The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-05-02
The BlACkTAll MINING DISTRICT.
10 Aboupds Ia Good Gold Prospects in
All stages of Development.


Special Correspondence of the Standard.
Libby, April 29.-The main develop
ment of this country so far has been on
the big silver lead contact which begins
about five miles southwest of Libby and
continues raigh south for "A distance
Of "a miles. On account OF its being cut
down i'm many places by streams this
contact and its valuable deposits of ore
were easily discovered. as they are ex-
posed In the beds of the creek. The in
fiux of prospectors caused by the first
locations overlooked onto the forks Of
Fisher creek, to the south OF the Libby
district proper. and resulted In the ind
ing OF very aluable veins OF free gold
ore. As the Blacktail mine was the
most promising of these discoveries the
district gradually became known as the
Blacktail district. This is generally un-
derstood by miners to include the prop
critics on the West Fisher. beginning
about a mile and a half above the
mouth Of Standard creek and running
west and south Of that point on the
unit spurs on Bramlett, Fourth OF
July and Lake creeks.
The principal development in this dis
trict has been one on the Bell group.
which consists of the Bell and the Com
bination. and is owned by j. J. Flick
and DIR. 1. NJ. Rockefeller, both of Ana
tOD1d. Intrt ltduS Wtft ulStOftiSu III
July, 1892. and the principal develop
ment has been done on the Bell ground.
on this property the main tunnel has
been driven 100 feet: there are two tun-
nels. 80 feet each In length. and four
shorter ones. These are all adit tunnels
and show the lead in all their extent.
Tbs formation at this property. as at
all the other mines of the district, is
slate. with occasional intermixture Of
NJ - - l. IL. &c.,.
six inches to six feet and will probably
average two feet throughout the entire
extent of its development. The veins
are blanket veins and dip on an ave
rage one foot in 30.
on the Combination a tunnel has been
run To the depth of 40 feet and being on
the same lead IL shows practically the
same conditions as are present In the
Bell. The character Of the rock con
tanned in this vein IL free milling gold,
and it's average value is probably from
$50 to s25 per ton
Adjoining the properties just de-
scribed lies the Blacktail min which Is
owned by John Cowell. Albert Roder-
lex. Don T.. Schenck. Henry Bramlett
and Sanford * Grubb. This location
conflicts with the Bell location. but the
development has been on a separate
lead. A tunnel has been driven IS feet
on the lead and a vein OF from five 10
six feet IL exposed. The rock H. OF the
same character a. above described. but
the larger lead viii scarcely show as
high value a. the smaller. though there
i not A great deal of difference. In ad-
ditiOn TO the tunnel referred to a large
amount of work has been lone on the
Blacktail in the way Of stripping and
exposing the lead on the surface, and
enough has been done in both these
properties to warrant the most conser-
vative people in going ahead with them.
Unfortunately the conflict in the lOca-
tons above referred 10 was such that
litigation was necessary 10 determine
IN. rights Of the different claimants.
Suit was brought in July. 1855. and the