New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-09-25
MINING IN MONTANA.


HELENA, Mont. Sept. 5.-Mining is not new in
dusiry in Montana. As long ago rs 1852 the pre-
cious yellow dust was found among the sands Of
Gold Creek in Deer Lodge County, by a Scotch
halt-hrecd from the Red River country, who, re-
turning from California, prosDected the eulches
near which he camped and during the next ten
years the adventurous mountainccrs who came To
this country for the purpose of trapping ana trad
ing with the Indians frequently ranned out Int
tie grave in the same vicinity, always getting a
' color" but never finding n pay streak non
enough TO induce them tn work 1t. Many OF Inc
aulches and bars examined by these pioneers have
since yielded richly in gold. aud no doubt would
have rewarded their DISCOVERIES if they could have
obtained suitable tools and supplies OF provisions
and If the Indians had not stolen their horses ana
finally driven them out oi the country
In 1861 rich placer mines were discovered IN the
Salmon River country in Idaho, and the next year
there was II rush to those almost inaccessible NOUN
tains not only from California and Colorado where
the Pixies Peak excitement was then on the wane.
but also from the States. Among those who started
from the East in 1862 were several parties "a men
who came up the Missouri River and set out across
the present Territory Of Montana for the salmon
River Mountains with wagon-trans. They found
before they had proceeded far that the Idaho mines
conld not he reached with wagons, while the Dig
pings in the Gold Creek district were then OF
promising character, the men who had previously
failed i'm them having returned, obtained picks ana
shovels from Wala Walla, 425 miles distant. by
pock.trains and had lumber for slnice-boxcs sawed
h, hand at n cost of 10 cents foot. The parties
therefore stopped in Deer Lodge Valley. and new
discoveries having been made during the Summer
n considerable number of miners and prospcctors
from salt Lake CITY and Colorado joined them. The
first town lard out was chat of Bannack Grass
100 ..... slutt, .gf
300 persons.
Ir is rather remarkable coincidence that in
1870, seventeen years after the Salmon River cx-
element brought the first successful miners 10
Montana and at a time when the almost bouudless
resources of tins Territory beginning 10 be ap
prccafcd all over the country, and railroad COM
municaton, long deferred. is about 10 become an
ACCOMPLISHED fact. new discoveries Of quartz Mines
said To he very rich. have also been made in the
salmon River Mountains. and the attention of
miners aud capitalists Is once more turned to that
almost forgotten region. There is ms yet
uo wagon road to these Idaho mines. but
one is being built this Summer, and the
Utah and Northern Railroad Will give the district
am outlet with not more than 100 miles Of staging
for passcug Is or OF wagon transportation for
freight One circumstance which leads me to be-
love that these new mines VIII turn out we'll is the
fact ihat the California capitalists whose money
AMI enterprise have developed the Black His ho-
uanz1s have bought some mines In the Salmon
River country. They do not buy mines anywhere
until q most careful examination of them has been
made and thcy ale thoroughly convinced of their
richness.
The first real mining excitement in Montana be-
cau in >o3. with the discovery of gold IN Alder
Gulch. upon which Virginia City Is situated
party of projectors from Banuack City had been 10
IA tfnfreu
,vh.r re they met with hostile ludians who finally
drove them back. Thcparty divided, some going south
toward Salt Lake City. and the remainder returning
90 Baunack. On reaching Alder Creek. the latter
stopped for diupor, and while the remainder were
preparing the meal William Fairweathcr panncd
GA. little OF the gravel. The first painful yielded
80 cents and subsequent ones 81. As soon rs
tins discovery became known there WAS an iunle-
Ciate stampede to Alder Guch from all parts
Of the Territory and little late from all parts OF
tie country. These diggings were the richest
paccrs ever discovered in Montana A hist the
rroguct was from 500 To 5000 day for each man,
and in The rs five wears after is discovery Alder
.,lch and ITS tributaries yielded on an average
SIS. 100000 year. The total product up TO the
end IF 1876 was more than S70,0OO.O0O. Last
wear il was 5000. 900. This gllch is said to have
been the richest ever vet discovered in the world,
but rs have no statistics Of the Weld Of California
and Australian rulches, cannot say whether this
claim Is just one or not
Next IN importance was the discovery Of gold in
silver Creek Gulch, about twelve miles west of
Helena and IN las; Chance Gulch. upon which the
town of Helena itself is situated Both Of these
were very rich hut both together have not. sup
nose. produced more than S15,O0C,o0O or
s16.o00O0O ore. Mining Is .tll carried on to
limited extent in both of these gulches. and VIII
continue for many years to come, paying reasonable
,,oees To the wOriImCn employed upon them, but
not making great fortunes for anybody. Good
blazers have been Gi.c0ycred and worked with
p-oGt in every organized county in Montana. the
tots number of cold-producng gulches in the Ter
rt9y eens es,@rtf9 6 at ao STabab SVo bre es
tn.,.n ont oil an of these but much good
ground still remains IN almost every one OF
lydrlulic process OF that Of prOund-smcing, giving
einpny,ieut at good wages C. great numbers OF
men, profit 10 The owners % claims, ana con,Iipul-
tu steadily 20 the country annual pIOu,cl OF s"u.
Ibehcve tie annual yield of gold from the placeIs
of Montana will considerably increase during the
next few years. The completion OF n railroad INTO
tue Territory VIII undoubtedly cause an influx OF
populailon which, with q reduction IN the expenses
of LIVING Will make labor cheaper. Cheaper labor
will make il possible 10 work over ground that can
now be washed only with loss Besides TINS, there
is reason TO expect that before many years some oil
the gulches and bars which are now unpIOuuctNe
lens. n j. impossible 10 obtain water with which
10 work them Will be owned by rich capitalists VINO
will construct great fumes like those III WINCH tIe
water il brought down from the Sierra Nevada
Mountains in California. and sluicc out hundreds OF
acres of ground now untouched.
Ouartz mining for gold began in Montana almost
simultaneously with that of the paceIs. The INST
lode located was discovered near Bannack H. loOZ'
and the mine was called the DAkOtaii' M "diI'l;
IN his recently published History aud Directory oi
Montana. to which am Indebted for many OF tie
facts contained tins letter, says that the dccoh-
o.ed ouartz found near tho surface OF this ycn was
taken down the hill on which II was situated, 10
the creek on pack animals, and the gold was there
washed ont. In the Sprng OF 1868 small water