The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1885-08-12
TIFF SWEET GRASS MINES.
n,,+te Still Excited Over the Late
Discoveries in This County.
1s,ners and Prospectors Going to the Hills
in Numbers-North Choteau
County in State of Ex-
cltement Over the
Report.

Report.
From time to time rumors have reached
tbis city of the discovery of placer mines
a. Choteau county but as it was supposed
thov were on the Indian reservation there
was an ndisposition on the part of many
n on there. Late news was TO the effect
that the few men VINO had located there
had been driven out but new movement
in that direction has been made. About 4
week ago Messrs. Lelande & Ayotte re-
coived letter from their friend and part
ner. J. v. Supernant, dated Fort Conrad,
Kinp's place. Marias, Choteau county, in
which Inc says: "Come, | have prospect,
and get here as quick as you can. Don't
forget to bring along my two sons and
other friends. / think [ have the best
raise in my hands that ever saw in any
country. Five hundred feet from the
discovery I sunk shaft twenty feet deep
and from eight feet deep down to bedrock
found from colors to S. per pan. We
the ravines and there is gold all over.
There are parties here who pack dirt on
their backs two and one-half and three
miles to water and make from $5 to $0 per
day. 1t would be good plan for you to
bring team of six or eight horses. The
timber is from eight to ten miles distant.
and the diggings are principally drifting
diggings. AS for water, there is good
head of sluce water up the main gulch."
Another letter received Saturday night,
which says: II have just seen the agent
of the Indians, and he orders us to leave
the reservation. The Indians are Assina-
BONES. The reason he gave is because
there is not enough miners in the gulch to
resist the Indians, but he thinks 1t will be
settled in a few days"
Last Wednesday night Mr.. Aylotte
started for the scene with twenty-five
men and, complete outfit of horses teams
and provisions, and Thursday night an
other party completely Quilted started in
charge of Allen 6 nger.-Butte Miner.
The mail carrier who arrived from Fort
Conrad day or two age reports having
met a party of fifteen men enroute to the
mines and says there is good deal excite
ment in that country over the discoveries.
It begins to look as il something big had
been found i'm che Sweet Grass and that in
time some rich placers will be developed
there. Rich silver bearing quartz is
known to abound in the hills and once
the reservation is opened the mining in
dustry will boom in Choteau county.
A gentleman who has claims in the
Sweet Grass hills informed our reporter
to-day that the spot where gold was first
discovered is most unpromising place to
look for the precious metal. 1t was on the
prairie, with no immediate Indication OF
the existence of gold--an old miner would
never have looked there with the expecta-
ton of finding even color. The claims
so far discovered are all shallow, with
good paw dirt. but there is no indication
that big diggings will be struck, although
pay can be taken out for long time yet.
lie regards the placers as good poor
mans diggings. The mountains have
notyet been thoroughly prospeeted, Dut
probably will be this fall. He regards
some of the eports that have gone OUT as
somewhat exaggerated; still, enough has
been found to create considerable excite
ment.
Two men from Butte outfitted at Ell. J.
Wackerlin & Co.'s to-day for the sweet