The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1894-07-27
THE GILT EDGE GROUP.
In the Near Future This Group OF
Mines Will Rank with the Best Gold
Producers in the Northwest.
The Principal Owners Of the Gilt
Edge Property Are Great
Falls People.

The following description Of the Gilt
Edge group Of mines in Fergus county
is from the Helena Independent, Great
Falls parties are largely interested in the
mines, especially the Gilt Edge, which
has proved q great gold producer:
One Of the most important groups OF
the Judith mountains, and which in
richness and productiveness promises to
equal the Spotted Horse, is the Gill
Edge group, situated three miles south
Of the Spotted Horse. In the fall Of
1883 their discovery and location were
made by W. E. Wilson. He did moi
have the money to push the develop
ment work, but struggled along as bes,
he could. Upon %uncovering a large body
Of ore he was chagrined by the little in
terest taken in his rich discovery by loca
capitalists. He offered to sell two Of hi
claims for $1,000, but could not dispose
Of them. After numerous efforts he sue
ceeded in convincing several enterpris
ing men of the richness of his claims
and a sale was made of the Chickadet
and Gilt Edge for $4,000.
In 1893 the Gilt Edge Mining compan,
was formed and a cyanide process mil
Of a daily capacity Of eighty tons wa
put in operation. Unfortunately aftel
the mine had been worked three month";
financial and legal complications CAUSED
a temporary suspension. But now Their,
promise OF a speedy dissipation of thes,
troubles and resumption on a large
scale.
The ore from the Gilt Edge group il
free gold in character, running from o
to 500 per ton, carrying a small percent
age Of iron, a trace OF silver, and som,
silica. The foot walls are lime and tn,
hanging walls porphyry.
The ore bodies OF the Chickadee stopet
range from twenty to six feet in widtl
at their narrowest points. There ar,
three tunnels-one 200 feet. At a dis
tance Of 100 feet from the mouth a Wine
hrs been built connecting with a TUNE
100 feet above, and in fifty feet further
winze has been sunk on the vein fifty
feet. The upper tunnel is now in sixty
five feet aud the second $50 feet. Or,
from the different drifts uni from 81.
to S25.
The Gilt Edge is developed by a shaft
drifts and tunnels. The main tunnel Il
in 200 feet. A distance Of 125 feet from
the entrace a 140.foot winze has beer
sunk, and at it's mouth a 100 foot tunne
and seventy-five feet down the winze |,
a drift Of 100 feet. At the bottom o
the shaft is a drift, and a crosscut haI
developed a twenty five foot body o
ore averaging $50 to the ton.
Other mines Of the group which iu al
embraces fourteen claims, are the Luck,
Bill, adjoining the Gilt Edge; The River
side. The Cochocton, The Arlington
and The Standby. Considerable de
velopment work has been done on thes,
claims. Another year will probably bring
about, among other improvements, thu
erection Of a large mill.
The town OF Gilt Edge, only eighteen
months old, contains fifty dwellings, TIVE
%storee, blacksmith shops, two hotels,
restaurant, livery stable, and an ASA,
office.
The Gilt Edge mill is located on a be-
of excellent Ignite coal, and veins thre,
feet IN width have been opened and sup
ply the mill and the town with fuel
Coal for the mill is hoisted from tn,
mine and dumped into the furnace room