The Billings herald. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1882-1885, 1883-03-22

extended operations.
The Black Warrior is the most
noted lead Of the district. 1t is
owned by John Stevenson and two
others. A perpendicular shaft fifty
feet deep has been sunk from which
horizontal excavations have been
driven about seventy-tiyc feet. re.
vealing vast body of very rich
orc.
The Great Republic is also being
operated upon. Five tunnels have
been cut into the sloping sides OF
the lode, and body of ore of un-
known extent is in sight. This
mine was sold by the discoverers
for sixty thousand dollars to
a Philadelphia company headed by
Jay. Cooke. The ore in these two
mines assays from $25 to s1,7O0 to
the ton, but it is believed that loca-
tions not yet improved will developc
greater values. Besides the Black
Warrior and the Great Republic,
the War Eagle, Morning Star, Ecli-
pse and Silver Reef are all under
development. The latter lead
which is the property of Alexander
Mcdonald Il Co., is being worked
upon and gives promise of great
fortune to its owners. a great num-
Der of claims have been located up-
on and will be improved next sum
mer, but the country has not been
prospected over to any great extent.
The mineral belt seems almost linn
itless, and spreads even into the
region which is covered by perpct-
ual SHOWS. Miners have the utmost
in the future of the dis
trict, and express their belief that
this camp will surpass any discov-
cries in the latter years Of mining
history.
A smelter was erected in the dis
trict as early as 1876, by Bozeman
parties, but beside being limited in
capacity it has never performed sat-
isfactory work, and it is said that
the refuse Stag from the mill might
now be worked to good advantage.
Three more smelling outfits will
be put in operation in the spring
and a contract for $4,000 bushels of
charcoal has been let to supply one
of these. There can be no doubt
but what the coming season will
witness, in the Clark's Fork district,
an outbreak of mining activity
which has not had its equal in
Montana since the earliest history.
Cook City, the metropolis of the
district, is situated on Soda Butte
creek, about three miles from the
Park and near its northeastern cor
ncr. 1t is in the center of the min
ing district, and less than one
hundred miles from Billings. A
a store, the smelter outfit
and a collection of unoccupied
cabins now comprise the town, but
it will be the scene of the greatest
activity in the early future. From
it Bozeman is distant by travelled
route $50 miles, and Livingston is
perhaps ten miles nearer. To Bill
lings via of the Clark's Fork valley
the distance would be less than 100
miles. The only obstruction to
this road is the difficult passage OF
Clark's Fork canyon, through
which a road is now being cut. A
tit subject for consideration by our
board of trade would be the I'M
provement of this road. A very
small outlay would draw to Billings
the trade Of this mining district,
which is destined to be very cx-
tensivc. Mail service along this
route has already been authorized,
and if the road were put in proper
condition the whole travel and traf.
fic of Clark's Fork region would
turn to Billings as its natural depot.
The Cattle Business.
Mr.. Con kohrs is chief among
the cattle kings of Montana. His
herds number between eleven and
twelve thousand, and since the
great rise in cattle, he finds himself
in very comfortable circumstances.
In an interview with him yester-
day, we learned many interesting
facts in regard to the rise in cattle,
its cause, and its probable perma-
nency.
He sees no probability of any de-
cline in cattle. The crop failures
two years ago in the East caused
the farmers and cattle men general
ly to sell all their surplus stock to