Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1886-12-01
BLUE BIRD MILL.
. Magnificent Enterprise and Acme
Of Mill Building.

In response to special invitation givel
by Mr.. Ferdinand Van Zandt, president O
the Blue Bird Mining Company, quite
number Of the more prominent mining me,
OF Butte and vicinity visited the magnif
cent mill Of the company near Rocker yes
terday. Among those present were Hon
H. R. Wolcott, OF Denver, Col; Messrs. w
A. Clark, R. D. Leggat, P. A. Largey, Johl
A. Leggat, R. B. Wallace, H. Williams, Col
Estes, NJ. B. Brownlee, w. L. Hoge, Col. J
B. Read, of the Inter Mountain; Sally
Raunheim and J. E. Gaylord. A number
of others was present whose names wer,
not learned!byTHE MINER reporter.
President Van Zandt, General Manage,
Booream, Superintendent of CONSTRUCTION
Grant and Mr.. Fleming, Hospitality received
the visitors as they arrived and conducted
them through the magnificent plant. Just
here we will state that the immensity o.
the works, the great mass Of machinery
employed to operate them, and the various
processes through which the ore passes be.
fore it reaches the moulds in the form O
bullion, precludes the possibility OF giving a
minute description OF this mastery output
of mechanical skill and acme of mill build
ing.
The works w something over an acre
of ground and were built at a cost of about
$500 ,O0O. They are situated half a mile
below the mine, on a steep declivity or
bluff, on the right bank OF Silver Bow
creek. The ore is conducted from the mine
to the mill on a tramway by force of grav-
~itation, no motive power being employed
except to return the empty cars.
The mill is a dry crusher-that is the ore
is reduced to a fine pulp in a dry state, no
water being used in the batteries. Sixty
stamps are dropping on ore and ten on
salt, making seventy stamps in all. Twen-
ty-six pans and thirteen settlers are en-
ployed. A 4OO-horse power Corliss COM
pound engine moves the vast machinery
with the precision and steadiness of clock
work, scarcely a jar being perceptible in
any portion of the immense building except
in the immediate vicinity of the batteries.
In the construction OF the plant advantage
was taken Of the latest Improvement in
mining machinery and it's working, hence
the Blue Bird mill is not only the largest
in the world, but stands as a
model of completeness in details and of
economy of working. The present capac-
ity OF the mill is ninety tons per day which
will be increasen to 100 as soon as the
is taken off the shoes, dies and
batteries.
A machine shop, blacksmith shop and
carpenter shop occupy a roomy building
apart from the plant, where fine work un.
der skillful hands is being daily turned out.
an apartment OF this building electricity
is generated for the lighting up OF the entire
works at night. The retort house is q few
rods distant, where the furnaces are in
of construction. The company will
shipping bullion in about ten
Wood, coal, salt, and other mill supplies
Are brought to the doors of the great
.olks by a track from the main line OF the
Union Railway, two or three
hundred yards distant. All the buildings
Ire thoroughly painted On the outside,
Ind the woodwork inside bears evidence of
the same care. Everything in and about
the works shows order aud strength in ar
and mastery workmanship in
The whole reflect great
credit upon MI. Grant, the building su-
Nearly two hours were spent by the visi-
;ors in examining the works, when, at the
of President Van Zandt, they
'epaired to the company's office midway
the mill and mine where toasts
drank, in generous wine, to the health
the gentlemanly proprietors and to the
uccess OF their great enterprise, after |
1hich the party broke up and each wendell
lis way h~omeward, fully impressed with
he Importance OF this great factor in de- |
the immense of peerless
lutte.