The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-07-03
THE TIDE HAS TURNED
Old Miners and Mill Men Are
Returning to Granite.
DARK DAYS HAVE PASSED
The Towns OF ranite County Are Be
ginning TO Present Their Old-Time
Appearence-Are Resuming
Work on the Mines.

Phillpsburg, July I.-"All aboard for
Granite," 1t was a long time that this
call was not heard ON the Philipsburg
streets and its familiar sound, as the
stage drivers call 1t out these days, is
one of the things that make the town
seem natural to those who knew the
place in the old times. when silver was
up n all of the mines on Granite
mountain were in full operation. The
"All aboard" call has been resumed
with the renewal of operations at the
Bimetallic and now the stages carry
UP the mountain their old -time loads. 1t
is a cheering sight and the sound of the
drivers call is the sweetest music that
the people over here want to listen To.
Ii is five years since the long procession
of stages came down the mountain,
loaded with outgoing miners and their
families, forced TO leave their homes by
the closing of the mines, which was rem
dered necessary by the blow at silver.
Following these stages came big wagons
piled high with trunks and baggage ana
those were busy days for the transport
tation people. The last payday on the
mountain is recalled with a shiver ny
those who were here at the time. 1t
was the time that all of the men were
ldlu Oh anu NpiipCii'h W iOoh
for employment. 1t marked the begin
ming of the dark days of Granite county
and the dark days have been many
since then. Now, however, the tide has
turned and the plucky merchants who
have held on through all the trouble are
beginning TO feel that the worst Is over.
Some of the old miners and millmen
are returning and many new ones are
coming with them. At the Bimetallic
mill so stamps are pounding night and
day Upon the ore that comes down the
unit and millwrights and machin-
lists are working double shifts to get 30
other stamps ready.
At the mine there are about $50 men
at work now and as many more are EN-
ployed at the mills. AS soon as the new
batteries are put into operation this
force will be considerably increased and
the towns in Granite county will pre-
sent something of their old appearance.
In ~Philipsburg there are few vacant
buildings now. Many new stores have
opened recently and residences that
have had no occupants for four years
are filling up The procession of loaded
! stages and baggage van is moving to-
ward the towns instead of away from
them. That the change Is a permanent
| one seems almost certain. While there
has been no efin announcement from
the new consolidated mining companies
the impression prevails and is strength
ened by what can be learned from the
inside, that there will be no Interrupt
ton to the operations that have been
started this ummer. To all of Western
Montana this is the best news that could
come.
The past month has witnessed many
and important changes In the two
towns, one at the foot of Granite
mountain and the other perched upon
" ~. 4
snap and vim all around here. There
are miners at work: there are heavy
wagons moving back and forth; the
tramway with its long string of cars
is in motion up and down the noun
tain: the express company is taking
out big bars of bullion and is bring
ing in big loads of supplies. On the
walls and fences about the city there
are bright posters in red, white and
blue. n an old-fashioned
Fourth of July celebration, and Phil
ipsburg will turn loose on Monday with
a glad heart. They have something be-
sides independence to celebrate. Plans
have been made for a celebration that
will be a hummer and that will enable
the people here TO let on steam as haru
as they wish.
IL will require two or three months
to get things loosened up here. as
there has been a strIngency so severe
that ii will not be relieved all at once.
but the indications are encouraging n
the town shows II. The first pay day
will occur this month, and that VIII
start things in the right direction. Be
fore fall the conditions will De restored
TO something like their former status,
II the present indications are correct.
The two or three hundred men now at
work will be increased In a Few weeks
TO nearly double that number. M the
output of the mines VIII begin TO ne
like that of '92. as things look now. The
first shipment of bullion was made this
week. and II is expected that there VIII
be no interruption in the regularity OF
the output from now on.
The new company. the Granite BIZ
metallic Consolidated Mining company,
Is operating the Bimetallic mine anu
the mill. The work on the big tunnel
hat is TO drain the Granite Mountain
mine, through the Bimetallic, has been
resumed. and ii is thought that II will
he through in a few days. Nothing IS
being done yet at Rumsey. The new
| company owns practically the whole of
Granite mountain. 1t has patented
nearly 300 claims that include all N
the principal properties on the hill. The
Elizabeth is controlled by this big
| concern and the whole mountain is un-
der its powerful sway. There Is moth
ing given out from headquarters as 20
What is the intention of the company.
IL can only be judged by the contracts
for supplies and material that are
made. These are said TO indicate That
the operations of the company VIII DE
extensive.
The old Hope mill still rattles it's
stamps at the upper end of town. This
is the old reliable property that has
kept Philipsburg from going TO pieces
entirely. When things have been at
the worst. the stamps of his old stone
mill have pounded away all the time
and have been encouraging to those
who have played out the waiting game.
This mill and the Bimetallic are all
that are running now. Contracts have
been let this week for some important
tunnel work on the thai are
thought to mean hat there viii be an
extending of the operations in the coun-
ty before long.
The trains that run In ON the Drum