The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-02-22
HELENA'S PAY DIRT
Right on the Edge of the City Is q
Mountain of Wealth.
BUT THERE'S AN of" IN 1T
Mr.. McDermott Leaves Butte Inn
mediately Upon Receipt of News
of the Fabulous Strike-The
Town Is Excited.

| United States Marshal McDermott re-
Gently secured a lease and bond on a
mining claim within the city limits of
Helena, and yesterday he received a
telegram informing him that they had
| struck it rich in silver and copper. The
account of the strike was so glowing
that Mr.. McDermott at once fastened
to Helena to determine the truth of the
report. The property on which he has
the lease and bond is owned by Thomas
Purcell and the Independent yesterday
gave the following account of the mine
and the alleged strike:
Mr.. Purcelrs claim was located
years ago and some work was perform
ed on ii, but none of the various owners
ever undertook to hold it long. Mr..
Purcell relocated the claim Jan. /, and
called it the &c. One of it's corners is
in the city limits, but the end of the
claim, where the work is now being
done, has never been plated. The
claim lies between Dry gulch and Last
Chance gulch, being only a few feet
from the Unionville road. From the
surface indications Mr.. Purcell was
convinced that mineral existed in the
claim, and set about to find it. Near
an abandoned shaft that had been sunk
in 1885 by DIR. William NJ. Steele, DR..
awe anu lOil nay WIN lHGi OWhtd
the claim, was a cap of lime forma-
ton. Mr.. Purcell was attracted to this
and was resolved to see what was un-
der it, His curiosity yielded a rich re-
turn. for. after picking away several
inches of the lime rock, he exposed a
body of ore. He picked out several
tons of the rock and, as ii looked rich
enough to ship, he hauled two wagon
loads to East Helena. He did not get
returns on the ore until last Monday,
but when he did the results surprised
him. The first load showed so ounces
of silver, 81 per cent. in copper and a
trace of gold to the ton. The load of
ore Melted him $22.22. The second load
of ore returned him $29.79 net The
smelter return showed that it ran 1874
per cent. in copper, for which he re-
ceived so cents per unit, 37.9 ounces in
silver. and $1.90 in gold, in all 1919 to
the ton. That was splendid showing
for what was practically surface rock.
I'm the meantime Mr.. Purcell who
did not fully realize the value of his
find. had made arrangements to bond
the property to United States Marshal
William McDermott of Butte and w. III.
Hanah and Frank Murray of Helena.
The deal was closed Monday. the day
Mr.. Purcell got his returns from the
smelter. II is understood that the bond
runs six months and provided for
cash payment of several hundred dol |
lars down, and $4,000 at the expiration
of six months, with liberal royalty on
the ore taken out during the life of the |
bond.
1.-The holders of the bond went to
work at once and now have a shaft
down 10 feet on the chute. They have
taken out about three tons of high
ore that will average. IL is said. $3.50 10
the ton, while Mr.. Purcell has about
two tons sacked ready for shipment.
There are also several tons of second
class rock on the dump. While depth
alone can tell the extent and direction
of the ore chute. IL is believed IL dips to |
the north and east. 1t is little more
than six feet wide, and is of jasper |
quartz impregnated with mineral. If |
the chute holds out the mine will be a |
bonanza. for much of the ore is of high |
grade. The best sample tested showed |
II. 06 ounces in gold, 144.3 ounces in sill |
yer and 27.5 per cent. copper-an assay |
value of $362.06 Another sample went |
1856. so TO the ton. Picked specimens of |
ore from the vein run as high as 81 900 |
to the ton. Many specimens were |
out of the hole yesterday in /
which native silver was plainly WISH
BILE.
only two men are at work on the
shaft. Ii is the intention of Mr.. Nc
Dermott and his partners to follow the |
chute down as rapidly as possible to /
the true vein, IL there is one. If the ore
chute holds its present value, they can
EASILY take out 500 a day. Thus far /
depth has shown an increase in the val |
ne of the ore.
The strike was much talked of yes
terday. Scores OF mining men visited
he property.
IF the chute holds out-there's an IL
n IL, YOU see-and takes them to the
rue lead. there's a forum in it,. said
)ne man.
DIR w. L. Steele and his partners
spent several hundred dollars on the
96 claim i'm 1885. They put down a
shaft is feet. but did not strike pay ore.
At one time Mr.. Ray was anxious 10
patent the ground. but the other part
lers thought IL was not worth while.
Mr. Purcell uncovered his ore chute
ess than five feet away from the old
ihaft.
MIR. McDermott was apprised of the
trike by telegraph yesterday and came
,ver from Butte last night To look at
he property.
The claim is less than three-quarters
u a mile from the city hall. and is on
he mountain-side a little above the
IeleEa brewery on West Main street.
[ can also be reached by a wagon road
eading from South Rodney street to
he reservoir