Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1878-10-10

iTCt JIlC IllIlC Hull "dASh ~
In the vicinity Of the Speckle Trout, or
Northwest mine, and in fact upon the same
hill. there are a number of other promising
mines, all of which have fish names, and
deep rich veins. The Salmon, Catfish and
Shark are the most thoroughly developed.
1t would take one two or three days to
visit all these mines and learn their inter
esting history.
The Shark is owned by Messrs. Murray
& Durphy. The discovery is near the SUM-
nit and the shaft thereon is perpendicular,
and 100 feet down. The first level, 60 feet
below the surface, has been run something
over 100 feet, and shows a well defined lead,
varying from six to eight feet in width.
This, however, may be said of the other
leads. I was in them and looked for my
own satisfaction. The ore in the Shark is
all very good. Its average yield | learn is
about $40 ounces to the ton {; and what is
most admirable about it is that there is no
waste. 1t ali pays and pays well. One of
my most interesting visits was in this mine,
and the tunnel which is designed to tap the
lead more than 200 feet from the surface.
This tunnel runs from the bottom OF the
hill 400 feet, and is now only about 60 feet
from the lead. While following the pro-
prietors into this mine, looking at the differ
ent strat1ers of solid rock, through which
the great artificial highway is being chiz-
zled, | quite Unexpectedly found myself lost
amid the great walls of the mountain.
Turning about, however, [ found that my
comrades had turned into a by path which
leads off from the new made track to some
unknown end. Keeping close to my guides
we turned a narrow corner or two, descend
ed a slight incline and halted in what | may
call a ground parlor. The walls were near
ly perpendicular and probably Is high, and
rooted with a gray arched ceiling. Turn
ing about, which way, | hardly can tell, l
soon found myself creeping through scuttle
holes, climbing down great steps and be-
tween narrow massive walls, sometimes
bracing against ii e upper side to keep my
toot-hold, and then climbing around narrow
craggy shelves VIII ere it seemed that u mis-
guided step might slip me down into the
dark abyss and lane ed me deep in the low
er regions. Finally we halted in a cozy
cavern to view the SUI -roundings, and We're
told that we were onl,7 about $50 feet be-
ow the tunnel. AT o 1r feet there was an
other scnttle hole, something like the first,
and what came lex below it / never ex-
pect to know. Above IT'S the narrow white
walls stood up nearly a hundred feet, parts
of them smooth and even, but occasionally
nobby scalloped cornaces jetted over as if
designed by the skilled cal yer for the hand
holds and lamp brackets OF the fairies OF the
underground world. eli. nbing out was
truly an up hill job, and one that l shall
soon forget. This cave Or cell appears
to be the gate way between / be granite and
the lime formation. The wal Is are soft and
easily crumbled, and have tn g appearance
of having been scorched and crisped into
their lime-like state. 1t wa '1ggested by
one that Solomon in the olden lines got his
riches here; by another, that in the great
day of formation these mountains were
with burning fire which ST orched the
'ouu suootaiCc, causing IL W cru LuUIe anu
fall and leave the open space, that had we
gone deep enough we might have found
of gold and silver piled up in huge
quantities awaiting some daring adventure.
we didn't go.
There are a number of other m mes in this
not named above, and on some OF
work is progressing. The algonquin
is prominent among them. Havir g given a
OF my visit to it last We II | must