The Bozeman weekly chronicle. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1883-1889, 1885-10-07
f lead to a ton Of bullion.

| Idl1GOl Do uVHc.s 4uuS, uObWltl5IEAftlng
the extent and value of the district its
industry is at practical standstill; its
Developments retarded its investments
rendered almost non resultant eastern
| Montana deprived of opportunity to ad-
vance its wealth and population and
the energies and hopes of those who
have expended years of labor and enter
terprise and thousands of dollars, cast to
the ground.
In illustration of these facts the fol-
lowing comparison may be studied
! BY wagon transportation Silver being
worth in eastern markets, say, SOC. and
lead, say, 75c., aggregating 1925 per bull
lion tom S125 less BY WACO go miles to
railroad. S25; by rail on railroad now ex-
istlng to the east, $500 cost to mine
/ "a tons bullion to one of ore), and cost to
snelt, $500 total sllsO0 profit, say,
$500.
But against this apparent profit must
he considered the. great cost of getting
supplies and machinery to the mines,
which would be very materially reduced
by means Of railway transportation,
which would also reduce wages at least
81 90 per day per man.
By rail transportation Value per ton
as stated, $l25.00 less transportation to
the east, S23 cost to mine and smelt,
$500; total, $4,000; profit, say, $500.
AS the cost of fuel, ETC., would be re-
duced by rail facilities, corresponding
reduction would result to mining and
smelling. Thus, as shown, rail trans
portation would give profit at least five
times greater than can be secured under
the present condition of things, were it
possible to practically wagon such bulk
and quantity at all.
That we verify believe these mines
are of great value is not a question, the
years of holding, the Investment doubt
less of 81 100000, prove that we are act
ing upon solid belief and knowledge.
But though there are at least 10000 tons
of ore now upon the dumps as result |
merely of development, without present |
hope of market, and though many of
these mines stand idle with from 10 to |
80 tons on the dump land the owners
living almost in them to mold them), yet |
absence of railway transportation para
lyses every effort and leaves the locator
almost without hone
Yet, not only the mining interest suf- |
fers, and has suffered for years, by rea-
son of this state of things. We are far
from markets and are farmers are left |
with limited demand for what they |
raise We know that rail facilities
would largely, vastly increase the min
ing population Of said district, thereby |
adding so materially to the demand for
farm production that tho Yellowstone
and Gallatin valleys would be taxed to
supply the call. We, therefore, speak
not only for ourselves, as mine owners,
but for the farmers who have come here
to pioneer this frontier country.
The question as to the most available
route naturally, of course, demandssp
herein. OF all possible routes there are
but three. One by way of the Boulder
is from 1l0to 120 miles in length, but it
is impracticable and so difficult that its
expense would deter the most venture
some, and it is not known who would
think even of estimating upon it,
That from Billings, NJ T., is not, it
may be, impossible, but it's length is
from 135 to l45 miles over terrible
country. Its construction would cost, it
must be, $4,OOO,00C to S5,00OOO0, and we
refer with confidence to the report of
General Anderson, as chief engineer of
the Northern Pacific railroad. upon the
subject. Who would build this road is
not known-it occupies a like position
with the Boulder route first mentioned
and, with it, is out of the question.
Lastly, the Yellowstone route, that
herein, is the only practicable,
one. From the end of the
mentioned park branch of the N. P. R.
R. is but (from Cinnabar. its present
termus) SIS miles. The road would run
thence up the Yellowstone river to its
east fork and up the latter and Soda
Butte creek to Cooke City, located with
in said district, now public land.
Reliable estimates place its cost of con-
and equipment at ST. 100000
at the outside. Compared with the other
two routes mentioned its length is less
than halfand its cost one fifth, while as
to availability the said report of General
Anderson is referred to as settling the
question, and it must be evident that in
a mountainous country, such as this is,
the sensible, available route for rail-
way must necessarily be via the water
courses at the head whereof las in this
easel the point to be reached is situate.
Attention is asked for the suggestive
and important fact, that during the en-
tire period Of occupation of this district,
Notwithstanding persistent efforts other
wise, the only wagon route established is
that by way of the very course laid down
herein as the Yellowstone route" Ex-
periments otherwise have proven fail
ures. From the point Of practical en-
trance into the district Of the Billings
route, it would be almost if not absolute
ly impossible to reach the main mining
ground. and we especially court investi-
CATION of the statements herein made
upon this point Of route.
In all this matter we assert that we
seek but way in and out--no plan by
which to secure land or coal or timber,
or anything else, from the park, is con-
cealed In this matter We are not seek
ing the rutting down Of the Park we
are not making any raid against or upon
that reservation We but ask and desire
the right to construct and operate a rail-
road from Ginnabar TO the Clark's Fork
~ &s1f~n 1nf&fam /