The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-05-05
THE NIONVLLE DISTRICT.
Afssr Years Of Neglect tho Mines Of
the Camp Are Receiving
Some Attention.
Something About the Celebrated
Whitlatch- Union n tne
Millions It Produced.
rhs Mac, None Such, winscott, Ore"r
aud other Propsrties-Chance ior
Helena and Her Menied Mon.

ne Mae, None Such, winsoott, Ore"r
and other Propsrtics-Chancc 1or
Helena and Her Msnied Men.
After years of neglect the great mineral
ra.ources of the KNOXVILLE district are now
reoeivinp that attention from the people OF
Helena which they justly deserve. untii
March Of last year scarcely any attentloh
was paid to the statements OF those Few
persistent old-time miners who believed IN
the richness Of the mineral belt, SO close to
Halen.. and which but needed the magic
touch Of capital to make the UnioEville dis
trict the most productive gold camp ever
Known in the United States. People
.,amed to have forgotten that one mine in
The district had added many millions to
the worlds wealth in bright gold, and that
n was not because this mine had played out
that work on it had ceased, but because of
/. disagreement among the owners. In
March. 1890, Messrs. Forbes u Davis of
Helena had their attention called to the
district, and the former made a very
thorough examination of the country. The
result was that he felt assured
that there was as much gold, II
not more, still in the district, as
has already been taken out. Other mining
men looked into the district closely. as we'll
AS some eminent experts, and they all came
to the same formidable conclusions. Among
these latter was a California gentleman,
whose word is sufficient to give value to any
mine wherever he is known. He said that
IL a start was made toward developing
some of the mines in the next year, that
the result of the first systematic develop
ment would prove to the most incredulous
the rich of the country, and the
result would be that in five years the
IJnionville district would be the greatest
producing camp in the state. The begin
ring has been made in the year, and from
present appearances it would seem that
the Californian's prediction would be full
filled.
The most peculiar thing in connection
with the U%nionville lamp ls the way it has
been neglected by Helena people. The
the showing which is attracting attention
to the camp, has and is being developed to
a large extent by st. Louis capital, and to
these men is due in q large measure the
prosperity which will ensue. Mining men
from other sections who visit the district for
the first time are impressed almost on sight
with the vast possibilities of the country.
For miles ana miles the contact between
lime and granite can be traced. Where the
vein has been opened it is sometimes in the
lime, as on the None-Such n Mae, at
others it is in the granite, as on the Orear
property. But it is always there. and the
deeper they go down on it, the wider it
49, -. AI.-. -L,ol L,A ro,ualr,--
is That there has been no deep mining any
where in the district. The deepest shaft is
on the Whitlatch-Union 600 feet. on an
incline. On the other properties the own
ers have gone down a few feet to water,
then quit and developed as well as possible
by tunnels. That the gold is in the hills
is demonstrated on every claim that has
quartz. Hundreds of thousands of dollars
have been taken out Of the gulches tribu-
tary to these hills. and that it was washed
from them, no one will deny. Talk to
those acquainted with the country or to old
timers. and they will say they believe that
the Unionville district will yet PROVE a bo-
nanza Nevertheless, they have waited
year after year for some one from the out
side to come in and start the work of prov
ing just how rich the country is. A few
years ago Messrs. Schwab d Zimmerman
put up one of the best mills in the state on
their property at the head of Tucker basin
and made a successful run, Outside CAPT.
tai became interested in the enterprise, bu'
men of Helena took little interest in it.
A sketch of the district and a mention o
some of the properties, together with wha
is being done, may not come amiss just now
Attention was first directed to the distric
in 1865 when james Whitlatch made his bi
discovery on the Whitlatch- Union. From
1867 to 1872 this mine produced $4,000, O0t
~rh;ah, ~1pcaS thrcuch tho Ha1ona horLe
and probably 5000, 900 more. of which til
banks nave no record. In 1868, 100 stamp
were at work on ore from this mine, ther,
being five mills on the property, located nc
to exceed a mile apart. The property wa
acquired by a corporation. and finally
owing to disagreements, was closed dowr
At the time work ceased, according to tn
testimony of those who were working in th
mine, the ore was richer and better tina
any that had yet been taken out. At on
time there were thousands of people livin
in the vicinity of the mine, but when wor
on it was stopped there was an e1od1j
Many stories were told about the cause
property had played out. just about Tia
same time there was a mining e.
citelnent further west, and a stampede TO
lowed. To-day two-thlrds of those hole
ing prospects and working in the distri,
are men who stampeded along in the 10.
and after wandering all over the count
from British Columbia to New Mexic,
have returned. strong in the convictic
that their old field of operations offers Il
best Inducements. Every expert who HI
examined the Naturalization has reportt
to the seme effect-the,mine is all right, al
while it will require large capital to reopt
it, it will amply repay the expenditur
There are many interests in the mine, son
belonging to the estate of deceased peopl
but arrangements are now making to get u
the interests in a pool and reopen the min
To do this, Helena capital has been prom
ised.
Next the Whitlatch- Union is the M,
mine, owned by a corporation. and COZ
Gold Bag. 1t is developed by a shaft dow
seventy-fve feet, all on the lead showir
three feet of ore. There are also thr.
tunnels. No. l being on the lead 1876 fee
and showing five feet of ore. Tunnel No.
is 120 feet below No. /, is in 100 feet al
shows seven feet of ore all the way. In tn
tunnel there are two WINES SO feet dee
showing also seven feet of ore. The thil
tunnel is the permanent working one, l.
feet below tunnel No. 2, and is in 2S5 fee
Experts estimate that there now $3.50
worth of ore in sight on the Mac, and 81
it will prove to be one of the bonanzas
the district. For the past few months
work has been done on the property, OWL
to disagreement among the owners, b
everything ia now harmonious, and
meeting of the company is advertised
take place June. :, for the purpose OF SELL
the property, negotiations for which ha
been under consideration for some time.
Messrs. Forbes d Davis have under bol
a number of properties along this belt, j
Gliding the Mcintyre, which WAS a pr