The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-12-16
WHEN SILVER GOES TO rs
The Effect In Montana Will Not Be
SO Disastrous as in COL
orado.
Sales OF Silver Properties Are Re-
tarded, but Gold Producers
Booming.
Capital IL Going Into the Latter, m Well
as Into Enterprises to Reclaim
Arid Lands.

There are q number Of mines In Montana
that cannot be worked at Q profit IL silver
Ia selling under 30 cents an ounce, but for
tunately Montana has not suffered as se-
verely RS her neighbors during the silver
depression. A number OF small silver pro-
ducers have shut down In Montana, but Of
the big silver mining companies, but one,
the Hecla, at Glendale, has closed down on
account Of the low price Of ths white
metal. In Colorado, Idaho and Nevada the
depression In the price Of silver has been
most disastrous. according TO the reports
sent out from those states. and in many
cases mining camps have been entirely de-
populated. While Montana 10 a great silver
producer, unlike the three states mentioned
her mines alao produce gold and copper. In
fact the greatest output Of the biggest min
ing camp In the state. Butte, is copper.
Naturally the low price of silver has re-
suited, in a number of cases. In the break
ing off of negotiations looking to the sale
of silver properties, and has also
work in a number of instances.
But on the other land renewed attention
has been directed to gold properties, and
gold mines that have lain idle for years.
are now being opened up. and within q year
these properties will give employment to 40
many men as have been forced into idleness
by the stagnation in silver properties. OF
course, the lower silver is the smaller the
profits of the owners Of silver mines. and
the moro economical they are forced to be.
II silver goes to rs it is doubtful il a silver
mine in the state will be worked. But that
will not close down all the mines in Mon
tana. as will be the case in Colorado and
Nevada, according to the reports from those
states. In 1893 there will be- more gold
quartz mines turning out the yellow metal
in Montana than there ever has been, and
the gross value of the mineral output of
the state, including gold, copper, silver and
lead. will equal that Of any year in its his
tory.
The capital which is refused for silver
mining ventures 10 looking for other fields.
and other enterprises are getting q large
proportion of it. In the next ninety days
moro than a million dollars will 90 into ir-
rigation projects in Montana, and the re-
sult will be that within two years the resi-
dents of this state instead of importing, al
theynow do, grain. hay, fruit and vegeta-
bles will raise enough to meet the home
demand and have a surplus for export.
Every resident of Montana wants to SET
silver go to ST. an ounce. but il it drops tc
rs cents they feel the state has other re-
sources and will not abound in deserted
cities. as the reports from Colorado and
Nevada indicate will be the result in those
states.
While The INDEPENDENTS suggestion las
year that a M%ontanian should represent the
northwest at the international monet arr
conference was overlooked by the Harrison
administration il fortunately happened
that a Montanian was present at the meet
ing on invitation and gave valuable result
Of long ond successful experience in prao
tical mining. Henry Bratnober, the Amer
lean representative of the Elkhorn and De
Lamar syndicate, had hardly arrived il
London before he Was sent for by the Eng
lish delegates at Brussels. He found tina
! all were considerably in the dark as to tn,
future of the silver production and his ia
miliarity with the leading silver mines en-
abled the conference to get information
very much desired. What is of more gen
eral interest in this country is the new
from Mr.. Bratnober that there were min
cases of cholera in Brussels on Nov. ~ an,
that three deaths from the plague had oc
CURED during the month. With choler'
actually existing during the winter in
we'll ordered city like Brussels it seems SAT
to predict an epidemic somewhere durinl
the coming summer.
The library of the Montana club has beer
enriched by Il gift from s. E. Lasabie. o
Deer Lodge. 1t is the finest specimen o
descriptive advertising ever seen in thi
CITY. It tells everything about Portland il
a large leather bound volume of 200 pages
and from a printers standpoint il a mode
of artistic excellence. Capt. Mills, who i
familiar with such matters, says that in al
edition of 2, 800 each volume would cost $40
Az the new officers of the Board of Trad
will give special attention to the advertis
ing of Helena. it would be worth their tim
to see how this is done in Portland.
Hobby horses, rocking horses, sleds. wagons
velooipedes, ~tricycles. baby carriages. wheelbar
rows, and all kinds of children's vehicles at 1h
Bee Hive.