The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-04-12
IN THE DLACKfOOT HILLS
A New Mining District in the
Reservation to Be Opened.
FINE SPECIMENS OF ORE
Preparing to 0obble Up Leads In the
Coded strip-A Bit of Romantic His
tory From the Files If Pioneer
Montana "reminiscences.

Another mining district destined to be
well up among the richest in the North
west il embraced within the boundaries
of the Blackfoot' reservation. which is
scheduled to be opened by proclamation
on the, 18th of this month There are
many Montana men standing ready to
jump right onto claims in the reserve
as DOT as the word is given. In fact,
1t is said that nearly, IL not all. of the
best mineral showings are already
claimed. A number of Anaconda men
are in the unit ready to take part
in III scramble for desirable locations.
Nv. Surprenant, who has been in this
city for a few days, left yesterday for
the reserve, where he has been since
last fall. He predicts lively times there
the coming summer, and says that 500
or 600 men will be there SOC after the
18th. A new town will be laid out at
st. Mary's lake, and it's name will prob
ably be Carter, Power, Conrad. Kipp or
Fuller; he's not sure which,, but as all
of those men appear to own everything
in sight. II is nothing more than cour-
tesy to give them the distinction of
naming the first town in the reserve in
their honor. He says these men seem
TO have a powerful pull up there, and
this dream is shared by many others.
However, Mr.. S~urprenant. who has
had much experience In new mining
camps, says that, taken altogether, one
man among the average has as much
show to find a rich spot there as an
other, and that is why he is taking his
chances among a large party of STAN
peders. He had some specimens of
copper ore that he had found on the
reserve, and he thinks that before many
years the new district will push Butte
% Ia.l 60. ar.A
Is he OF its ultimate greatness. He
had a rather undesirable experience
with the new agent. Fuller. who. he
says, ordered him off the reserve. Mr..
Fuller. IL Is said, is a friend of the Car
ter combine, which didn't work in har-
mony with former Agent Mclaughlin.
The consequence of the friction was
Mr.. McLaughlin's resignation.
The district abounds in mineral. fine
specimens having been found there 20
years ago.. A matter of history, al
most legendary, is recorded in the files
OF "Reminiscences of pioneer days of Mon
tana. 1t is that i'm the early sixties a
white mar and his wife wandered from
Bannack. their outfit consisting of a
covered wagon, a span of mules and
other necessary camp equipment. Their
objective point was Walla Walla, but II
being summer n they on pleasure
bent. they decided to take in st. Mary's
lake and other points of interest up
north which they had heard about in
conversation with friendly Assinni-
BONES and Flatheads.
In the following fall the bleached
bones of the i~ll-starred young couple
were found in the mountains h shade
the beautiful valleys of the reserve.
Near them were the ruins OF the wagon
that had been burned. Iron bolts, tires
and skeins in the charred heap told how
the wagon had been disposed of. The
mules were never returned to civiliza-
ton. A party of deer hunters ran
across the scene of murder and pl-
lage. One Of the hunters found an old
dutch oven, partly imbedded in the
earth. The lid was fastened by means
OF wire run through the ears" or bail
loops, and around the button on the
lid. thus holding it securely in place.
The hunter, out of curiosity, broke the
wire and removed the lid. and was as.
tcnished to find ii nearly fun Of very
rich gold quartz, the gold showing
plainly in large pieces.
That was all the clue they had, and
where the rock came from has never
been learned, but ii is believed that the
young man had found n ricn lead, and
ne and his wife were retur hing to Ian
mack probably to secure more provis-
ions and other supplies. No trace of
mining tools or gold pan were found
near the skeletons.