Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1904-03-02

Official reports show that during
the past year Fergus county easily led
all other counties in the state in the
production of gold; existing condi'
lions in the mines sustain the state
ment that during the present year
the county will not only continue as
the first gold producer in the state
but its output will exceed that Of any
other two counties. Every producing
nlant in the county is being operated
proftably. The building of one new
milling plant is assured during the
a~nproaching summer; the ore con-
Stunning capacity Of two other plants
has been materially increased; bet
ter yet, the ore bodies in every pro-
ducing mine in the county are show
ing better now than they e a
wear ago. Thus, a large increase in
the ore consuming capacity, with
a plentiful supply of ore to meet any
demand that may be made by the
mills is a brief statement of the con
ditions prevailing in our mines; the
large shipments of bullion being mad
regularly each month evidence the
prosperous results of their opera
ton.
Monthly Profits $4,000.
An Argus representative visited the
mines of Kendall and the North Moe
casin district during the past week
and the prosperity evident in that dis
trict is characteristic Of the mining
districts throughout the county. AT
the great Kendall mines operations
run along in such ar even channe'
and there are so few changes ,nat
almost every miner in the county is
familiar with the workings OF those
mammoth properties. In the mill 25O
tons of ore are being worked daily,
and this has been the daily amount
hho 49,
for more than a veal now. Ore Is be
ing extracted from every level. and
exploration for possible ore bodies Is
in progress in all parts of the mines
On the 9Th level, at a vertical depth
of 400 feet, the ore is exposed In
ledge as large and as rich as in the
levels above. A diamond drill mas
been operated on this level since the
middle of last December, and a large
territory contiguous to the main ledge
has been explored. At one point the
drill has been driven 500 feet through
the lime bodies west OF the shaft anc
other holes drilled have ~prospected
this part of the mines quite thorough
ly. Any discoveries Of ore made
through these operations have mo-
been made public as yet. The dia
mond drill drives through from 10 Il
As feet per day, owing to the charac
ter of the ground in which 1t Is work
ing. Superintendent Lang stated tina
the Kendall company will in the III
lure keep one of these drills employ
ed steadily in its prospecting work
Eighty-ive men are employed at tn'
mines and the mill of the Kendall
company now, which is = slight In
crease over the number formerly EN-
ployed. This force mines and mill!
1000 tons of ore monthly. The orr
yields to the stockholders a MONTH!
dividend of $4,000, besides which
$1,000 is added to the sinking fun'
each corresponding period.
Tank Capacity Increasing.
The Barnes-King company is al
steady in its work and production a
is the Kendall company. The tanl
capacity IN the Barnes-King has re
Gently been increased by the addition
of an ore tank 80 feet in diamete
and six feet deep, which has a holding
capacity of 210 tons. This tank wa
being filled for the first time on thu
day the Argus man visited thes'
works. It will increase the daily ca
pacity OF the mill about 30 tons
Among the other improvements a
these mines the new hoist house haI
been but recently completed, and thu
ore bin at the mill has been Increases
SO that 1t now holds 200 tons. In thu
Barnes-King mines the bottom of N,
incline shaft is 400 feet below tn
apex of the ore. From what is know