The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-08-03
FINE OLD MINING CAMP
Prosperity Is Beginning to Re-
turn to the Town of Barker.
FIVE YEARS. IOLENESS
But Again the Mines Are witnessing
Scenes of Activity-Great Falls Men
Are Interested in Several Prop
acknowledgement Work.

Great Falls, Aug. 1.-THE old mining
camp of Barker, the place where pros
pectors from Fort Benton in 1878 made
their first mining locations In the Little
Belt range is beginning to sec some OF
its former prosperity return to its con-
fines. Generally speaking the forma-
ton in the camp Is limestone, and the
ore is rich in lead but comparatively
poor in silver, and when silver dropped
so low that people began to talk about
using It for roofing material the mine
owners concluded that they had best
close up shop and seek some other &C
cupation. They did so and the rich
mines of Barker have lain idle for near
ly five years. But when lead began 10
rise in value and there came a demand
from the silver smelters of the country
for a fuxing ore to use with the dry
ores so rich In silver that there was
still a profit in smelling them. then the
Barker mines had another chance. They
were rich in lead and their ores were
precisely what was required by the
smelters.
TN movement began with the leasing
of some of the mines principally TO the
men who had been thrown out OF en-
ployment by the drop in silver, and who
DHlleNGu lHdI TIC NOuio III Nhho 49,
at least make wages. Then the Wright
and Edwards was leased to the U. S. &
r. mpa of this city, and the same
took a lease upon a portion
Of the Moulton. Other leases have been
made since and now the camp Is COM
mencfng to look as lively as ii did in 80.
The town itself Is located at the juno
ton of Galena creek n Gold Run, and
the principal mines are located on the
first gully. Right in the town itself Is
the site OF the old Clendenin smelter,
which was burned In 1884 or 1885 and
never rebuilt. The ruins have remained
undisturbed until a short time ago
when Charles Thaler of Neihart took
a lease on the site. He has since been
busy In cleaning up the ground and has
found enough bullion, silver and lead,
10 pay him for his work. He has been
running over the old Stag pile n at
the end of about six weeks he VIII make
a shipment to this city of eight cars
of the stuff. 1t is thought rich enough
to amply repay the labor expended.
One of the old mines on Galena creek
Is the Silver Bell. which was in 1890 a
rich producer, but closed dow on &C
count of mismanagement. P~fafenbac
e. Smith have a lease on the property
and are developing 1t on an entirely
new system. which they believe will
make II pay.
The Pride OF the West is further up
the canyon and is owned by ]. Il. Arm
ington, Jesse Henry and Paris Gibson
of this city. Considerable development
work in the way of shafts and tunnels
has been done upon X and II is consid-
cred one OF the most promising mines
in the camp. Pat Foley has a gang OF
men opening it up and q run will be
made in a short time. when It will join
the ranks OF the shippers.
The Wright and Edwards group OF
mines belongs TO 7. G. Power of Helena.
and is another rich property. 1t Is un-
der lease to the United Smelling and
Refining OF this oity, which
employs a force OF rs men under the
supervision of j. r. Nudge. It's ore
bins are constantly filed and the teams
are hauling every day TO the cars. A
1so-foot shaft and a 300-foot tunnel are
the principal developments. together
with a system of levels from the shaft
The Liberty mine, in the same neigh
borhood. belongs to +. p. and s. F..
Atkinson of this city, and during the
spring some very rich shipments were
sent to this city, mention of which was
made I'm these dispatches at the time.
IT Is idle Just now, but the owners are
figuring on letting a contract TO sink
the shaft 100 feet further.
At the side of the Liberty is the
Queen Esther, owned by a stock com
pany, whose stock Is largely held I'm this
town. 1t is under lease to Messrs. Cos
lin. Maloney, McAskill and Drinvill
of Neihart. There is an 150-foot tun-
mel. which they intend to put in an
other 100 feet, when they figure thai
they will be right under a rich chute
of high-grade ore with 125 feet of stop
ing ground. This same ore has beer
discovered In the upper workings OF
the mine. and the lessees feel that
striking 1t at the lower level is a GER
tainty. At the present time they are
taking out enough ore from the drifts
to pay all working expenses, and wher
they have finished the tunnel they will
put OF a force of men to take out tbs
ore as 1t is stopped.
The Baker mine, probably the FRS
mine in the sense of time in the camp
is located near the Queen Esther. and
has been a heavy shipper. 1t consists
of three claims and belongs to Grea'
Falls people. A bon and lease on thu
property for three years has just beer
given to Messrs. Okerman. Northam
Stevens and Jones. and last week worl
began. The shaft is of the two-com
partment variety and sinks directly 4
the tunnel. which cuts II at the 50-foo'
level. The shaft descends 1870 feet NOR,
and at the bottom drifts have been rur
either way. The ~leasers, after pump
ing out the shaft. will clean out tn,
developments generally N then d.
some prospecting.
The work on the Moulton Is undo
two heads. The upper works are undo
lease to the United Smelling & Refining
while the owners, with Franz
Miller as superintendent. are runnin:
a tunnel To tap the vein at a consider
able depth. There is a 100-foot shat
and drifts from II on the 80 and 10
levels. The machinery on hand is o
hrst-class order and capable of running
the mine the shaf is dow so
feet.
Messrs. Pierse and Walsh of Neihar
have a lease on the old Tiger mine AM
are working 10 men. Three cars of or,
shipped this week were very satisfac
tory on the returns made. The work
ings consist Of a 550-foot tunnel, from
which stopings ave been made at I'm
tervals.
The T. w. mine. above the Tiger. /