The Livingston enterprise., 1889-12-25
BEAR cuLck MINES.
The Rich Quartz AID l'1acs.r Deposits oT
tlaMe Daetrts,t.

The Ric1, Quartz ass<l l'1ac..r Deposits or
tlaae Da~&rtcs.
The mines Of this section were >discov-
cred, and the placers to some extent
practically worked, while they were all
still Il part of the Crow reservation
With the restoration in 1882 of this part
Of the reserve to the publicdomain both
prospecting and developing work were
begun in earnest. From that time to
the present day many new and promis-
ing mines have been discovered and
much work done with view to showing
the permanent character al the vein and
the true channel character of, the placers
until they are all in such condition that
it can positively be stated, not AS ques-
tion Of theory, but as a matter of fact,
that in this, comparatively speaking, Oh
scure and unknown portion Of our new
state is surely to be found in the near
future still another Of those great min
ing camps which have made Montana
the envy and wonder of all the mining
world
The quartz mines are invariably fissure
veins IN slate formation which rum
nearly northeast and southwest, with
greater or lesser dip to the east. The
veins are from six to fouTtapp feet ia
width. which as depth is attained show
no signs Of narrowing, but rather the re-
verse. The ore is practically gold-bear-
ing rock: that is, the silver contained is
not OF sufficient value to be OF CONNER
cial Importance. The average gold value
per ton varies as between different mines;
for instance the Legal Tender" will
average el6 pei ton and the stGraham''
ga. At present the ore is almost entire
ly free milling, but according to general
experience SO soon as permanent water
level is reached the ore may be expected
to become base. Thus far the Illegal
Tender" has the deepest shaft Goo ft.)
with no signs of water whatever. Owing
to the formation Of the country there is
good reason for believing that water level
will not be found much before the 500
foot level is reached. which, taken as even
approximately correct, will guarantee an
Immense amount OF free-milling ore be-
Efore the base proposition has to be con-
sidered. The principal and most prom
Using mines Of this vicinity are the Illegal
Tender" "Graham," "rip Top" "Moun-
tain Chief" and "Revenue." These mines
are all on what is called Mineral noun
tain, which Is low spur from the main
range, and lie SO close together that they
may properly be designated as q single
group. Lying just east Of Bear creek,
as they do, within less than 1000 yards
of proper mill site, with plenty Of water
power Tor milling purposes, timber
abundant and near, and but miles from
the railroad. these mines are most hap
ply situated for the cheapest kind of
handling.
Within few days past 1t has become
noised around that all the properties be-
fore mentioned, and perhaps others, have
been bonded to Major George o. Eaton;
Il it be true, as is understood, that the
bond runs for sufficient length Of time
to allow investors to examine, then in
deed we may feel assured that the long
hoped for dawn Of our golden day has at
last arrived
It is not in the least intended to con-
yey the idea that the mines named are
all in this vicinity which have present or
prospective value; such an inference
would not in the least be true, since in
the immediate vicinity Of Mineral noun
tain there are many very hopeful pros
poets. Even in q cursory reference to
the mines OF Bear Gulch, this article is
incomplete without some allusion to a
comparatively recent discovery called
the Empire State" This mine is stu
ated at the head of Pine creek, which ia
a tributary to Bear creek, and was found
and located about two years ago. 1t is
developed by an incline run down on the
foot wall of the vein to depth of sixty
fest, with a cross cut at the bottom to
strike the hanging wall. The vein is 16
feet in width, massive and compact, with
walls unhroken MAKING II ona IF thu