Fergus County Democrat. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1904-1919, 1905-03-28
Much Work Laid Out---Sapphire
Mines are Being Worked to
Full Capacity.
VERY RICH SURROUNDING COUNTRY
Fertile and Picturesque Country
at the Head of the Judith
River.

There is considerable work outlined
in the Old Yogo mining district for
tnis season and it seems that the
camp has good chance to come to
the front. The fact that a large por-
tion Of the values are contained in
smelling ores has to q certain extent
kept the district in the background.
With the opening up Of the Weather.
wax by Matt Dunn and others, it is
very probable that some outside capt.
tai will find it's way into the camp
this summer.
The first work which was accom-
plished in the camp was in 1876 when
considerable placer gold was taken out
while in the eighties a postotlice was
established and some work was ac-
complished with the arastra, small
stamp millsand other primitive meth
ods of mining. The sulphides blocked
the way however and owing to lack of
capital to treat these ores, the camp
was abandoned with the exception of,
few who still have the greatest con
tidence in the district.
The bare sides of Yogo Badly rise
directly in front Of the camp and it
is to the west Of this mountain and at
the head OF the gulches toward Nei-
hart that the principal properties ir
this district are located. A large am
cunt OF work has been accomplished
at intervals Oh the various properties
in the vicinity of Yogo with the re
suit that it has been thoroughly dem
Onstrated that while there is consider.
able free milling ore, yet the bulk OF
the ores are base and need the expen.
diture of considerable amount ol
money in order to furnish facilities
for treatment. The locality is one il
which the lime predOminateS, thougl
porphry intrusions are OF frequent oc
currence. There is considerable gooC
placer ground in the vicinity of Yogt
and the time will undoubtedly com.
when the ground will be worked fo
all it is worth. Fifty cents to par
is not bad and this has been secured
from this locality at different times
Matt Dunn, Conrad and others O
Great Falls have accomplished con
, siderable work on the Blue Dick
known as the Weatherwax property
which is located between Skunk ant
. Elk gnlch. The result is the finding
OF fairly good lead of copper ore
carrying values in gold. Arrange
ments are now being made to push
the development work to the limit
this spring and it is rumored that a
road will be built from this property
to the Neihart road in order to allow
of the transportation of base ores to
the railroad for shipment.
J Joseph Giroux has a good looking
copper property rt the head of Skunk
gulch on which he has been working
for some ten years past. knerr Bros.
are working free milling gold propo
sition at the head of Elk Gulch which
, gives some excellent assays. Eli Shell
} by of Great Falls is also interested ir
, the district and owns free milling
, gold property which will undoubtedly
. come to the front. Gus Hall is work.
ing on galena lead near Old Badly
which has assayed as high as $75 tC
, the ton in values. There are numer
, Gus other properties in this immediate
vicinity from which good assays have
been received, though lack of capita
has necessitated their abandonment
with the exception of the develop
, mant work.
One of the oldest and most worked
properties of the camp is the group OF
three claims owned and operated by
Chas. Lehman & Sons. The group is
situated on the apex of the range at
the head of Skunk gulch and carries
silver lead ores from which smeltel
returns have been received as high as
s23 to the ton in values. This prop.
erty has been worked for the past tif.
teen years at intervals and in the
neighborhood of 1900 feet of develop
ment work has been accomplished on
the group. Two of these claims have
been patented.
There is every indication of a rich