The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-12-12
wovr1xA 1ND HKR rsDUsrsfEa
tn. P.opl. Turnirr Thsir Atte-tiou Aesia
70 the AHintne of Goid.

70 the Nintne ot Sole.
To THE EDITOR OF The SuN-S'r; In com
mon with all the States OF the Union. Montana
has felt the depression Of business following
the panic OF last summer and many OF hcr
peoplo are OF the opinion that its effects will
continue TO be felt for some time TO como be-
cause the price Of silver has fallen hollow the
cost Of production. Time alone will show what
the future condition OF the state Is to be.
Montana is prominently mining State.
Within her borders are to be FOUND all the
known m etals and coal In insxhaustible quan-
titles The greater part Of the coal Is Hgnltic.
the remainder bituminous. but as some epeci-
mems OF anthracite have been found 1t IS be-
lieved that veins OF the latter will be dtscov-
cred at no distant day Iron deposits are
numerous and extensive but nothing has been
done to work thom except as fluxes Tor re-
duoing other ores.
Gold mining first attracted the attention OF
the people. number Of the gulches were very
rich. and hundreds produced gold at profit
but these were finally practically worked out
Many Of these are now being worked Those
parts which would not pay in the early day
with rude appliances ard high wages are re-
turning handsome profits to their owners.
The failure OF silver mining has caused thou
sands OF people to turn their attention to gold
mining, and 1t 10 now apparent that more gold
viii be tdktu lEOn Nne UldCeT Hllneb
OF the state In the next few years than has
been produced In the last ten years.
M Untsn St counties OF the state. though IN
greatest Quantities in Madison. Lewis and
clarke. Beayerhead, Deer Lodge. and Mis-;
and contai but little gold. but few. have
been found that are large and rlch,, and give
be at. least two hundred Of these in the State
which have heen worked to some extent
In the early history OF quartz mining in Mon
tanA the cost OF mining WAS very great COM
pared with what it is now. Not only were
w a hga on out EYER YER wotk a1Tnt the mines
The consequence was that none but the rich
est est SHOOTS Of ore could be broken and treated.
ties proved this When the value Of the ore
ran below SO ton It did not pay to touch It.
Tcnobscot ore that runs S. a ton pays a hand
some profit, The cost Of working ore depends
TONS surrounding mine, but the Longmaid
brothers. who row own and work the Penob.
sf n .sG tb amIrs mine worked ore that
The partial failure Of the quartz gold mines
Of the state caused the miners to turn their
silver mining camp is Butte. and It continues
TO hold its tminence. though it has also be-
tHe world Tho f Ass the tamp the
Moulton. and the Gagnon. also copper pro-
dGeers Of Silver and the copper TG mines er proper
all produce silver. 1t is estimated that these
mines produce i've ounces OF silver to the ton
building, within n few miles in extent, OF a city
and severa! villages containing at least IS, 900
people. before the slump in silver in July.
Even now the population has not been greatly
diminished. They have also m ade millionaires
There is no State in the Northwest that can
produce moro wheat. rye. barley. oats, and hay
than Montana, but as the farm srs. or ranchers.
lands to produce these at profit. the cost Of
raising them is about the same. II not little
more, than the cost OF production in the States
fulther east. The distance to market being
so much greater, Montana farmers cannot
uce which they send to the East 'or IN market
Heretofore they have had good home mar ket
{ iSr nearly everything they could produce. but
ton. 1t cannot he expected that prices can be
much better until silver shall SO advance that
establ shed at the mines.
The live stock interest has also suffered Sc
and the bad weather The year has been a
bad one Tor grass. The spring was late and
when the drought came on the cattle espe-
cially suffered on account Of having to travel
not In good condition at the CONN nceni-nt Of
The shipping season. but their owners believed
were than, to hold them. The consequence
has been that though greater numu ers were
was received Tor them than last year.
; r WOO, thonGhi Eenera!ly OF good quality,
year There was an Increase in wsirh to- Of the
wool clipped, but the sales did not net more
than half OF last years crop.
The horse trade OF tho state has amounted
to VERY little during the year. Some ship-
ments have been made, hut It is doubtfulit
they more thnn paid expenses. 4 large num-
Der OF horses on tho range have died from
some disease which seems to he increasing
each year. 1t IL very difficult to determine
ms disease and 1t is impossible TO treat
horses that run the range SO the veterinary
surgeons of the State. though they have
gathered some facts concerning the disease
have not been able to arrest its progress 1t
Is honed That the experimental agricultural
l"Ge ~ Bozsman will be able to make further
studies Of the disease II is believed that 1t
comes from some specific poison that the
horses take with their food
Live stock men are fearful that the winter |
will he severe upon stock OF all kinds Grass
ls short and cattle and sheep not In good
orieT as they usually are at the approach OF |
winter Should the winter be Q severe one |
many losses must necessarily occur though |
-tockmen are better prepared TO take caro- OF |
their stock than ever before.
1hls Is taN-paytng time. County and State |
faxes must be paid by the LIST OF December |
.ity taxes nte due the LIST o. January. The |
taxes have been paid much better than was |
expected. The amount delinquent will not be |
more than 10 per cent greater than last year. |
The future OF the state, though not bright is |
assured The. evil days are shortened.
Tho production Of the state for 1892 may be |
set down, Approximately. as follows:
silver actual value NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. i5oES0a6
..pB'r ...'.'''...'''.'...' leloS4s4
sheep and wool Soo0So
TOTAL $40 UU2 OTO
1t Is too early to give much more than guess
Is 70 inc value OF the same products this year, |
'ut they Will be about as follows:
liver actual value iSoG1 0o0
FF.''''''''''''.'' ''''''''''''''. lHoooooo