The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-04-14
M|SS0ULA COUNTY MINES
The Outlook Never so Bright for a
Long and Prosperous
Season.
Several Projects to Build Concen-
traitors In Different Dis
tricta
The Iron Mountain Making a Record That
Ploases the Stockholders-The Golden
Dawn Group-The Curlew.

Dawn Group-The Curlew.
The mines in Missoula during the pas
winter have produced more ore than at any
other period in the history Of the county
This statement has been repeated 30 fire.
quently as regarded zach season's work
that without some explanation it might be-
come monotonous. II simply means thai
while there has not been any boom or ex-
citement in the mines of this section, there
has been a steady progress, accompanied,
perhaps, by II or two setbacks from
which, however, recovery has generally
been complete and rapid. The failure OF
the O. r. & N. mine to fulfil the expecta-
tions of its stockholders and the closing OF
the mine for a short time, had a depressing
effect on affairs in Spring Guloh. There
are some who yet believe that tha mine will
come to the front as a producer.
The discovery of pay ore a year ago by
Messra. Wing and Cromie on the Keystone,
while working the mine under lease, IN
fused new life into the camp n it has
since been a steady producer, working con-
tinuously from fifteen to forty men.
Recently the owners of the Keystone, who
are also owners Of the Iron King. Iron
Queen, Ivanhoe and one or two other
claims in the district, have incorporated
the whole group into one company. and are
contemplating the erection Of a concentrat-
ING plant for the ores from the King and
Queen mines. A large body Of ore has been
opened at a depth Of 800 feet in these
claims. Three or four car loads have been
shipped, but the greater part Of the ore re-
uuires concentration to make its shipment
profitable. The building of this mill would
greatly benefit Carter, the mining town Of
that section.
The Iron Mountain mine on Flat creek
still continues to be the largest producer Of
the county, and is shipping about l20 tons
Of high grade concentrates weekly. This
mine has now been opened to a depth of
900 feet below the croppings, and the per-
manence Of the ore-bearing zone has been
established. The grade of the concen-
trates, about ninety ounces silver and sixty
per cent lead, makes it one OF the highest
Grade mines OF its class in the northwest.
The property of the West Iron Mountain
company, adjoining that of the Iron Noun
tain. shows a large body of good concsn-
trating ore. The erection of q mill for this
nTOD6FtV WOUlu pIODhO1y luu ! IL IL LIS
Of large producers. and it is expected this
will be accomplished this summer.
Between the Iron Mountain mine and
Spring qulch is Deep creek. The mineral
belt seems to cross this deep rayine in a
westerly course, and is apparently contin-
ridge west Of Spring gulch. The Little
Anaconda, which is located high upton the
mountain west Of Deep creek, is now being
worked under lease and bond By Mr.. 0.
Jeldness. Several carloads Of ore have
been shipped from this mine and consider
able good grade ore is being taken out at
present. Mr.. Jeldness contemplates put
ting up a ccncentrator this summer, which
will largely increase the yield from the
mine. The depth of snow on Spring Qulch
divide will probably prevent the transpor-
tation of ore and machinery for several
weeks.
On the high divide between Spring Gulch
and Deep Creek is located the Helena. Big
PittsburR and Smuggler. This property
has recently been purchased by Canadian
parties and a contract has been let to drive
a tunnel on the Helena, which will tap the
ledge at a depth of 300 feet. The three
claims are all on the same ledge, and the
Groupings, which are iron hemltite ores,
. show some galena running we'll in silver.
From Flat Greek the lime and talcose
schists appear to extend eastward uninter-
ruptedly for several miles, but until the
AChu IL NlA0 IAllb &c 1CdOAIA AZ fCt1
valuable minera deposits have been I'M
covered. Here the veins are essentially
gold bearing. The bed of the gulch has
been worked proftably by placer miners for
q distance of six or seven miles, and is re-
ported to have produced about a million
dollars.
Last fall Messrs. Woods. Larson, Bickford
and others bonded for $4,000 the Golden
Dawn, Golden Eagle and Protection claims
n have since employed continuously from
fifteen to twenty men in development work.
A depth Of 300 feet has been attained, and
it is generally understood with very favor
able results. The second payment of Sc, 900
has been made. making a total OF $4,000 al
ready paid on the bond. in addition to
about $4,000 expended on the property.
The San Martina Mining company, which
has purchased and bonded several claims to
the southeast of the Protection and Golden
Dawn are steadily developing their prop
erty.- On the Grouse. which is bonded from
Robert GAY. a tunnel has been driven on
the ledge for a distance of $50 fest, showing
a continuous vein of from three to six feet
in width of fine free milling gold quartz
nearly the whole distance. In the Grouse,
the whole distance of $50 feet was driven
without the use of powder. On all other
claims 80 far developed the ground
s., has been easily and cheaply mined. AS a
depth of 800 feet has been reached in at least
one mine in the district, without encoun-
FAX aAJ WY HoAA 'oN4A = AAdy Cd6ltt
be assumed such conditions will be the rule
in the future work of the camp. There is
an abundance of timber in the vicinity of
the mines, and there is sufficient water
power to run any mills that will probably
be built. From this it can be seen that the
natural advantages are peculiarly favor
able for the cheap and economical extrao-
ton of ores.
On the Curlew mine in the Bitter Root
valley. work has been fully resumed and
the concentrated is again running at it's
full capacity. 1t is ted that the cause
of the recent reduction in the force was the
failure to strike the ledge in the 400 level at
the point where it WAS thought to be. A
few feet more of work, however, cut the
vein, exposing four feet of rich ore. and
has produced a strong feeling of con-
fdence throughout the camp.
Stranger Do you know that you can buy
choice fresh tlsh for loo per pound at the lsialto
Cash Market.
Hendricks Club.
The executive committee and the officers
of the Hendricks Democratic club will
meet this evening at eight o'clock at the