Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1872-12-12
DEER LODGE COUNTRY
Her Stake In a Railroad.

I As wonderfully and unexpectedly d fes
OF our friends Oh the other side OF the rance
have taken ground against the .proDascd ac
ton OF the east side counties in building :
| railroad, we have been led to reflect upol
the anUiense interest which Deer Lodge
county las in this proposed improvement
and to great saving which her miners. ranch
men and consumers Of all kinds would aiihu-
ally make in the transportation taxcswhicll
now Cypress the county as we'll as the rest
OF tiis Territory. The annual gold product
OF Deer Lodge county is nearly on: half of
the total product Of the Territory, Which
may be estimated as at least $4ooo,0Oo. 1t
costs fhsshliners to snip this to Corinnc, two
per cent OF the gross amount, or $S0, 000
Il is III necessary to show that the miners pay
this tax, for every one OF them knows that
the banker dcducts the cost Of transporting
gota from the Territory and Of bringing green
backs TO the Territory, from the real value
OF every ounce EFF gold that he buys from them.
The miner stalidsthis loss, rs well as the loss
OF the Interest on the number of days that
the treasure is in transit which would of
course be reduced by a railroad, effectieg
considerable saving even III this way. The
Railroad wouldreduce the cost of expressage
t. at least three-fourths per cent, and in this
way would save to the placer miners of that
county fifty thousand dollars year, without
counting the redaeed time of transportation.
The quartz miners Of Deer Lodge, BIZ pick
ing aud sorting their best ores, can profit
ably ship at. the present rates of transporta-
tation about 1000 tons of quartz annually.
To carry this to the railroad has cost from
So to 500 per ton, but in order to take the
lowest figure we will say it averages $50 per
ton. The railroad would reduce this to $40
per ton, thus. saving to Tie miner fifty dollars
on every ton Of quartz shipped, or ali annual
total 10 the country OF 100000, Tliis is
only counting the high grades Of ore that
can be shipped at present rates. But who
car can calculate the amount of ores ranging
in value from $40 to 100 per ton which
could and would then be shipped. but
which is now valueless, on account of tie
rates of freight. How many lodes now val
ueIess would be worth fortunes, and how
many miners HOW poor would make money.
those acquainted with the magnificent re-
sources of Deer Lodge county can circulate |
for themselves
Its a low estimate which pHts the amount
OF freight annually consumed i'll Deer Lodge
county at 3, 900 tons, or one fifth of the whole
amount Tor the Territory. With railroad
transportation the consumers of this freight
would save at least 800 per ton. making an
cuxyir, TO bo IF
Lodge county Of $270. 900 year. This tax is
now paid by the miners. ranchmcn. and all
who eat wear, or use any article OH which
freight is charged and collected. That takes
ia everybody. And we might add the amount
to, be saved on express goods, which is no
saaall sum.
There are at least two hundrfd persons III
"trip to Corinne and back each year. This is /
small estimate. That round trip
costs at least $3.50 for each person. tail I
road would reduce this TO $50 each, and in
the matter of fares alone the county OF Deer
Lodge would save $2o.9e0 year.
50 that if the east side counties build rail- I
road, or procure ore to lie built. they VIII +
save to the county OF Deer Lodge
without any expense on her part. fhe follow
ing rates now paid to transportation comp q
mics.
r - IN oold 8 SEQ I
Erasiaht ne ihI IONS 81 o,lartx 900, Gao
Tse;s5ht On MaYe,,an,iize etc 7..... 40, 600
!, .ss 80 oar fares "a, n . &c, 0c0
n ,tal saving .4540, 900
This is what Deer Lodge would save,
without taking into consideration the inn
nense impetus 10 her mines and business
which a railroad would give. Anil we believe
that Deer Lodge county would receive as
much benefit as ary other in the Teri itory.
How her people can oppose project
francht witlIsueh benefit to her. and costing
her nothing, is certainly difficult to UNDER
stand.
IT
rT1r srTAgI nnAm AND IT'S EE.