Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1887-1890, 1888-07-07

a sudden the work ceased, and not a few
I concluded that either the mines hat
played out or that the coal was Of sucl
inferior quality that it was not wortl
mining. One of the principal purpose!
Of our visit in connection with the Press
Association excursion was to settle il
our own minds the truth of the claims.
On Saturday night last small party
of us, including Addison Smith of Deer
dge, Matt Anderson of Bozeman, j. d.
Whelpley of Billings, and Railsback OF
Helena, under the able convoy Of Mr.
Robert Vaughn, well known to most of
our readers, made the visit to the mines
by carriage, the railroad being out of re-
pair somewhat. The road was somewhat
heavy from the recent rains, but when in
fair condition it is an easy two hours
drive from the city of Great Falls to the
mines. Deceived by the name, we had
expected to see and to traverse sandy
waste, but with the exception of few
acres close to the city, saw no sand at all,
but a fine valley, already occupied, and
to some extent cultivated, and all capa-
BILE Of cultivation.
We first visited the Humphrey mine,
which is owned by Messrs. Paris Gibson
and Robert Vaughn. The situation is
everything that can be desired for conve-
nient working. The coulee divides in the
upper portion. We took the left hand
fork in going up, while the railroad goes
up the right. II is not more than mile
or two from the mouth Of the junction
to the mouth of the mines on either fork,
and fine bottom at the point of division
has just been bought for the site of flu
ture mining city. The mine we first Wis
tied crops out of the bluff on the right
hand and about one hundred and feet
above the valley. Furnished with lamps
we entered the unpretentious, or rather
unpromising opening in the side of the
bluffs under a ledge of sandstone. We
were not at all prepared for what we saw,
but as we advanced we found we could
easily stand erect aud in places could
hardly touch the ceiling. 1t was good,
honest, glistening coal above, beneath and
on either hand. The coal vein seems to
be nearly horizontal. There is but little
water, and that could be drained off 50 as
to make the works perfectly dry. This
mine has not been opened or worked in
scientific style, but it shows an honest
face to the most inexperienced. 1t is all
good merchantable coal and has stood the |
test in large and small quantities in vari
Gus places and for various purposes. Ten
tons taken to Butte and used in the smell
ter gave better results than the Rock |
Springs coal of Wyoming.
As one advances along the tunnel and |
goes from chamber to chamber seeing |
nothing but coal on every hand the i'm
preston grows upon the mind in such II |
way that it can never be effaced. Seeing
Ind feeling create belief that doubt can
lot successfully assail.
The railroad company's works are upon
he same vein and are opened by straight
unnel 500 feet long with various side
hambers. This work has been done in
more scientific shape and shows mex
laustible supplies of an excellent quality
f coal. Instead Of being worked out
nd abandoned, the mines have only been
artially prospected. But the prospect is
ne that settles beyond all doubt and
uestion the sutficiency of the supply for
ears to come. IL
This coal held is a large one, covering
thousands of acres. 1t is so situated that
can be easily worked.
We have paid $12 ton for Wyoming {
GAL in Helena. A better article can be
upplled from Sand Coule for less than |
lird of that price.
Nothing that we have ever seen in t
1ontana has ever given us so much faith
i her great future as this visit to the {
oal fields. Great Falls, with its water
over sufficient to run all the machinery
! the country, may not need this coal for
nat purpose, but it shows the amplitude
t the resources with which not only that
ity, but the whole territory is endowed. .
he possession Of an abundant coal sup
ly that can be cheaply worked, settles
reat many things about our future. 1t I
lore intimately affects our railroad inter
SITS. With cheap coal for fuel our rail
Dad system will expand rapidly and
ates of transportation will be proportion
lily cheaper. Smelters can be worked at
ONE, and we shall not have to ship our .
res out of the country. II
Between our great water powers and 6
ur abundance of coal, Montana will be
ONE great manufacturing state some q
me in the near future. Our wool will {
e made into cloth and blankets. Our :
'on, copper, lead and other useful metals
ill be worked at home and fashioned in i.
, all the articles of commerce that the ,
ants of modern civilization demand, +,
e., p.