Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1904-12-07
GILT EDGE
PROSPEROUS
Little Metropolis Of the Judith Noun
tains is Thriving and Merchants
Are Hopeful.
SPOTTED HORSE is TO REOPEN
Plans Are Formulated to Reopen the
Famous Old Mine at an Early
Date-other News.

uiit Edge, the little metropolis OF
the Judith mountains, is in a prosper
GUS condition. Things have settled
down there to their normal condition
and business is picking up rapidly
after the lull Immediately following
the election excitement. Business
men generally in the busy gold camp
are looking forward to a big increase
of trade this winter and are laying
in large supplies of everything they
will need.
= The town has changed greatly in
the last two years and the character
and size Of the business transactions
in the place have changed to keep
. pace with the growth of the camp.
The people of the town are taking an
ever growing interest in the welfare
of their community and are buying
the bulk of their SUPPLIES and provis-
ions at home. Not one of the business
men who was interviewed by a repre-
sentative of the Argus last week but
expressed himself as exceedingly well
pleased with business conditions and
prospects. They are constantly en-
larging their stocks and loking for.
ward to a good winters trade.
There is not a great deal of building
being done in the town, but there is
a little going OF all the time. Gilt
Edge Is a rather old place and the
houses are more plentiful there than
in the new camp of Kendall. The
pride OF Gilt Edge, In the way Of pub
lie buildings, is the school. This is
a large two story frame structure
which has been built on the hill just
of the lower end of Main street, and
it Is an imposing building for a town
the size of Gilt Edge. r. A. Mckee
is the principal in charge Of the school
and he has two teachers under him.
The hospital is another institution
OF which the Gilt Edge people have
reason to be proud. II Is located
near the center of the town in a COM
Portable and roomy frame house and
Is in charge of a trained nufse.~Dr.
w. ]. Lakey is the physician In charge
and lives at the hospital. The hospi-
tai is supported by the Miners Union
and the patients get the best of care.
Gilt Edge also supports a good no
tel, which Is under the management
OF John f. Lyons and Charles Ed
Nrardc Mr. xana tc N fDr~.zn .N.s
dent Of Lewistown and welcomes his
Lewistown friends in a way which
warns them up after the long cold
ride over the hills. The Hotel Gilt
Edge is o the only place Of its kind
in the town, as Mr.. Lyons, when he
took the lease of the old Gilt Edge
hotel, also took the Claridon hotel and
is o running them both. The Clar-
idon Is used as a house for regular
boomers, while the other building
' takes care Of the transient trade and
contains the dining room 1t is a
first-class hostelry In every respect.
The Gilt Edge Mercantile company
is doing a big business and p. C. Wey-
dert and B. C. Wiedeman, who are
the proprietors OF the store, are ell
thusiastic over the prospects for good
business conditions for the year. They
r handicapped a little by a slight
lack of room, but this may be rene
died in the spring.
r. w. Blake is another former Lew
istown man who is doing well in the
little mountain town. He Is in the
general merchandise business and is
doing well. Washburn & Cunning.
ham, Mrs. Belanger and others are
doing a good business and have no
reason to complain.
At the Gold Reef the work is being
steadily pushed and improvements at
this famous mine are being made dali
ly and on a large scale. Just now
bering house. In this building will be
placed saw mill machinery and all the
mine timbers will be prepared on the
grounds. Formerly the work was m
tracted for and done in the timber
ready to be placed in position when
hauled to the mine. The logs are
piled around the new saw mill in large
quantities now and there seems to be
a supply on hand which will be large
enough to last tfor some time.
Another improvement that Is being
put in is the new %condensing plant.
This Is a large undertaking but 1t Is
being rushed as fast as possible. The
company has lately bought a number
of coal teams and wagons also and
hereafter. will haul its W coal in
stead of contracting for 1t as it form
erly did. A large new barn has re-
Gently been erected above the mill
and new coal chutes and water tanks
put in, so that the place is changed
considerably in the last year. The mill
has been enlarged and repaired and
everything put in first-class condition
for heavy work this winter. The COM
pany now employs SO men and all OF
them are kept busy. In fact the Gold
Reef is one of the busiest places in
the county and the yellow metal is be-
ing turned out in a constantly increas-
ing amount.
At Whisky Gulch the work Is going
steadily forward and a large force of
men Is employed. New development
, work is constantly being done both at
the Gold Reef and at the Whisky Gulch
mines. At Cone Butte there seems
to be nothing doing this winter, al
though work will probably be resum-
ed in the spring.
The theme which is interesting Gilt
Edge people just 10Y is that Of the
prospective opening Of work al the
old Spotted Horse mine. The state
ment is made by persons who claim
to know, that work will start very
soon at the famous old mine and that
!. there is much good ore In sight.
l.. E. Atchison, who formerly con-
Quoted the boarding house at the Gold
Reef, is in Gilt Edge again and will
probably open a boarding house at the