The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-02-16
THE RANGE,
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BUTTE. Fob. fM.--lspecisxl-O o. tho
most popular topics Of convsvsation among
the miners Of this camp doing tho past
week has been the fail for tho year.
All who are we'll up In tho mysteries OF
mining know how important All abundant
fall Of snow " and how anxiously these
hardy toilers watch the weather Ut this
ssason. The supposition that the high
mountains had been reaping 4 benefit while
this city was keeping but snow enough for
~sleighing purposes has boon rudsly dis
PEELED by the advent Of a party from Divide
this morning. One OF these gentlemen was
an old ~prospector who has worked these
hills for years and in speaking Of the SNOW
fall he said: "We have had 4 good deal
more snow than you have, up nearer tho
summit, but wo have not had enough yet.
Tho four or five feet now fallen will 10 with
tho first chinook and will not even wet the
ground. At least az much more should
come before we can count ourselves safe
for the opening season. l have not given
up hope, hcwover. as II frequently happens
that we get the most Of our snow in the last
Of February"
Many OF the mines in this camp have
beer obliged to run short handed during
the past week owing to the prevalence OF
the grip. In some the epidemic has
afflicted 80 per cent OF tho men, and IL has
generally gained such a hold upon them
that work has been greatly retarded. To
day there were seventeen men OF the st.
Lawrence force in bed. twenty-five men of
one shift Of the Mountain Consolidntod,
and thirty Of the Gagnon were disabled.
These are but samples Of what the other
mines arc undergoing, but they are now *
pecting better things. The grip appears to
out with renewed violence most OF the
mines will open the new week with full
forces. The miners OF the camp are still
debating the eighth hour question, and, as
before. they are divided upon the question OF
it's advisability. The majority are in favor
Of the measure or it could never have
passed, but 4 strong minority OF the mole
conservative still look upon it with doubt
and fear. Their fears have gained strength
since the bill was presented. and they now
begin to suspect q dodge with some Of the
heavy copper holders behind IL. They rea-
son that the passage Of the bill would be a
good excuse for some Of the mines to shut
down, that some Of the owners have nov
all the copper they can handle
on an uncertain market and
they would he glad to quit producing until
pI6 IuHTkcL DCCOIIcb IuOG0 1L0buys VTOIu
these two facts they draw their own con-
illusions and do not rejoice with their more
%sanguine brethren.
After doing about 10000 worth Of work
the Anaconda people have shut down work
on their water ditch. This plan was to
bring water from Nez Perez creek and store
it in reservoirs on the hill near their mines,
The supply was to be sufficient not only to
food their mines ut q moments notice and
thus prevent q repetition Of the Anaconda
fire, but to supply the town AZ well. The
coming OF the Boston company with their
almost limitless supply from Jerry creek
for the city and the trouble in securing the
needed water rights ON Nez Perce creek
have combined to cause them to drop the
work. 1t is also understood that an adj
vantageous contract has been made with
the Boston people for all the water that can
be used at the mines.
In the meantime the Boston company. is
pushing the work of construction
weeks they have had a large
force Of men in the field making the locat-
ing survey, the last Of the work having to
be done on snowshoes. This final survey
has placed the proposition in a much more
favorable light than it was before. Not
only has it set at rest all possible doubts
| MS to the water supply, but it has shown
that the line will be better and two miles
shorter than was at first supposed. Az soon
as this necessary preliminary work has
been completed the work Of construction
will be taken up in earnest and will be
pushed through with all possible expedi-
ton. These gentlemen have $4,000 900 to
expend and they propose to lose no time in
doing it.
Owners in the Milwaukee will be inter-
ested in learning that q fine strike has been
made in the Self Rising. one Of the adjoin-
ing claims. The men who are sinking the
shaft on yesterday uncovered a tcn-inch
vein of very fine rock. When the report
was brought in the vein was increasing in
width and gave every indication OF being
permanent.