The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1894-05-12
FORT BENTON BRENITIES.


From the River Press:
Preparations are being made for the
annual prospecting of the bars along the
Missouri below Fort Benton. A couple
of parties from Ncihart arrived last even
ing, and will prepare an outfit with
which to 60 to work after the June rise
subsidies.
Tom Shoebotham, of Ncihart, came to
Fort Benton last evening, and as he
couldn't get transportation over Hills
road, he came in on horseback. Fort
Benton was the first place in which Tom
ever worked in Montana, and he always
has Il good word for this city.
A lot Of counterfeit silver dollars are
of various dates and makes, some being
composed almost entirely of lead, while
Others are quite close counterfeits and
not easily distinguishablc from a gcnu-
inc at first sight. They have made their
appearance within the past few days,
but their origin is a mystery.
For fifteen days jim Hill has failed to
bring any mail to the Fort Benton de-
pot, and not II word has been said by the
government by way of rcprimand. But
let George Lewis miss one-fifth that
number of times, his trip from Fort Ben
ton post office to the depot, and the de
partmcnt would fine him for every cent
he's got and cancel his contract besides.
Jas. r. Stanford, formerly of Fort
Benton, and at present cashier of the
Northwestern National bank of Great
Falls, is one of the incorporators of a
stock company which has for its purpose
the production of sheep and wool in
northern Montana. His associates are
j. II. Moe and f. f. Wright, of Lewis
town. Capital stock $4,000, in shares
of 500.
a telegram from the p~ostoflicc depart
mcnt at Washington was received by the
Fort Benton postmaster on Saturday,
inquiring for his bids for carrying a mail
daily from Fort Benton to Belt, as long
as the railway strike lasts. This will
connect each day with the mails both
from Billings and Great Falls. Geo. f.
Lewis and Oscar Johnson were the bid
dcrs here, and their bids were telegraphcd
to Washington. The contract will prob
ably be let and carrying he begun this
week.
From A. NJ. Valley, who returned
last night from the south side of the
iiighwoods. VI learn that the prospect
ing in that section is no longer "A subject
of testing, but that a good grade of gold
bearing quartz has been located beyond
IA doubt. Hutchinson Bros. have thus far
had the best returns from the Butte and
Helena assayers, and some of their sam
plies have indicated from $40 to 1884
per ton. Other assays have been from
S12 upward. Hutchinson Bros. now
have a tunnel eighty feet in length, and
will 90 right ahead with the develop
ment of their claim. The rock carries
gold and copper, hnt seems to be free
from silver.
Tom Dews, once II resident of Fort
Benton came to town last evening. He
is with II party from Neihart who are
going to the Sweet Grass Hills prospect
: ing. He states that Neihart has been
badly buffcted by fate during the past
year, and the low PAIGE of silver, followed
. by the railroad tie-up, have blighted, for
. the present, the prosperity of that camp.
, Provisions there are short and must be
brought by wagon, while work is at Il
standstill. As the crippling of silver
has made mining that metal unproft-
able, these prospectors have turned their
attention to gold-bearing quartz, hence
their trip to Sweet Grass Hills.