The Philipsburg mail., 1899-04-28
MINES OF BASIN CULCH
The Watson P|acers Purchased by Paul A. Fusz
President Of the Granite -BimetaIc Co.
HE PAYS $4,000 FOR THE CLAIM
Surveys For a Ditch From the West Fork
of Rock Creek Have Been Made.
The Gravel Is Very Ricl-The
Eureka Co.'s Placers.

Another mining deal of considerable
Importance was cOnsummated during
the past week whereby Mr.. Paul A.
Fusz, president of the Granite Bimetallic
company becomes the owner of the
Watson placers, situated in Basin gulch,
tributary Of Rock creek, about fifteen
miles west of Philipsburg. The sale
was arranged and the purchase made by
Mr.. Frank d. Brown, the manager of
Mr.. Charles D. McLure's mining prop
critics in Granite county, and the price
paid was $4,000. This tract of placer
mining ground adjoins the Allen and
Specs placers (recently purchased by
Mr.. Fusz) on the north and is considered
a very valuable piece of property. Mr..
Watson is one of the original discoverers
of the gulch and he located the claims
just sold by him during the summer of
So Since that time he has worked the
ground every year during the placer
season, which, owing to the scarcity of
water is limited to three or four weeks
in the spring while the melting snow
supplies the water for washing. The
ground in this gulch, however is very
rich and Mr.. Watson was enabled to
clean up several thousand dollars in
gold-dust for every seasons work. The
Allen and Spe3s and Watson placers are
the principal and most valuable claims
in the grlch, and it is believed that Mr..
Fusz will conduct the workiag of these
mines on somewhat larger scale in the
future. Surveys for ditch to bring
water for mining purposes from the
West Fork OF Rock creek have already
been made, and while it is considera bic
Of an undertaking to construct such
ditch, there is no doubt that the outlay
would be amply justified as many
thousand dollars worth of gold is known
to be deposited i'll the gravel, and with
sufficient water to permit of hydraulic
mining during the entire summer the
yield of these mines would equal that of
any OF the great placers which made
Alder gulch, Bannack, Diamond City,
Blackfoot, Pioneer and other camps
famous in the history of Montana.
Mr.. John Hickey, whose large exper-
ienca in the placer diggings of Pioneer,
Yam hill and elsewhere has thoroughly
fitted him for the position, has been
placed il charge Of the properties, and
active work will be commenced under
his supervision in about week. The
water has not yet started to flow in
sufficient quantities to be of any value
for washing. but it is thought that I'M
der the present conditions of the weather
there will be enough water in week to
commence wcrk. A number of men
are now employed making preparations.
Several hydraulics will be used and
Messrs. Thomas Long & Co. of this CITY
have received an order for hydraulic
pipe for immediate delivery and are now
engaged in its manufacture
The Eureka Placer Mines,
Situated at the mouth of Quartz gulch
in the same district. will this season
again be operated under the supervision
of Mr.. VIM. Stahl. placer miner Of
vast experience, and a very profitable
season is expected These placers are
located considerably lower than those of
Basin gulch, which makes it possible to
commence work somewhat earlier. Mr.
Stahl has crew of men at work and
was commenced several days
ago, although there is not yet sufficient
water to work full force Indications
are that the original channel will be
reached this spring and the company is
expecting considerably more gold this
year than has been taken out during
any previous season.