The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1898-04-09
MINES OF THE NORTHWEST
SILVER BOWS IMMENSE OUTPUT
Discovery in Oregon of Rich Gold
Bearing Quartz on Limestone
and Porphyry Contact-Old Idaho
Camp--Latcst stampede From
DoWson.

As showing the enormous amount of
wealth produced in Silver Bow county,
Montana, some figures prepared by Eu-
gene b. Braden, in charge of the United
States assay Office in Helena, are of the
greatest moment. Mr.. Braden has placed
the entire output of Silver Bow county
from 1882 to 1897, inclusive, at the enor-
nous figure for gold, silver and copper al
1888, 0S6, 77707. The total of 539,2S8, lG4
fine ounces of gold was valued at $ll ,l4S,-
075.74. The product Of silver, ll3,605,0 0l
ounces, would be worth at coinage rate,
$I46,SS3,2 34. Mr. Braden has estimated
the value Of the copper output by conf
putting copper at IL cents pound As
matter of fact the estimate is probably an
exceedingly conservative one, the average
price of that commodity having been
during the years 1882 until 1897, inclu |
sive, l3.476 cents, making it probable that
Mr.. Bladen's figures are duly low. But
even at II cents the product, 1875 1852 PAP
pounds, is shown to be worth the enor-
nous sum of 1925. 055, 46704. The most
remarkable thing about it all, as it will
strike the average student, is that all that
has been taken from within practically
radius of three miles-the city of Butte
and its immediate vicinity.
Recent Oregon Discovery.
The recent discovery of rich gold bear
ing quartz on limestone and porphyry
contact near Apologize, in Jackson coun-
ty, Oregon, is worthy of more than pass
ing notice. 1t used to be the prevailing
opinion among competent mining author
tiles that this formation was not favor
able to auriferous naturalization until the
discovery in recent years of the extensive
and almost inexhaustible gold fields at
Mercur, Utah, in similar formation.
This limestone dyke, in which the discov
cry was made, is of a metamorphic char
acter, or what be called in common par
lance blue black marble, and is mineral
lied to a greater or less degree through
out the entire mass, but as rule the gold
is found in black, cherry, impure quartz
extending through oxidized lime or mar
BILE over on jackson creek, about two
miles from jacksonville, which has proved
to be highly mineralized in both gold and
mine Below this calcite dyke the early
placer miners in the sos used to pick up
some wonderfully rich gold and silver ore
2 in the ground sluice, and it was a mys
5 terry from whence it came until the dis
covery in recent years, as above stated, ii
, the Beekman and HufIer mine.
: Texas District.
One of the oldest mining camps (TeXa'
e district) encountered in this northwest
5 region is situated at the headwaters o
the Lemhi river, Idaho. In the sos it at
tracted considerable notice, and attained
. very prominent position as an ore pro
ducer. The camp was one of the best wa
= tered and timbered of any locality in Ida
no, and its accessibility and natural ad
vantages were unsurpassed. Its hatura
}. outlet is through the fertile valley lead
/ ing past Spring mountain, Nicholia, ant
s down along Birch creek, thence TO Dubois
Idaho. Upwards of $4,000 were takei
: from one of its mines alone, and altogeth
d er it has produced in the neighborhood @
n $4,000 worth of bullion. Something Xix
Y 200 mining claims were located within
v the district. No great depth was eve
J. attained on any of its properties, and tn
d shipments were confined to surface depo:
It its. 1t covers a stretch of country fror
n 25 to 80 miles in length, comparable i
If all respects to the Sawtooth range in tn
# Wood River country Want of capits
/ and the high charges for transportatio
e that at that period governed, held tn
# country in check until it was overtake
by the warfare on silver, since which tim
\. it has lain dormant as a mining section
# It's ores have ranged all the way from 81
o. to $500 in silver to the ton, principal
70, chlorides, which, it is urged, is against
q as concentrating product. Galena an
:, carbonates are much in evidence. BIZ
q. one or two properties are now being a
- lively worked there and these are pilir
j. their ores to one side in wait for an in
:, proved market.
Stampede to swede Creek.
The latest stampede from Dawson WI
the one that occurred February l6
Swede creek, 60 miles above Dawson.
no the rush four men whose names could n
be learned persisted from the cold. Viii
va en- route from Tanana river to DawsO
81 ex-Mayor Wood of Seattle, who lately 1
n. turned from Alaska, paid particular a
+. tention to the mineral district on t
no American side of the line, and his obso
- vations have made him enthusiastic ov
its prospects. There has been a gre
no deal of prospecting along all the cree
ar from the Tanana to Forty Mile creek Il
no winter, and the results obtained are c