Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1874-04-17
MINERAL RICHES OF THE MUS
CLENHELL.

The opening Of the Muscleshell
route promises important benefits to
Montana, pot only asregards increased
facilities to transportation and travel
in themselves also
in the opportunity which the road
viii give to the development of the
mineral resources of that scope Of
country. The Muscleshell district was
prospected to some extent as far back
as 1868, and with highly encourag-
ing results. Numerous silver leads
were discovered, ore specimens from
which were procured and assayed,
showing that mines Of the precious
metal, Of no inconsiderable value, ex-
listed in that locality. OF greater sig
nificance even than the silver deposits
were the copper discoveries, close adj
Joining or relatively in the same dis
trict Of country. Immense lodges OF
ore producing this metal were found
by the prospecting miners who ven
tured into Muscleshell district at an
early day in our Territorial existence.
These lOdes were represented to be
traceable for miles on the surface,
from which thousands Of tons of ore
COULD he mined without penetrating
below the surface. Supplies and mo-
ney were furnished at the time by mer-
chants and capitalists Of Helena to
prosecute Investigations, but threaten
ed dangers from Indians prevented
that thorough examination which very
many were then anxious to have
made. Specimen chunks of ere, ex-
ceedingly rich III copper, were sent OF
brought by miners to town, followed
afterward by wagon loads Of equally
high grade ore, which were transport
ed at no small expense and trouble
across the Belt Range to Helena. Sew
eral hundreds of pounds Of this ore
were subsequently shipped to st:
Louis and New York, and awakened
much interest among copper dealers
in those cities. On the basis of ore
exhibited and representations made as
to its abundance, q New York frm adj
vanced $4,000 to parties here for the
delivery at the Missouri river Of a Civ
en- number of tons of copper ore, Of
the quality and grade submitted to
their inspection. On the basis Of this
transaction the requisite amount and
quality Of ore was speedily mined and
prepared for Shipment, but here an
obstacle, thought to be insuperable,
arose. The hostile attitude Of the
"Lo" family deferred freigLters from
Offering the means of transportation
and no one of them felt willing to in
cur the risk Of a trip to the Missouri
in that direction, except at a high rate
of remuneration. The undertaking,
in consequence, fell through, and the
ore destined to make the Muscleshell
famous for it's copper supplies was left
on the dump piles, where it probably
remains to day.
This state Of affairs will shortly
change, now that Eastern c0mmnni
cation by way of the Muscleshell- road
is about to be opened, and the route
made safe by an adequate protection
Of the military arm. If the half is
true of all that is told of the wealth in
copper of that portion Of Montana, it
will quickly attract the attention OF
miners and capitalists, and in q re-
short time will take its place
among the most noted copper districts
Of the world. We await with what
ever patience we can the successful
of the Muscleshell road
and the announcement we shall soon
be privileged to make Of the arrival of
trains nvor II from tho Missouri A
new era, and a cheering one, will then
have commenced to dawD6dpon the
and the localities to which
it is contiguous.-Helena Herald.