The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-04-14
THE MINES OF MONTANA.
A Brief Description Of the Great Car
Donate Mines Of Castle
Mountain.
They Contain Fluxing Ores to Sup
ply the Shelters of Mon
tana Fifty Years.
The Southern Cross Proving to BE Great
Property-News Concerning tho
Fourth Of July.

There is no doubt but what the greatest
carbonate camp in the world is now located
in the Castle mountains, Meagher county
This character of ore is almost indispensi.
BILE in smelling. It carries very high per.
centage of lead and is needed to reduce the
refractory ores of other camps. Mr.. j. M
Hensley, who is now in this city purchas-
ing machinery for the Yellowstone mine,
states that they have in the Castle noun
tains sufficient ore to supply all the smell
tiers in Montana with rich fuxing material
for fifty years to come. The Yellowstone
mine is now developed by shaft 225 feet
in depth. A cross-cut at depth of ITO feet
exposed vein twenty feet in width of sand
carbonates, which assays so per cent in
lead and 20 ounces silver to the
ton. This property was Incorporated during
the last winter and stocked in the sum OF
$2,5OO, 600, SOC, 1000 shares at par value of SIS.
Of this amount 100, 600 shares were placed in
the treasury to raise development fund,
and $4,000 shares Immediately placed on the
market at Is cents. This was taken up in a
short time and subsequently. 10000 shares
were offered at IS cents and Immediately
sold. Later on Ii, 600 shares were offered at
80 cents, which were taken by White Sui
phur Springs people inside of two days.
Work thus far has been done with a hoist,
but water was encountered at depth OF
225 feet, and Mr.. Hensley has purchased a
large boiler and pump in this city, which
will be Immediately shipped to the mine.
The mine is between lime and porphyry and
is pronounced true contact vein contain
ing an immense quantity of ore. The com
pany has smelter on the ground which
made successful run last summer
and will probably be kept in continuous op.
Grafton when again started, which will prob.
ably be in very short time. The shaft
smelter has capacity of thirty seven tons
day, which produces eighteen tons OF bull
lion, which is better showing than any
ordinary smelling plant can make.
The Cumberland mine is down 4sO feet
The $50 foot cross-cut disclosed forty feet
of clean ore, assaying forty-four per cent
lead and twenty ounces silver to the ton
The lead requires very little blasting, but
can nearly all be worked with pick.
The California mine, One-half mile east
of the Yellowstone, carries lead carbonates
and manganese. 1t is developed by 100
foot shaft and 200 feet of drifts. The vein
is twenty-five feet wide and contains the
The American group of mines, belonging
to the Yellowstone company, consists OF the
American, Collar Potosi and Vearie. The
American contains a dry silver ore, assay
ing from 100 to ], 800 ounces in silver to the
ton. 1t is developed by forty-foot shaft
which shows good strong vein of ore. The
Collar Potosi is developed by 165-foot tun-
mel and two twenty-five feet prospecting
shafts. 1t shows four shoots of good ore
from one to two feet in width. The Vearie
is opened by two prospecting shafts and
contains high grade lead carbonate ore.
The Great Eastern is considered one
of the great mines of the
camp. Three-fourths of this property waf
sold for $37, 800 cash and the mine incor-
porated. It is developed by 1OO-foot in
cline shaft which shows twelve feet of car,
Donate ore, and contract has been let fol
100 feet on a new shaft to be sunk perpen-
dicular. There are many valuable pros
poets in the camp. but the above are the
best developed mines as yet. No such valu-
able ores have ever been found in the coun-
try outside of Leadville as those contained
in Castle, and a railroad should be built
there at once SO that they may be made OF
more practical use.