The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-11-07
OUR LIBBY LETTER.
The Snowshoe a Great Property-Test of
.'. Way-Up Ores,

WIN Itooi 6Ib Gis
The Snowshoe a Great Property-Test of
Way-Up Ores.
Special Correspondence of the Standard.
Libby, Nov. 2.-Active development
work on the Snowshoe mine is continu-
ing right along. although the mill has
been shut down for the winter on account
of a scarcity of water. The teams haul
ing concentrates from the mill to the rail-
road at Libby brought down crude ore
this week. This ore was broken by John
O'Nei last spring in sinking the winze
from No. J. level and stands for the first
crude shipment by the present owner
ship. The ore body has not been drifted
or crosscut to determine its width or ex-
tent ''T
AS exploration of the Snowshoe is ex-
tended it is extremely probable that much
ore Of shipping grade will be disclosed,
the expense of concentration being avoid
ed and both the shipping output and the
profits of the property greatly increased.
AS 1t takes from eight to ten tons of
crude ore to make ton of the shipping
product, the Importance to miners, work.
ingmen, the railway and the country at
large of the development of large ore
bodies that will not require preliminary
treatment will be readily understood.
Considering it's phenomenal capabilities.
less is known by the public of the Snow
shoe than of any of the important mines
of the Northwest. Employing more men,
doing more feet of work and producing
more ore than whole camps of boom DO
nanZas," accounts of which will fill the
public print, very little has ever been
written of the Snowshoe. J..
As now grouped the property includes
nine consecutive claims, or nearly 1880
feet. all traversed by the Snowshoe lead.
Examined by mine operators and eX-
perts of worldwide reputation and ex-
perience, the unanimous expression has
been that no more persistently continu-
Gus, sharply defined and in every way
regular, mineraized assure has ever been
discovered. All the workings except,
perhaps, tunnel approach or a pros
pecting crosscut. have been driven be-
tween walls of this remarkable vein, and
every inch in ore. e.
In 1895 the Snowshoe was equipped with
a 125-ton concentration, camp buildings.
roads, ETC., and 600 feet of development
accomplished under the management of
Howard c. Walters. interrupted in 1885,
81 by depreciation of lead, more than $500
feet of work stands to the credit OF the
mine, the main tunnel now being some
LOO feet long, and is vet in ore. Mean
while the property has been equipped with
1I-drill, Rand compressor, electric light
and telephone plants. the latter 20 miles
long, an air hoist and all modern machin-
cry. More than $1,000 tons of ore have
been mined and milled and more than
$500 tons of concentrates, valued in the
neighborhood of half million of dollars,
shipped.
This is practically a grass root" pro-
duction, not an ounce of ore having been
extracted from water level. the winze,
which is the first working to approach
that locality, having Just reached the
water level The shipping product has
thus far averaged about So per cent lead,
% ounces of silver and 81 in gold per ton,
The most significant change in contents of
the ore has been a constant increase in
gold. At the outset the concentrates car
ried 81. 80 in gold per ton; the second year
the average was S3SS and this year it
has ranged from SO. so to $12.1 in gold At
the present time the Snowshoe is handi-
capped by distance from the railway, 20
miles, and an inadequate water supply for
power and ore dressing purposes
The first difficulty will undoubtedly be
corrected next year. rail being substituted
for wagon haul and a water system, de-
signed by Charles W. MeMeek!n of Ana
conda, will be built at a cost of SIS, 900 to
afforda continuous water supply.
That the Snowshoe has all the requi-
sites of a long and extensive producer is
evidenced by its phenomenally continued
outcrop. the vein having been disclosed
on the surface at intervals throughout,
not only the nine claims included in the
group, but through two or more adjoin-
ing claims on both the, north and south
extensions.
This year so to 10 men and 40 to 60
horses have been regularly employed at
the mine and mill, the latter having been
most skilfully operated by Carl F. Raht
of Butte. Worked to its capacity the
mine will be equipped with at least a
500-ton mill, the plans for which are now
in preparation. The Snowshoe group IL
admirably situated for large operation.
since the vein crosses two divides and
three creeks in this property affording
ample opportunity for driving on the
vein and operating the mine from either
or all of the creeks. AS these creeks cut
the vein at respectively 1100 1900 and
$500 feet below the crest of the divides,
the vast Importance of these natural con-
ditions will be readily recognized by all
mine operators. In fact, the Snowshoe.
as now grouped, is a slumbering giant.
requiring only development and equipment
commensurate with its capabilities for ore
production to make it one of the largest
and longest continued ore producers in
the country. This it Is likely to get at the
hands of the Pacific Northwest Mining
corporation of London, England. which
Is now in process of Incorporation in
Montana, and to which the Snowshoe
group will be transferred by Mr. Walters
when the registration is complete.
Hermann Hildebrandt has come down
from the Way-Up mine, where he has
been for some time getting out ton and
half of ore from the different workings
for the purpose of shipping it to Butte,
where it is intended for mill test. This
property is owned by the Montana Koo-
tenal Mining company. owned principally
by James Higgins and Joseph Riley of
Butte, and these two gentlemen were here
last summer for the purpose of making an
examination of the property The result
of this test will largely determine the f,1-
ture expenditure of money on this claim.