE, SUBJECT FILES, MINING FILES, and VISUAL MATERIALS.
BIOGRAPHICAL MATERIAL includes two vitas prepared by Shorey at various times during his career and the official resolution that the Faculty Senate passed after his death.
The CORRESPONDENCE is divided into two categories: a general file arranged in chronological order that covers the period 1948 through 1955 and an alphabetically-arranged file that covers the first five years of his retirement (1955-1960). The earlier portion includes some departmental minutes, contacts with former and prospective students, and information on his benefication research and other professional matters. Many of the same concerns continue into the retirement period, although for that period there is also more useful correspondence concerning his work for mining companies and his interest in pending legislation. Notable are his comments about the publications of the Arizona Small Mine Operators for Wisconsin Governor Gaylord Nelson.
The SUBJECT FILES contain some administrative correspondence concerning several state mining committees on which he served during the 1950s. More useful, however, is his 1951 correspondence concerning mine capping legislation.
The MINING FILES are arranged alphabetically by the name of the company. Most extensive are the materials on the Badger Zinc Company of Dodgeville and its successor, the Wisconsin Flotation Zinc Company. Included are correspondence, blueprints of mines on leased property, notes of test drillings, audits and financial records, and a history. Unfortunately, the precise nature of Shorey's relationship with the company or the manner in which they cooperated in the development of the flotation process is not spelled out in the documentation. For the Coughlin Mine of Shullsburg and its successor, the New Lucky Hit Mine, there are several files of correspondence. Shorey appears to have worked for this company not only as manager during the period of post-war decline, but he also appears to have maintained the original books of entry. As a result, this correspondence contains detailed reports of receipts and expenditures to the Chicago owners. There is also extensive correspondence concerning the eventual disposal of the mine property.
The VISUAL MATERIALS include photographs and films. The photographs are in two groups. The first related to a project by the Civilian Conservation Corps at Flood Control Camp 73-E near Darlington, Wisconsin, in 1933 where Shorey acted as superintendent. The other group of photographs collected by Shorey are related to mining, logging, and oil refining. The films are personal and professional, including footage of mines and mining, and men working in factory settings; and home movies of parks in Madison and Oshkosh, Wisconsin.
