The tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1890-1890, 1890-03-19

Important Opinion by Hon. X. W. Ray
mond of New York.

Hon. r. w. Raymond, the eminen
metallurgist and editor of the Engineer
ing and Mining Journal of New York
best authority on mining nterests-ha
sent the following able and interesting
letter to Mr.. II. o. Chowen. The higt
opinion which Prof. Raymond expresses
of the Belt mountains mines and of the
a%daptability of Great Falls for extensive
smelling operations will be appreciated
highly here:
NEW YORK, March 10, 1890.
Ii. o. CHOwEN, Great Falls, Montana
Dear Sir: Your favor of March 9Th finds
me SO overwhelmed with pressing duties
anu engagements that | cannot safely un
dertake additional labor of any kind a,
present.
Moreover, my personal knowledge of
the region referred to, being confined to
a hasty inspection of the Neihart and
Barker districts only, is not such as to
qualify me to do justice to the metalli-
ferrous deposits which cover a much
larger area than is included in these two
districts. Putting together what | have
seen and what | have heard from intelli.
gent observers. [ have been led to the
conclusion that in these mountains, and
in the rocks upon their t1auks, there are
numerous, extensive and valuable depos-
its of silver and lead ores, destined to be-
come, as fast as the facilities of t~ranspor-
tation are extended to them, the sources
of q large ore-supply.
The NeiharG district presents a large
number of veins carrying rich silver ores,
associated with iron and manganese in
such a way as to render them specially
desirable for smelling mixtures. AS
might be naturally expected, this district
shows at present the most active devel-
opment. But | was personally still more
impressed with the great area, of which
the Barker district forms but a small part,
and throughout which the geological con-
ditions favor, and scattered explorations
actually demonstrate, the occurrence of
argentiferous lead %carbonates and galenas,
such as has made the prosperity of Lead
vile, in Colorado. 1t is true that no bon
anzas of as high grade in silver as the
richest of Leadville have yet been expos
ed in this region; but, on the other hand
while single fortunes have been realized
from the Leadyille' %bonanzas, it has been,
and is today, the vast production of ores
of lower grade, containing the lead de-
sired as a smelling basis, which has sup
ported the population and built up the
trade of that city and district. A very
rich silver mine is undoubtedly a good
thing to own, but its direct benefit to the
community depends on the use the own
ers make of their profits. Too often such
mines serve to maintain %sxtravagant rates
for labor, and what is recklessly expend-
ed in that waysgoes largely, us easily as it
came, in gambling, drinking and general
dissipation, while the more sober and
healthy development of the district is
really retarded and the net profits of a
few lucky operators are carried else
where.
Indirectly, however, these brilliant sue
cesses stimulate enterprise and lead to
the discovery of numerous mines, which
will, in due time, be worked in more
economical fashion, employing larger
numbers, and permanently building up
the prosperity of the whole commu-
nifty.
1t is very difficult to estimate the value
or predict the future of single mines, es-
pecially when they have been but little
developed by actual deep working. AT.
ter an active practice of nearly thirty
years | am far less confident of my opin-
ion concerning a given mine than I was
at the beginning. But l feel much bet.
ter able to judge of the probable future
of a whole district; and while l have no
doubt that rich bonanZas will be discov-
cred by lucky miners in Neihart and
Barker, l attach greater importance from
my standpoint or yours to the evidence
that whether this Or that mine produces
largely the aggregate product will be
very large for many years.
In speaking of your standpoint ] mean
the business which your constituency
may expect from this region, which is
certain to be tributary to Great Falls. OF
my standpoint l speak as a stakeholder
and director of the Montana Smelling
company. In selecting the location of
the works of that company my associates
were decisively% influenced by the pros
pective ore supply from the Little Belt
mountains. 1t is no secret that, while
waiting for the completion of the neces-
sary railroad connections we have brought
ores from other districts, often purchased
under sharp competition and at serious
loss. Shelters must do this sometimes
rather than stand still. But the works
at Great Falls were not built primarily TO
fight for ores at long range. They were
built to receive and treat the ores of the
Little Belt mounta' MS, and the expecta-
ton which justified their erection for this
purpose is better founded today than ev-
err. I'm quite confident that the supply
from that region will soon equal and Ill
timately far exceed,the present capacity of
the works.
You are quite at liberty to make what
use you please of this expression of my
individal opinion. Yours truly,