The Bozeman weekly chronicle. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1883-1889, 1888-08-29
A GREAT MINING DISTRICT.
Silver Shower Hill and some Of its Mines
Described. VIII 80 many Mines are
Idle.-The Walker Garter Process
and the New Machinery des-
cribed.
RED BLUFF, Montana, August oath.

RED BLUFF, Montana, August 24th.
EDITOR CHRoNIcLE:--On the north side
of Hot Spring Creek and back of the
village of Red Bluff, Silver Shower Hill
rises prominent. The granite gneiss
before described, disappears and true
granite, porphyry and some slate prevail
as the country rock. Gold ceases to re.
present the principal value; silver being
largely in excess of that precious metal.
As far as examined the small value re-
presented by the gold seems to be in
alloy with the silver; the last named
noble metal being present as native sill
YER, sulphide of silver and chloride of
silver. The veins on this side have the
same general dip and strike of those on
the south side and owing to the lay of
the ground can be explored to consider
able depth at comparative small cost.
Among the many locations on this truly
named hill, the Zero mine owned by
Filing, Peel & Mckee is well worthy Of
attention. This lode is partially de-
veloped by three shafts, sunk on the in
cline of the vein, some 200 feet apart
and being respectively, 70, 60 and 10 feet
deep. The crevice is well defined in
each shalt and ore shows all the way
down. The lead al easily be traced on
the surface more than the 900 feet be-
tween these shafts. Ten tons Of ore
from this mine sampled and assayed $Ss
per ton. Some ore was tested in the
stamp mill and as was to be expected,
the results were not satisfactory. It is
claimed the pay streak will sample and
assay $43 per ton. The creyice is five
feet between walls with a pay streak two
and one-half feet wide. Water is not
likely to be encountered for several hum
dred feet and as the walls are strong and
firm but little timbering will he required
at first, hence this property can be de-
veloped at small expense with almost
certain results of a satisfactory character.
By continuing the shafts already men,
toned to u depth of 100 feet each and
connecting the same by drifts the on
tinuity OF the vein will be proved and
in all probability a good body of ore ex-
posed ready to break down and hoist to
the surface.
The Bismarck mine owned by several
parties whose names l could not correctly
ascertain has not much development ex-
cept in the way of stop gouging" produc-
ing some rs tons of ore, that yielded in
the stamp mill $40 per ton ; but a small
per cent of its actual value. The crevice
seems to be well defined as near az can
be judged from the imperfect develop.
ment, and I believe will open up we'll
when properly taken hold of. The claim
certainly shows good inducements for
the investment of capital.
The Topaz and Chessaning mines are
owned by James L. Minniss. The Topaz
mine has considerable development
showing large bodies of ore. There are
three incline shafts within a distance OF
100 feet on the surface, the deepest be-
ing 1888 feet. These shafts at least prove
the vein for that distance. A tunnel
down in the gulch near the northwest
end line is in 90 feet on the vein showing
ore. l estimate there is probably four
hundred tons of orc in different piles
that will sample and assay $50 per ton.
As now opened this lead can produce a
great deal of ore that will pay well with
some cheap system of reduction near by
making this a valuable, because product.
i've property.
The Silver King mine is owned b,
Filing, Hickman & Odds and is patented
The vein is exposed by a shaft on its in.
cline for 70 feet, showing a small streak
of very high grade ore, some of which
yielded S116 per ton by pan amalgama-
ton.
There are many mare claims or pros.
poets located on this hill In various
stages of development, which l shall
mention more particularly hereafter in
another article. The five claims men.
toned above may be taken as a fair
sample of the mines on "Silver Shower
Hill" and this portion of Lower Hot
spring District. 1t is a noticeable fact,
hat zone of these promising veins are
being worked to any extent, outside o.
the necessary yearly representing.
The miner has only two sources Of
revenue at this point, mi by shipment to
smelters either at Wickes, Toston, Butte
or Omaha and the other by treatment at
tue stamp mill. To realize from the first
mentioned source of revenue 1.-THE smell
ters) the ore shipped, as a rule, must be
worth $40 per ton to pay expenses Of
hauling to railroad. Railroad freight
and smelter charges for reduction. As
an ore carrying $40 per ton is in itself a
very good grade and but few "pay
streaks" in veins generally speaking,
will average that much, it is not to he
wondered at that 30 many promising
mines are not worked. The last source
of revenue mentioned (the stamp milI
Ia confined in Its operations to u class of
ores now nearly exhausted, namely free
milling or oxidized ores. Hence 1t will
be seen, that in order to make the mines
in this and other Districts adjacent pay,
a different system of ore reduction is an
absolute necessity, whereby ores worth
ten dollars per ton as a minimum can be