The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1884-01-02

| which for the greater part yet lie unde.
veloped to any considerable extent.
The Collar mine and mill deserve tho
| first place in any article devoted to the
mineral and developments Of
this promising camp. The mine shows
a remarkably large lead of silver bearino
free milling rock. TT has been developed
by a shaft and tunnel, with levels and
cross cuts, and all the developments
made so far go to show a permanent fs-
sure vein with large bodies of good ore.
Last summer a fine 20-stamp mill was
erected, at a cost of over 100000, and
commenced pounding away on their
rich silver rock on the 1st day Of Ncyem-
Der. The cold snap that came on the
last of the month unfortunately froze
up their fume which brought in water
to the works. This obliged the mill to
shut down after a short run. The value
of the bullion realized is not known, but
is understood to be quite satisfactory to
the officers and stock holders of the
company.
Ii NAOAACcIIo aItu oIO \IdCIIS lIIuGS
are owned by Hauser and Hotter, of
Helena, who nave had them well devel-
oped this last summer. The mines show
large bodies of very rich ore-the quartz
of the Montana mine running more to
silver and the Orc Cache to gold. A
Huntington oscillating mill, with two
stamps, was erected in 1882, and has
done good work in crushing ore, show
ing a capacity of over ten tons a day,
The appliances for saving the gold and
silver seems to be wanting, as in October
only "a per cent of the gold was saved,
over three-fourths of the precious metal
running into the tailings. Even with
this terrible wastage, the $50 tons of ore
crushed during the month gave $4,000
worth of bullion and a. net profit of
$1,000. One cal realize what the profits
would be if works were erected with a
capacity of 100 tons a day which would
save a decent percentage of the gold and
silver in the rich ore. Negotiations are
now pending for the sale of this property
to a wealthy English company for a
quarter Of a million dollars. IF this sale
is not contaminated the present owners
intend to put up extensive and suitable
machinery this coming summer, so that
the ore can be worked at a big profit to
the company.
Many of the mines and some of the
business portion of Maiden lie ON the
Fort Maginnis military reservation, but
without doubt the 48th congress, now in
session, will curtail the reservation so as
to leave the mountains and mines free
to the rustling prospector.
The Cone Butte district, only a few
miles from Maiden, shows large leads of
rich silver rock, which have been work
ed on a great deal this last ummer. The
owners Of the leads are confident they
have valuable claims which will realize
them a fortune at some future day.
The merchants and other business
men of Maiden feel assured of the future
of this promising camp, and have shown
their confidence by erecting good store
buildings and laying in big stocks of
goods. The Minerel Argus, published
at Maiden, is a live weekly newspaper
devoted to the mining interests Of the
camp and the stock and agricultural re-
sources of the surrounding country.
Though the youngest, it is one of the
spiciest papers in the territory, and has
the best wishes of the RIVER PRESS for
a long and prosperous existence.
Maiden is something less than ninety
miles from Fort Benton, and in conse-
quence of this being the natural supply
and shipping point for that camp, the
river metropolis is greatly interested in
their welfare and success. Benton has
always done a large business in selling
to the merchants, miners and ranchmen
of that section. Our old time business
men understand to a dot the wants Of
western people, and propose by low
prices and liberal treatment to merit the
patronage of Maiden and the surround
ing country.
Utah q Northern Extension.