The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1868-01-03
Correspondence of The Cecil Whig..
Letter from Montana Territory.

HELENA, NJ. 7. Dec. 9Th 1867.
A EDITOR CECIL WING Since my last we have
been experiencing the first touch of Winter
On the night of Nov. 9th and morning OF the
2sth, snow fell to the depth of about 70 inches,
making tip-top sleighing II. laid but few
days, when a warm rain came and took it all
away. BY iheway, rain Is n thing we seldom
get in this bigh AUTHORIZATIONS being Al miles,
nearer the sky than New York City. During
the fall months, and this far In December, the
weather has averaged warmer here than II
usually does in Pennsylvania and Maryland
men wear their linen coats upto about Nov. 18th.
All shallow and surface mining, sluicng &C.,
is abandoned until spring; but deep dgangs,
drifting and quartz mill operations are carried on
all Winter.
There is one quartz mill and lead within four
miles of Helena that gives employment to four
hundred men the year round. They pay ordi-
nary laboring men, Tor eight months in the year,
$500 per month and board-the other four
months, S50.00-all in greenbacks. The concern
is known rs the Whtlatch Union Mining Conn
pany' 1t isa very prosperous corporation, and
was sold few months ago for a quarter of a
million do ars--cash down q son of Senator
Trumbull, of Illinois-a young map f25 to 26
years, being the purchaser of one-halt interest
% There is room and material enough for thous-
and mills of the capacity of the Whitlatch Union.
One OF these days, when capitalists get tired of
gambling in fancy stocks, the Territory will con-
tain the thousand mills. Already it is known
that 26 in course of construction, and viii be
here in operation next yelr. esH
There is literally no end to the gold and silver
quartz leads in Montana. A section of countr
one hundred miles from here, called the I" Flint
Creek district silver quartz is lying over the
ground loose, and in as large quantities ever
IRON ore was found on Iron Hill.8 But it takes
time and a heavy outlay of money to gather up
these ores, and reduce them to the form of cir
culating medium nd 20 ,!-Is SUI
There is pleasure in doing business in these
G metal. producing countries not experienced in
any other; especially is this the case ia the placer
camps. At night, the miner has the product of hi
days labor in his purse not in the shape Of a.
promise to pay, or of something that will some
time sell for money, but the real money ITSELF
This makes the man liberal and it is to be regret
ted, often prodigal. have seen them this fall
pay IS cents for an apple or peach, without
knowing.or caring what 1t cost him. A miner
usually goes into store, orders what be wants,
hands you bis purse to weigh out your pay,
without asking the price,. But while they are
liberal, generous, and cOnfiding, we betide the
storekeeper who is unlocky enough to be acct
dentally caught taking down weight better for
him had it Eeen had he never entered a
mining camp.
In my opinion, any hardy, enterprising man,
who can keep n set of books, is affabe and of
agreeable manners in trade, who ran trundle a
wheebarrow, break or blast rock-and some of
IT is rery hard--handlea pick and pade, whack
bulls, NOW or reap and who can run ovid der
machine generally, and keep up his end of The
row under all difficulties and who will keep
out of saloons, and not fight the tiger, or buck
at Monte or Faro, can do well in this country .--
But If n man possesses any one or two of these
accomplishments, think be, had better stay
away from the Rocky Mountains
There has recently been great speculation and
advance OF prices of all stable artices of trade in
our market. Sugar has gone up from $25 90
per 100 lbs to $55.OO., Coffee from $2s 90 to
$4,000. Blasting powder from 1000 to 500 90
per keg. Bacon has risen from $500 to $780,
90 per 100 lbs-Whisky, the most staple of all
has not adyanced-in one sehse its tendency is
downward. .-a ..-r 14
There have not been many large fortunes yet
made in Helena at merchandising. One notable
instance ofsuccess, however, must mention -
A broad-shouldered, double-breasted, huge paw
ed Dutch grocer, started business two and a half,
years ago, on a capital Of two thousand dollars.
Last week l saw him get into the "0verla nd
Coach ;, for the States, with eighty pounds of
gold dust strapped to his person. Besides this,
he leaves behind him, a good stone slorehouser
filled with g6ods, aud paying business going
on during his absance. 71R. f. NJ ,FN6' -