The Philipsburg mail. [volume] (Philipsburg, Mont.) 1887-current, 1889-04-18

'aggregations' of ore irregular from and
underlined limits. The occurrence OF
numerous "faults' IN the mines of this
hill indicates the remarkable disturbed
condition Of the enclosing country. In
many instances the ledge, or chamber,
has dropped perpendicularly distance
Of IS feet, thus making the work of ex-
ploration most tedious and costly.
Of late years the company has per-
fected it's system of prospecting by in
PRODUCING the diamond dzal into it's
working plant. Through the medium
of this device the placement OF the hid
den deposits of Hope hill have been To-
Gated with an astounding exactness, and
the extent and character Of the bodies
encountered determined months in ad-
vance of exploitation.
The first claim located on the hill was
during the summer of 1866. At this
time Charley Frost, Dan and Sandy
Brown and Dan Chisholm located the
"tomanche" and the eastern Com
anche" claims. This was known then as
segregated ground; that is the Comanche
was 2,2Oo foot mining claim, subdivided
into eleven locations of 200 feet each. It
was the rule that the discover took dis
covery, and No. l, east or west, as his
inclination tended. After fully satisfy
ing his own demands the prospector
would let his friends in, those who were
present securing claims adjacent to dis
covery while absent ''pards" were re-
membered generally by more remote
locations. The writer of this article at
one time in '69 w:s the unfortunate
owner of hundred locations, officially
designated as mo. s." east or mo. s.
west, on some bonanza whose treasurers
had been uncapped by a wandering
friend, who, in an uncontrolled desire
to give something away, remembered his
friends in other camps by recording them
in.
The st. Louis and Montana mining
company, as the present company Was
then called, purchased several Of the
claim-owners out of the Comaac;le and
'67 commenced active development. The
mine was opened and mill construction
vigorously pushed. Philip Deidesheimer
afterwards famous in connection with
expert reports on the Comstoch) and
also as inventor of the present system of
underground timbering, was placed in
charge of the Montana department. This
gentleman broke ground for the present
mill; secured water rights and mil.site
privileges Of great value; cons rue ed
the present wagon road up Flint Greek
canyon and did many other things not
quite SO worthy ct record.
In the fall of 1867, Mr.. Diedesheimer
was superseded by Horace Countryman.
This gentleman presently resident near
Miles City in this territory was an ex-
ceptionally good millwright, though a
rather indifferent quartz miner. Under
the supervision of this officer the mill
was completed, the building VAS built
entirely of stone (remodelled in later
years. and constructed throughout in the
most massive and stable manner posi-
bic. The machinery was of the most
costly and modern character obta1nable,
and the cost Of it's transportation to this
country involved the outlay of an I'M
mense sum Of money. In fact the ex-
pense of bringing here by OK train and
steamboat the amount of material re-
quired equaled the sum Of fifty cents per
pound throughout, thus it will be seen
that silver mining III Montana, in the
sixties, was attended with difficulties un-
known to the mill builder of the present
day. As the process of reduction was of
the free milling class the mill was fitted
with six one ton iron pans and three
settlers. It had ten $50 lb. stamps, all
being driven by large Leavenworth
engine, steam furnished the same by Al
horse return fue boiler.
CONCLUDED NEXT WEEK.