Fergus County argus., 1902-01-22
LARGE BODIES
OF RICH ORE
The Old Camp Of Yogo is Again Es.
perieneing a Season Of Activity
Ore Bodies Being Exploited.
VERY SATISFACTORY ASSAYS
Samples Taken From the Large Bod.
les Of Smelling Ore Give Large
Values in Gold and Copper.

The old time mining camp OF Yogo
is again attracting considerable at.
tention in the mining world and an
unusual activity is noticed in the vi.
cinity of the old camp situated under
the shadow of Yogo Badly.
At short intervals encouraging re-
ports are received from the Yogo min.
ing district. which, with the exception
of the sapphire fields. has been in a
state of comparative inactivity for
several years, and the future looks
bright for the pioneer camp OF the
Belt mountains.
II was in 1879 that small party OF
miners first endeavored TO wrcat the
yellow dust from the bed OF Yogo
creek and since that time many un.
successful attempts have been made
to compel Dame Nature to deliver up
portion of the vast mineral wealth
contained in that section of the Belt
mountains.
Among the first searchers after the
yellow metal In Yogo were George
Allis, Dud Richard. Jack Murphy, Joe
Cutting, David Wareham. Bill and
Buck Buchanan and Jacob Hoover.
the last of whom acted In the capacity
of recorder for the camp at that time.
In those days the miners made their
own laws and had the records of their
various claims kept by someone chos.
en- by themselves for that especial
purpose.
During this first boom William
Campbell started small store in the
camp and the Buchanan brothers were
appointed to take charge of the post.
office. the mail going in by way of
Willow creek and Bear Park from
Fort Benton to Yogo. Bedrock was
way down" and with the primitive
methods then in use, placer mining in
Yogo did not prove successful and in
so and 81 the miners became dis
couraged and gradually deserted the
camp, leaving only few optimistic
characters who had an abiding faith
in the richness of the district. several
of whom are to be found there at this
present day.
Among those who cast their lot and
hung their hopes on the future Of the
camp were James Bircham. otherwise
known as Bedrock JIM" Dutch"
George, Abe Carter, Ell Shelley and
Henry Sabbington; there was another
well known character to those who
have visited Yogo, Millie Ringold, a
colored woman who has stayed with
the camp and its varying fortunes
Tor the past twenty years and is there
yet. These constituted. with the ey
oeption OF a wandering prospector or
two. the population of Yogo until 1856
when free milling gold ore was dis
covered In Skunk gulch and the camp
took on renewed life.
Jno. Madden, crossing over from the
Maiden district, located what then was
then known as the Strawberry group
OF mines in Skunk gulch and a short
time afterwards the Blue Dick was
discovered by Pat Hughes. Eli Shell
by staked out two claims. the T. c.
Power and the Commodore Power and
Abe Carter commenced work on an
extension of the same claims. Mum
berless prospects were located in the
district surrounding Yogo and for a
brief time in the vicinity OF old Badly
mining operations were in full blast
An erastra was erected in Skunk
gulch by Ed Weatherwax which for
n brief period was worked with profit
to the operator, but owing to the free
milling ore running into pyrites the
property had to be abandoned. S,
with all the prospects in the district
the free milling ore lay in some prop
critics In blanket form and In others
pockets which lead, on further devel
Cpment, into pyritical formations
which were not amenable to the sim
ple process Of mining then in vogue
Assays taken at random from the var
ious claims showed gold and copper
the latter in large and varying values
while the gold returns averaged 81
per ton. II was base ore and smelt
ing was necessary to extract the min
eral values II contained and agair
the old camp returned TO It's forme
state OF inactivity by reason of the ex
pensive methods necessary for th'
, profitable treatment OF the ore
which. although difficult to handle
lay in immense bodies.
/ In 1889 James Gardiner erected
!. mill with capacity OF ten stamps a
: the old Weatherwax mines and trie
/, many ways Of treatment with vary
. ing success. A shipment from thes
5 mines was sent to Swansea. Wales
J. and there treated with success and
!. was thoroughly demonstrated that o
1.-The proper methods being employe