The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-02-11
A Section Of Missoula County Des-
tined to. Be . Great
Producer.
Tho Eureka Developing Into One
Of the Great Properties Of
This Section.
Working the Old Katie Putnam-Ths
Morning Mine Finally sold-Good
Reports From the Bald Butte.

Nine Mile Greek mining dlttrlot contln-
ues to attract considerable attention and
from present Indications il will DO one OF
the ~livelisst portions of Nissoula county
next summer. The operations of the San
Martina mining company are progressing
rapidly, and the developments must Be very
satisfactory to the stockholders. This
company owns the Little Giant, Ida G.,
Sheridan, and also has q bond on the
Grouse. All these claims lay contiguous to
each other, and form II solid block OF
ground through which the main lodges of
the camp are known to run. This 10 DEM
onstrated both by large quantities OF foat
and also by groupings. The formation IL =
talcose slate, a highly aluminous limo shale.
and other shistoso rocks, all of which forma-
tions, ~ far "a penetrated by shafts and
tunnels, have proven soft and easily broken
the cost of driving shafts and tunnel being
from three to seven dollars per linear foot.
The vein matter, itself, consists OF
quartz, tale and brown hemitits OF
iron, and it has not yet been found nsces-
sary to uss powder in breaking the ledge.
though it is used when cutting the forma-
ton or wallis.
Tho San Martina company during the
three months since its organization has
built a quarter OF a mile Of road. erected a
large and comfortable log house for the
employees, and driven about 200 feet of tun-
mel on the Little Giant. Ihsy have also
driven a ffty-foot tunnel O the Grouse.
and have let a contract for an additional
fifty feet. The Little Giant. tunnel at
eiphty-tive feet from igs month cut an
eightesn-inch vein Of FREQ milling quartz,
averaging about $50 in gold. though por-
lions OF the vein gave results of over $500
to the tor. This vein not being the one
for which the tunnel was originally COM
menced, the company have continued to
drive il, expecting to strike the main ledge
at 4 distance of 225 fest from the starting
point. " shifts nave. however, been
put to work drifting to the north on the
vein encountered. This has continued to
widen and at present shows over thirty
inches Of good milling ore.
this company under bond, a vein three feet
in width has been exposed, all of which ls
free milling and very much decompoasd.
,Ths company has purchased right for 300
inches of water and contemplate erecting a
Mill in the sprlnp. Every natural facility
for the cheap and economical handling of
ore is at hand. The mill can bo built with
an abundance Of water power at the mouth
OF the working tunnel, so that there will be
no expensive hauling or transportation OF
ores. The character of the ore is such that
the cost of mining and milling cnn be re-
the vein being that Of fine sand and will
without any crushing at all show u good
prospect when washed in a gold pan.
The property Of the Nine Mils Mining
company, which adjoins that of the San
Martina Mining company, has received the
-z >~kontvo Invnloo~orf onwap
tunnels having been driven on this, one OF
which taps the ledge on the Golden Eagle
at 4 depth of 800 feet below the groupings.
They are at present working about fftesn
men. Tha owners are somewhat reticen
as to the exact results of the developments
in the lower working. but it is generally
understood that they have been very favor.
able.