The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-05-26
THE PROPOSED ROAD
From the Eva Group of Mines to the
Basin SHELTERS.
WILL INSPECT THE. ROUTE
Butte's Chamber of Commerce
Takes an interest in the Propo-
sitlon-The West Side Would
Be Benefited Thereby.

Butte. May 25-DanieI Simpson. SUI
! perintendent of the Eva May group of
mines, has been I'm the city during the
4 week, and has succeeded in arousing a
! good deal Of interest in the proposed
Cataract road from the Eva May group
! OF mines to Basin. The estimates on
the cost of this road during years past
have been various. but Mr.. Simpson
has made a very careful examination
and is confident that the cost will not
exceed $4,000. The Eva May people
have subscribed 81 100 OF this amount.
and the people of Boulder and Basin
and the county commissioners OF Sill
yer Bow county enough more 10 bring
the total up to about $1,000. The bal
ance of $1,000 IL is believed can be
raised i'm Butte through the efforts of
the Butte chamber of commerce. which
has become interested in the matter.
The Eva May. group of mines is To-
Gated seven miles from Basin and also
seven miles from Wicles. The product
of the mines is at present taken to the
smelters at Wickes, which is tributary
10 Helena. The proposition is 10 take
the ore to the smelters at Basin, which
is tributary to Butte, and this will be
done If the Cataract road between the
mines and Basin is constructed. The
advantage to Butte will be that all the
supplies for this camp will be pur-
chased i'm Basin and Butte instead of
Wickes and Helena. The mines are the
property of the Montana Mineral Land
Development company, and Mr. Simp-
son is confident that within year
o,Uy0 men VIII De employed there. 1nere
is every likelihood of the already thriv-
ing camp becoming as busy and lively
a mining camp as can be found in the
Of To cd - h.. diva n afrea
in diverting the trade of such camp
from Helena to Butte can be readily
seen.
The advantage to the company i'm
shipping It's ore to Basin instead of
to Wickes is readily explained. The
main range of the Rocky mountains is
between the Eva May group OF mines
and Wickes. The company i'm shipping
TO Wickes, which II is now doing be
cause there is a road to Wickes and
none to Basin, is compelled to carry
the ore up over the range. The road is
very precipitous. Consequently the
teams can only take small loads. The
loads are so small that the cost of
teaming the ore from the Eva May to
Wickes is $3.50 per ton.
Between the Eva May and Basin
there is no intervening range. The
grade is easy. and with a road con-
structed the cost OF teaming ore from
Ailt HllnfS W IdSlu VIII bt Otilg 81 pei
ton. The clear saving to the company
will be, therefore, $3.50 per ton. So long
as the range of mountains shuts off
these valuable mines from Wickes,
therefore. this country is bound to be
tributary to Basin and Butte, provided
the road Is constructed
The Butte chamber of commerce has
appointed a committee consisting of
Messrs John II. Curtis, ]. Il. Russell
and +. l.. Grandey TO visit the Eva
May mines and ascertain the feasibil-
ity of the road and the likelihood of
the trade of this section being diverted
from the merchants of Helena to the
merchants of Butte The gentlemen
will be taken by Mr.. Simpson to
Wickes by rail- Then they will travel
by carriage over the road from Wickes
to the mining camp, climbing the
range. Remaining at the camp over
night. they will inspect the mines, and
will then walk from the mines to Basin
along the line Of the proposed Cataract
road. From Basin they will reach
Butte by rail. Ia This excursion they
will obtain a full knowledge of the
whole mater and will be able to maks
an intelligent and complete report to
the chamber of commerce The gen
tlemen will start on the trip in a few
dayS ...-..