The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-10-15
MONTE CRIsTO MINES.

Development with Some Expert Opin-
ions on the District.
A recent issue of the Seattle Post Intelli-
pencer contains some information in regard
to the Monte Cristo mining district in that
state that will be read with interest by
those Helena people who are Interested In
that section. President F. w. Williams,
speaking of the work on the Monte Cristo,
Hopeful and Comet miues. said: we are
progressing finely with the four tunnel
now being driven on our properties. and the
development has been such as to satisfy ex-
pectations in evefy way. Tn two tunnels
in the Monte Cristo are opening a fine body
Of rich ore. Late assays show that the
rock will average as high as $7O per ton,
and one of the assays gave $9S per ton. In
the Monte Cristo ledge is q body OF rich
direct shipping ore four and one-half feet
in width. from which the above ASSAYS were
| taken. The average obtained from the late
ASSAYS was from ore at sufficient depth to
show that it is representative of the mine
| and as this was considerably above expecta-
tions based on assays from nearer the sur
face of the outcrop, we were naturally
| highly pleased with the showing. The
tram line 10 now we'll under way. the last OF
road from Getchell. Barring accidents, 1t
should be completed in the course OF Six
weeks or go, and when it is in operation we
will be read to ship ore at once.
Alton L. Dickerman, the personal repre-
sentative OF the Colby-Hoyt syndicate and
committing engineer OF the Monte Criato
mining company. who has been examining
the general workings Of the eompany'f
mines, before leaving said:
The mines continue to improve Just in
proportion as the tunnels enable US to ge'
in them and see what ia there, and that Il
the greatest possible satisfaction we couie
wish. The mines were OF course purchased
on what was little more than the surface
showing. But it should be said that thiI
latter was something almost unexampled II
the history of mining camps. The seasor
has been one entirely of Developments. ant
I can say that the work has more than jus
titled the estimates of the mines made VI
the surface outcrops and the little develop
ment that had been done. In almost ever
case, in fact I believe without exception
! the mines nave developed In value witt
every foot Of tunnel that has beef
d%riven-the Pride of the Mountains
ZIG, RAINY, Mystery and Emm
Moore in particular showing up fine bodie
Of ore beyond even the surface indications
This was of course what we desired an
what we had reasonable grounds to expect
but it 10 nevertheless eminently satisfac
tory that it should be SO. The work ON al
mines has been with a view to enable work
lug &b dA bEdSCubs WlAs0 bu0 LII
They are in excellent shape. and with tn
completion of the tramways and the rail
road we will be ready to ship ore in larg
quantities"
In response to a question as to the futur
of the camp, Mr. Dickerman replied:
II am not making predictions. Th
future can take care of itself. We ar
quite we'll enough satisfied with what th
camp shows now. There is just this niue
to be said, however, and that merely as
conservative statement of fact. There
here in Monte Cristo the ear marks of on
of the greatest mining camps in the Unite
States"
Capt. Hooper, and a noted mining mar
has recently examined the Monte Orist
mines and says in refe ence to them:
/ have no hesitation in saying that ther
is here the basis for a magnificent camp
one of the greatest in the count '. Mont
Cristo has the finest prospects, the biRgeE
leads and largest surface showing of an
camp / nave visited from Old Mexico mort
to this point. | have visited all the princi
pal mining regions from Mexico north, ar
this is certainly the finest at its stage c
development that l nave seen. l started i
at Durango. in Old Mexico, about thre
months ago, and have been working NORTH
up through Arizona, Utah, Montana an
Idaho. | have seen many splendid pro-
poets, bnt none on the whole the equal {
this. OF course, but little has been dor
here as yet, and a great deal remains to /