The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-11-14
Despite the Silver Depression a
Number Of Properties are
Being Operated.
Full Force at the Iron Mountain,
the Curlew and h
Landowner.
Gold Missing Promises TO Develop Into
an Important Factsr IN that Cosnsy
in tho Near Future.

M1ssouLA, Nov. 1.-THE depression IN
Aha silva, market has not entirely aus
pended operations in Missoula county's
silver mines, and another twist ON the
screw BY Roldbug politics will be needed
before complete suspension 10 accom-
plished. The keystops mine IN spring
cuIch IL being worked under a lease TO VIM,
BRYAN. Nineteen men are employed ana
shres carloads Of ore are nov ready for
shipment. This mine has In the past few
years produced many thousand dollars
worth OF ore, and has been the main stay
of the camp. Its operation At this time 10
very fortunate. II is proposed 50 work oil
winter, and il Will give employment 70 a
number Of mon who have families and to
whom il would be extremely nconvenisnt
10 leave and search for employment in
other Localities. Thore are other proper
ties In the vicinity which can be made to
pay with silver lower than at present.. but
which che owners do not care to start until
the spring or until the agitation Of the
silver question is over.
The Iron Mountain company II now en-
ploying . full force Of msn and running its
concentration. 1t has not at amy time been
question of this mine paying, but as TO
whether the better policy was to wait for
higher markets and lose the expense OF
pumping and watching the machinery, or
10 sell the ore At prevailing market rates.
The latter plan appears TO have been de-
sided on BY the management.
A forcs of thirty men is al WORK on the
Curlew mine and some rich ore is being sx-
tracted on the 5O0-foot level. The conoen-
traitor is running and the vicinity OF tho
mine 10 assuming It's old time cheerful ap-
pea ance. On gold quartz properties there
IL considerable activity. A number OF
properties of this character arc being de-
veloped. The stock Of the Landowner
Mining company, owning property on
Windfnll creek, has been made assessable.
The directors through this action. think
that development work on the prop
perty can be carried on throuRh
the greater part of the winter.
A force of men are now working on the
Lsnaowper mine under contract. 1t Is te-
ported to have a fine showing Of free mill
ine quartz. On Trout creek Purtle aud
Lynch, the w~sll-known sawnill men. have
= force Of men employed on a claim which
vss located this summe:. They state that
the ore 10 a free milling gold quartz. assay
ing sufficiently high to yield a handsome
profit when a mill 10 placed near the niue.
This property will be worked all winter and
by spring the owners expect to have SUM-
Cl6US ueYolOEB6ut uOuS oA ~ y JospiAy NV
erection Of a stamp mill. The Chickamaw
mine on Lo Lo is p oducing ore which is
being worked in the new eight-Stamp mill
that has recently been erected near the
mine. The yield from this ore is stated By
parties into ested to be from eight to twelve
dollars per ton. that from the chute near the
end Of the tunnel giving the highest results.
The mill is at present being run by horse
power, but il is the intention OF this man
agement to Immediately the
work of constructing a ditch, and expect 10
complete it and place the waterwheel in
position in time to use it this winter. There
are q number OF other properties in the
vicinity of the Chiekamaw, which with
the same development would probably bs-
come profitable mines.
AT Martina the twenty-stamp mill of the
Nine Mile Mining company IL pounding
away night and day on quartz from the
several mines of this company. The stock
Of this company is held by comparatively
few men. The policy Of the company has
not been TO make public the details con-
corning the yield and profits from the oper-
atlons. The fact. however. that it keeps
in constant employment at good wages a
force Of about sixty men ls a very crafty
inR feature to the business men OF the
county. There is strong probability that the
size OF the plant will be largely
inc eased in the spring. The San Martina
company, which owns eight claims joining
the east end of the Nino Mile conn any's
property, will undoubtedly do considerable
work this winter. This company has been
labor,nR under the disadvantage Of having
its stock scattered among q large number
of stoekholdera, some of whom we're not in
the state. Not having been incorporated
as an sssessable company it was found last
spEing to be inn d TO 7alge neceasa
FUNDS by sales OF treasury stock to continue
operations. The efforts of the directors
have sin CO been concentrated ca re-incor-
n1rutInn AhA nDmnuhv on an RaaQR hla
basis. This has been accomplished and
most OF the old stock has been Transferred
for the new assessabls stock. As soon as
this is completed the development of the
mine Will be resumed.
The production OF gold from quartz
mines promises in a few years to be the
most important industry in Missouia
county. There are undoubtedly q number
of claims that can be made to uay a profit
with small mills. When tho idea is dropped
that high priced Bu psrlntendents, large
plants of machinery. gorgeousls fitted
offices and other elaborate orns IN nts are
absolutely necessary to the profitable
working OF a god mine. the industry vii.
have made an i'm portant advance.
There are ia this county and undoubtedly
in many other counties in ihe state many
small veins which are owned by compare
lively poor men that if economically worked
by the owners with q few men would give
them Il comfortable income. On many OF
tlbse sEe owners are able, II they look the
trouble to investigate. to put up q fve-
stamp mill. -Four or FIVE men with four or
five hundred dollars each, O. perhaps less.
with a little etedit can easily erecs
a mill Of this description. There is an ex-
am pie In thia county where 1t was done
with a much smaller sum than the ono
mentioned. A mill Of that size, 75O-pound
stamp, will treat from ten to Ifteen toDa Of
ore II day. ii can be run by two men, and
If a water power mill, under favorable CIR
cumstances. by one. If a group Of four or
FIVE msl own a claim and a3e good workers
themselves and undsrtook this in earnest,
they would be surprised 30 find out how
low grade oe they can work and
still earn good wages. Many of the lsr gss.
gold producing propositions in the countr,
have grown from beginnings like the one
suggested above. but where there are small
veins to be- worked only small mills are
needed. Thee are Il number of such In
the state that could be worked IN q SINAI
way and be made profitable.