Daily inter mountain., 1900-12-21

creek district it is very natural 10 refer
to the Granite ana BiMetaNic and
quote them as examples of the great in
duStry herea bouts. and inasmuch as
they are rated the second largest pro-
dueers of silver in the world. furnishes
sufficient reason for the distinction
shown them. But it is a mistaken idea
among non-resdents of the district to
presume that the Granite and Bimetallic
constitute all the mining in this section.
THE GREAT GRANITE MINE.
The Granite which stands foremost on
the list of rich silver mines. was located
by +. ID. Holland and J. w. Estell in
1873. No work beyond that or represen-
tation was done upon it for some time.
A contract to sink a 5o-foot shaft for a
quarter interest in the mine was thrown
up by the contractors in disgust at
depth of forty feet. In the spring of 1881.
the property was bonded to Chas. Clark
and c. d. Mcclure, who succeeded in
forming a company in St. Louis, which
bought the property FOR $4,000. almost
everybody but MI. Clark thinking too
much was being paid. Then began
series of dsappointments and hope de-
ferred, which caused the stockholders to
lose heart and deprecated the stock,
(Which had never been very high) to such
an extent that it was refused in Philips
burg and vicinity when offered as pay
ment of debts that We're considered bad,
at 25 cents a share. Ore from the great
barren ledge" was milled az the Hope
company's plant and failed to pay and
Mr.. Clark, about the only man in the
country who clung to his faith in the
mine was the best abused man in the
=,
rascal and by others more chartably
disposed as a crank. In March. 1885, af
ter paying off an immense number of
heavy debts, the Granite Mountain Min
ing company declared its first dividend
of % cents per share and since that time
they have paid in dividends over So ,09o,
GOO.
The Bmetallic Mining Co.. was formed
among st. Louis capitalists to work the
James G. Blaine and adjoining proper
ties. The capitalization was $5,000,000 in
GEO shares Of s25 each, only a few
shares being on the market. The Blaine
was located in 1882 by William Williams,
a prospector, who sold it to Clark, Nc
Lure and Merrill for $1,000. 1t was pur-
chased because it lay upon the possible
strike of the great Granite Mountain
vein, the discovery being a seam of high
grade quartz. In the spring of 1886 the
company began systematic exploration of
the Blaine through a vertical shaft to be
driven to a depth of 500 feet. At the 200
foot level croSscut was run to the
north, which a a distance of 13.o feet
encountered a l2-foot vein, carrying next
to the hanging wall about three feet of
an excellent grade of ore, averaging up
wards of 800 to the ton. Further devel-
II
one chute of ore two feet in width that
assayed 500 ounces in silver to the ton.
During the year 1883 the company built a
ffty-stamp chloroiZng MILL The in
creased output of the mine, however
necesstated the erection of additional
works, and in 1891 another fifty stamps
were put in operation making the capac-
| ity of the mill over 200 tons a day. Dur.
| ing the panic of 1898 these properties sus.
! pended operations and remained CLOSED
doown until 1898. at which time a consol.
! idation of the interests of both companle:
was effected and the Granite -Bimetal
! lie Consolidated Mining Co., was formed
! This was done for the purpose of reduc
ing expenses of operation. Work wal
resumed and both mines We're at onc'
connected by drifts and levels. The or
from both mines is now being hoistet
| through the Bimetallic shaft, and trans
ported to the mill by tramway go
feet in length, which is in continuou
operation. Mr.. Warren Ziegler is tn
able superintendent of the consolidate
properties and manages the 400 men Il
his employ to the satisfaction of al
concerned. During the present summe
the Harvesting of Flint Creek Falls wa
successfully accomplished. This projec
was contemplated for a number O
years, and work was just completed O
this great enterprise in 1891. Operation
We're suspended for time and in 1s9
the Montana Water Electric Power an
Mining company was formed and tn
great electric power plant, which nov
supplies motive power and light for tn
Bimetallc mill and the town Of Granite
was put in. Flint Creek Falls, where tn
power house is located is situated abou
seven miles southeast from Philipsbur
and the power is transmitted to tn
companyS works over a line of cOppe
wires. The estimated horsepower whic
the waters of Flint Creek can be mad
to produce at this point is $4,000. TIL
is more power than the company ca
utilize at present and only two genera
tors are kept running. The cost of tn
=, plant was over $4,000. Mr.. f. I. Ho
. , land, for many years connected with tf
Bimetallic company, superintended tt
construction of this plant and since i
completion has been installed as MAJ
, | ager.
, OTHER GOOD PROPERTIES.
Following the Bimetallic, the Hope h;
) we'll earned third place, and is noted {
f one of the first paying mines discovere
in the state. The Hope Co.. of St. Loui
t built their 10 0-stamp mill at Philipsbul
e in 1867 and with the exception Of son
+ ore from the Granite have worked on
= on their own ores from the Hope, Emm
= Jubilee, and Potosi mines in the HOl
t hill, the Hope and Jubilee being Il
e largest producers. The mill. though bu
q SO early has been constantly improve
e and added to in keeping with the a.
= vance which has been made in the bus
n ness of milling since those days, and
- is now one of the most cOmnlete al