Daily inter mountain., 1900-12-21
BUTTEs WoNDRoUs WEALTH.

There are in this city prominent men
who have resided here a decade and are
still uninformed as to the extent OF
Butte's mineral wealth. the methods of
deep mining which the big companies
have adopted. the amount of ore in tons
daily ho.sted to the surface and the evil
dences of permarenee visible to those
who understand the story Of the rocks.
Strange though it may seem, the busi-
ness men of Butte have never felt APP
prchensive touching the future Of the
city, though they knew of mining towns
which spring up ana vanish in a year.
The average citizen of Butte makes his
Investments here and proceeds With his
calculations for the future with as much
port or a great manufacturing center
with multiplied resources adjacent in all
directions and vast population to draw
upon.
1t is true that Butte is 'only mining
camp Yet it is as permanent as a place
Of residence or business for all men now
living as any city between the oceans.
Our business men never doubt it and
seldom discuss it. Mining will be car
ried on here when our youngest school
children shall be old men and W omen. The
entire mountain side of which Butte oc-
cupies the base will yet be honeycombed
With tunnels and levels and drifts from
the region of the Oregon Short Line de-
pot to the manganese ledge which crops
out mile north Of Walkerville and
seems to be the north wall to the count
less ore bodies south to Silver Bow creek,
II is the richest two miles OF ground ever
discovered. Butte itself is located over
the very heart of this worlds wonder.
Already detonations of the powder ex-
plosions far in the deeps are often heard
when the city is hushed. They will grow
nearer and louder. but never near enough
to be dangerous. for the granite crust
which is the city's foundation is solid
enough Yet rich mines will be opened
beneath our feet in addition to the others,
and before long one-half the worlds sup
ply of copper will be drawn from Butte.
1t is no wonder that intelligent men
have lived here for years without COM
pretending the magnitude of the Butte
mineral deposits and their richness in
copper. silver and gold. 1t almost seems
that the precious metals were added il
order that their value might act as a
spur to the mining of copper or to equal
ize conditions in the east and the west
for without such bi-products, on account.
Of freight rates, the profits of western
copper mining would be little. if any
thing. Thus, in the alchemy Of Nature,
Butte was a strong fayorite when the
mountains were thrown up and. though
many of our own people know not the
full extent of Gods bounty and leave
such information to be gathered by the
| there are no misgivings as to the fu-
| ture; the people are contented and hope
! full and prosperous; they are satisfied
| to live in mining "camp," that never
recognized a rival, that is unique among
American cities, and that produces
and circulates more money than any
| place of five times its size on the habit.
able globe.
1t is to tell something of the wealth
and attractions of such a city that hi
Holiday Inter Mountain today goes ou
to the world with merry greetings to al
its friends and all the friends of Butte