The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1894-06-15
THE BELT COAL MINES.
Description of the Cashier Coal and
Coke COmpany's Works and
T.. Also the New Town.
The Company Now Shipping Five Hun
dred Tons of Coal a Day-Great
improvements Being Made.


Since the Cashier Coal and Coke com.
pany commenced operating the coal
ground they purchased, the result has
been the erection Of many new build
ings on the south side of Cashier coulee
and IN the bench between the bluff and
the valley proper.
The company has bridged Cashiers
coulee 90 that access is now easy to that
portion Of Belt village. Crossing the
bridge we find several switches built for
the use Of the company, and having
crossed the main line Of the Neihart
branch Of the Great Northern railway
there is found the first tramway used for
loading coal.
The company have retimbered the old
Cashier tunnel in a very substantial
manner and it is now driven in about
LOO feet. 1t would be superfiuous to
say anything about the quality. Its
character has beer too we'll known for
seventeen years. The coal is hauled
from the inside of the mine to about
fifty feet outside the mouth in short
trains of four cars holding six tons,
hauled by horse power. From this
point to the schultz the tramway is very
steep to enable the cars to go under the
railway. or course ordinary methods of
breaking would be insufficient, 80 a gray
ity wire cable with manual break is used
which by an ingenious system Of four
wheels placed horizontally has tremen-
dous power. The result lie that one man
controls the movements OF the loaded
cars going down to the schultz and which
by their weight and force drag up the
six empty ones to be taken into the mine
by horse power. At the shoot the slack
is screened from the other coal, but as
yet is not utilized. In the future it is
intended to manufacture coke from it, as
it is highly bituminous and admirably
adapted for that purpose. 1t requires
about one minute for the transmission
of the six cars of coal from the mouth
OF the tunnel to the schultz. On the
south side OF the tramway and adjacent
to the mouth of the tunnel the company
is now excavatipg for the erection OF
blacksmith and general repair shops.
On the opposite side of Cashiers cou.
lee from the mine is the new grade of
the county road to Great Falls, recently
finished and opened for traffic, and which
obviates the steep grades Of the old
road.
Leaving the tramway and proceeding
south we find an entirely new town
sprung up on the bench. Beside the
new dwelling houses on the west side of
the street the company has placed and
fenced in for the convenience OF its m
ployes a standplpe through which gushes
the purest cold water which is carried
from a spring over in the bluffs.
A little further on is the Anaconda
hotel owned by P. Fitzgerald of Shelby
Junction, who also owns another hotel
at the latter place. The Anaconda hotel
is a two story building, tho contour of
the hill allowing a commodious base.
ment in front, in which is the Office and
sample room. In the office we found
our genial old Great Falls friend Pete
Mcdonald installed as general manager
in the absence of Mr.. Fitzgerald. Pete
kindly showed us around the building;
on the first floor in front is a com nodious
verandah from which can be obi a
magnificent view of the valley, and in
the main building are the dining room,
parlor, and reception rooms. Inc upper
story is divided off into twenty-four bed
rooms, the main hallway being nj lety
feet in length. The hotel is entirely new
throughout, and the custom received
taxes it to its utmost capacity. Still
further south is the building of Dan
goods, ard report a lively trade. Ad-
%jacent to this is the building of Camp
bell Bros. OF Granite, who are now
and medicines, in fact everything which
rvoaa 20 xaolyn m Hrok olo,a dr,, k1.o
Close by is the barber shop and bath
Falls, who has recently commenced bust
ness here at this stand. On the opposite
side Of the street is the meat market of
John Richards Of Cora, who proposes
to keep a first class establishment. In
close proximity is the sample room and
billiard hall Of MIR. Larson 25x40, which
when completed will be an ornament to
the village. The Standard hotel owned
by Matt Richardson ia next on the
south. This hotel is two stories high,
and is now rapidly approaching COM
pletion.
parties who have organized to build a
hall 30x6O, and which undoubtedly is re-
quired as Peter Breen at his last visit or
kduiLou q iOuBo VI IAulBut6 VI 1/dUOT.
On the east side of the new village the
company have erected a large store Ask
GO with two wings l2x6O. The building
will be ready for occupancy about the
middle Of the month, and a large stock
Of merchandise is already ordered. 1t is
understood that as soon as the building
is ready, it's completion will be celebrat-
ed by q grand ball.
Continuing southwark the general Of
flee Of the company is passed, and q visi-
tor arrives at the second tunnel belong
ing to the Cashier Coal and Coke COM
pany. This tunnel is now LOO feet in
length, and the manne of working is the
same as the other. Near the entrance is
the blacksmith shop, constantly busy,
and northeast Of the tunnel is the en-
CINE house, which furnishes pure air for
the chambers and drifts in the mine.
Excavation is now being made for q
large powder magazine west Of the mine,
q want Of which is acutely felt.
The company have closed q contract
with M. Foley, OF Barker, for $4,000
props for the mines. As it is the inten.
ton to float these down Belt creek, it
will undoubtedly prove to be an econo-
mical method.
The company have now a test coke
oven In operation near the engine house
to determine the proper method to OBJ
tain the best results.
1t would not be right TO close this pa
per without stating that the supply OF
labor lie far 10 excess Of the demand,
there being an average Gf ten men ur-
irving every day over the rate that can