The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-03-02
THE MINING INTERESTS.
A Well Posted Man Talks on the
Outlook of the Copper
Market,
The Blue Bird to Stay Shut Down
Pending the Litiga-
ton.
View Machinery Arriving for the Parrot
A Fine showing Made by the Bison
Property.

BUTTE, Feb. 81 special 80 nearly are
the interests of the copper districts OF
Michigan and Montana allied that news
from the lake country is always received
with avidity here. One OF the best posted
mining men in the state has but recently
returned from an extended visit to the re-
gion Of the Calumet and Hecla. and the
following from his observations while there
will doubtless be found Of general interest:
1.-The greater portion Of my visit east WAS
passed among the mines in the lake region.
and naturally l paid most OF those within
reach a call. l found that the chief topic
of interest with them, as we'll as with US,
was the outlook for the copper market in
the spring. When the lakes are open most
of their shipping is done by boat, but they
have railroads in abundance and can use
them during the winter. Many Of the
smaller mines are obliged to market their
copper as rapidly as it is produced in order
to keep going, but the heavy corporations
have been storing their product
to wait for water transportation
and better price, as well. This will give
them a larger amount Of the red metal on
hand with which to flood the spring market
and some of the best posted of their men
wCAO hlAuSN bhnG -
sequence. All. however. have faith Ill the
future, and felt that the fall i'll prices could
hardly be more than temporary. Their ex-
perience has been that the rapid increase of
the demand over the supply of copper was
permanent and meant that this metal must
before long become one of the most staple
of all. To them it also meant that prices
could never again go 80 low as they have
been in the past. and they saw but little
reason for alarm in the general outlook. On
the whole their report WAS most encourag-
ing to me though | had not been downcast
before.
1.-The mines in that country were all busy
and appeared to be doing well. The
Calumet and Hecla was handling about
1900 tons of ore daily, and was turning out
about the same amount of pure copper per
month. Most of the work there 10 done by
contract, but even where hired by the day
the men do not get more than $3.50. This
applies only to miners as the'company men,
so called, get only - per day. 10 effect
this, however. they work but twenty-six
DAYS in a month and only until two o'clock
Saturday afternoons, the night shift for
that day being given a rest. This leaves
the night shift but five nights each week
for work. and for that they receive full six
days pay. From this it will be seen that
they are not so badly off after all.
"The Tamarack, an extension of the Ca
lumet, is now down 5000 feet and sinking is
being pushed for the 400. This will make
it the deepest mine in America. One of the
first things to strike the visitor in this mine
is the wonderfully uniform temperature.
and / could attribute it to no othe: cause
than the absence of lime rock. Another
thing that attracted my attention was the
absence Of water. Although the mines are
but a short distance from the lake, and are
hundreds Of feet below its surface, the
pumps have but very little to do. Nature
has evidently mad some wise provisions to
protect these mines and open up their
wealth to the hand of man"
During the past week the Blue Bird mine
has been shut dow and the pumps raised
to the 800 foot level. Nothing more will be
done in this property until the litigation
with the Little Darling owners has been
brought to an end. The mill will be kept
busy for the present on the old durps and
every effort will be put forth to make the
Poorman, belonging to the same company.
ready to supply ore for working The shaft
on this mine is now down but 200 feet. but
enough men will be put to work to sink it
deeper and open up the lead SO that it will
be able to furnish all the rock that can be
treated in the mill. This change of pro-
Rramme will prove a blessing 10 the miners
in Burlington and Rocker who have been
thrown ont of employment by the closing
of the Blue Bird, and have feared that the
shut down would be permanent.
The new machinery ordered for the Par
rot last fall has commence to arrive and
will soon be OF the ground. The engine
will be the largest III the camp. and the re-
mainder Of the hoist will be in keeping.
New cables will be put on and double deck
cages in ell save the sinking compartment
where a single decker will still be used. AS
soon rs the frost goes out of the ground
work will be begun On the foundation and
no delay will then be allowed until the new
structure ls ready for operation. Attention
will then be turned to the development of
the rcine. The shaft will be sunk to the
LOCO foot level and the crosscuts and levels
necessary for opening up the leads will be
run. When this has been done the mine
will stand among the very first in the camp.
Among the most promising of ali the new
mines in this region is the Bison. situated
near Woodviile. The shaft is down ONLY
forty-hve feet but the lead is showing up
in a way that would make glad the hearts
of many much larger institutions. The
lead is but twelve inches III width
but holds both size and richness
remarkably well. returning i2t;
ounces to the ton. Several shipments
have already been made and all Of them
have given rich returns. so good IS the
showing of this property that arrangements
are being made to put III a plant and de-
velop it aS should be done. The shaft on
the Harris & Lloyd has reached the 400
and sinking has been discontinued. A
crosscut is now being pushed from that
point and the lead will doubtless be cut
during the coming week. The showing on
the upper levels continues to- be most tx
cellent and the proprietors are rejoicing
over the returns coming III. The new ma
chinery works to perfection and leaves but
little to be desired in that line.
The need for more reduction capacity in
IBIS camp is growing more apparent every
day. The wonderful increase in the amount
of leasing and III the productive capacit V
Of the large mines has caused the smelters
to be overrun with ore. and the only hope
IS to have the smelling capacity Increased.
flans are now IN progress 10 do this and
Will doubtless be in the neal
future.