The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-05-04

c1se nOCooy WouAQ Oo OAm6Re0 Dy having
the Cooke City branch take the proposed |
natural route. But it ID not the purpose of |
this discourse to offer any suggestions on |
this point, but it is the intention to make |
known to the world that there is no more |
richer or more extensive mineral section in |
the only want now being q railroad. This
is wanted to haul heavy machinery to the
mines and haul the product of the mines to
smeiters and reduction plants. This can
not be done at present because the slow
process of wagon freighting is too expensive
in the mining business at that point. The
Cooke City at this time is sixty
miles, and the benefits that
will follow the completion of this short
branch are numerous. It will treble the
year. Livingston will be and is the supply
point for the Cooke City district. Ground
10 already selected and water power secured
for the building OF smelling plant near
Livingston upon which work will begin
simultaneous with work on the much need
ed railroad. Livingston will receive and
reduce to bullion the ores of Cooke. and in
turn ship supplies to what will be thrifty
and prosperous mining camp. Park county
has all the resources to build up and sup
port many thousands Of peoples; while her
coal deposits are the most valuable and ex-
tensive in the state, she bases her hopes of
future greatness on the. productiyeness of
her metalliferOus resources, of whichC Cooke
City or the New World district is but one
portion. She has coal, timber, water. cat
and offers to all who may care to come the
fertile and extensive and well-watered val
ley of the Yellowstone, where there is
room for thousands of productive farms.
To reach Cooke City by the projected route
this valley is penetrated its entire length,
n Aho 6nvv 80 hos hnk
mining camp will have its fond wish.
So numerous are the mines around Cooke
City and the character of the work SO SINH
lar that no attempt will be made to de-
scribe each one, and only those in an ad
yanced state of development will be cited.
above sea level, while within view Of the
little city are mountains perpetually
clothed with snow. The principal opera
tions are on Henderson, Miller and Sheep
mountains. The general formation is lime
and porphyry, while in few sections galena
and carbonates are the rule.
THE MORNING STAR.
Mr.. Henry Gassert is conceded to be one
of the shrewdest and best posted mining
men in Montana. His Judgment of quartz
is never questioned, and he has been identi-
fed with the opening up of nerrly every
mining district in Montana. He was the
original owner of the famous Blue Bird
mine of Butte City, from the sale of which
he realized fortune, and ever since has
devoted his money and experience to the
development of the Cooke City camp. His
possessions there are already large, and his
owner of some of the best properties of the
district. He does not hesitate in saying
that Cooke City will rank second to Butte
in the richness and Yproductiveness of its
mines.
His principal property is the Morning
Star, which has three openings, represent
ing at,.east LOCO feet of Developments. One
shaft is down 1866 feet. The Morning Star
has true assure vein, the ore of which
assays on an average $685. gold and silver
per sst%ate Mr.
that with present facilities he can take out
from so to 100 tons of ore per day. This
property is on Miller mountain, and nego-
tiations are pending for it's sale, with sew
eral others. for something like $500, 900.
THE REPUBLIC MINE.
The Republic is the Oldest and most ex-
tensively worked property in the New
World district. It is situated on Republic
mountain, south of Soda Butte, and one
mile from Cooke City. It was the first
mine there to be opened up, and fully $780,
600 has been expended on it. Work was be-
gun on the Republic in the fall of 1882 by
the Republic Mining company. They
owned group of three claims, the others
being the Houston and Greedy, which fol-
low the contour of the Republic. In 1883
the company erected forty-ton smelter,
which was first started without water, but
did not prove success and then remained
idle until the summer of 1886, when it con-
tinued in operation until fall, and during
the few months produced over twenty cars
of silver-lead bullion. But the drawbacks
to profitable mining were many at that
time. Conceivable coke cost az per ton to
lay down at Cooke; supplies were go per
ton from Cinnabar to Cooke, a distance Of
same sum to the cars. This was altogether
too expensive, and it was decided to sus-
pend operations until better and cheaper
transportation and supplies could be Sc
cured, and the Republic company 10 still
waiting. The mine has very extensive ore
Deposits 1t 10 in lime formation, and the
ore lies in pockets and averages in value
$40 to $50 per ton. popularity of tho
workings is that the principal ore body is
on the surface and is quarried for shipment.
Fifty tons per day could be shipped without
mile ditch belonging to the property. which
supply of timber and fuel in the vicinity.
runs to the smelter, and there is an abundant
There is 225-foot shaft on the property,
with numerous drifts, levels and cross cuts,
REPRESENTING, AlA bOlu, July 1,UUU I00I OF de-
velopment. The Republic is at present in
the hands of Chas. Eaton, member of the
late legislature. It is one of the most
easily worked mines near Cooke City.
THE NEW WORLD.
The New World mine, located on Miller
mountain, has 500 feet of development.
From this property the Republic company
treated in their old smelter about 1900 tons
of ore, which is FREQ smelling and samples
$50 in gold and silver, and GO per cent lead.
There is now thousands of tons of ore on
the dump awaiting treatment, but the own
ers are willing tn await cheaper transporta-
ton than the expensive wagon hauling pro-
cess. Work has been prosecuted all winter on
the Keystone lode. This is one of the very
valuable properties of the New World dis
trict. It is situated ON Red mountain near
Lake Abundance, and the principal devel-
opment is a tunnel go feet long, run in
limestone formation. The Keystone is the
property of Z. X. Bowen, and is the prin-
cipal one of group of claims surrounding
It. There are three tunnels in
of 4S5 feet. The ore is high
grade, and many assays have given
returns of from $500 to $500 in gold and
silver and 40 to 10 per cent. lead. The
main vein will be reached in very short
time when the Keystone will become one
Of the heaviest producers of the district
Its owners know the value of their prop
erty and have but little to say about It,
being confident of realizing comfortable
fortune when the railroad shall be within