The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1881-12-28
TuF BARKER B0NANZAS.
o,1s
discovery and Progress Of this
Rich Mining District.
an Inviting Field for Capital and
Labor.
WHARF the Barker District is and How to
Get to 1t.

II is estimated that during the past nscal
wear Montana has produced $2,ooo'ooo III
silver. and the Weld of this precious metal IN
the Territory is constantly increasing. Inc
nrosoector is still abroad in the land, seeking
NOW fields of labor, and not ~unfrequently
h;e efforts are rewarded his trials and pri-
vation reouited by q erich strike" Of the
recent mineral discoveries in the Territory
none are more important, or Of brighter
promise, than those in the now famous Bar
ker district-and ere long they will contrib
ute in no small measure to swell Montana's
output of silver.
WHERE 1T rs.
The Barker district is located in the Belt
range of mountains, south Of Benton about
sixty miles, IN the northern part Of Meagher
county. For . distance Of several miles
les have been made, and there is yet an en-
ticing field here for the prospector. Indeed,
the entire Belt range, extending 8 long Wey
across the Territory, as far South as Fort
llaginnis, is rich in mineral productions,
which, at nc distant day, will be brought
forth from their hiding places to add to the
wealth Of the world. When. other mining
fields Of the Territory are exhausted this
will produce abundantly the "shining phan-
tom that men fellow and ADORE"
THE DISCOVERY,
The first discovery In the Barker district
was made by e'Buck' Barker and P. Fl.
Hughes On the Dist of October, 1879, when
by the merest accident, they found the lead
that bears the formers name, now prob
ably the most valuable property il the DIS
trict. They were not looking for quartz at
the time and had no expectation of finding
any. The excitement over the discovery
Of gold at Yogo, in the same range Of noun
tains and not many miles distant from Bar
ker, attracted q great many prospectors to the
former camp, among the number Messrs.
Hughes and Barker. When Yogo played out,
so to speak, the Latter struck out into the
mountains in search Of better placer dig
gings, believing they were TO be found some
where in that region. On the night OF the
Goth of October these hardy prospectors
creek, in the Gulch that Is now the scene Of
so much activity. Next morning BUCK
took his gun and started off in search OF
game, of which there was no scarcity st that
time while Mr.. Hughes shouldered li4
prospector's kit and proceeded up the gulch
to resume the uncertain search for gold mug
gets. While working in the bed of the
creek with pick and shovel he unearthed sew
eral large pieces Of galena, and making after
a closer examination found numerous indica-
tionsi in the vicinity of a rich lead of silver
ore. That same day the Well-defned lode
was discovered and staked off by the lucky
prospectors, two locations being made on the
lead, and named respectively the Barker and
Gray Eagle. 'sBuck" was also honored to
the extent of having the district named after
him, but, in justice to the real discoyerer,
Mr.. Hughes should come in for q big share
of the renown attached to the discovery OF
this important mineral field. But, one OF
the principal towns of the camp is named
after the latter. Soon after this Messrs. Bar
ker and Hughes returned to Benton, and the
accounts given by them of their discovery
excited a lively interest in what in q short
time came to be known as the Barker dis
trict. Winter set In, however, and the deep
snow kept the impatient prospector at bay
until the following spring.
81 WRIGHT & EDWARDS LOCATION.
It was not until May of the succeeding
year that any additional discoveries were
made, and even then the deep snow had not
disappeared from the mountain sides. 81. L..
Wright and III. K. Edwards were the first on
ground and on the 18th Of May, 1880, the
former discovered the now celebrated Wright
& Edwards lead. A curious incident con-
nected with the discovery is the fact that on
the night preceding Mr. Wright
DREAMED
that he had found a rich lead Of galena ore,
five feet in width, on the side Of a mountain,
located in a certain direction with reference
10 his camp. The enchanting vision left its
impress upon his memory and at early morn
ne was mp and off in the direction indicated,
searching for the five foot vein" And at
JUST such q spot as he saw in The shadoWy
realm OF dreamland he found numerous ga
lsna Doulders and other surface indications
lhat soon enabled him to locate the valuable
lead. Out of respect to the vision that thus
pointed out to him the road to fortune Mr.