The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-12-26
Promising Claims Are Being Bonded
for Large Amounts
Every Day.
Buildings Going UP as Fast as
the Lumber Gan Be
Procured.
The Queen of tho Hills and the Moulton.
Barker District, In the
Front Rank.

Tho Spokane Il Northern train Friday
evening brought down about 100 passengers,
the most of whom we're from kaslo and the
mines of the Kootenai country. Among
others were Thomas Jefferson. Ralph L.
Clark, Henry Howson, j.. M. Harris and
William Kennedy. They had a pleasant
trip on the way down. the only hitch being
that. owing to the wires being down, they
could not get a train out OF Northport I'M
til this morning. They report that the
snow is five feet deep up at the mines and
about a foot deep at Kaslo city and Nelson.
Speaking of the Washington mine, MI.
Jefferson said: IT lave made a contract
with Mr.. Hughes to have 1000 tons of ore
shipped this winter. He was building a
road from the main wagon road to the
mine when I left, and expected to make the
first trip out with orc to-day. There we're
fifteen men at work in the mine
when Mr.. Clark and ar
rived there. and the force has since
been increased to twenty men. They are
working in both tunnels, and the property
continues to improve as they go further
into the ledge. We have all she necessary
buildings erected. and the present force
will be kept at work all winter. Kaslo City
ia the ~liveliest town in the northwest.
Buildings are going up as fast as lumber
can be got. and the travel mp and down to
the mines every day over the main track is
considerable. The strings of trains coming
in every day with loads of ore is q sight to
see. and by spring the ore pile at Kaslo
City will be a sight to see. They are talk
ing of putting in sampiing works already.
An agent OF the Montana smelter is there
now for that purpose. and / expect in a little
while miners will be able to ship their ore
down to Kaslo and get cash down for it on
the spot.
John M. Burke has opened a bank there
and is doing a fine business. He has ap-
piled for a charter, and will doubtless get
one as soon as the legislature convenes.
The prospects for a railroad next year Seem
to be good. Arrangements for new steam
era OF the lake are being made, n every
thing points to q very lively season next
summer.
BILLY Kennedy. who came down with us,
has bonded a two-thirds interest in the
Fremont, which adioins the Washington.
tie bonded Billy Lynch's interest for $10,-
900. The other third is owned by an Irish
gentleman and capitalist called Mahon.
who was down here in Spokane a week or
two ago. The claim is a promising one.
| WQ1I0 Inc l6uR0 Is NOV very WHO WIG ore is
very high grade"
From MIR. Howson ii was learned that
a group of claims on Spring creek.
five in all, generally called the Texas
group. had been bonded to a Spokane man
for $4,000. e.. L. Steel negotiated the
sale. MIR. Howson has himself bonded the
United States and another claim between
the Texas group and the Grand Republic
for $4,000.
j. NJ. Harris has bonded two claims. an
extension of the Grady group on -Four Mile
oieek, for $40, 900, and thinks he has got al
good q bonanza for his money as anybody
The ore Ia very high grade and of a similar
character to that found in the Grady ledge
of which it ia undoubtedly an extension.
MIR. Harris visited the Rico, Bluebird ant
other claims while in the mines and report
them all as looking better than ever. I'll.
brought down a sample about 100 pounds il
weight from the Rico, which assays away
over 200 ounces in silver and about 80 pc
cent. lead.
j. N. Cole. one Of the owners of the O.. X
gold mining claim, brought q satchel full
of specimens of ore from the claim. The.
appeared to be full of the yellow metal, a
it showed through on each side of some o
them. One small specimen, MT. Cole said
he was offered S. for. it was such q beauty
Cole and G. +. Oudin. Mr.. Cole ais
showed a bar of gold which he had melte'
from twenty-five pounds of rock pounde
up in g hand mortar. Ii weighed e1actl
eiRhty-nine pennyweiqhts. Mr.. Cole Say
he has been paying some of his bills wit
gol d dust, measuring it out in a thimble
The o. K. mine is one of the Gold Kin
group. and is situated in the Trail cree
district, about fourteen miles from North
! port. Mr.. Cole tells a thrilling story of hi
ride down the Columbia river in q skitf G
midnight az the rate of sixty miles an houI
Two men have been at work on the o. K
since Sept. 6, and have got out fifty tons O
ore. The snow is now four feet deep at til
mine. and snowshoes are a necessity.