The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1882-05-17

A&804~80A
AnA 4 Butte Mans V1oWo Thereon.
T1,e Naw lfontana Mining Camps.
The following are extracts from q
private letter received In this city from
an old Butte man now In the camp OF
Northeastern Montana. From time 10
time the MINER bas published what
seemed to be the most reliable state
ments about the Barker, 4aginnis and
Clayke's Fork districts, towards when
public attention has been so much d.
rected of late. Col. Nesbitt, who was
in Butte few weeks ago, has gone to
the Barker district to start a newsl'a'
per. He has personal acquaintance
with many Of the leading men in that
part Of the Territory, and seems to have
confidence in the present and future Ut
the camp The view expressed by the
writer of the letter from which the fol-
lowing extracts are taken is rather ul'-
favorable. It should be taken with
grain of salt, yet such views as a rule do
not need sailing nearly as much as 10
the fairy-like and more encouraging
tales which generally come from new
mining districts.
The letter is written from Gold Run,
Barker District, Nj. r., dated April ~,
1882.
"Of course, you want to know what
kind of a camp this is. In the first
place, it il like all camps in which ''pil-
grim" capital takes hold. The pilgrim
must sec $5.OOin sight before he will cx-
pend $l.O.
The sn,elter was put up to prospect
with. The deepest shaft in the camp IS
II feet, will, level run each way OH
the vein IS feet west and ~ feet east.
l was down when the contractors quit,
and if the camp depends on what is in
sight it will he poorly off, sure; al-
though it is more than probable there is
good mine there-yet to be found.
As for the Wright and Edwards, that
Is yet to be proven. Still, it is IL good
mine as far as it goes. Everything that
was done up to January last is dead
work-ncarly all open cuts, and most OF
the ore vein is very narrow.
On the first of January 1 started IL
shaft by order Of the Superintendent
We sunk forty odd feet. The ore ut the
start was non est, but ut eight feet in
depth VIC began to get feeders; Mt twen-
ty-sive feet the vein came in good and
strong, and at thirty feet We had Il four
foot vein Of ore, but none of it running
very high. 1 believe the average is
II ounces, and that il. about the average
of the mines all thew :: through, so you
can see there is not,hfis to get excited
about. Well, these are the two MAIN
stays of the camp, and that which has
caused all the stir and excitement in
this country.
OF course there are lots Of other lc:..l.
or locations, but none are developed,
nor will they lie until they change
hands, for the parties owning them arc
too poor.
The great trouble is that the mines
are 80 cut up into shares, and owned by
Tom, Dick and the Devil, that the own
ers can never do anything with the
lodges or make sale of them either.
The best place just now is the new
District Of Montana. There is no doubt
in my mind it will he one Of the big
camps of the country. and if it was clear
Of snow, should be there before the ri>-
ing ofthc sun.
"Tuck" Lambert came in yesterday
and showed me five or six buttons from
rock in that district, the least OF which,
went - ounces and the greatest 800
ounces, aud all Of it you might call float,
IS the deepest shaft in the camp is but
IL feet. Some of the veins show a width
Of seven or eight feet. These were
struck last fall. Lots of people have
gone oyer there, but can do nothing for
three or more weeks.
Two years ago / was there, but was
prevented from working owing to the
depth of the snow. and the boys have in
formed me that the snow is still! worse
this year. The men who went in last
full knew the trail aud went in Oh foot.
Regarding the Warm Springs District
''Scookum Joe" and George I.enhardt
have got some placers there, and Joe and
ZONES have seyef9al v00d lodes nnxfcr