The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1877-02-02

800 tons copper ore (s5 per cent. copper
and is ozs silver per ton) -. .$120, 900
200 tons lead ore, worth $780,. 10000
$50 tons quartz, worth $780,. 5000
Silver bullion, valued at. -. ....... 10000
$295, 900
This is an excellent showing for dis
trict of it's age, where there is not shaft
down 120 feet, and only two thas reach a
depth Of 100 feet, and where the means of
disposing of ore is so limited. All copper
ores are shipped to Baltimore at an expense
Of not less than $35 per ton !; lead ores must
be sent to Salt Lake, freight $50; while
the silver quartz is milled in the camp at
an expense of about $50.
The copper ores are the oxides and
sulphides, altered on the surface to carbon
ates and sulphates. Lead occurs as galena
and sometimes as carbonate. The silver
ores proper consist of honey y-combed quartz
carrying sulphurets of silver. If the fine
boz of specimens that have shipped to
Denver survives the terrors of that long
overland journey, the ReuieD will have an
excellent line of samples of Butte ore.
have been greatly indebted to Mr.. Chas.
Warren, of Butte, for assistance in obtain
ing them, and also for many other courte-
sizes while endeavoring to obtain informa-
ton about the mines. After spending
three days in visiting the most important,
there were still many unseen, that lay
further away from the town than could
go.
At present comparatively small number
are being worked to any extent. The
Parrot, Modoc and Mountain are producing
fine copper ore, and the Lexington, La
Plata and Burlington are taking out some
flne silver quartz. There are a number of
prospects all over the hillside, which are
being explored, the most with good results.
The Lexington is perhaps the best mine SO
far developed in the camp. 1t shows a
large body Of good ore on the surface, and
is to be opened extensively next year.
At present the hope and anxiety of the
camp is the Rainbow lode. A good sized
claim on this vein has been bought by the
Walker Bros, of Salt Lake, who, as every
one knows, are heavy mining operators in
Utah. The investment was made at the
suggestion of their expert, Mr.. Maurice
DAILY, and they propose to develop the
mine to considerable extent, whether
they find pay or not. If they do, Butte
will advance in prosperity with rapid steps,
for the Salt Lake capitalists will not be
contented with but one investment in its
mines. If they do not, the town will suffer
serious injury. The mine is being open
ed under the direction of Mr.. Daily himself.
I have no doubts at all of his success, for,
aside from my belief that the district as a
whole is certainly one of the very best in
the West, there are none whose opinions
of an individual mine I would trust more
readily than the gentleman mentioned.
The "grapd" future of Butte is, think,
net very distant. As basis for perma-
nent industry, her abundant deposits of
copper ere can hardly be over estimated.
1t will not be iang before smelling works
will be built to hsaat them, and when that
is done the produe6 of the silver mines will
te handled with ease Butte offers a
magnificent opening for the investment of
hundred thousand dollars in metallurgi-
\ cal works. 1t Is a natural center for a
| number of adjacent DISTRICTS and can
furnish an unlimited supply CT ores. It's
ores are of the kind that will give no
trouble to smelters, and its location of the
! best. The opportunity is waiting to be
taken.
West of Butte, about 80 miles, lies Silver
Lake and Cable City. Twenty miles
farther on is Philipsburg. Thirty miles
south are the Trapper and Vipond districts,
and to the east, across the low range, lie
the Boulder, Colorado and Ten-Mile dis
tricts. At the first the ores are very rich,
but the veins narrow. At Gable City is
the famous Atlantic Gable mine, from
which probably the most beautiful samples
of wire and leaf gold ever found were
taken. At Philipsburg the ores are in
limestone, and are found in large quanti-
ties. Trapper and Vipond are districts
that are growing in favor and developing
some fine mines. Boulder and Colorado
districts are lead districts, and will be
spoken of in future letter. At Philips
burg, Mr.. Chas. Sherman, well known in
Boulder county as the former superintend-
ent of the Caribou mill, first brought light
on the subject Of milling Speckled Trout
ore. Here also lately arrived MIR. d. t.
Ripley, from Georgetown, who Is head
roaster at the same mill, and later still a
Mr.. Lee, from the Pelican mill, in George.
town. I have not had the pleasure oi
meeting Mr.. Lee, but all Georgetown peo.
pie know Mr.. Ripley, and if after having
successfully treated many thousand tons oi
Pelican ore, they don't turn out the very
insides of the Speckled Trout, it will moi
| be because they have not had a thorough
experience in tough ores.
Senator Ferry.
.rszN ~