The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-11-16
SAND CREEK DISTRICT.

Section in Madison County That Has Boon
Uafsrtunate In Oas Respect.
The Sand Creek mining district in Nadi-
sen county would undoubtedly prove one
Of the richest sections Of Montana were it
not lsmentably unfortunate in mine own
srshlp, says the Standard. II gained q
Widespread note iiety when struck early
last spring, and for = Tins prospecters
poured in by the carload, by wagon and on
foot. The main camp 10 but three miles
south from sappington. on the Northern
Pacific, and the same distance from the
Jefferson river. A fine wagon road leads to
Sand Creek, q little hamlet with a couple or
stores, two saloons, postofhce. blacksmith
shop, and nearly 100 oabins. The mines de-
vslopsd 10 far are close 10 the town.: but
the country. which IS nearly level mas oesn H.
siaked off in claims for two miles IN
either direction, and the greater portion OF
them are owned by ranchmen who know
nothing Whatever about mining. Very
many Of the claims have not oven . pros
pect hole sunk and NO lead has bosn d's-
covered. and YET the country IL severed
with very rich float. Some Of the actually
nsvinp mines when first Uncovered were
bonded and = bonus raid to hold them.
Every man who had located q claim has
been hanging on, expecting 80 geS a oono
and paid bonus also As stated before, lg-
noranes of mining matters and general
lack of money to hire experienced men to
omar nm the q! ound work TO . great dlsad-
vantage.
The original discoverer and one OF the
6,st looators. John A. PasheEy. made the
find eiQhteep years ago but considered IL
nen-payabls. Last spring ne located the
Chill and Good Friday and began SINKING.
Thu venture was so fruitful ne Iu' up an
arastrs, Three months ago Frcd hinRslsy.
one Of the !easers who opened up tire rien
BODY of orc in the Gambetta at Meadsrville.
and Felix lie Forest, took the Chill and
Good Friday on q bond. and since that
time have been sinking ana drililng on a
tyepty-four-inch vein. which assays rllht
along four and eight.tonths ounces or sso
gold and 1855 silver. This all goes to thu
owner. Another arastra was erected by him
and Notwithstanding he loses all tho silver
and only saves from forty to fifty per cent
OF the cold. he has saved enough OF she lat
ter to visit Chicago and Duy mining ma
chinsry, and erect a large nill early IN the
spring. He is getting sat massriai Tor ~
now. He owns other claims and WILL also
probably treat custom ores. The 'operty
bonded BY Kinslsy and La Forest will be
taken at the expiration of the stipulated
time. a few days more.
The Duncan mines are owned by four
brothers of that nane. They cut a big hg-
urs in creating the stampede to Camp
Nk06k, nStA 49,
been done, and the vein is but swenty-four
inches wide, all rich. eight Of 1t going 32UO
steadily. The ore is worked by arastrx.
The McVsagh is bonded by tho BIZ
Metallic company. Of Granite, and Is sup-
posed to be very rich, but nothing positive
10 known. Thu doors are kept lacked when
not absolutely necessary to have tnsm
open. and NO stranger is allowed to go into
the mine. The shaft Ia about 100 feet daep
on an incline, and about sixty feet of drift
ing has been done. The DUNG Is kept per-
fectly clean, the ore being taken to she two
arsstras aa fast as extracted from the levels.
The lock was broken III an uuguarded mo-
nent some time ago and several pa ties
examined the workings underground. The
vein proved to be Ious feet wide and ex-
trsmely rich. free gold being noticeable.
All the ore extracted goes 10 the original
owners until the bond is satisfied.
Rod IIegpnt has tine Gold Bug and sixteen
other claims belonging to Kelly, under
boad. and ia holding onto all of them.
supposedly for the Bi. Metallic. Kelly SUM
twenty feet on the Gold Bug and the o'e
paid $50 per day to the mn. Much Of the
ore carries free gold in largo quantities.
and all tho gold is free milling. Almost
every owner in the distrios has beautiful!
specimens showing the pure gold. and a few
have thirty, forty, and even lOO pounds OF
zock from which the yellow metal G ops out
on all sidss. Not less than three mills will
bo erected in the early spflng. The ground
is easily worked and 10 far no water has
been struck in any of the ~sinkinRs.