The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-11-10
NO GOLD in THE QUARTZ
UNCLE SAM HAS NOT A nc NINE
IN MoNTANA's CAPITAL.
An Assay shows the First Report of q
Great Strike Was Untrue-What
Might Have Happened.

HELENA. Mont. Nov. 9.-Assays Of the
material taken from the lead discovered on
the federal building site In this city show
that there is neither gold. silver nor any
other valuable metal in the supposed rich
strike of rock. The certificate of the as
sayer making an analysis Of the rock was
filed to-day with b. II. Tatem, assayer In
charge Of the United States assay Office
in Helena, who is custodian Of the site.
1t was reported that free milling gold ore
worth SIS TO 500 a ton had been found.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 9.-The site of the
government building at Helena, upon which
the big gold strike was alleged to have been
made. cost the United States about $54, OOO.
The credit of selecting this site belongs to
George b. Martin, of New York, who was
appointed by Assistant Secretary Curtis
under the Cleveland administration to Sc
lect the sites for the public buildings at
Helena. Butte, Boise. Omaha and other
Western cities. Originally the site con-
sisted of half a block on the side of Mount
Helena. An excavation was made there
several years ago, but no gold was discov-
cred. Later, through the influence of form
er Senator Carter, the other half of the
block was purchased and the original site
NN - 0oAAOAAo was III dbO0l lOlA y
feet to the westward. The contract for the
building was let. and il is probable that
while excavating on this new property the
vein of quartz was discovered.
That portion Of the city of Helena lying
in Dry .sulch, even the streets, has been
mined for gold. In Helena, as in other
mining towns In Montana, IL is customary
in selling large sites to except mining
rights. The government, however, has in
sisted upon obtaining a title in fee simple to
its building sites and IL is a fact that the
United States owns the only complete title
in Butte. Marcus DAILY made the govern
ment q present OF the mining title to the
ground selected for the government build
ing there. In Helena also the government
secured a fee simple title to its building
site. If there is any gold on the Helena
site, therefore. 1t belongs to the United
States. Moreover, by a distinct clause in
the contract with those who are to erect
the building it is provided that IF any part
OF the excavation be found to contain min
eral II must be stored on the premises and
the same shall remain the property of the
government"
The Treasury Department to-day re-
cetved no word of the rumored strike. but
a hurried examination of the records con
WINGED the officials that if there were a gold
mine upon the property it belonged &c
Uncle Sam. If the report had proved true
the government probably would have dis.
posed of the site and built sewhe
Assistant Secretary Taylor, who has gen
eral charge of the construction of public
buildings, said this afternoon that the gov.
eminent would not build over a gold mine
Secretary Gage said that three things could
be done if tha government found itself un
eXpectedly in possession of q big gold mine
1t could work il, lease II on royalties oil
sell II, but that to do any one of the three
would require congressional action. OF the
three the secretary thought the government
probably would sell under an act of Con
greSS and buy another site.