The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1880-03-09
THE OUTLOOK.

11kZ W
The events of the past few weeks bearing on
the mining interests of the camp are encour-
aging in the extreme, and though even at the
present time the camp is in a most hourishing
condition it is patent to all observers that on
the reopening of COMMUNICATION with the rail-
road, a season of greatly increased prosperity
will set in. In brief we will refer to the
events which inspire this belief. First may
be mentioned the incorporation of the Alice
mine. The benefits a~ccruing to those Eastern
capitalists who have been fortunate enough
to purchase stock in the concern, will have
the effect of opening the eyes of other
moneyed men to the desirability of further in
vestment in this district. The incorporation
of the Alice, therefore, will not only prove
beneficial to those directly interested, but
may be relied upon to bring capital to the
country and greatly to promote activity i'll min
ing operations. Another cause for congratu-
lation is found in the result of recent develop
ment in the famous Gagnon, a property which
there is little doubt will soon be proved fully
as extensive and valuable as the Alice itself.
The upper ores of this mine have long been
known to be exceedingly rich, but, though
in the minds Of those best qualified to judge,
there existed no doubt that the ore body at an
increased depth retained, fit did not increase
in, its extent and value, the worth OF the
mine could not be estimated with absolute
correctness, as no p0sitivepro of existed that
it "went down" Within the past few weeks,
however, a depth of ninety feet has been
added to the main shaft, tro,n the bottom Of
which a c~ross-cut wa, run to the YEN, dis
closing a solid, compac and well defined ore
body, carrying as high as three hundred
ounces in silver per ton, besides a heavy per
centagc of copper. The latter, al its appre-
ciating market price, adds very materially to
the value Of the ore product.
The recent bonding Of the Bell mine t"
Mr.. Mrader, of the Montana Copper Com
pany, is another precursor Of Il lively season.
At a point Il little below the water-level in
this mine, the ore, besides being richer in
silver than that contained in the upper work
ines of the property, is heavily i~mpTegnatel
with copper, carrying from thirty to forty pc
cent. of that metal. 1t has not been extract
ed before because the gentlemen owning
the mine are Of coarse unable to work base
ores in their quartz mill. In I few months,
however, the Montana Copper Company will
possess ample facilities for its reduction. Be
fore long tie smcIter will be in full blast, and
all who have visited the Bell and other prop
critics now controlled by the company can I'M
delstand the amount Of copper-silvar bullion
which the smelter will produce after begin
ming operations.
These new enterprises among many Others
which might be mentioned, are sure indica.
lions OF approaching prosperity. Within q
few months the Alice company will work fully
one hundred men more than are now en-
ployed, and Oh the completion of the new
mill Cor the construction Of which a
private letter informs us the contract
was let IN Salt Lake last week. the
bullion product will be doubled twice over,
and the monthly disbursements Of the COM
pany will not fall below $4,000. 1t is also
said that eighty additional men will be EN-.
ployed by the owners of the Gagnon, while
several hundred more Will draw Their wages
from the Montana Copper company for labor
in the mines and smelter.
The mere fact, however,, that a large sun
of money is to be paid out during the ensuing
season does not alone prove that we are tt
enjoy a period of permanent prosperity. Ir
predicting a busy and successful seasol
during the coming hummer the MINER relic;
not on the amount of money to be paid ou
but principally on the prospective profits accru
ing to investors from the development of thei
mines since only their profitable operation
will induce capital to remain. On this scor
we have no fear, for in all the mineral bearing
regions of the Rocky Mountains, there is not
in the language of Professor Clayton, a sec
ton of country containing such numerous
extensive and profitable mining properties a
are to be found in the Summit Valley distric
of Montana.