The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-05-08
. place among the wonders of the
Fergus County.

. place among h wonders Of the
world
Fergus county.
The large area lying be,ween the
Missouri and Musselsheil rivers Is
known as Fergus county and is de-
voted principally to stock raising ana
agriculture. In 1897 the product OF
gold and silver was 3,14s.55s fine ounces
and 2Ss. sc fine ounces respectively, ana
together worth SCI. SsS.Ss. The mining
districts in this county are in the Ju-
dith. Moccasin and Belt Mountains.
The former two range are situated
near the center of the county ana
about ten miles from each other. The
formation is similar and consists OF
lime. granite. gneiss, porphyry, slate,
ouartzite and shale. The leads are
contact veins. Blanket leads also ex-
list. The principal producing proper
ties and guiches are near the towns
of Maiden and Gilt Edge.
The Spotted Horse mine at Maiden rs
I'm a lime formation and I'm the past
has produced bout sl.5oo.o GOO OF old.
The career of this property has been
one of ups and downs and Will ever
form an interesting chapter in the his
tory of Montana mines.
The Gilt Edge mine is another prop
erty that has attracted wide attention.
liz In about four miles east Of the
Spotted Horse and is worked through
tunnels and cuts. A large amount OF
low grade ore is in sight. A mile be-
low the mine is the cyanide mill with
a daily capacity of 60 tons.
agement in the past has gotten the
property into financial entangiements,
from which IL is being release as rap
idly as possible. Its growth has been
seriously retarded or this account. The
ore is an ideal one for treatment by
the cyanide process.
Placer mining is followed in a sinai
way among the Judith, Moccasin and
Little Belt mountains. The yield OF
this gold In Fergus county during 1897
was about 81. 200. Rubies and sapphires
are found along Yogo creek in h
southwestern part of the county. The
quality of the gems is excellent and
as the demand for them is a growing
one the yield will achieve greater I'M
portance-
FIathead County.
Lying west of the Rocky mountains
end north of Flathead lake and the
Cabinet mountains is Flathead
". To the north and west are Can
ada and Idaho respectively. Although
the placers of Libby creek are as old
as the history of mining in Montana,
the development of h of
this county cannot be said to have
been undertaken until after the build
ing Of the Pacific OF the
Great Northern railroad across the
county in 1891. which afforded COM
munication and railroad facilities to
this region. The growth of its min
eral and other has since been
progressive, and in 1897 was as marked
as that Of any section of the North
west. The discoveries under explora-
ton at present and the mines now
worked indicate that Flathead county
will achieve an Importance in mining
i'm Montana rivaled only by Silver Bow
county. Enough is known to warrant
the statement that gold. silver, cop
per and lead are all in the list of flu
ture products and i'm sufficient quanti-
ties to secure the needed capital for
development and operation.
Granite County.
Granite county lies between Deer
Lodge on the east and Ravali on the
west. The main line of the Northern
Pacific crosses the county from east
TO west nearly parallel with the north
crn boundary. A branch line also
tends from Drummond to Philipsburs
the county seat. The county il exceed
ingly mountainous and ricn i'm precious
metals. The yield of gold and silver
last year amounted TO $77s,e24.6S.
fIdlt1 HllIlIE II thIIitd va Btofit
ably i'm a lumber of localities. The
yield in 1897 was slightly I'm excess cf
$4,000.
The silver mines centered about Phil
ipsburg have become famous for their
production in the past. THIS
has to many millions NJ fine
ounces. The leading property was the
Granite Mountain. which paid over
So. 600, 900 in dividends, while the 81
Metallic. Hope. Trout and many Others
have been worked successfully and
yielded large returns to their owners
The decline of the price of silver
brought about a closing down at the
several mines. After having been idle
some years the Granite Mountain AM
the BIZ Metallic are soon to resume
work. This will be a welcome feature
of the coming year to all interested In
mining in this section of the state. A
consolidation has been effected Of tbs
companies owning these mines ant
mills, and under a single management
It is believed that enough of a margin
can be realized from working the larg,
bodies of low grade ore in sight Il
yield a profit.
Some distance northwest of Philips
burg is the Combination mine. Thi'
Is exclusively a silver producer anc
has yielded steadily for a lumber o
years in spite OF the low price of silver
The ore is of a higher grade than tina
from the mines near Phi%lipsburg. i
is to this fact that the profitable work
ing without stopping is generally at
tributed. while larger properties wer'
idle.