The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1880-10-27

pockets ana laI ge DDQleS which, lIonA sHo
nature of their combinations and the pecu-
Iiarities of their surroundings, must nave
been precipitated from an aqueous solution
They are generally very rich, but as q rule do
not possess the virtue Of stability. The car
Donates of the Leadyille district are probably
of this formation, although they exist there
in enormous body.
The mines in the Barker district, SO far as
development has indicated their nature, pos
sess, in an eminent degree, the peculiarjties
of true fssure parent leads, and only in
few cases do there appear evidences o. de-
post veins or ore bodies And when this is
considered in connection with the unusual
width, regularity and richness OF the ore
veins, there is every possibility for glorious
future for this camp.
The geological formation Of the district
is in some respects peculiar. strata Of
silica lies under the granite and extends
neatly to the Oxide & Boss, when the forma-
ton is purely granite to the D5nnelly & Ein
ma, where it IS interfpixed with porphyry, es-
peejally 0ear the walls Of Tile veins, which
is a most favorable indication. The Wright
s. Edwards, Barker & Grey Eagle, and the
Equator s. 5aco form, from the indications
thus far developed, what appears to be the
central or parent group, hanlzed by veins
which have spurred out in several places in
the direction Of the general formation, from
the beginning Of the granite Of the lower to
the gneiss Of the upper; and the direction,
dip, and general characteristics Of the ore
veins indicate that the whole are an offspring
Of the same set Of conditions which formed
the central lode; and should further develop
ment strengthen this hypothesis, there will
no longer exist reasonable doubt of the abso-
lutte durability Of the veins and the stability
Of the new camp.
Above the gneiss, and between it and the
slate, is found some very rich deposits OF
carbonates, showing much the same charac-
teristics as the Leadvil!e product. But there
is so little Development here that the nature
OF the deposit can only be conjectured, and
it would be unsafe to hazard an opinion on
their future possibilities.
The main belt of leads previously referred
10 cross Galena Greek nearly at right angles,
in general east and west direction, and the
earlier discoveries have ID The main been
made along its bed, where the veins were ex-
Iosed by the action Of water III cutting
cross section Of the strata. The leads are Of
unknown length and from three to ten feet
wide, and probably continue to the limits
of the formation, with q slight dip toward
the northwest. The characteristic Of the
ores is argentiferous galena, with, in few
cases, trace Of copper. Their value will
average throughout about re per cent. Of
some cases Of exceptionally high percentages
OF silver
This district is especially favored in having
close at hand inexhaustible quantities of the
various bases and minerals necessary in the
reduction of the ores, besides wood for the
manufacture of charcoal.
Two towns have sprung up with the magic
swiftness only displayed in mining districts.
Hughes City, situated below the Wright & Ed
wards at present contains thirty buildings,
with many more in progress; and Galena
City, on Galena creek, has forty buildings,
and others are being built as fast as possible
Lots in both places are selling from S25 to
$125. according to location, and there is
buoyant feeling on all sides which we think
is fully justified by the magnificent pros
poets Of the future of the mines. The enter
prising owners Of the Wright s. Edwards,
with some assistance from others interested, |
have constructed an excellent road from the |
prairie to their mines, passing through both |
camps, and costing over 5000
The lodes upon which the work of devel-
opment is being rapidly pushed, are the Bark
9r 6 Grey Eagle, Wright 6 Edwards, Equa-
or s. saco, Conway 8 Lynch, Vanderburg,
Oxide & Boss, Emma & Donnelly and Ben
on The
BARKER AND GREY EAGLE
s opened on the Grey Eagle side by tun-
lei now in over fifty feet, running along the
yein, showing a continuous ore body from
Wo to five feet wide 1t was discovered
rom the bottom of Eagle creek, and the
unnel is run from the discovery. A shaft
n the Barker side is down fifteen feet and
) following on the lead. The vein is
We feet wide SO far as run, and the ore is. in
reasing in richness with every foot. A
lew tunnel will be opened on the Barker
ffv feet below fha shaft and ii ie aynpnfad q