The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1883-10-31

Col. Lamborn Tells Of the Richness and
Promise of the Mines III the Territory.
Col. Lamborn, land commissioner or
the Northern Pacific railroad, has just
returned from an extended tour over
the road, looking hale, hearty ana
happy. and with the sun of prophecy
shining in his eyes. The country tribu-
tarv to the Northern Pacific has SO many
and abundant resources that those VINO
have gone into any kind of examination
thereof are appalled, at their magnitude.
Each succeeding investigation opens up
new riches to the gaze, and the pioneers
of other years who have long thought
they knew what the great empire west
of st. Paul possessed in the way of re-
sources have come to later and more
correct conclusion. They now know
that the whole country is only IN It's IN
fancy as regards natural development.
IKE wonderful possibilities Of wheat
production, the magnitude Of the cattle
raising enterprises and the agricultural
possibilities have been sung in turn, and
all the changes rung upon these faithful
themes Mining, which is associated III
many minds with stock g-mbling and
speculation, has been written of at times
in q casual sort Of way, but the reader
has known nothing OF the facts as they
exist in the northwest and III Montana.
The mining history Of Montana has dlf-
fered from that Of California and Nevada.
Large fortunes have been slowly ana
surely accumulated while very little
NAV be accounted for. to some extent,
by the fact that intercommunication has
been attended with many difficulties.
But it is nevertheless a fact that Mon
tana mining operators have not been
favorable to stock speculation. And in
this has laid that strength which is now
beginning to be felt by the outside world.
San Francisco capital has been attracted
to Montana, when it could not be in
duced to 90 into mining enterprises at
home. The francs Of the Partisan have
been poured in great abundance into the
Ian of Arizona, when the siren smiles OF
other places have passed unheeded, and
suspicious and unimpassioned England
has, upon conviction of Montana's
riches, sown her pounds, shillings and
pence broadcast upon the bosom OF this
magnificent domain.
Ol. lIan1DDEIl TeluIuS Hull AsIOAoeshec
gorged with facts and full Of prophecy.
He has looked upon her abundance ana
is satisfied of the fatness thereof. Great
smelling works on Lake Superior and a
stupendous increase of Montana's popu-
lation are in the business of the road and
among the salient features of his pro-
phecy. What has already been done
are among the gratifying evidences OF
Montana's present grand position;
The Anaconda mine, at Butte, is de-
veloped for depth of 900 feet; the vein
is forty feet wide, and on the dump at
the surface are 200, 900 tons of ore, await
ing shipment to Swansea. The Drum
Lummon mine, near Helena, is another
of Montana's bonanzas, and is one OF the
largest quartz veins on the continent.
1T was sold last year to an English SYN
dicate for S3,O00,000, and will be devel-
oped on wholesale scale. The Gregory
mine, eighteen miles south Of Helena, Is
owned by the Seligmans, of New York.
The company working the Alta mon.
tana mine was recently organized under
the auspices of S. T. Hauser, presiden1
of the First National bank of Helena
and is another very promising mining
company. A branch from Helena u
the mine is now under construction by
the Northern Pacific company. The
Colusa mine, owned by Levisen Bros.
of New York, is producing 100 tons 9
ore per day, which is being run int
copper matte at the mine. The com
pany has in addition $500 tons Of ore
sacked for shipment to Swansea.
At Butte there are seven smelters run
ming on ore obtained from the mines IL
that camp. The Lexington and Alice
mining companies have free milling
ores and smelters are not required. The
Lexington mill cost $323, ZOO, has fift,
stamps, and is one OF the most complete
mills ever erected. Erlangers, of Paris
the firm who negotiated the confederate
loan during the rebellion, are the prin
cipal owners. The Alice and Moultor
mines are owned by Walker Bros, o
Salt Lake City. The mill has sevent,
stamps and the company is the onl,
Montana mining company quoted OF
the New York exchange. The whole
number of stamps running ip Butte j
225, and there are seven smelling work
running to their fullest capacity, re
ducing 500 tons Of ore per day. Th
shipments Of ore and matte from Butt