The Bozeman weekly chronicle. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1883-1889, 1884-06-25
REVOLUTION IN MINES
Low Grade Ores to the Front.


Coking Coal Beds Of Bozeman, Non
tana, Tested IN Coking Ouens ando
Superior Quality Of Coke
Produced.
BozEMAN, Montana, June e9.-The open
ing of the great coking coal beds OF
Bozeman and the tests lately made by
the Union Pacific Railroad company,
have solved problem of the utmost i'm
portance, not only to the territory CT
Montana, but the entire Northwest. The
question of fuel supply has been ques-
ton that every mining man or mining
company has had to consider, a question
that always figures largely in every
mining operation of this or any other
country, the first question asked by
every capitalist who e.sharks in mining
enterprises, the most important of all
questions where base ones ores to be
treated; and veins producing these ores
are by far the most numerous, in Mon
tana, Colorado, Utah and Idaho, in all
new mining camps temporary fuel sup
ply is had from the mountain forests.
The mountains, however, are often
sparslv timbered and the supply is soon
stripped from the convenient slopes, and
wood soon advances beyond the reach of
all save for domestic purposes. The cost
of producing wood in the mountain dis
tricts is about five dollars per cord, and
when the price advances much beyond
this figure it is too expensive for roast
ing and smelling purposes.
The established price at Butte for
wood for roasting ores has been $3.50 per
cord, and at this price there is universal
complaint as only the richest ores can be
treated with such expensive fuel with
profit. Fuel is one of the largest items
of expense.
An idea of its cost ma be had when it
is known that one smelterat Butte, Mon
tana. finds it necessary to invest in wood
alone the enormous sum of three hum
dred and thirty thousand dollars in adj
vance of its consumption. This is found
necessary for the reason that only good,
dry, seasoned wood can be used, 1t is,
therefore, necessary to have this cnorm-
ous quantity on hand in order to always
have suitable wood. The smelters of
Butte alone consume annually about
100000 cords. 1t is not strange there
fore that the fuel question is matter of
such vital importance to the mining dis
tricts, and in fact to the whole western
country.
The Anaconda mine said to be the
largest copper producing mine in the
world, has now on the dump upwards of
100000 tons of ore. These mines pro-
duced during the month of April q ,24O
tons, and the estimated output for May
is $4,000 tons. a portion of this ore being
GO to 20 per cent. copper. This class of
ore is sacked at the mine and shipped
direct to Swansea for separation. The
Anaconda company are erecting twenty
nine miles from Butte, the largest reduc-
ton works in the world and will treat
their own ores only. 1t is expected that
these immense works will be in opera
ton about July 10.
From this time forward the works will
receive from the mine 800 tons of ore
per day, and there will be one hundred
tons of copper made per day, shipped
from the works East. The works will
consume one hundred and fifty tons Of
coke per day, besides about 1000 tons Of
coal per month. It requires one million
feet of timber per month now to timber
the mine or about fifteen million feet for
the coming year.
Other large works are in contempla-
ton, prominent among which are very
extensive refining works for the reduc-
ton of the baser ores. These latter
works are much needed, to reduce and
treat the lower grade ores that will not
pay to transport across the ocean for
treatment. 1t has not heretofore been
treated for the want of proper facilities.
Immense bodies of low grade ore are to
he found in every mining camp in Mon
tana, the treatment of which will now be
possible.
Large quantities of coke is necessary
for smelling purposes, and no other class
of fuel will take its place. The coke
heretofore used by the smelters at Butte
and other portions of Montana, has been
brought from the coal fields of Pennsyl.
vania at great expense, the coke costing
the smelters at Butte from $22 t., S26 pei
ton, and it seems almost incredible that
it could he furnished at twice that price
or that the ores could be rich enough to
nav to purchase and Use it.
However. it is fact that large quaint.
ties of Pennsylvania coke has been used
and still is being used. This coke has
been furnished by the Union Pacific rail.
road company transported from Pittsburp
over no less than two railway lines be.
fore il reaches their own line at Omaha
a distance of $50 miles, thence oyer the
Union Pacific railroad from Omaha to
Ogden, 1,O3s miles, then transferred from
broad gauge to a narrow gauge, the
Utah 4 Northern, and transported to
Butte, distance of All miles, making 9
| total of 81 10 miles.
It is an open secret, however, that the
railroad company has never made any
money by furnishing coke even at these
prices, and have done so only to supply
their customers with what coke they
absolutely needed, until something else
could be done.
| Late last fall the attention of the
Union Pacific company was directed te
/ the coal fields of Bozeman. After careful
| investigation they entered into negotia
tions and finally purchased two of the
largest and most extensive producing