The semi-weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1890-1891, 1890-10-25
SWEET GRASS COUNTRY.
A Region Rich in Mineral, Only Await
ing the Miners Pick and Drill
to Yield up its Wealth.
Sl8 TO $40 NUGGETS TAKEN OUT.
Copper Deposits Which May Prove as
Rich as Those at
Butte.
A Large Deposit of Black, Green,
White and Variegated
Marble.

About 100 miles northerly from Great
Falls is located three groups of hills,
which are attracting considerable atten-
ton. The hills of each group form a
range extending from east to west, but
on the maps the three groups, called
buttes, are shown extending from south
west to northeast. The buttes are about
ten miles apart and the intei vening coun.
try is clothed with a heavy growth of
grass and affords rich ~pasturage for
stock. The three buttes are named re.
spectively the West, the Middle and the
East.
The higher slopes of all are covered
with a heavy growth Of timber, which
will! be valuable for mining purposes.
But little prospecting has been done on
the west butte and but little is known of
it. Game is more abundant here than en-
the other buttes, and blacktail deer, bear
and small game are plentiful.
In several places there are good indi-
cations of coal and a number of pieces of
coal lanu have been located. One claim
is owned by Bruce Tooie, u brother OF
Governor Toole. He proposes to develop
this claim during the winter and ascer-
tain definitely the extent of the vein and
quality of the coal. This coal bed is
thought to be a continuation of the Leth.
bridge vein and it is expected that much
of the country between Yirch creek and
Lethbridge is also underlaid with a large
bed of coal.
On the middle butte rich placer ground
has been worked and during the pas
summer several nuggets weighing from
1918 to $40 have been taken out. Blu
the drouth the past year has suspended
placer mining on account of the scarcity
of water. In former times a half breed
discovered rich placer ground from
which he took out a great deal of gold
But he kept the location Il profound Sc
cret and no n was ever able to find it
In 's2 he took a stock of provisions tt
the butte, but was frozen to death and hi.
secret persisted with him. Various par
ties have ~endeavored to find the lost mins
but so far without success. On this butte
there are two large |, ads of gold bearing
quartz n it Is from this source the per
manency OF the mining interest depends
They have not been developed, but the
indications are good and some fine spec
mems have been taken out. In the cas-
butte large deposits of marble have beer
discovered by Messrs. Lewis, Ol1nger ant
Mcfarland. These gentlemen have
been at work with a force of men al
summer and have demonstrated that tn.
marble is of excellent quality and ma,
be had in inexhaustible quantities. There
are four distinct kinds, black, white
green and v%ariegated. More prospecting
has been done on this butte than on botl
the other and several promising discov
cries have been made. Immense de.
posts OF copper ore have been discover
ed, some of which is low grade, while il
some a great deal OF wire silver il
present. Some of the copper ore from
the Brown Eyed Queen was shipped t.
Swansea, Wales, for reduction anc
netted the owners $2.47 per ton. Thu
Mountain Chief is the best developed
Sluiui LII liz Ills. vi bllS " SudIG MAJ
been sunk so feet and a cross-cut of a
feet has been made, but the walls have
not yet been discovered. This ore l low
grade copper, with some silver, and there
is such a vast amoun of it that the W
ers contemplate erecting a smelter o.
their own at Great Falls.
Large deposits of iron ore are alst
known to exist in this butte and lately
prOspectors have discovered leads of ga
lena and copper ore,
With the opening of sprinr much de
velopment work will be done in this
country, which promises to he one of the
best mineral regions in Montana.
While examining the Great Northern
extension President Hill took time to in
vestigate the claims here, stopping oveI
night at Dennis u WOODS. Mr.. Hill wa.
much pleased with the outlook here and
will no doubt take hold and help in the
development of this region.