The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-04-17
Albert Kleinschmidt Tells About Its
Operations In tho Seven
Devils Country.
The Difficulties Which Have Been
Overcome In Getting the
Ore Out.
Some Missoula County Neutrality-suspicious.
In J~efrerson-The Hope Company
to DO Eaed-N0tes. 81

gave some interesting IaGtB ABOUT tue
Seven Devils country in Idaho, and the
operations OF the American Mining com
pany The principal claims owned by the
company are the Helena, Peacock and
White Monument, all Of which show great
bodies of copper ore, with sufficient gold
and silver to cave the copper clear profit.
In addition to these three claims the som
pany owns the Blue Jacket group, consist
ing of seven claims. A sufficient amount
Of development has been done on this latter
group to prove that they will be great pro-
ducers also.
Mr.. Kleinschmidt tells a very interesting
story OF the discovery OF the mines. In
1865 some placer miners penetrated the
struck the vein rock, which proved to be a
copper ledge. A shaft was sunk ninety
feet, all in copper, and thus the
discovery was made. These same placers
are being worked to-day. Lev
Allen and Gov. Hauser afterwards became
interested in the property. Later, about
ten years ago, the property was patented,
and Allen disposed of his interests. -Four
years ago Mr.. Kleinschmidt made his first
visit to the country, in company with j.
Q. Briscoe. The journey was a rough one,
there being no trails, and the section a
densely wooded one. He looked over the
ground thoroughly and returned to Helena,
believing it wal the greatest copper section
in the world. He afterwards purchased a
large interest in the property from Gov.
operate the mine. the immensely Of the I'M
dertaking was seen. As before stated,
there was not a trail to the mines, and
$780, 600 was expended in building a wagon
road from the mines to the Snake river.
Then to get the ore to the railroad it was
necessary to build a boat. The timbers for
ton, while the machinery came from Jas.
Reece q Son, Of Pittsbure. The portion OF
the river it was proposed to run
the boat on has a fall of
EGO feet in seventy miles, and to
stem the current the most powerful mdchi-
boat builders were employed, and after
spending $35,00O the company has a boat
which draws only thirty inches of water,
can carry 400 tons of freight and will run
against the strongest current on the Snake
river, She ia named the Norma, and will
be run by Capt. ]. D. Miller and Capt. JAS.
kerr,two of the most experienced river men
in the country. Capt. Miller ran the boats
on the Clarke's Fork of the Columbia en-
gagged in carrying supplies to the contract
ors on the western end of the Northern
Pacific. 7m RI.
The distance from the mine to the river
ls twenty miles. and from the point where
the ore will be taken on the steamer to
HUNTINGTON, OF the Oregon Short Line,
sixty-ive miles. There are now from 3O,OO0
to 10000 tons of high grade copper ore or
the dump, which will be shipped to the
smelter as soon as navigation opens. Some
western parties have contracted to erect a
amAlkAF on the OrnunH and troQt To 0Dn TONS
of ore. The same parties have a CONTRACT
to ship 10000 tons of crude ore.
Mr.. Kleinsohmldt says the Seven Devils
country is splendidly watered, theresbeing
streams all over it. There is also an album
dance of wood for timber and fuel. On the
other side of the range from the American
c%ompany's property is q district rich in gold
and silver. The ore is a grey copper, and
while the leads are small, comparatively,
they are very rich. There have been
q number of locations in the
district. Mr.. Kleinschmidt looks for
The running of the boat will have the eff
feet of giving the outside world not only
access to the Seven Devils country, but will
also open up to prospectors various dis
tricts along the Snake river, such as PINE
creek, Cornicopia, Ruthberg ana Mineral
District. There are also a great many rich
plaoers along the Snake.
The American Mining company owns all
the big leads so far discovered in that coun-
try and while it has been all output here
tofore it is believed that hereafter Helena
men will reap the benefit of their enter
prise. Though so far away, the Seven
Devils district is regarded BY Denver cap
italists and Spokane mining men as tribu-
tary to Helena, and the Denver and Spo-
kane papers in recent issues nave been be-
moaning the fact that Helena capital has
got ahead Of their respective cities. The
officers of the American Mining company
are all Helena men, as follows: President,
Albert Kleinschmidt; vice president, E. r.
Mills; secretary, Louis Hillebrecht. Next
to Mr.. kleinschmidt s. 7. Hauser is the
largest owner in the company.