Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1877-05-24
BuTTE-ITs MINES AND MILLS.

Butte is situated Il short distance from the
summit Oh the main divide of the Rocky
Mountains near the head waters of Silver
Bow creek, Il tributary Of Deer Lodge river.
The altitude is $500 feet above the level OF
the sea, and but four hundred feet lower
than the summit Of the range in the gap,
two short miles distant. The town, which
covers about 2GO acres on the western slope
of the mountain, and which is all new and
growing into citylike shape, with mush-
room-like rapidly, is estimated at this writ
ing by competent judges to contain a popn-
lation of 900 people, while in the mines and
mills in the immediate vicinity, there are
from two t o four hundred persons. It is one
of the oldest mining camps in Montana,
VIM. Allison and Geo. Umphrey, the first
discoveries, having located here in May
1864. Since the excitement created by the
discoveries in that year, who hauled 4 wag-
on load of codper ore from the Mountain
Parrots and other copper veins to Virginia
City. The quartz mines rested quietly I'M
til 1875. During this time the attention Of
lIlC pCOplC IhSC DCCI CiISuSEb III VIZ nlllS
the placer mines of Silver Bow creek, and
the bar or hillside upon which the town is
now being built. Me ssrs. Murphy and Al
lison becoming the owners OF the water
right, amassed a considerable fortune from
the sale of water which they robbed from
the Atlantic and gave to the Pacific, by cut
ting a ditch conveying it across the summit
Of the Rocky Mountains. Mr.. Umphrey.
who squandered his fortune in an effort to
tunnel through the mountain, and increase
his water supply, remained in his mountain
home, and still retains interests in some OF
the valuable copper and silver leads.
In 1875 q lot of copper ore was shipped by
S. 7. Hauser, of Helena, to the East and
sold with good results, and about the same
time Mr.. Wm. Farlan. one among the early
settlers of the camp, hit upon the rich de-
post OF silver ore in the Travonia lead,
which resulted in the continued develop
ment of the lotaes ana the building of the
Farlan mill. This enterprise we learn has
proved disastrous 10 Mr.. F., 3 large inter-
est of his valuable mine and mill having
fallen into the hands of bankers; but we
were informed that there is a large amount
of ore upon the dump, u of which Mr.. f.
and his many friends hope to see a yield
sufficient to restore hinD to tive control of his
property again.
AS we ascend the slope from the town.
but a few hundred yards from the Centen-
nial Hotel, the first mine we reach is callel
the Late Acquisition, owned by Menarv.
Packard & Co. This mine has been deye,-
oped t" the depth of fifty feet, and from 1t
they shipped about 120 thousand pounds OF
rich silver ore last season, and have several
hundred tons lying upon the dump. The
proprietors have just returned from Salt
Lake, and are preparing to resume work.
The Laplate,~ owned by Johns, Downs.
Scott d Co..is next as we ascend the hill.
Inns mine has been surk to the depth Oils
Ieet. 1t is five feet wide and carries even
width all the way down.. About seven hum
dred fons,of silver ore trena this mine was
crushed last year, and they now have about
l'ooo tons on the dump whiani is valued ut
from 500, 900 to SlOO, 900.
Farther up the hill is tile Lexington
'ooe' owned. by a. j.. Davis, of Helena.
1 Ills lead has been tested to the dentb If
lan teet-. his represented, to. be. five feet