The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-04-27

though ordinarily crops can Do grown Oh
this side OF the n without itrigaeion:s
AS to the mineral resources Mr.. Blanch-
ard saws: "Coal has bean discovered neal
the head Of Nevada creek and Garry a 90
are developing the prospects. Nj. Corbin,
of Helena, has mineral property near hers
that is promisln0. Washington. Jctfersor
and Madison rulchss have man me pros
road were built. ON Ogden mountain. neal
HelmsviIle. there are thirty prospsots, aonle
of which are shipping ore now. ihe ors
from these leads is rich in gold, but base,
and must SO to \ smelter. ~ mas 70 81
drawn from thirty to forty miles by wagon.
There ara two stamp mills in operation
hers. At thu foot OF the mountain 10 located
Raleigh & Clarka's extensive placer claim,
stocked for 81, 500, 900. All Of the above
leads could and would be worked At = profit
If the railroad should come in, ~ they
would all be within five miles OF the road.
Mareum Il Lennon have shipped ore from
thsir lead on the Big Blackfoot river; also
Hunter Il Fisher. and others are now sack
ing and cribbinu ore preparatory 70
shipping. There ars several good leads
at Lincoln and Sauer kraut Gnlches that
would be only ten to twenty miles away;
with down-hill pull, and would be worked
by owners. IF road CAM in BY CABOT
pass it would go by tho leada.)
"Ths Anaconda company owns two hne
leads Of copper and silver on North Fork
of Big Blackfoot, and adjoining thslr prop
erty the American Mining and Milling
company two or three locations. me
leads are about six feet in width. the ore -
rich in copper, containing spvef ehoukn ~
pay all expenses of mining Il smelling.
/ am informed that from forty to sixty men
will be employed this summer by the Ans
coada compnny At their mines. Ga Mon
tour creek q vein OF good coal haH been
found by DR.. Remington. | am told by
Lieut.. Ahern that thisl is the best quality OF
coal vet found on this side OF the divide.
On Elk creek there ara tuenty-four quartz
locations and two stamp mills. Three OF
these properties are now shipping ore. All
these prospects would be within from
seven to ten miles of the railroad at Clear
water. The ore is Of the same character ~
that at Ogden mountain, rich. but base-a
some placer mining being done here,
N recently galena orc has been
found. On the northtributary Of Swan river
placer mining has been carried on for four
years. On another tributary. fifteen mllss
east, placer ground was discovered late last
fail in Q gulch eight miles long, having
plenty Of water and q good fall, which will
be worked for all ii is worth the coming
season. There is a very rich but narrow
minesal belt. concentrating III divldes, be-
tween swan river and South Fork Of Flat
head. Very rich float has been brought out
from there. and it will be thoroughly pros
pected this year
more timber and moro stock-27, 532 head IN
all-from Avon to head of Clearwater than
there was in the Bitter Root valley at the
time the road was built III there. The road
soon paid for itself. and this route would
give a single track road all the business Is
could do. ==5
W. are ready here to commence the man
49, 80 NV W. n M rpytr~0I fYOa 90 c0HN
as we are assured the railroad will BE-
bulls. This is the showing Of q country I'M
developed for want OF railroad communion
lions. This showing, with RAILROAD facili-
tics, would soon be doubled. Engineers Of
the Burlington road have been try
n Ing 'G That sG i Out a''' Of Sun she a 5assi
ton, as there are two parallel ranges west
of the main range. The Big Blackfoot is
the only route west from Great Falls, and
they will soon be in the country it tho
Northern Pacific does not foreatall them.
(Ihey might be induced to CONS in BY Hal
ena and west by the CABOT pass and Big
Blackfoot rlver.) The route from Flathead
to Avon will not be mote than ssventy-hve
miles longer than that BY way Of Jooko, in
nv Judgment, u very much better grade. al
most a water level after reaching Nevada
creek, with only fifty feet elevation on the
divide between Clearwater and Swan river.
No other route can compare with this for
~cheapness Of construction or attsactivsnsss
Of lake and mountain scensry. l doub if
the road can be built forty miles around
the bluffs of Flatheaa lake mueh cheaper.
That way there is no local business. This
way every mile will pay for itself in time.
Tho Great Northern has the north and
south line on the east side of the range.
The Northern Pacific should have it on the
west side from Columbia Falls to Hslsna
and Butte"
In gathering the statistice relating to the
country it is Mr.. Muth's idea not to do 80
for tho information of any particular rail-
road, bat to give tine Northern Pacific, the
Great Northern and ths Burlington officials
some Information on which they may base
their calculations when contemplating ex-
tions of tracks. There ls no doubt but
some of them will taks advantage of the
situation, but which rem ains to be seen.