The Philipsburg mail. [volume] (Philipsburg, Mont.) 1887-current, 1889-04-25
AMONG THE LEDGES.
A HISTORY OF THE HOPE MIN.
ING COMPANY.
The Granite Mountain Output In
Operattons-DOra ThOrne-Etc.


lCONTINUED FROM LAST WEEK.
While the management of Country
man, so far as mill working was concern
ed, was probably satisfactory to those
interested, the same could not be sale
with regard to his handling of the mine
It is safe to say however that he wa.
much better than many Of those who
afterward filled his position, and in the
light Of subsequent events his mining
was probably superior to any done else
where in the territory. During this
time the mill crushed ores from the
Comanche. After an incumbency OF
about eight months Countryman was
relieved, and the cares and tribulations
of the Montana management fell upon
the shoulders of Fred Kennett.
What this gentleman knew of silver
mining or reduction, the historian saith
not, nor has it passed to posterity that
he claimed to know anything about it.
Suffice it TO say that he was an exceed
ingly agreeable and pleasant gentleman,
the monotony of whose stay in the
solitudes of this district was never
broken into but once, and then Holland
and Estill rudely disturbed his slumbers
by light run on "Snoozer" ore. The
sojourn of this officer was characterized
by mastery display Of inactivity on the
part OF the company so far as regarded
the working or development of it's
Montana possessions, and if the oldest
is to be believed, the general
manager often relieved the tedium of a
waiting hour by chasing the nimble
trout over the gravelly bars of Flint,
or in selecting with the carefulness of a
those succ1llent punches of
pig weed SO necessary to the successful
of life in the camp during
those days. Mr.. Kennett is now an es-
teemed resident of Missoula, in this ter
ritory, and doubtless remembers with
emotions of pleasurable delight many
pleasant days spent in the "log town.
On e amp Creek"
In the order of succession MI. Joseph
Alger succeeded Mr.. Kenneth, and under
his wise and intelligent administration
The mine and mill slumbered away in
peaceful quietude. The terrific labors
If this gentleman in trying to find
to do, in devising some way
@ earn his salary, so effected his health
always very dellcate) that he voluntarily
.bdicated from managerial honors, and
spent the early summer of '72 in
catching and devouring large guam
Quantities of fish, snaked from the
crystal depths of Fred Burr, or in
over the unduiating surface of
he Schenepel rancho to some sequester-
ID spot where, under the umbragious
oliage of the leafy skunk grass and
willow, dead loads of lambs quarter
waited his nervy grasp.
The successor of Alger was the I'M
ortunate McArdle. This gentleman
after assuming control
vigorously commenced development on
he hill. 1t should be stated here that
n the summer of 81 the Hope mine
vas discovered by James Stuart Zone of
he three brothers of that name who dis
covered the first gold in the territory, at
3old Creek in this county, and shortly
hereafter passed, by purchase, into the
possession Of the Company. John
Jlery, our we'll known prospector, was
nade foreman of the mine, the mill was
tarted up and work in every depart
aent satisfactorily progressed. The
utlook for the future of the corporation
1as indeed favorable. Under the
uidance of McArdle affairs proceeded
moothly for a period of six months,
nd the severance of his official labors
18th the company was the result of un-
>rseen causes. About this time Addi-
IN Smith, then representing the
Independent published, I think, at
'eer Lodge City made one of his GUS
,mary visits to this section, and while
,gaged in looking up delinquent sub
;ribers ran across and accepted the
of McArdle. McArdle.
bile conveying Smith around conclude d
show him the Trout mine, not par
cularly to satisfy his visitor that It was
orth seeing for what ore it might have
sight, but rather to convince him that
was a much overrated property, and
at Cole Saunders was diligently trying
unload it upon some one. Arriving
the Trout incline, by the way most
lianous piece of work, the guide and
s guest Int their candles and slowy
oped their way down the treacher ,us
lit. Every step had to be carefully
ken, the inclination being at an angle
about As degrees, and as the men felt
cir way along nothing barred their :
ogress save now and then a broken .
nber or pile of leosened rock. The :
bird light Of their taliow dips threw :
t in bold relief the giant forms of the -,
3eous fungi that, gathering to them !;
YES unearthly resemblances, hung =
IN the rotten timbers and sway
, to and fro. in the strong current,
emed to threateningly warn the in :
lders to come no further. At the foot =