The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1894-01-30
THE MINES OF MONTANA
New Process for Working Placer
Fields That Is Of Interest
in This State.
Dser Lodge Company That Prom
ises to Add 70 the Yellow
Metal Output.
what the Completion OF the Montana
southern Railroad Means for Mad
ison County Mines.

J.B. Thayer. Of Superior, wis. talking
the other day 30 81. Paul Globe reporter
referred Interestingly 10 nov machines
Which have been invented which are max
ing furoTs in placer mining properties.
The California gold mining excitement In
1sia. the later Pixies Peak and other similar
''hnds" we're all based on plas'r mining.
where the seeker for gold stakod out
small claim and worked With pick and
shovel. in the old fashioned rocker. the
sand and gravel containing the silk-sdged
metal. When the placer mines in Caitor-
MIA began 20 degenerate hydraulic mining
came In vogue, until 10 became suoh q men
ace 20 agricultural districts by washing
away the banks which held the streams In
their channels that the legislature inter
fered and forbid hydraulic mining By Law.
In California few frugal Chinese still
do a little rlaesr mining. and during the
present hard times many men out OF en-
ployment have taken 30 the piok and shovel
an rocker. whereby they can earn meager
dollar OF two day. but that is still better
than 60 chance starvation. Mr.. 1hayer
SAYS that there has bsen considerable Of
that class OF rlscer mining In vogue In
Idaho the past year. but now comes the
new machine, which seems 70 be destined
to make az much stir in the golden world
90 the original California discoveries. Sill
yer. he thinks. Is bound 30 take secondary
place in mining circles. az 10 already has IN
legislative.
Inc new invention. which Is bu. few
months old, is a combination OF three y o.
eesses, the steam diedge TO dig oat the sand
aud gravel, the screen TO sift the ooafse de-
49, lIrn-
mator, which by aid OF quicksilver eollects
she golden particles. All three Irocsassa
afe worked ~ the same time By the same
steam power, the d edge passing the sand
and gravel 20 the screen ana the screen
passing tbs fine san3 10 The amalgamatof'
where jets of water are constantly oelng
elected from beneath. forcing the slnd over
ths edge Of tke vat. Wills the quicksilver
collects ths gold particles.
One of these mschines esn accomplish 50
much per day az a small army OF men, aud
10 only requires seven men 50 operate 10.
The average product Of hand placer mining
ranges from 20 cents 10 81 per Yard while
with machine wo X = handsome profit Is az
forded At yield OF - cents per Yard, sum
on which man woald starVe undor the
old process. One machine, a. mini
mum estimate. will produce 500 per
day at maximum cost OF from $40 20 &lOO
Per day. They are being Iapidly put 10
work along the Snake river and elsewhere.
and lands which were before absolutely
worthless are selling in trRots Of thousands
OF acres at from $25 to so per acre. The
dredge or shovel is capAbls Of wo kinG
twenty feet above the surface on side bill,
and twenty feet below the surface. This
secures an almost limitless Geld Of opera
tions aud the situation is being taken ad-
vantage Of verI rapidly.
Eastern capitalists have formed a com
pany, with several millions capital. 10 con-
Irol this machine ana also secure vast
tracts OF land in Idaho and other regions
we're gold exists but has heretofore cost so
much 20 work ID as TO be substantially
valusiesG The large machine COSTS from
$25. 900 10 $4,000 bot there are other in
yentions costing but few hundred dollars
which a crew OF three mon can Work at n
pToht OF at least S25 per day each.