The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1883-07-21
MISSOULA.
Fattering Prospects of the West
ern Montana Metropolis.

m1NOOOAa'
Flattering Prospects of the West
ern Montana Metropolis.
Manufacturing Advantages ara
Tributary Agricultural Lands.
Rapidly Developing Mineral Re-
sources.
Special Correspondence of the MINER.
MIssoULA, M. T., July IL, 1888.
Since the advent OF the railroad
has shaken up the fossilized ZONES OF
this old town, we feel like extending
the hand Of fellowship to other -four
ishing cities of the Territory and
especially to the mining metropolis
Of Summit Valley with which We
expect to be connected by bands OF
steel before the snow flies again.
C%oneidering the population Of Mis-
soula, which is about 1900, our town
is doing a large trade, and with the
superior facilities for business which
the railroad supplies, we expect now
to reap the reward of long and patient
waiting, in a large increase in the
volume of trade and the influx OF
immigration which has already set
in this direction. Tie location of
Missoula makes it the natural mart
for the interchange of live stock, pro-
duce. lumber and other commodities
produced in the rich country by
which it is surrounded, and the
mines, the value of which is
Just now being developed in the ad
j4cent mountains, are likely to make
the town a mining center which
NAV in the future rival in import
ance your own big camp. No better
facilities for manufacturing enter
prises exists in the Territory than
are afforded by the splendid water
power on Rattlesnake Creek and the
He'll Gate River in the vicinity of
uissoula, while for stock raising and
agriculture, to the west and north
west of the city, are green, rolling
hills. over which oam numerous
bands Of horses, sheep and cattle.
Stretching away to the southwest be-
tween high. timbered mountains, is
the peaceful looking Grass Valley,
with the Missoula River winding in
and out amongst green meadows.
beautiful farms and happy homes
surrounded by shady orchards. Com
ing from the south, flowing between
thickly timbered mountains on the
west, and low, grass covered hills,
decked with feecy fiocks and horned
herds, or the east, is the beautiful
Bitter Root River, which drains the
oldest farming district and one of
the most fertile valleys in the Terri
tory.
The Bitter Root valley which ex-
tends for ninety miles south from
Missoula, and is from three to eight
teen miles in width, is the oldest set
tied farming district in the territory.
In this valleys rich loom the first
fruits and vegetables were raised.
Strawberries, water melons and most
all small fruits and vegetables are
raised with unlimited success. as
we'll as the cereals and larger fruits.
The hills on each side Of the valley
are covered with sleek looking fat
cattle, horses and sheep. Twenty
thousand of the latter now roam On
the hills, and there is pasturage for
ten times the number.
MINERAL RESOURCES.
This section of the Territory was
but little prospected in early days,
from the fact that the rich mines of
middle Montana. around Virginia.,
Helena and Butte, being then more
easy of access, drew the main atten-
ton from the Missoula section of the
country. But now that the Northern
Pacific railroad runs through the
heart of this land of immense miner
al wealth, as we'll as of various other
resources, capitalists and old pros
pectors that know of the richness of
the veins adjacent to Missoula, are
beginning to get hold of many of
them and open them up. Farmers
and stock men that have long known
of the whereabouts of favorable
lodges are locating and working
them. Silver, lead, copper and gold
have been found in sufficient guam
titles to make the working of the
mines profitable, and IN several dis
tricts considerable development work
has been done. In the Woodchuck
district, which is about eight miles
southwest of Missoula, some we'll de-
fined Lodges of both copper and silver
ore are being opened up. which now
now assay FROM $44 to $3.50 per ton.
From that on south for sixty mics,
in the spur of the Rocky mountains
that range along the east side of the
Bitter Root valley, a number of good
prospects have been found.
In the Bitter Root range of noun
tains, which are on the west side of
the Bitter Root valley, is the newly
discovered Sweat-house mining dis.
trict, about 80 miles south of Missoula.
The rock from this district, some of
which assayed as high as 1929. II,
resembles very closely that from
some of the Cemstock lodes. Fur
Their south in the same range of
mountains, at Ross hole, has been
found a surface vein forty feet in
width of good paying silver rock. A
company have men at work on the
vein and intend putting up machin-
cry to extract and reduce the ore.
Up He'll Gate Canyon, about thirty
five miles east of Missoula, is the old
Wallace district. Mines in this dis
trict have been worked for some
time. Tunnels and shafts have been
sunk, which show up large bodies of
fine ore. lhirty-two miles below
Missoula near Moose Creek Ferry
an important discovery has re-
Gently been made by Robert Fen
ner, the we'll known prosaector,
Of Butte. The vein located by Mr..
Fenner is said to be three feet wide
or the surface and crops out big for a
thousand feet along the ledge AS
says mad here show 800 ounces of
silver and 40 per cent. of lead. The
Importance of this section as a min
eral region is attracting much atten-
ton, and practical miners are coming
in, who are backed by large capital.
In another year we expect to see the
mines extensively operated and re-
duction works of large capacity erect
ed in this vicinity. Yours truly.
B.
A Roland for ar Oliver.