The Dupuyer acantha. [volume] (Dupuyer, Mont.) 1894-1904, 1901-01-31
swift Current Mining District.

Wheu the ceded str u rom
the Blacfeet Indians by the governme t
for consideration OF S150O,000, was
thrown open on the first day of April j,
1897, the majority of the prospectors
turned thcir attention to the ountry in
the immediate vicidity of st. Mary's
lake and quite town sprang up at the
| foot OF the upper lake. The land was
claimed, however, under the Indian
Allotment Act and was awarded to the
claimant, so that the camp had to be
vacated and now there is nothing left to
tell the tale bat few log cabins with
grass on the roofs and window lights
knocked out, rapidly falling into decay
But a few prospectors had pushed on up
the Swift Current river, and at the bead
of this beautiful stream had found
most desirable spot for mining camp.
Here was plenty of water, plenty OF tim
Der, in fact plenty of everything necessary
for the progress Of a camp. Great de
posits of copper were found here, and it
was not long before the outside world
heard of this rich district. All the land
at the head OF the stream has been locat-
ed as placer ground, being the only way
that it could be taken under the present
law. The quartz properties here have
attracted the attention of mining men
| in all parts of this country and England.
| The leads are OF an immense size ana
very rich. Some of the most prominent
are the Bulls Heao, Josephine, Cracker
Jack, Jumbo, Medicine Horse, Mountain
Chief and the Ptarmigan. The las+
mentioned lead is 100 feet in width, and
is at the head of the north fork of Swift
Current on Appekunny mountain, cut
ting through from the head of tho north
fork to the head of Kennedy's creek, and
| is at distance of about miles from
Swift Current falls
Away up Canyon creek is log cabin
which was built several years ago by
prospectors and used to stayin in the long
winter months, and on one occasion it
was used as hiding place when the
ESOltifSlS W0d0 SOLI liitO JIG ILLS III III
down sooners. One sooner with his
snow shoes made enough tracks for
dozen men, and when the colored soldiers
ran onto these queer looking tracks they
at once took them for b. ar tracks, and
there being so many, the poor fellows
thought the hills were full OF them and
dared not venture any further. It is
said that some OF them were so badly
tscared that they turned black in the
face. Anyway the sooners were not dis
turbed. One man staid in the top of
tree right over the head Of the soldiers.
where he saw all that went on and was
not in the least suspected.
A concentrator was erected at the
Cracker mine during the past. summer
by the late Mr.. A. NJ. ESler, of Helena,
ond stock in this mine is quoted at
59350 per share and none on the market
P. Stark, S. Stark, Mr. Gleason and
Mr.. McGivern are the original slocaters
the noted Josephine and Balls Head
mines, which contain immense bodies Of
copper ore OF the highest grade, termed
bornite. A pure piece OF bornte con
tains 80 per cent. copper.
Frank Stevenson is the original locator
OF five claims in the vicinity OF Iceberg
lake, which promises to be valuable
property. So far nothing has been done
beyond assessment work. Ed. Ferguson
MIR. Stevenson and Supt. w. Fl. Mat
son are the original locaters of the
Ptarmigan .groupof claims. Assessment
work is all that has been done on these
properties. There are a great many
more claims just as good as these men
toned; one is claim held by prospec-
tor well known in this section as "Bacon
Bind Dick" Some of the. best ore in the
camp has come from his claims.
Away up here in the heart of the great
Rockies, surrounded by pine forests an
hemmed in on al sides, except the east
~ immcn mo ntains of rocks, is where