The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-05-30
A PARK COUNTY STRIKE,
Rich Finds Of A~sphaltum Reported
on 4 Rosebud Tributary.
Park County.
An Eastern Syndicate Secures q
Bond on the Property for
Ninety Days.
SEINE Montana Mon Interestsd-A Grsst
Many Locations Being Made
Chancs for Spseulstars.

Red LoDoE, May 2a.--[Spscial. ]-Aboui
six weeks go The NONRESIDENT published
. brief aceount Of the discovery Of oil
springs on Butcher creek, . small tributary
Of sAs Rosebud. The springs are situated
about sixteen miles northwest OF this camp
IL viii b remembered that ons H. A
Thompson, Of 81. Louis, Who vas thought
70 be . representative Of the Standard OH
company, At that time secured ! ninsty-
DAY option on . number Of the claims,
which were fled on % placer. Mr.. Tkonpp-
son admitted ct the time, to your CORES
pondsnt, that hs had found evidences Of
pstrolsun, bat that his examination OF the
properties was only : superficial ons on ac-
count Of the deep sno that then covered
ths discoveries.
Within the past few days IL has trans
pired that NJ. Thompson did not come IA
Hot Lodge to look for oil and that he rsr-
rsssAts no oil concern. He came in the in
tersst OF N eastern syndicate Of capitalists,
with whom J. II. CoArad, Of Helena, IL a.
soeiatsd. And his mission to Montana waa
70 Q Tor asphaltun, Of which he found a
good quality ON Butcher creek. Samples
OF shs produot have bssn exhibited in this
camp to-day and yesterday. and persons
familiar with it pronounce the find q first
class artiels. The most reliable informa-
ton ebtainable in reference to the find 10
shat given By Judge r. B. Durham. Of this
town. who hiss been associated wish Mr..
Thompson through the entire transaction.
Judge Dunham 10 . careful, shrswd and
conservative msn, and one Who thoroughly
understands mining in all it, branches. In
an interview with your correspondent he
said:
Yes. I was in correspondence with Nj.
Thompson for some time before he came
to Red Lodge. He is employed b. 4 com-
psny hat 10 handling asphsltum from the
Utah mines, and alss that vhieh comes
from the island of Trinidad, and 10 per-
fsotly familiar with the samples sent to
him, which hs had aasaysd and tested be-
fore 10 ssms out here. and I presume hs
was satisfied with the quality or hs would
net have taken an option on the properties.
He 10 on his way here now, and then you
can learn more from aim. / will say, how
svsr. that l have Uncovered two more oil
springs since he was here. They are To-
Gated near the hrst two fouAd and are sur
rounded BY deposits Of asphaltuu, which,
you understand, IL the residue Of petrol.
eum. The surface indications ara very
promising indeed. but no development,
70 has bess lone yet: I am Of The ep,n-
coal. I believe that 10 about ali the info,.
nation l can give yo7."
D.. II. Conrad has been in town for the
past few days, \ was alse approached by
your correspondent. He admitted that
.Thonn.on's srst visit here Was IN The Ia
tsre.s O. eastern = capitalists With whom no
Thompson was looking for aspAaitun,
and you can rest assured that he Knows the
article when he sees il. He il on his y.v
here now, and 10 accompanied by other par !
ties who are experts - regards the mining
Of asphaltum, but / DO not care TO say who
hey AZ. II the stan is there In paying
Lodge. for II 10 very valuable. T IN in
formed That il the quality il a. good a. tbs
lam plss which have been examined il will
be worth $50 per tom"
There is a good deal of interest mani
tested here In the strike. and sxoitenent
has been running high. Parties are going
to the new fields. and loeations are made
for two and three miles On each side Of tho
uatil o there u not a foot OF
in the neighbe1Aood that il
posrss. there ara some cool ones
here VINO nave passed through mining ex-
bsfors, and some of thess men
IRE selling out their claims. Mr.. Conrad
look options on 4 number of claims yestsr-
DAY, but your correspondent could not
earn the terms Of the contracts or whether
here was any cash put up or not. Some
who OWN claims close to tia springs
declare they would not sell for 5000. bus
others who are moro conservative would
undoubtedly lot 60 for a few hundreds and
glad Of the opportunity. Practically, |
: costs nothing to make = simple placer
Hing, all that 10 required being to stake of
he ground twsnty acres bsing the max
mum). post our location notice, aud
hen hsva tho hlinR recorded. One hun
lrsd dollars worth of representation work
must be done each year 10 hold the claim.
'ut scores of them will never be repre-
'entsd, for most of thom are far from the
n the chances arc q hundred 10
me that they are worthless. The indioa-
'ations are that the White brothers, Al
and L.. I. Siehler, who bonded their
claims to Thompson, will make a good
take, = some other parties who are To-
'ated close BY will probably make aomc
money. Anyhow, there 10 a genuine boom
n now. and II asphaltum 10 there in large
Quantities Butcher creek will become
the world over. The find il located
n Park county and only about two miles
rom tho line Of the Grow reservation.
~N-- n---- tl