Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1904-06-22
Among the Mines
Devoted TO the Large Min.
Ing Interests OF FERGUS
County General Notes.
Henry Testmeier's Big Strike.

nenry le9tmeiers Big strike.
Eighty miles west OF Great Falls,
there Is to be developed a mine that
Its owners believe, will equal, IL not
surpass, the famous Kendall and
Barnes-King properties In Fergus
county. What is believed to be an
immense body OF cyaniding ore, run
ming high in gold values, has been Sc.
cured, and the blocking out of the
ore will be begun at once, with a
large force of men, says the Tribune
OF Great Falls.
For the purpose of developing the
property, the South Fork Gold Min.
ing Co. has been incorporated and
the articles of incorporation were yes.
terday filed In this city, the incorpor'
ators being Henry Tegtmeier, Charles
G. Young and George II. Stanton.
The principal place of business of
the company is to be Great Falls; the
term Of existence. 20 years. The in
corporators are to be the directors
for the first three months.
The capital stock is 100000, in
100000 shares, worcestershire, and
the following have subscribed for
stock:
Geo. H. Stanton, $4,000; Henry
Tegtmeier, SS,2SS; Charles c. Young,
$S,2SS; Robert Haun, $S,2S7; Frank
d. Haun, $S.2S7; Alva w. Beach, ST.
$50; Emory V. Beach. $3.50; j.. l..
B. Mayer, $3.50.
The company owns a group of ten
claims on Ford creek, a tributary OF
the South Fork of Sun river, about
20 miles southwest of the town of
Augusta. The claims lie about 80
miles from Great Falls and about 55
miles from Craig, the neares railway
station. The company has also secur-
ed all the necessary water rights and
mill sites, and has control of four
falls, from which much power may be
secured. One of these falls, about half
a mile from the claims, has a descent
of rs feet, and within half a mile are
three others, falling 3, 7 and 10 feet,
giving a total fall of about so feet in
half a mile. There is an abundance
of water and timber about the claims,
and the cost of treating the ore will
be very low.
Mr.. Tegtmeier, who is one of the
best known mining men in northern
Montana, having operated in Ken
dali, Neihart, Landusky and other
camps, has been prospecting the coun.
try around Augusta for over a year,
and located the claims on Ford creek
a few weeks ago. He has had many
assays of the ore made by Wilton G..
Brown, of Helena. and they have in
variably shown gold values ranging
from 40 cents to 1885 to the ton.
Some of the assays also showed sill
yer values, but eve over 35 cents
to the ton, and many of the assays
did not show any silver values.
Samples of the ore have been sent to
the chief metallurgist of the Home
stake Mining Co., in the Black Hills,
and he has pronounced 1t flrst-class
cyaniding ore. The value of the Ken
dali ore runs about IS to the ton;
that of the Barnes-King between S.
and 81; and it is believed that the
ore on Ford creek is much richer than
either, while the formation is prac-
tically the same, and the cost OF
treatment will be less, fuel being
cheaper and great water power being
available.
The body of ore runs from $50 10
800 feet in width, and while no great
depth has yet been attained, a large
force of men will be put to work in
a few days, as soon as Mr.. Tegtmeier
returns to the mines, to block out the
ore and ascertain whether or not the
erection of a cyaniding plant is JUS
tilted by the showing.
Mr.. Tegtmeier states that the coun-
try on either side of Ford creek, for
four or five miles up and down the
creek, has been staked out. and many
%prospectors are at work in that reg
inn