The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1881-08-19
THEN, NOW AND HEREAFTER.
Nuggets Found In . Pan Of Butte Placer Gold

Mention OF the fact that Noyes Il Upton
/" cleaned up" their sluices few days since
on their placers below Butte, and had about
1000 In dust, IL suggestive of the changes
that have taken place In Butte in the past /
FIVE or six years. Then 1t was m almost |
unknown hamlet, with voting population |
of twenty or thirty; but six or eight upils |
In it, school; no churches; one or two small /
stores and no resident physicians, the post
master being compensated by individual con- |
tribufion, and DIR. Ford, the r. 81, COM |
pounding, with consummate faith In substi- |
tntion, from a basket full of salts and tinct- |
ures the few medicines required by the little |
community. Deer Lodge was the great me- |
tropolis 10 which once or twice year the |
residents Of the camp gathered to sell AMI
taste of city pleasures, while the same ''clean
up" Of the placers was the great event of the
year. upon the result of which hinged the
prosperity or despair of its people; that yield
rated the lowest In the market; the snow fall
Of the winter was the omen Of good or i'll for
the coming sea on, and the future seemed
struggle with frowning Fate.
In the winter of 1912 the House Commit
tee on Mines and Mining had several meet
ings devoted TO earnest discussions of a bill
which included n requirement that persons
claiming quartz lode, the property of the
United States, should, to retain title,
each year do certain amount of work on
each such lode or claim. Previous to this,
under the laws of Montana, a location with
only nominal demonstration of a ledge gave
p.rpetuity of ownership, and hundreds oil
thousands of feet of quartz in Montana were
held hy men who had never expended a dol
lar or au hours labor thereon. The incubus
of inactive possession lay like blight upon
the quartz interests of the Territory. Among
those who most earnestly advocated re-
auirement that annual representation and
development should be q requisite OF title
was William III. Clagett, then Delegate in
Congress for Montana. The bill passed
and became law. It is sufficient to say
here that 1t embttered many Quartz holders
against Mr.. Clagett, and when he again stood
for Office he was defeated. But that clause
was the lever that lifted Montana quartz IN
terests out of lethargy and Impotence into
activity and prosperity. 1t was the vitalizing
touch Summit Valley District required. VIM.
l.. Fariin. who IL TO Butte what James w.
whitlatch was TO Helena, relocated certain
Leafs mt Travona; they developed rich; atten-
| ton was callei; local capital was invested;
w. A. Clark went from Deer Lodge and Al.
| Davis from Helena, and Marcus DAILY came
| from the Comstock representing Walker
| Bros of Salt Lake. The boom started and
to-day Butte IL the best business city of
| Montana and probably the best mining field
/ ia Ana Ia mt within
the scope Of what we started merely for
| Local Breyity" paragraph, to recite its
| wealth. its industries, or prospects.
| Nearly all the old-timers have acquired
| estate or competence, foreign capital has
| found IL most remunerative Held, it, bullion
product weekly Is greater than 1t then was
| annually, thousands of workmen have well
paid employment, n railroad IL constructed
TO it. 1t il the most prosperous, populous and
richest town of the Territory, and even the
| old residents have now the assurance to
speak of n visit to Deer Lodge ~ going out
| to the country" Well! Congratulations 10
| you all ami may the shadows of Butte never
grow less.
| But this IL not all. There IL "A logic in
| everts surprising that of rhetoric Butte,
Il Win IAshAbS AhtSAi"@Ns ''"
sprung up like young giant among its fei-
| lows. But not Butte or Summit Valley alone
of all Montana towns AMI districts is des-
tined to growth ami prosperity. Butte of to-
day IL TO the Butte of six years from now
what ii then was compared with the present.
A dozen other places will rival ii If they do
not surpass it. As Butte did not in II real
ize the influence section of the mining law
would exert upon its fortunes, 50 do WE not
now realize the Montana we shall have whsn
railroads penetrate antktrayerse the Terrific.
~. We have less than $4,000 people here
this Territory eau give homes, employment
and recompense TO half million. Its occu.
patton and development IL nothing a. yet
and within IL are vast areas of unoccupied
Lands, great forests, numberless mines OF the
nobler and baser metals. We may scott nj
the idea of these broad valleys all being cul-
tivated, but 1t will be done. The unnaviga'
BILE and now useless rivers will be carried to
the table lands and these waters, If necessa-
nv, will be supplemented by irrigafing wells.
What we now esteem desert land will be till
| ed like gardens where now IL arid waste
will be- the shadow of great trees the deni
gems OF quiet villages, now anxious lest the
bottom drop out entirely, will in few short
| years hence find themselves in the turmoil Of
busy times, and where an occasional "capi
talist or operator dropping into camp
IL nine days wonder, there will be develop
ment and reduction on every paying lode
These things will be. g The States /" are full
! Europe il sending US 800 900 people tins veal
, alone. The pressure In the States IL forcing
immigration TO the Territories. In none Il
there better inyitationto labor and capital thar
: In Montana. The railroad companies will Sc.
, to IL that immigrants come. IL IL no longer
, ques ton OF isolated farms, undevelope'
. lodes and deserted villages. The question i
whether we are prepared for the new situa
/. ton and the new methods of business whicl
will be precipita,ed on Montana. This yea
! closes out the period of isolation, doubt
: lethargy and, to some extent. opportunity.
! These are the nuggets we find In the pan o
Butte dust.
i