The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1882-02-08
A BOOM FOR BARKER.
It will Come When the Gen le Spring Time
Comes.


| The reports from the Barker District con-
ter and that the camp will have substantial
boom this year is fact now fully assured.
The successful operation of the first smelter
| established in the district has sent Barker
| stock way up and caused the mining fever to
| lay strong hold upon many new victims.
There are now few persons in Benton who
are not ''quartz kings or that are not count
| ing on securing interests, either by purchase
| or prospecting, in the spring. But the dis
ease is not confined to Benton alone. From
nearly all parts of the Territory, and from
adjoining Territories, the word is that the
prospectors are coming. The indications
are plain enough that during the summer
there will be large immigration to Barker
and the adjoining districts, giving to these
| comparatively new camps a wonderful degree
of prosperity. But at Barker sufficient de-
velopment has been made to invite capital
and we expect to see during the ensuing year
some important investments made-invest--
| ments that will aid to large extent in ad-
During the pas, week RI. ER PRESS repre-
sentative has taken occasion to make numer-
Gus inquiries among our people as to their
| opinion of Barker's prospects the coming sea-
son and without an exception it was as favor
able as has been represented above. ALI are
looking forward to ''boom" and If it does
not arrive in due season there will be wide
spread disappointment We give In sub
stance what what was said by few of the
| gentlemen interviewed
William Rowe.-s'Will there be boom
| Well, yon can bet on it. Just as soon as the
snow goes off, the mountains from the Mon
tana district clear through to Fort Maginnis
will literally swarm with prospectors. Bar
ker being the Oldest camp, with smelter,
and the most extensive developments, will be
the natural headquarters, and will probably
reap the greatest benefits, To my personal
knowledge several parties from the upper
country will soon start for this mining field.
| One of these l expect in q day or two. tie
Is an expert and will bring with him an outfit
for testing the value of quartz, bis object be-.
| ing not so much to prospect as to make
thorough examination of the camp. He rep
resents an abundance of capital, and favor
able report from him will bring good share
of it to the district But you may. expect
/ great many more of just such expeditions,
as we'll as the professional prospectors and
hangers-on of new mining camps Ihey
will come from every direction, as this is un-
doubtedly the most promising new mining
field in the Territory, if not in the West
| P. Fl. Hughes-I am not an enthusiast on
this subject and am not looking forward to
any big stampede. | have been among the
mines long enough to know tuat quartz, no
matter how inviting the field, does not create
stampedes as placer diggins do, but still
expect large immigration, and think that
Barker is destined to become an important
mining center The district is rich in miner
al and do not see how the prospect for
new camp could be any brighter.
Judge Tattan--''I have not visited Barker
for some time, but from what [ can hear l
deem it safe enough to predict boom for the
camp this season. Everybody about Benton
seems to have the fever to some extent, and
believe it is general over the Territory. There
if large field for the prospector and as far
as know it is the best in the Territory. The
leads already developed should make it a
good camp even If no further rich discover
| les are made
Paris Gibson-sBarker should certainly
enjoy prosperous year. have been at the
camp nearly all winter and feel very much
encouraged with the outlook. 1t is the gen.
eral opinion among the miners and those
who ought to know that there will
be large influx Of people from different
parts of the Territory as well as from outside
of it. There are certainly good grounds for
basng such belief upon"
II. l.. Wright-"You will see one of the
| biggest stampedes that ever took place in
| Montana It will not be confined to Barker,
of course, but will include the Montana,
Yogo and Judith districts"
W. s. Wetzel.-''Since my recent visit to
Barker / have been thoroughly convinced
that it will be one of the best mining
camps IN the Territory. It is even now en-
joying fair share of prosperity and during
the present year will make rapid progress"
/ J. d. Weatherwax.-"I judge more of the
prospect of the camp by what hear than
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