The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-03-14
RICHER THAN KLONO|KE
Mountains of Ore in Sight in the
Occur d'Alenes.
ROLLING IN PROSPERITY
Ore Shipments Steadily Increasing The
Business of the District Centers
in Wallace-The Country
Is All Right

Missoula, March 13.-Richer than the
klondike. more prosperous than ever
before in its history; with its older prop
critics shipping larger amounts of ore
than they have ever before Produced
with new mines being developed into
producing properties; with mountains of
ore yet in sight and with renewed con-
fidence on the part Of it's eitizens-witn
all Of these conditions prevailing, it is
no wonder that the exodus from the
Occur d'Alene country has been smaller
than from almost any other section of
the Northwest 1t Ii truly a prosperous
region and the outlook for the future is
bright indeed. It's towns are taking on
new life and its people are contented and
happy
The winter has been good and the
spring and summer promises to be even
better. Every train that comes out Of
this country brings over TO Missoula for
transfer to the main line. from 10 to 20
carloads Of rich concentrates. Wardner,
Gem, Mullan. Burke and all of the busy
camps of the Occur d'Alene country
contribute To this increasing business of
the railroad and The big engines tug the
loads up the mountain to Lookout each
morning only to return for more. There
is not a camp in the entire region that
is not exceeding its previous record, and
not one that IL not in shape to add TO
its present heavy output. The prospect
is bright and the Occur d'Alenes ought
this year to demonstrate that the ex-
travagant claims that have been made
regarding them are in no way exag
gerated.
There Is but one other country like
this" said a mining man to Il reporter
last week, and that is Butte. Our
country is to Idaho what Butte is to
Montana. We produce the larger part
of the wealth of the state. / have been
here many years and / have never been
as well satisfied with the results Of Il
year 81 / am with what was done here
in 1897. The present year. we expect,
will break all records"
1t is in Wallace that the business Of
this rich country centers. Here may be-
seen almost any time representatives
from the mining camps that surround
this busy town. 1t is, in way, the
clearing house of the whole region. Here
are the banks and the principal stores
of the district and here, too, are the Of
fees Of the big mining companies. The
visitor can spend several days in Wal
lace and be busy all Of the time if he
undertakes to discuss With the men that
he meets the conditions and prospects Of
the country. While all Of the people
tltffE art @1AllhSlSdGilG iESdlhlfS AIlt
outlook they have accomplished the de-
Veiopment of their country without
much splurge and hurrah. All of the
work has been done quietly and Ia
husinesslike manner, until the region is
one Of the most productive in the Unit
ed States and certainly one of the rich
est in the world.
Up Canyon creek surprise Is in store
for the visitor, IL he has never seen the
country before or III he has not made the
trip for several months. Within the
past year important changes have been
made all along the creek and the inn
nrovement II the mining plants and in
the towns is marked AT the Gem, the
Frisco. the Mammoth the Standard. the
Poorman Il Tiger and other properties
extensive additions have been made to
the equipments until the visitor can now
see as fine machinery ms can be found
anywhere in the world The work Of
the Northern Pacific, too. under the di-
rection eff Roadmaster Burdette has
been extensive and the facilities for
handling the business Of these hig mines
are excellent The line that runs up h
these camps is one of the busiest pieces
of road in the country. both as TO
freight and passenger traffic. All of the
trains that run up the canyon are
crowded with people and the freight
business is large.
There are now more men employed up
the canyon than at any previous time in
the history of the camp and the output
Is correspondngly large. The towns
have been improved materially. There
has been good county wagon road
built up to Burke. and that town Is no
longer "a town without a horse" rs
was its distinction not long ago. The
town of Gem and the village at the
Frisco have been added to and the new
buildings look more like houses than
did the former lines OF cabins. The bust
ness in mercantile lines is now well rep
resented at these places and they have,
in a large measure. outgroWn the
roughness that formerly characterized
them. The trip from Wallace u Burke
and the visit al the latter town and
the intermediate places is fun of interest
and serve to convince the visitor more
than anything else of the prosperity
that prevails there.
Al Mullan. the visitors find a busy
camp. The Morning mine and mill are
furnishing employment for small
army of men and are shipping a large
amount of concentrates. The improve
ment that has been made AT the Morn
inE. especially at the mill. is marked
The facilities for handling and ceneen-
frating the ore from the mine. that can
be seen away up on the hill. are now
nearly perfect and their introduction
has served to greatly increase the cut
put Of this property. which has been
developed from what was considered
IL be a hoodoo. into one of the best
properties of the whole region. The
owners OF this mine, With Superintend-
ent Mcdonald Of the Frisco, have be-
gun work at the Black Bear and Will
soon have that mine in the list of big
sh 4 IN 4nl To hn