Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1890-01-02
THE MINES OF NErHARr.
The Coming Of the Railroad Gives New Life
to the Camp.

NEIHART, Mont, Dec. 10.
EDIroRs Argus: Since the Maitoba has
commenced work on the Great Falls n Nei-
hart branch Of the railroad new life has
sprung up in our midst. There is now u
fine chance for those who have stuck So
hard for the last four, five six or seven
years to get a start in life, to leave camp.
il they feel disposed, with "a small fortune.
The building that is steadily going ON indi-
Gates that there are great many looking
for a pretty lively time next season. For
the last few weeks everyth denotes that
our camp is bound to come out before long.
OF course, il the work had been started two
months ca rlier, there is no doubt in my
mind we w"uld have $500 people in camp
this winter. ! would not have your read
ers understa nd that Neihart is dull by any
means. We have several hundred strangers
among us. and work steadily goes ON in
some of the mines. The Moulton mine.
bonded and worked by Great Falls parties
and some of the principal men of the Gran
ite Mountain Mining company, keeps stead
lily at work. Their payroll amounts to
about 81 200 ar 81 800 per month. The
owner Of this property, "A few months be-
fore they struck the pay chute, was some
what discouraged, us all prospectors are
at times when their money runs short and
was willing to take any price and get out
and, il | am not mistaken. 5000 was all he
wanted. A few months. or | should say
weeks, his property was bonded for S5o.-
900 after he had struck the pay streak
shipping five tens OF ore which netted s. 900.
This property has about SJO,0oo worth of
ore already taken from the mine during the
course of development, and, | dare say,
could not he bought for S20O,oOO, and yet
sold out for $500.
The Queen of the Hills expects to do con-
siderable work in the way of running IA
new tunnel this coming winter The mine
is already well developed. and was one of
the first located in the camp. The eConra.ls
of Fort Benton and Larry Neihar., after
whom the camp is named, are the principal
owners.
The Monarch Mining company is also "a
promising property and works II large force
of men. Their payroll must be about
81 900 or 81 200 per month This prop
erty is very promising and with develop
ment will be one of the main ore producers
Of the camp. There is streak of ore that
nets the company S75 per sack. Your
readers will understand that u sack of this
ore is about 100 pounds. This propertyis
developed by "A iO0-foot tunnel.
The Hudson Mining company is running
a very long tunnel to tap the main lead,
called Mountain Chief. This tunnel is
variously estimated in length, but believe
the superintendent is credited with saying
there would he about $500 feet of tun-
neling, which ! am inclined to believe is
overestimatcd by GOO or 500 feet. Never
theless. it is a piece of work of great mag
nitude. The payroll of this company is
about $500 or 81 900 per month.
The I. Y. l.. is also worked by small
crew OF men, showing pretty well with de-
velopment. This supposed teb prom
Using property, and the ore is very easily
handled as il is of n milling character. The
Dakota is also great mine of the camp,
and is rumored To ha We been sold or bonded,
cannot say positively which, for 5000
600. ! could mention many promising
properties here with much smaller amount
Of development, but which, with work, are
bound to he great mines. such AS the Gait,
the Bay Horse. His Uncle. J. A. g., Broad
water Group, Eureka, Ingersoll, Champion,
and many others that for want Of time
and space ! cannot mention. With the ad-
vent Of the railroad those who have prop
critics can safely say they will he amply re-
waroed when our camp fairly takes IA start.
We feel assured that we shall have IA boom
next year. Then those who have in ia
diciously said that those who spent their
money and wasted their years in looking
ier mineral will he made false prophets.
II is true, there are only very few who get
amply paid for the time spent in prospect
ing for minerals, and very few make sue
cess of their lives as prospector-, but can
not say the same for any other branch vi
business with truth Yes, indeed ! will,
if you allow the space, try to correct n
wrong impression soue have of the pros
pect.r" There is no doubt in my mind
that those who are not acquainted with
the miner who is prospector think him to
| be IA rude. uncultivated man, caring fof
nothing but the gambling table, the alo0n,
and other disreputable sports and places.
1 Living alone in a small, unattractiv- log
cabin, with little sr no furniture, only Of
his own making, generally well supplied
with newspapers and books (but will say
as to books they are generally story
books, and his supply of grub, is all
that meets the strangers glance rs he en-
ters. The sight il not very gaudy. His
property that lac expects To realize from is
perhaps way up in the mountains, and he
waits with patience for returns from his
labors. | will not by any means claim to
take upon myself to say there is not great
portion who have given themselves up to
habits of drinking. gambling and other
vices. and will say the man in the noun
tains who does not become "a slave to his
evil habits is an exception, and the man
"out of the mountains as we'll. la all
branches OF business this il true. The man
who becomes "a successful man is the excep-
tion. Who can iathom the sentiments vi
your brothsr "r your neishbor? Who can
tell What may be the ambition of the man
who braves the hardships of a lionel noun
tain life? Vino can tell what deep-seatc.i
sentiments lie buried in the prospectors
heart who .leprives himself of the comforts
OF happy home, who del.ars himself from
the pleasures OF society, who long, for the
all-giving love of some pure, sinsle-heartcd
cherished one? Vino can tell how hard il
is to bear this to get stake to make
him a home? You can look around you
to-day and count the prominent million
aires who, with their over-alls, spent many
a long day striving hard to strike it only
"a few years ago. While | do not encourage
any one to follow the business, | believe