River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1880-08-26
Correspondents Chicago journal.

whole year ut those wages money could
be saved, but it must be remembered
that about five months of the year is sc
cold that great many of the mines
| fall the placersl and all the mills run
by water-power, are closed, and OF
course the employees are thrown out Of
work. Some winters, however, are SC
mild that the mills are not closed more
| than two or three months. 1t requires
| experience to become good hand III a
! quartz mill, and at present the demand
seems to be fully supplied. A young
man known to be sober and energetic
can always find employment at some
| thing and need not be out Of work long
at a time. We will conclude by saying
| that man can "make n raise" if he
comes here with that determination
and follows it, by avoiding excuses. A
railroad already within the border of
our territory and rapidly nearing the
| capital, Helena, makes this the auspic-
| ious time for a person to come here
with capital to engage in business.
Rapid transportation and ease of travel
| inc in comparison with tedious rides in
| coaches, will bring to Montana men of
means to develop her superior natural
resources, and Il business already estab-
lished will surely be greatly augmented.
The leading industries, apd the two
on which the wealth ofthe territory will
depend, are mining and stock-raising
which we will mention briefly in their
turn.
THE MINInG INTEREST.
Mining consists Of quartz and placer
claims. The attention Of prospectOrs
is now being directed to the former be
cause of the number of rich leads dis
covered during the past few years, the
development of which is disclosing in
many cases vast treasures Among the
principal quartz camps can be recorded
Butte. Glendale, Wickes, Helena and
vicinity, and too many less important
places to mention. Butte contains Il
population of about 5000, and is sup
ported chiefly by five quartz mines al
ready well developed, and i'll the imme-
date vicinity are number of others
worked less extensively but which in
the course of few years may become
very valuable property.
Glendale is in rich mining district,
and in time will become place of
considerable note. OF Wickes we will
write more fully, having resided near
that place for some time. 1t Is sltIlat-
ed in the center of Il very rich quartz
district, mostly silver-bearing, and the
works erected there by the Montana
Company two years since met want
long felt The company at first reduc-
ed custom ore, and afterward increased
the capacity of the mill and purchased
several mines, and are now working
their own ore. 1t is run by New York
capital, and Mr. w. w. Wickes, of that
city is president, with Mr.. Cole Saun-
ders, an experienced miner of this ter
ritorv. as superintendent. Both are
energetic gentlemen, and under their
careful management and financial sue
cess of the enterprise is fully insured.
Helena, the capital of the Territory,
is surrounded by small mining camps,
which are supported principally by
both gold and silver quartz mines,
which tend to give the capital ii perma-
nent support. After the completion
of the railroad we expect to see great
increase in the quartz mills, and also
to see a number of others erected. At
the Bonanza Chief, eight miles south
of Helena, a twenty-stamp mill has
lately been erected by the gentleman
connected with the Montana compa-
MES, who own the mine Encourag-
ing results are attained ut all these
places. Space prevents our mention
ing many other mines and mills of
this district The placer mines are
what brought the first rush ofminers to
the Territory. The first real excite
ment was the discovery of gold on the
famous Alder Gulch in 1868. A party
of prospectOrs from Bannack City had
been to the Yellowstone river and Big
Horn Mountains, and meeting a party
of hostile Indians had been driven
back. The party divided, some going
to Salt Lake City and others returning
towards Bannack City stopped on AL
der creek for dinner. While dinner
was being prepared by the others, Will
liam Fairweather PANIED out some
gravel The first pan yielded 30 cents
and subsequent ones s.. So soon as
this became known a stampede to Al
der Gulch followed from all parts of
the Territory. and also from the states.
At first the mines produced from 800
to 5000 a day to each man, and the
five wears following the discovery the
Alder Gulch and its tributaries pro-
duced $4,000, 900 each year. Up to
1876 more than 10000, 900 had been
taken out. In 1879 the product was
about 5000 600 This gulch is said to
have been the richest in the world.
Last Chance guclh, on which Helena
is built, was also very rich, and has
produced millions of dollars, and min
ing is still being done on it. But we
must write of the placers Of to-day.
There are large tracts of ground which
would pay well providing a company
could be formed with capital sufficient
to pay for the construction of bitches
and fumes to carry water where res
quired, and also to provide the neces
sary machinery to open the ground
with
If such Il company could be organ
lied. we are confident that there are a
number Of claims Of from 40 to 160
acres which could be purchased at a
reasonable price and which, under eff
hcient management, would pay good
dividends on the amount invested. 1t
takes time to open a large claim where
long bitches have to be constructed,
and for one or two years 40 returns
could he expected. II needs capital to
open the placer claims, and for that
reason it is better to organize a com
pany. Eastern capitalists would do
Well to examine this subject carefully
We will now proceed with as much
brevity as possible to discuss the
sToCKGROwISG INTEREST
Of the territory, which already rivals
in magnitude the mining interest. The
great advantage of investing money in
stock IS the surety Of a rapid increase
and early returns. Indeed. we feel
safe in making the assertion that it is
the safest industry in which man can
engage in the west. All that the stock
raiser needs to do Is to purchase 100,
1 900 or 10000 head and turn them on
the best range he can find, and there
are excellent ranges on nearly all the
principal rivers.
No care is required for horses and
cattle during any part of the year. They
live among the hills through the sever
est winters, and the loss is but small
percentage. Last winter, which was
the hardest known to the oldest settlers,
the loss did not exceed ) per cent
Beef which the butchers supplied
their customers last winter was killed
Immediately on being driven in from
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