Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1903-05-20
PLENTY OF
ORE IN SIGHT
N. J. %LittIejohn, Formerly Foreman
Of the Gilt Edge Mines,
Brings Flattering Report.
RESUMPTION ABOUT AUGUST
No Cause Whatever for FEELING OF
Uneasiness Among People Of
the Gold Camp.

Since the recent closing down of
the Gold Reef Mining company's mill
at Gilt Edge. many reports have been
circulated throughout mining circles
regarding the condition of the prop
critics of that company. Some have
even gone 81 far as to make the
statements that the ore bodies of
those mines were exhausted and that
the properties were practically worth.
less.
The Argus has made every posi-.
BILE effort to obtain the truth concern
Ing the condition Of the mines and is
pleased to be able to quote a gentle
man who for five years served as
foreman, when the mines were under
the ownership of the Great Northern
Mining G. Development Co. Mr.. n.
]. Littlejohn, the gentleman referred
to. visited the Gold Reef mines last
Saturday and made a thorough in
spection Of all their workings. To an
Argus representative Mr.. Littlejohn
state that the Gold Reef mines are
in a better condition than at the time
of the sale to the present wners.
Not only has a great amount of ex-
p~loration work been done on the
black ore bodies exposed at the time
of the sale, but new ground has been
p~rospected and a large body OF ore
has been opened on the Chicadee and
Peerless claims of the group. This
body of ore has the same character
istics as the ore of the famous Cave
stope of the Chicadee claim, showing
the brown ore everything the black
ore. The extent Of this body has not
yet been determined and while quite
a large amount has been blocked out
by the drift, and two cross-cuts driven
from 1t, still their is reaso to believe
that 1t is Of a much greater extent
than has yet been shown. All togeth-
err the tonnage of the ore exposed at
present in the different workings OF
the mines is almost double the amount
shown at the time of the sale.
The company at present has about
twenty men engaged In prospecting
and exploration work. Beside these
a good force of men is employed in
the erection of the roasters and 1t Is
expected that the roasters will be
ready for operation not later than
August LIST. AS it Is now there is an
abundance of oxidized ore in sight
to supply the mill demand for some
months, but for economic reasons the
company does not deem II advisable
to begin the mill run until the compile.
ton of the roasters, from the fact
that the mill has a daily ore consum.
ing capacity of nearly three hundred
tons, while the rooster will have a
capacity of but one hundred and fifty
tons. Hence, when the mill run is
resumed the output of the rooster will
be mixed with the oxidized ore and
pass through the mill for treatment;
a better treatment of the black ore
being thus secured and the steady
operation of the mill insured.
Mr.. L~ittlejohn authorizes us to
make the statements above and to
quote him in the matter. His long
service with the Great Northern com
pany and previous experience in the
Gilt Edge district fully qualities him
to judge correctly of the present con
dition of the properties and 1t is
scarcely probable that a better au-
thority could be secured. A feeling
Of insecurity has ~pervaded the peo-
pie of the camp OF Gilt Edge and
some doubt has prevailed whether
or no the promised resumption of
work would be permanent. but Mr..
Littlejohn's report is certainly of the
most gratifying character and should
dispel all doubts along those lines.