Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1887-1890, 1888-05-16
SILVER AND LEAD.
THE WOLF CREEK MINING DISTRICT
Observation-Disclosures MINES
THEREIN.
The Sir Walter Scott Shows a Large Lode
OF Rich Ore-The NIOrston T. Wood
hurst Affords Promise of
Great PrOductiveness.


districts in the Belt mountain range there
is one which from information recently
obtained bids fair to eclipse all the others.
Reference has seldom been made to it,
owing to the fact that it was difficult to
procure information concerning the pros
poets, developments and general outlook
Of the district, the parties most directly
interested, for their own good reason, not
| deeming it advisable to communicate or
publish anything that would tend to create
mining excitement in the district. We re-
fer to the Wolf Creek mining district, sit
uated about 60 miles southeast of Great
Falls in Fergus county, at the head of
Running Wolf creek, a large stream,
which has it's source in the Belt noun
tains, and flowing down wide and grad
ually sloping canyon through the west
portion of Judith Basin, emptirs into the
Judith river. The district was organized
some five or six years ago, the first loca-
tions being the Sir Walter Scott and the
Mystery, lodes situated on the west side
of the creek and at a considerable eleva-
ton above the level of the canyon.
The extremely rich and beautiful sam
pies Of ore from the groupings, assaying
from 500 to 1900 ounces per ton in silver,
Immediately attracted the attention Of
every one interested in mining in this
section, among others Mr.. Paris Gibson,
who secured large interest in the prop
erty, although complete title to all the
ground and a United States patent was
not obtained until recently. The two
claims mentioned contain 5000 linear
feet by 600 feet in width. Development
work has been quietly going on for the
past year. The vein has been opened at
three different points by shafts, and
from 30 to so feet in depth, along the
trend or course of the lead, proving the
same to be continuous for at least a dis
tance of 400 feet, and disclosing defined
vein from one to three feet in width, all
good ore, and a portion of it Of very
high grade, consisting principally of the
carbonates and chloride of silver. Work
is now being vigorously prosecuted uron
the mine, and when sufficiently devel-
| oped it is proposed to build track or
tramway, to be run by gravity from the
mine to the canyon-a very convenient
and inexpensive method of transporting
ores from high elevations.
| M- ANOTHER RICH MINE
About a mile east of the Sir Walter
Scott mine and on the opposite side Of the
main canyon there was discovered and To-
Gated last summer, under the name of
Morston Il Woodhurst, one of the most re-
markable lead-silver mines ever found
in Montana, Nnd though sufficient work
has not yet been done to prove the extent
and value of the same, the fact that after
five months work with only two men, over
$50 tons of of silver-lead ore (assaying
from 80 to 1876 ounces silver and 70 to so
per cent lead) have been extracted and
piled upon the dump, will convey some
| idea to the experienced miner as to its
probable value. The character of the ore
is chiefly sulphide (galena) and carbonate
of lead, containing only very small per-
centage (and in some cases being entirely
| free) Of all rebellious or refractory ele
ments. As a smelling ore it cannot be
excelled.
DEVELOPMENT WORK. -..
A tunnel has been run on the vein a
distance OF rs feet, with ore all the way
This, together with surface developments
by open cuts and shafts, shows a continu-
GUS ore body, IN places, for distance of
several hundred feet. The mine is very
favorably located, being easy Of access,
surrounded by an abundance Of wood and
timber, with large and permanent stream
of water close by. This property is owned
by Messrs. Gibson and Vaughn and is be-
ing steadily worked. There are many
other very promising locations in the dis
trict, which will no doubt develop into
valuable mines among which may be
mentioned the Reid, Oxide, the Running
Wolf and others. Were these mines To-
Gated uear some great mining center like
Butte, Helena, Denver or Salt Lake City, |
they would Immediately attract the atten-
ton of mining men and capitalists seek
ing investments; but in few months the
Montana Central will penetrate the eX-
tensive and fertile valley of the judith,
branch roads will be built to the different
mining camps, and among all the ore
producing districts in the rich Belt ran ge
Wolf creek district will stand among the
very best. s-...--
The Mississippi on Burst.
Sr LOUIS MAY 1h,-The river is stead