The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1892-10-14
OUR WEST SIDE LETTER.
Some Interesting Pointers on the Mines
Around Phiupsburg and ran

soue Interesting Pointers on the Mines
Around fhilipsburg and Granite.
Especial Correspondence of the Tribune.I
Philipsburg pursues the even tenor of
its way untrammeled and u~ndisturbed by
social, political or financial problems.
Her people are tremendously busy and
contented. Everybody knows each other.
They have no political aspirations. 1t is
a community of wealthy men.
Philipsburg is also the second largest
mining camp in the state. The Flint
Creek mining district has a superficial
area Of twelve miles square. 1t has
1900 mineral locations on record, and as
a factor in the production of silver bull
lion it takes first place. l may here
observe that only a very few Of the
Lodges of the district are under develop
ment. The wealth of the camp lays in
it's immense fissure deposits of medium
and low grade ores.
In the era of cheap reduction, and the
complete utilization of the tremendous
and mysterious powers of electricity.
sulphurous fumes from millions of tons
of her base ores will tinge the cloudless
skies that look down on the 'Three Te-
TONS" and wither the knarled pine, and
hardy vegetation that crown storm
swept crests, from whose majestic
heights a thousand centuries look down;
whose feet are laved by the resistless
tide that gave an empire to the west,
and two thousand miles of navigable
water to the gateway Of Lewis and
Clarke; whose turbulent waters, with
mighty plunge, speed away by the
modern electrical city it made possible,
to mingle with the sea.
OF course freight rates have got some
thing to do with all of this, but if Great
Falls desires to maintain the business of
ore production she must control the
source of supply. The Granite Noun
tain and Bimetalic Mining companies
are still producing largely. AS to the
ore supply others is positively no ques-
ton. The great ledge at no time in it's
eventful history ever had 50 much rock
ahead. Slope and level on the 1,5OO
foot show great abundance of mill
ing rock, the usual high grade
strata ever present. In this con-
nection brief reference may be made to
the fact that mills "A" and "B' at Gran
lite will not run again. Deep develop
ment has made an adit level from Rum
sey (the present location OF the 100
stamp mill a necessity. This working is
progressing witt. the greatest dispatch.
A full force of men is steadily at work
driving it to completion. When COM
pleted it will be double track its entire
distance of 5000 feet, and lighted by
electricity. This level will attack the
mine at a depth of 1,5OO feet, and save
an immense amount of uphaul. The
company confidently expects to have it
ready for use in the next two years. Some
idea of the cost of working the ores of
the Granite, as between the mill at Rum
sey and those at Granite, may be cleaned
from the fact that the price of wood at
the former is S3.2J a cord, as against
S. SO at the latter.
The Combination Mining company at
Black Pine are steady producers. They
have under employment over 100 men
and their several mines produce an album
dance of ore of excellent grade.
The Algonquin mill at Hasmark is
again dropping twenty stamps on Puri-
tan rock and ore out of the mine of
Trout hill. MI. McKeckny, represent
ing Butte and eastern parties, has in
NCotCo q iuiSC ullOuhl vi IuOuCy Ill It,
fitting and o%verhauling the old works,
batteries will live forever.
There is but little diversity of senti-
ment in this section relative to the CAPT.
trail to bear" is in it. This being the
case Helena will profit largely. Indeed,
the old-timers of this district are unani
,oD.olx - fovN, of <Lo noc;k,1 ,or.,::~-
where it is, if Deer Lodge City car not
get it. And why should it not? The
West side" is rich enough. Every town
in the state has more natural advan-
tages than "Last Chance" and can live
without it. Great Falls could bestow a
portion of her prosperity upon the
old town and never know that
she had given it. But Great
Falls is peculiarly fortunate in so far
that her magnificent water-power has at
tracted the attention not only of men
eminent in mechanics, but those whose
names are emblazoned upon pages Of
gold in the illustrious past of Montana.
Among those of the latter who have
knelt at her shrine, none have paid
more dutiful homage than the Honor
able Sam Word, of Helena. His Grafton
Oh tne ldil Ol tne great wafer rail- at
Great Falls, during the occasion of the
session Of the recent state convention
held at that place, should 60 down into
the written history of the state with the
"Vigilantes of Montana and "Precinct
a." Such an advertisement should be
worth o to your beautiful city than a
thirty-stack furnace or twenty capitals.
In the nomination of Paul Fusz for
presidential elector for this district the
convention at Great Falls did itself hon
or. Mr.. Fusz is not only an excellent
business man, but one of the most agree
able and interesting conversationalists to
be found in the west. While his forte is
mining, his capabilities cover a very wide
and useful range. OF pleasing personal
presence and graceful address, he will
present ia the most becoming
MOntana's note for Grover Cleveland to
the electoral college that will declare
him the next president of the United
States.
Among the recent visitors to Philips
burg is a cherished friend of Montanians
visiting San Francisco, ID. j, Tobip, mine