Great Falls tribune., 1889-12-28
MILLIONS IN 1T,


Especial Correspondence of the Tribunel
Forty y-eight miles from Great Falls anG
at the base of the Belt mountains, at the
head Of Little Otter creek, is located the
only gypsum beds now found in Mon
tana and which will in the near future
prove valuable like the lead and silver
mines of the Belt range. Gypsum is a
soft white stone, much resembling rotten
marble. 1t is classed as mineral and is
scientifically called sulphate Of lime 1t is
found in France, in Canada and in the
the United States in great quantities
though it was first used at Paris, where
after it had been ground and roasted it
made plaster called plaster Of Paris.
No better plaster has ever been found.
Mills for its manufacture were next
built at Paris, in Canada, and later in the
United States. Perhaps the largest woks
are those located at Fort Dodge, Iowa,
where thousands Of tons are turned out
annually.
The demand for plaster of Paris, or, as
it is more commonly called, stucco, has
become SO great in the last few years that
stucco mills may be found in nearly all
the states and territories where gypsum
is found Last year several mills were
built in Colorado, New Mexico and Wyo-
ming, and no less than five mills are IN
operation in the Black Hills.
1t is to be hoped that Montana will not
be behind long in this most valuable en-
terprise Most people suppose that plas
ter of Paris, or stucco, is used only to
make plaster casts for ornamenting brack
cts, but far from it. 1t Is now coming
into request for more useful purposes and
that is for plastering our houses.
stucco wall will not crack. A chair OF
any piece of furniture can be placed
against it without causing the lath, like a
grinning skeleton, to peek out at you. To
make stucco plaster, 100pounds Of stucco,
100 pounds of sand and one of glue are
mixed. These form plaster, when dry,
that will resist the full blow Of ham
mer. Everyone knows the hardness of
plaster cast. Mix it half with sand and
its hardness is quadrupled. That is the
kind of plaster to put on house. The
only objection people will say is the
pricce-tiat it will cost too much. Let US
see what it will cost One hundred
pouHN5 vi obuSSo w III oplVuNt ihtlSH
plaster as 100 pounds of lime This
quantity of lime would cost in Great
Falls at the least 81 a hundred, and per-
haps $1.25. | doubt if there be city or
town in Montana where lime sells for
less than $15 per ton, and it is sometimes
as high as $50. Stucco can be manu-
factured at the Merritt gypsum beds,
which are located near Kibby, and shipped
pfo,, for G0k n ton II
can be delivered in Great Falls with good
profit to the manufacturer at $15 per ton.
All this is due to the facilities which the
new Belt mountains railroad provide.
The beds are within five miles Of depot.
GOOD QUALITY.
The gypsum beds at Kibbey owned by
The Merritt brothers of Barker, is pure
pearley white, and of a superior quality
for plaster and alabastine. The manu-
facture of stucco from the native rock is
both cheap and simple. The gypsum
mill complete with capacity Of seven
tons daily costs in all about $4,000. The
rock is taken from the mine and first run
through crusher, breaking it up into
fragments not larger than marbles. 1t
hen passes into set of burrs, where it
s ground to powder. Then it passes into
rooster, where it is roasted until the
water of crystalizatlon is evaporated
when it is sacked and is ready for com
nerce. The cost of manufacturing is
bout three dollars per ton. In making
the gypsum is taken from the
,urrs and run through a roller process
The water of crystalization is evaporated |
With chemicals and the powder is dyed.
The calcimines with which we beautify
,ur walls are thus produced at cost of
ents per pound, or $40 per ton. They
ell for $50 per ton.
No better paying enterprise could be
leslred. Some enterprising citizens in
Great Falls should form company to
levelop these gypsum beds and manufac-
ure the products referred to.
M. E. RITT.
P.DvEp Dao o2 1890