Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1905-10-13

Devoted to the Larg
O Camps Of Fergus cour
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The last issue Of the Mining Re-
porter, Of Denver, contains the follow
Ing article, written by Mr.. Barron, the
star correspondent, who visited the
gold camp short time ago:
The Kendall camp in Fergus coun.
ty, where are located the Kendall and
Barnes-King mines and cyanide plants,
Is the most important gold producer
In Montana. The dividends paid dur
Ing the past four years in the opera
ton Of the two properties having
amounted to $1,250,000. An average
value Of the ores mined has been be-
tween IS and $12 gold, the values be-
Ing recovered by cyanidation. The
range of mountains and is reached by
. 20-mile stage trip from Lewistown,
which is the northerly terminal of the
miles of road from Lombard ON the
Northern Pacific main line. The
camps Of Maiden, Gilt Edge and New
Year famous first in the eighties OF
account Of the high grade gold ores
mined in the Spotted Horse, Magin.
mis- and other properties, and later be-
cause of the extensive milling opera
lions in connection with the lower
grade ores) are in the Judith range
some 20 miles to the northeast. The
mines in Judith basin are still more
or less active, several cyanide plants
being in operation. The Characters
tic rocks of the North Moccasin or
Kendall region are limestones of diff
ferent ages and varieties and aka
line porphyries or sandstones. The
ore dispositions occur in the carbon
ferrous lime or shale. The ore is
mainly highly silicifled lime quartz
tie in appearance at times, but en-
tirely free from quartz. The known
ore occurrences are included in an
area of about ~ miles-this area
being in the form of crescent, coin
Gliding with the contour of the main
mountain ridge. The defines of this
crescent-shaped naturalization are
reefs of porphyritic rocks. The gen.
era1 strike of the ore bodies is away
from the mountains in strict conform
ity with the qualification of the rocks.
The strike of the formation is a lit
tie east of north and the general dip
is Of As degrees from the center of
the mountains to almost horizontal in
the fats or lowlands. Where the car.
bOniferOus lime comes to the surface,
forming the crests or combs of the
mountains, as is the case at both the
Kendall and Barnes-King Mines ex-
ploitation has been rendered facile. In
the flats at the base of the hills pros.
pecting is more difficult, however,
the average depth of the undisturbed
carbOniferous rocks being estimated
at from 800 feet to 1000 feet. Re-
Gently, diamond drilling operations in
the flats have resulted in the discov.
cry of large deposits Of pay ore. In
many respects the region is similar
to the Mercur camp Of Utah and the
Ragged Top section of the Black Hills,
South Dakota, in both Of which local
tiles large bodies of workable cyanide
ore occurring in carboniferous rocks
have been opened up. In the Mercur
camp, however there is this marked
difference-the carboniferous forma-
ton undisturbed is encountered at on
1y much greater depth than at Ken
dali, and prospect work is thereby
rendered more difficult and expensive.
According to the reports of competent
engineers the probability of opening
up workable ore deposits in properties
adjoining the two producing mines and
in the flats has long been granted,
and in several places drilling opera
tons have during the past year sub
stantiated these predictions. notably
on the Billiard property, where a sew
enty-f1ve foot ore body, the gold val
ues of which averaged ST, is reported
to have been penetrated at depth
OF over 800 feet. The Billiard adjoins
the Barnes-King on the northeast. To
the south of the Kendall mine Colora-
do parties organized under the name
Milling company have, under the d.
satisfactorily exploiting with diamond
Gold Mining company, owning ground
adjoining the Kendall, has also made
a sufficiently encouraging showing to
warrant the company's property be-
ing taken over at large figure by the
Kendall Gold Mining company The
Cyanide Gold Mining company, own
ing an acreage of 279 acres adjoining
the Barnes-King and including the
Kendall townsite, is planning diamond
drilling exploratory work, as is the
lately incorporated Fergus Gold Min
ing company and others. The ore
bodies mined in the Kendall and
Barnes-King properties vary in width
from ten feet to seventy-f1ve feet, and
in one place in the former mine the
width Of workable ore is as great as
120 feet. The ore carries values in
gold from S. to S12 an average be-
ing about 81. The ore is most read
lily amenable to the cyanide treatment,
a recovery of from IS to 90 per cent
being made at both of the operating
plants. The cost of mining and mill
ing the ores does not in any case ex-
coed $3.50 per ton, and when the ore