The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1889-07-13
MINING CAMPS.
Castle. Robinson and Maiden--Their
Prospects for the Future and
What They Need.
Each Town CIamoring for Railway
FacIlities-Mining Men Are Not
Alone in the Appeal.
Castle H. Having n Forty Thousand Dol
lar W ater Plant COnstructed-A
Bonanza for Maiden.

| me castle mountains are really noun
tAins of ore and a great deal Of work has
been done, remarked q gentleman from
that camp yesterday. "The Cumberland
mine, the most important of the camp" he
continued, sis being developed, and the
| Yellowstone, next in prominence, owned
| by the Hensley Bros, is producing fifty
tons of ore daily This mine Is the main pro
wider for the Cumberland smelter, which is
running 10 its fun capacity, its weekly out
put being about two carloads of silver-lead
bullion. The only drawback in this prom
ising place is the matter of transportation
facilities. AT present all the freighting is
| done by teAmsters, who exact 81 per hun
| dred for all the ore. bullion, supplies and
merchandise hauled by them. Castle is
about ninety-fve miles from the railroad.
and is situated in the center OF a large ana
prosperous cattle and farming country
and these of themselves are Of sufficient
extent 70 support railroad, while the
mining industry, yet IN its infancy, would
furnish handsome business for a rail-
road. The advent of the iron horse and
consequent reduced freight rates are
anxiOusly awaited by the people of Castle
Bnd the Farmers In the surrounding fertile
region. Until the ties OF a railroad are
within view of Castle mountain the possi-
Oilities OF the camp as a mineral producer
Will not be known, although to-day it bears
every Indication of being the equal of the
great camp in the Summit valley and Inde-
peDdence mining districts of Butte Por-
ply ry and lime constitute the formation of
Castle mountain, which is well supplied
with timber, wood and water. The place
is bound 70 come To the front and will at
tain prominence as an ore producer, but
this time Will arrive much sooner should a
railroad be built in there. The business OF
Castle from commercial standpoint is no
a Tar for afd II
last year in this channel amounted to son
900. The place is well supplied with ali
branches of trade that are demanded by
a thrifty set of Inhabitants.
AN enterprise of much importance TO
Castle is now under way. This is the CON
structlOn OF complete system of water
works The promoter Is DIR. CanDey. who
recently sold an interest in a mine az Castle
for $4,000. He is doing the work, having
secured portion OF the capital necessary
from California The water is To be st-
cured from large spring in the mountains.
four miles south west of the town. The
Mork Will involve an expenditure of S40,-
100, and surveyors are now at work Iocat- |
ing the route for the pipe.
w lille the average crop in Montana is |
far below what the yield was expected 10 |
De, thH farms surrounding Castle are an
exception 70 the rule, the crops there being /
the best IN the territory. nOtwith standing
the prevailing drouth. The farmers are /
consequently well pleased, and all are pros |
porous.
"Meagher county has about 275. 600 head
OF sheep and the clip this season has aver
aged about six pounds, leaving the pro-
duct about l,650,OO0 pounds. Montana |
wool is bringing good figures this year,
and the profits from this Industry will be /
very large in consequence The cattle and /
horse industry Is mixed in Meagher county /
and the hills being well clothed with grass |
the outlook is very favorable for a good /
winter, althOugh the hay crop is somewhat 4
short
'The camp of Robinson, ,situated three /
and half miles west of Castle gives EN-
plpynent 70 about 2OO men, mostly pros /
pectOrS, however. The town has about i
900 inhabitants and has prOspeets equally |
as bright as Castle.
sin going TO Maiden, MeAeher county.
the unsOphistieated traveller naturally an |
ticipates seeing a town as fair and beautf-
ful as the name would indicate, but in this /
he would be disappointed. Maiden is an /
ordinary, everyday mining camp, located i
on the side of slOping hill, between two
great mountains. Its principal mines are /
tue Spotted Horse aud Maginnis. UpOn /
the latter work has been suspended but i
these properties have been consolidated /
with the Spotted Horse group. The Spotted
horse Is a spokane as gold producer.
In this mine 10 men are employed ana
they are engaged in lifting out ore which /
Keeps twenty stamps pounding steadily /
day and night The ore averages 500 and |
sow TOD. IL Is hauled 10 the two mills,
the Spotted Horse and Msginnis, ten
stamps each, by ten siX-hOrse teams, haul
lOg all told about thirty tons every twenty
Tour hours. The Spotted Horse company |
furnishes employment 10 nearly 800 men.
The Northern Pacific mine, about mile |
from Maiden, owned by Anderson Rhodes,
gives prum1se of being a bonanza. IL is
developed by a 460-fOOt tunnel and a 1876
foot shaft The Northern Pacific Is a
silver proposition, and during the develop
meDt nearly loo tons of ore have been ex-
tracted, which, according 10 assays, shows
an average value OF SO per ton.
Maiden Is also anxious for a railroad. IL
Is lOO miles 70 the nearest railway station.
and is one of the best towns in Montana
from business standpoint"