The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1892-08-27
ALDER GULCH.
An Interesting Letter from the Famous
Old Camp-its Present Status.

mGntS or otherwise interested III the
great mineral resources Of Montana eau
be induced toinvesti@ate beyond the pale
of electric lights or Pullman paror car
The great railroad towns and cities alb
sorb all interest. and it would really seem
that tnere is more hesitancy in ppnctrat-
ing our treasure hills forty miles from
railroads now w-A-days than in the case of
the pioneer who punched bulls over the
plains for passage money thirty wears
ago. This is not Intended in nature Of
complaint or negligence, but simply Il
rumination i'll sizing mp in comparison
With the interest manifested within ear
shot Of tile locomotive whistle, While the
country capable oi attrActingund holding
the attention of pioneers is shelvcd as
already exhausted.
Let US take the old placer ground Of
Alder Gulch as an illustration, with the
aid Of sufficient patience to Walrthrou4h
i few statistical facts, and if it does not
astonish even some Of thr old residents,
it Will certainly furnish food for rcIler-
hon among our more progressive neigh
bors. From we'll kioWn shipments ptr
Wells, Fargo \ CO., estimates nl local
banks IS shown bN thrr books. an,l uthrr
Nm time firms. SSa,NNb,OnO is considered
4 SerN conservative estimate nf tile yieltl
pl placer gnl. It ~ more Frequently
given 1T about nnn hundred millions
Trnm Alder t'ulrA Alpnn Ihr I'LL absorb
ln4 question 1T present u the amount M
gpla remaining i'll Alder Gulcll After all
these Years of crude WORKING.
y careful computation N the cuhic
contents VI THE ground nhte driItpd an,l
being worked pTrr hN sluicny With Jim
itpA water, Tile virgin gronnd between
thr olel drifts, ana Tire bars lpartially
Worked " wholly untouched. But pros-
peCteIl VIII demonstrate i valuation Of
about twenty million dollars Yet rrnain-
ing, Noone Us Yet has been able t. eSti-
mate tllp Lowest figure less than eighteen
million dollars. Included in this amount
about five million dollars sho1lIA be cred,
tied t. the bars, which haze never been
worked on account OF tho "ulch nlot.upu7
liziny the limited water supply
The gulch is worked for sixteen miles
Eight miles below y ziFgina CITY the grade
averages loo feet 10 the mile. Eight
a4NtNH TINS nhllit the grade reaches ;t1}
elevation OF 2.HoO feet higher than thu
town. The highest Grade for a bedrock
t1lnne would exceed four inches 70 the
DON, /. =, 1WplVe lee1, pllt III the lower
l'1Fl5o1 tle 4t'lGh theFe ih''=st lew l'iace7
that would not drop more than Two inches
It2T s1s1loft alsGl'lee. lll enc OF TWO M
alitnGes 9l1e ana 1fle5hall lhet1es Is shown,
l}l1 toh@ peafock lllllne W9lild regulate
llae. Inc average width 0l Aidef Etleh
IS ABOUT TWO hundred teet Or over. The
GEl1ll1 owners were con4fe9ated ~ sllth
close proximity TO each other us to admit
o1 lttle or no dump privileges. and dur
ln1 tie time the gravel was worked tbet-
Ter say disturbed by drifting, thn wages
We're sID per 5alN. N0W they are from
ss % :2s5,;10 per day. Drifting tlmhefS
cost > piece, elgE1 leef lengths, Lum7
l}ef could now be delivered al about $40
per MOO lnet' III most OF the little dis
ifltfa the local mlulng laws fined the
boundary line exactly III the center OF
tlle gnlch. aud loN 1fet was allowed for
q rlalm With the privilege only Of p1lr=
CHASING loo feet more l'N the same owner.
sIeft t1eS dflltEd aud handled Tie debrls
over tha over again, III the small pits, OF
upon demand OF the ielghboring claim.
GROUND 'lla1 would not pay at least one
ounce Sl9l 10 the man per slllit Was con-
sluefed too poor TO WORK with profit.
''1llN tlte coarse gold and richest pay
.1feaks were sought. ON the lower bars
water nae 10 De purchased, costing from
- cents 70 ~ per miners men: It re-
| 4nlEe1 an eApeff workman who could
pHt ~ TWO seNs OF 1lmber per day "a set
occupying apa'it lo1'f leet square. DIN
a"ll;tfs pefeHplc Narlt was not considered
above an average Sleld. water was VAL
ll'hie ah't hearty all ol Tue stflpplng Was
dolle oS mana, with sho'el and wheel
| n'ell"".
lAl'houSh 'he properly holHers arc
/ more eoneehtfateu' the limited water
/ 7 I