The daily enterprise. [volume] (Livingston, Mont.) 1883-1884, 1883-11-24
The Chickory Slnelter.

at Chickory has been carried on so quietly
(perhaps the cause is traceable to the fact
that its owner is not given to public talk
that might have the appearance of boast
fulness), that now when it is complete and
ready to turn out bullion, an extended
reference to it may be of general interest,
especially as everything we shall say re-
garding it comes from an authoritative
source and may be relied upon.
The building is of wood, 24x30 feet.
The smelter itself measures ska feet out
side and is surmounted by stack rising
40 feet. The smelter is capable of hand
ling from five to eight tons of the most
refractory ore, and in ore that yields more
easily, its capacity will reach from ten to
thirteen tons daily. About two weeks
ago the smelter was regarded as complete,
and an experimental run was made. At
that time the brick work of the stack did
not extend above the roof, but was sur
mounted by an iron stack lined with fire.
clay. 1t should be remembered that a
heat of from 400 to 1900 degrees Fab
renheit, is required to melt the silica from
which the metals are to be separated
twice what will reduce iron to a liquid,
and it may readily be imagined that when
the furnace fires began to act upon the
ore the iron stack was very red in spite of
its fire-clay lining and atmospheric SUR
rounding. While there was no danger of
melting, there was danger that it would
set fire to the wood roof through which it
passed, and this danger became so immi-
nent before the required temper
ature had been attained in the
furnace, that preferring to sacrifice
the test for that time rather than
burn his building, DR.. Newconb ordered
the furnace doors thrown open and al
lowed the smelter to COOL While enough
heat had not been attained to run off the
bullion it was found, upon taking out the
partially smelted ore that the metal had
separated from the Stag, and had formed
in globules and would have run off had
not the heat been lowered so suddenly.
Immediately after this experiment mate
rial was obtained and a friedrich stack
raised high above the roof, so that no fur
ther difficulty will be experienced from
that source. That the smelter is a success
in every particular is certain. Next
Tuesday or Wednesday the fires will he
kindled for an extensive run. and if the
ore supply holds out (of which there can
be little doubt it will be operated
throughout the winter. The fuel to be
used is to be obtained from Herman
Kahle's mine on Trail creek, six miles
from Chickory. It is described as an ar
ticle of bituminous, cokable coal, as good
as any found in the territory. It exists in
great quantities, and for the operation of
present and future mining machinery in
that region is very important discovery.
The completion and operation of this
smelter is much more important factor
in the mineral development of this por-
lion of Montana than is generally known.
In the first place it will afford market
where ore taken from mines in developing
nav be sold and cash realized with which
@ prosecute the work. This will enable !
miners who would otherwise be almost
oowerless to operate upon their
claims to make extensive developments,
md if their property be valuable to place
t in such condition as will enable them
o realize fair price on sale, or to enlist
.apital in erecting machinery, neither of
which results could be attalnei II nothing |
,ut prospect hole or the groupings OF
he lode were exposed to view. In this
yav alone the Newcomb smelter will
,rove a great benefit to the Upper Vel
owstone districts. But while all this is |
efficiently important the smelter was
originally designed and will be operated
0 serve much more momentous purpose
o its owners. It is intended entirely as
est furnace. The ores Of Emigrant and
I'LL creek districts are to be subjected to
he conclusive tests obtainable only by
xtracting the bullion from large quaint
;ns and IF the reaa1lt nrOyes satisfactory /