The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-10-23
IT'S ALMOST A FAMINE
Bozeman Doesn't Get All the
Coal It Needs.
MINERS ARE IN DEMAND
A Vast Supply in the Undeveloped Coal
Fields OF the Trail Creek Dis
trict-Threshing in the
-- Valley.

Special Correspondence of the Standard.
Bozeman, Oct. 21.-The consumers of
coal in Bozeman do not get'all the coal
they want. There is sufficient coming
into town to supply the needs of the
citizens from day to day, but hardly
enough for each to have his winters
supply laid in. This is caused by the
scarcity of miners in the Trail Creek
and other mines from which the coal
supply of Bozeman is secured. Good
skilled coal miners cannot be had. and
the consequence is any one who can use
a pick and shovel is hired.
With reference to the Trail Greek coal
mines, Mining Expert Ed Purnell. who
has lately been through the Mountain
House mine and thoroughly examined
it. stated that the development of this
and the Byam mines has shown that
there is vast supply of coal in these
almost undeveloped coal fields. At d
depth of $50 feet, in the Mountain House
mine, the main entry has been driven
east and west about 1000 feet. From
these drifts "a rooms have been turned,
each 80 feet in length showing about
Ave feet Of clean coal on the hanging
side of the vein. Out of these "a rooms
but IA are being worked as there is
hardly one-third enough miners to car y
on the work. The daily output of this
mine (the Mountain House, is from 100
to 200 tons. working day and night.
while with a full force Of experienced
miners, $50 tons per day could he taken
out and put on the market Mr.. Purnell
stated that this coal was thu best,
brightest and hardest of any that has
been discovered in Montana, and that
the demand for 1t is increa sing p'dl%.
Engineers on the Northern Pacific say
that&it has the best steaming qualities
of any they have yet used. and often
the big hog engines run up the Trail
Greek branch to get their coal supply
replenished in preference to other coal.
The contractor, with his men and teams,
has arrived on the ground, and as soon
as the weather permits work will be
commenced on the extension to the Cook
& Bell mines from Mountain House
mines. When this three miles of track
is graded and the rails put down an
other large mine will be ready to help
with the coal supply of Montana, which
has coal of as good quality as the Noun
tain House, while. so far as can BE- as
certained. the quantity is unlimited. If
the quality of the coal in the coal beds
of Trail Creek is what it is said to be-
and the quantity unlimited. Trail Creek.
mountain" is likely to become the most
celebrated place in all Montana and the
source of fuel supply for the whole
West Gebo and Bridger. cannot ctme
near it at present, and the train 'oads
of coal promised to the public long ago
from these mines in Carbon county Will
soon have to put in an appearance or
forever stay away, the only drawback
at present to the Trail Creek mines be-
ing the scarcity of men.
Two men, named. respectively. Harry
Mitchell and Frank Smith, were arrest
ed on Friday for stealing suit of
clothes and other personal properly
from the house of William Bettag, in
the eastern end of town. After taking
the property out Of the house they
brought some of it UP town and sold
IT to a secondhand man named Will
Hams. Rettag missed the property en-
returning home, but ran across the
clothes in Williams store in the even
ing. This gave the officers a clew and
the men were arrested in on of the
saloons. 1t is thought thay came from
Butte. are apparently addicted to the
use of morphine and belong to the reg
ular tough order They will have their
preliminary hearing on Thursday next.
Threshing in the valley was half fin
ished two weeks ago, and there is still
half the grain unthreshed. The weathe r
has been most inclement. snow, rain
and snow, followed by heavy shower,
has been the programme every day.
Loose men are leaving the town every
day for warmer climates and the farm
ers are beginning to fear thai when the
time comes men will be few ard the
machines many, while winter will soon
be here and the threshinss not done.
F. Veo went out on a deer-hunting
expedition last Tuesday. and or Thurs
day returned with three bucks which
he shot in the Middle Greek canyon.
Quite a number of parties went out
from Bozeman during the late storm
and the majority of them got game. but
Veo's trip was the quickest and most
successful of them ALL On Thursday
three men. the Spar brothers and Jen-
kins. of Bridger Canyon. brought In
three bear which they had killed IN that
neighborhood. The fur on the clnna-
mon bear was in excellent condition.
There are quite number of rigs traV-
ersing the country which carry pat
emf combination drill and harrow. There
are about 10 of them N the Gallatfii
valley and all seem to be doing well, and
the whole outfit belongs to some East
ern company. The farmers pay about
$s7 for the combina ton, which, it must
he conceded. is a good machine. as is
the price. The (;a'lat;l valley always
has some patent machine vendor in it
every fall: once upon a time it was n
churn, then meat cutter. a flaming
mill. a drill, and now they are using
combination on the farmers and thrive
as of old
IN RO7FMAN