Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1903-05-20
Causes of Some Failures.


There are many causes for failur,
in mining enterprises, the principa
one being the lack OF sufficient valu
able mineral in the rock mined t
meet the expenses of mining and re
duction. Another cause is inexper
fenced management, that is, a man
agement which is honestly conducted
but which lacks the necessary exper
fence to take advantage of existing
favorable conditions, thereby increas
ing the cost of production to an extent
which results in failure. This may be
in the mine, in transportation, in the
mill Or smelter, or it may be in the
office. A man who knows no better
than to buy heavy railroad picks fol
underground drift work, and who in
quires, on looking over the mine cost
sheet, what are chuck tenders-the
men who chuck the ore into the carr
has no business" managing a
mine. Another cause for failure OF
a good mine may be found in the
misdirected Observation-Disclosures
on the part of a manager who com
bines rascality and technical knowl
edge to defeat and rob his employ
er. The latter is too often in evi'
dence. Many mine owners have no
practical or technical knowledge OF
mining and may be easily imposed up
on by an INSCRIPTIONS superintendent
who well knows how to cover the evi'
dence of his dishonest practices and
does not hesitate to do it.
Many men who have made a sue,
cess of commercial business e not
to understand that mining is not as
simple as it seems, thinking that II
requires neither ~scientifis technical
knowledge, nor years of experience
to insure success. Il is true that
there are numerous instances where
business men have successfully con,
Quoted mining enterprises who had nc
previous knowledge OF experience In
mining, but in almost every case the
mine has been rich and would have
paid with any sort of management
and therefore no particular credit is
due to the success of the inexperienc
ed management. There is an aphor
ism among miners: Good mines
make good miners" and this is true
in most cases. Where a poor, low
grade mine is carefully handled al
the lowest possible expense, by a care
full and experienced man, and still
fails to pay, the unfortunate super
gets few thanks and small credit fol
his effort.-Mining and Scientific
Press.
Brief Notes of Montana Mines.
The Spokane and Montana NJ. Co
has incorporated to develop placer
and quartz mining claims near Lib
by; G. Robinson, of Libby, f. M. For
tune, J.. F. Collins, o. w. Ames ant
e. Denzer, all of Spokane, Wash
Their holdings include the Keystone
Gait, Blue Bird, Mary Gold, Nortf
Star and others.
T. II. Barlow and II. c. Armstrong
are developing near Bozeman a de
post of asbestos and will make a sam
pie shipment next week.
T. Machiner & Co., who are de
veloping copper claims near Boze
man, report having struck a 5-foo
vein carrying 6 per cent copper, witt
some gold n silver.
Trial shipments of ore from the
Bullion mine of the Cataract group
near Basin, are reported showing ia
vorable results, and contracts for fur
there development work will be let
II is said a concentration will be bull
to work the second-class ores of the
Gray Eagle mine. A car of ore from
the Silversmith netted $4,000. Reg
ular shipments are being made from
the Hiawatha.
The Inter- Mountain says Martin &
Canol of Helena, are working sew
eral properties near Helena. From
the group in He'll Gate canyon, which
they have been working for three
years, they have shipped in the las
four months $4,000 of ore, which
runs 20 per cent. copper. A concen
traitor is being built at the mines Il
work the s~econd-class ore, which rum
10 per cent. copper. of which there
are several thousand tons on thu
dump. II Is expected to be in opera
ton by June 10th. The ore shoe
averages Is feet in width with s fee
of shipping ore. Martin & Canol ar,
also working on the Missouri ant
Montana Co. group formerly the SURE
Thing mine), adjoining the Ontario II
Ontario district. II has been develop
ed by a 700-fOot tunnel run on the
lead and the ore stopped to the surface
the greatest depth attained being 81
feet. A steam plant has been put vi
and q double compartment shaft 1.