The Bozeman weekly chronicle., 1888-05-30
COOKE CITY.
Its Resources and Natural Advantages.
Also its Drawbacks and What it Needs.

Cooke Cry, May 2I.-[Special cor
respondencc. IA side view of the camp
presents one forcibly with the idea that
G,ldsmith's Deserted Village" can be
wildly impressed upon the MINI.
No one would have thought in 1882,
when the "New World mining district"
was thrown off the reservation, that the
camp in 1883 would still lie in dor
mant state. From one year to the other
expectations have blossomed forth for
tye coming "spring boom," and to-day
size stands no further advanced as min
ing camp than in 1882. But, we
add, its mines are more developed than
at the earlier date. 1t is an undoubted
question that its
RESOURCES
are vast in mineral wealth. Millions of
tons of both high and low grade ores lie
buried beneath the high mountains.
awaiting capital, and, mostly, cheap
transportation to develop one of the
richest mining camps in Montana.
With the naked eye, groupings can be
traced for miles. The surface indica-
tions are the best i'll any camp in Mon
tana. This opinion has been expressed
by the best experts who have visited
this camp. Thousands of tons of ore
now lie upon the dumps. and il is no
exaggeration to say that the camp con-
tains mountains Of ore. The average
assay value of this ore is $35 per ton,
and in some instances runs up in the
thousands.
ITS ADVANTAGES
as mining camp, both in the workings
and lay of the country, give lis every
reason to expect that, in time, the
mines can be worked with less machin-
cry and tramways than most of our
noted mining camps. The town of Cooke
is situated in the very heart of this min
ing region. Good wagon roads are a
good feature to tie best mines. Our
best advantage is having carbonate ores,
of which Milled Mountain has produced
thousands of tons. This ore is neces-
sary to mix with base ores, in order to
smelt, being of a lead nature, and easily
run through.
People often wonder why a mining
region, claimed as this has been, does
not come to the front.
Let us say in answer, that there is no
railroad nearer than go miles, and that
is at Cinnabar and the wagon road to
that point is 80 rugged as to be almost
impossible to freight traffic.
ITS DRAWBACKS
are not alone in this case. Coke has to
be shipped in here to reduce the ores.
The coke is shipped from the East. at
an enormous expense. The cost alone
from Cinnabar to Cooke is SIS per ton.
Consider the additional freight from the
East to Cinnabar, and add the same back
freight on bullion, and an additional
cost at the refinery works at Omaha, and
it can be readily seen why we have not
progressed further.
IN 1885, twenty-four cars of bullion
were shipped from here. This was done
to show the outside public that we
could produce bullion, had we cheap
transportation. But by the time coke
had to be shipped in here and the bull
lion freight added, it left no margin for
the operators. They came to the con-
clusion that it was big interest on their
money to leave the ores on the dumps
until railroad is built.
WHAT WE NEED
is railroad. This is the cry of the
people. Give US cheap transportation
and we will rank among the foremost
camps. We wave our banner to mines,
mines, mines, waving upon head; to
mines We wave, and to discovery and to
mines we will wave, and future great
ness. With the advent of the Rocky
Fork railroad, our future is assured.
The expensive transportation will be
done away with, capitalists will seek
investment where it is an assured fact of
railroad, and Cooke will take head
seat among the greatest mining camps
of the world.
GEO. JOSEPH,