Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1903-07-22
Measurement OF Ore.

"Gaott $ttStth W StGs
An ore body not blocked out BY
actual shafts, drifts, c~rosscuts, WINES
and raises is a most uncertain guam
tity. The trend of the walls forms
no index Of the quantity of ore no,
actually measurable. An ore body
is seldom symmetrical in form, and
the shape or dimensions of any por.
ton of it cannot be depended upon
to give even an approximate idea II
the extent or value of unseen portions
of the same ore body. Good bodies
OF ore disappear or come to an end
in the most unaccountable manner,
CROSSROADS or faults cut off veins reg.
ular and apparently continuous. Min
eralization sometimes stops at a joint
ing plane, and values become impov.
erished or nil. In other instances the
naturalization continues, but values
cease to accompany the pres or DROP
to a point where profit Is no longer
possible. The engineer who long since
said, "the average mining report Is
only a nice fairy tale" was not far from
the truth, for there are those making
reports on mines in these days Of
prosperity whose entire mining knowl'
edge and experience has been gained
within a year. rhe man who wrote
In a prospectus that the ore shoot
had been developed 300 feet in length
and the shape Of the hill indicated
that 1t would be at least 300 feet
longer was certainly favored with a
gift" not possessed by other people
that of seeing several hundred feet
into the undeveloped portion Of a min
ing claim. He was frank enough, how.
ever, not to include this extension OF
the vein in his estimate Of lore In
sight" A prospect may be poor In
deed, but any prospect deserves O
trial; and IL an improvement can b
noticed, 1t is safe to follow It as long
as 1t improves, but before long 1t will
have developed a paying mine. But
this simple fact does not justify mis-
statements as to ore In sight, MOI
does any number Of years of exper
fence make a man competent to esti
mate ore in sight in undeveloped mine
NOTWITHSTANDING and Scientific
Press.
Kidding Tunnel Of Foul Air.
A good method of dispelling foul
air from a tunnel after a shot is in
use by ". M. cambridge at the e
Paso mine, Cripple Creek district
Colo. A steam pipe is connected with
the air line with a valve close to the
connection. After shooting, the all
Is turned of and the steam Is turned
into the breast of the drift for ten
minutes. Then the steam Is turned
of and the air turned on. The steam
absorbs the poisonous fumes in the
smoke. The air cools the drift. One
half to three-quarters OF an hour IL
saved in time. The blowing Of steam
into a drift or shaft after blasting will
hasten the clearing up Of the smoke
and gas, whether compressed air be
available or not. This practice Is det
rimental to timbers. causing expense
in replacing them with new ones, II
more than Offset by the small LOST
of time with which men a resume
work after blasting.
Likes the Country.
Joseph Wunderlin returned Friday
from q ten days trip to the --.,lt
Rockies, having spent most Of tht
time in the vicinity of Landusky, cas-
ually looking about the mines ant
prospects OF that section. He was
at the new plant of the Alder Gulcf
Mining company managed by e. w
King, and says that they are about
ready to start to work. Being an ex
perienced mining man, his opinion II
worth something when he says thai
he believes that mir. King and his
associates have one Of the best prop
critics in Montana in their Alder gulcf
mine. The ore is rich and from the
development already done the body
is shown to be a large one. He thinks
that the district around Landusky II
destined to be a good one. Being
one oil the old ones of the state 1t has
already been extensively prospectet
and a large amount of gold has beer
taken out in the past, but the sub
stantial, paying properties seem to be
Just now opening up and the example
of Mr. King in putting up a mill will
doubtless be followed by others in a
short while and a lively camp bull
up as a consequence.
Notes Of Montana Mines.
In Antelope district, near Phillips
burg. work Is again under way on the