Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1905-05-17
MANY IMPROVEMENTS PLANNED
Charles loehray Engaged a. superin'
tendent-Larqe Force to be En-.
pIoyed AZ Soon as Possible.

er0LlOn Delng $3O,OOO. Inc mines IN
cluded in this sale are considered tho
best in Lewistown, and after being
inspected by State Mine Inspector
Howard F. Welsh short time ago,
he pronounced them to be continue
tion of the Belt or Cascade vein. Tho
Spring Creek property was owned by
John Borgh, who receives $1,000 of
the purchase price; Andrew Green,
who gets $4,000, and A. W. Stoddard,
whose share of the purchase money
is $4,000.
Embraces Nine Hundred Acres.
The tract embraces 500 acres Of
coal land and about 100 acres that
does not produce coal, but which will
be valuable to the new owners. The
Spring creek mines were first open.
ed by Mr.. Borgh about five years ago,
and the product has been on the To-
cal market since that time. The rail-
way company will shortly extend its
track right to the mines, SO that there
will be no teaming, and a big item OF
expense will be done away with.
Plans are now being made by Mr..
Gebo for opening the properties on a
large scale and in a scientific manner.
and before long 100 miners will be at
work digging coal. These operations
will be under the immediate direction
of Charles Lochray, of Sand Coulee,
who has had a wide experience in
coal mining. It is also the intention
of the new owners to Dulld homes at
the mines for the men. and In
short time there will be prosperous
little mining camp up the creek.
Fuel Thoroughly Tested.
The Montana railroad has tested
this coal thoroughly on it's engines,
and recently a car load of the pro-
duct was sent to Butte, and given
a thorough test there. The fuel has
stood all these tests splendidly, and
there will be market waiting for all
of it that can be mined.
While Mr.. GebO appears as the pur-
chaser, it is known that he Is not act
ing for himself alone in the. natter
and the railroad probably has some
interest in the deal. It Is also stateo'
although this has not been confirmed
that H. L. Frank, the Butte mllAon'
aire and owner of the mines at Frank
is interested in the purchase. Mr.. &c
bo is recently from the town OF FRANK
and is closely connected with MT.
Frank in the coal mining business
A Nice Pay Roll.
The deal means that LewlstoWn
coal resources will be imMediately de'
veloped, and that nice pay roi! ironl
this industry alone will be ADDED 70
the business of the town. the 1orce
of 100 men soon to be einpioyeo' VIII
be increased as rapidly as ueveiop
ment makes this possible. ana tne
coal camp will be FACTOR IN the pros
perity of the city.
Mr.. Lochray states that ne Will no,
make any additions to the presen'
force at the mines until the lmprove
ments for handling a larger outpu'
are completed.
What Lochray Says.
"Mr. Gebo has outlined what ne
wants done at the Lewistown mines,'
Continued Mr.. Lochray, "and has Civ
an me- authority to proceed with thu
work at once. I shall be in charge
there but my absence from Sand Cou
lee viii not make any difference II
the operation of my mines at the lat
ter place.
81 AM most favorably impressed Will
the prospects for a good market 10
the OUTPUT of the mines at Lewis
town. The local demand is satisfac
torv and steadily increasing. Lew
istown is growing and prosperous an
the country around the town Is wei
settled now and many farmers ar
coming into that section this yeal
The traffic on the Montana railroa
has increased to such an extent tina
there is now a daily train each wa
and the small towns along the roa
are growing rapidly. For all that SCI
tion, the Gebo mine will supply pra'
tically all the fuel, and as the d.
mand comes; we expect to place 1t VI
on the markets.
Equipment 10 Very Poor.
"The mines are very crudely equll
ped at present. New equipment wi
be speedily placed, at cost OF abol
100000, and when that shall hav
been done, l believe that the mine
will be operated steadily for at lea
nine months of the year, and for thre
or four days per week for the otht
three months. understand 1t wi
be the policy of the owners to provit
homes for the employees near II
mines, and that each house to
erected for the occupancy of mi
er will be surrounded by about
acre of land, on which the occupal
may raise garden. The country su
rounding is most fertile. and as I!
slack time in the mines will natural
come in the growing season, the pc
session of a small tract of land. ne
the city, will be of no little adva
tage to each miner.