Great Falls weekly tribune., 1896-07-31
REPORTER WAS A SUCKER.
And Robert A. Ammon Proceeded to
Amuse Himself.

And Robert A. Ammon Proceeded to
Amuse Himself.
In depicting the society upon the Stan
islaus, particularly at Nye's Ford, Bret
Harte made familiar to thousands of
readers one man whose reputation, in the
community in which he lived, for truth
and veracity was such that he bore with
graceful dignity the sobriquet of
"Truthful James, Mr.. Harte wrote too
soon; his works were considered exag-
gorated in their sketches Of western life;
if the author of 1.-The Luck Of Roaring
Camp had but waited until 1896, he
might have found hero in New York
in the winter, or at Cripple Creek when
new mining exchange was to be organ
ized, or at Gilt Edge, Mont.-when the
miners were not at home and the sheriff
was not in possession of the camp and
Mr. Harte need not have attributed to
"the heather Chinee" all the "ways that
are dark and tricks that are vain"
| In the last issue of the Now York En-
gneeripg a. Mining Journal appears the
following remarkable interview:
"Ammon-S -Stivers Mining Company, In
corporated. H. A. Ammon, the
president, stated to Il representative of
the Engineering and Mining journal
that he purchased the property now
owned by this company from the Gilt
Edge Mining company at sheritfs sale
IN 1894 for $4,000, and that he has
erected cyanide plant which cost IN the
nelghborhood of $4,000. Col. Ammon
was the general manager of the Gilt
Edge Mining company before the sale OF
the property. He says that he believed
he knew the best method for the treat
ment of it's ores, but some of the other
officers, thinking they could manage the
property better than himself, started the
operation which resulted in a sheriff Z
sale. There were some liens in the
Gilt Edge Mining company, and
these people, after the property
was sold, forcibly evicted the superin-
tendent appointed by the purchasers
and took possession of all the workings
In consequence of this petition was
filed at Great Falls by the officers OF the
Ammon- -Stivors Mining company to the
effect that the parties who were operat
ing the mines did lot understand tht
cyanide process Of treating the ores, AMI
that they were running the machinery
COl. Ammon says that when the matte
was brought up in court he asked ant
was appointed receiver, and that he il
I turn placed Mr.. l.. q. Phelps Of Grea
Falls in tho new position. Everything
is said to be in successful operation now
, and it is hoped by Col Ammon tina
: those who are really entitled by law t
a claim moneys on the mines will soon b
paid. The officers of the Ammon- Silver
' Mining company, incorporated, are a
G follows: Col. h. A. Ammon, president
d Il. NJ. Stivers, first vice president; F.. J.
toote, Jr., second vice president; +. L
Thurber, third vice president; Waite
Lauder, secretary and treasurer. Th
principal office Of the company is i
y New York city
d "Honest Bob is correct in all tn
y above statements, except the following
= That he purchased the property at shel
y ifs sale; that he purchased it Tor siS
r 900; that he erected cyanide plant q
g. cost of SSO,CCo; that other oillccr
ia started the sheritfs sale; that ne aske
to be appointed receiver; that he wa
appointed receiver; that he, in lurr
placed Mr.. Phelps in the new position
= that everything is now in successful OF
' Grafton; and, go far as the doughty "co
onels" hope is concerned dwell, that
, another story" as Rudyard kiplin
J" would say.
In the personal column OF the sam
journal appears the following:
Captain Eakins left New York tn
week for Gilt Edge, Mont, to TAX
charge Of the financial operations OF tt
10 Ammon. .Stivers Mining company"
ae "Financial' is rich.