Fergus County Democrat., 1906-02-06

star, ADJOINING the Drum l-ummOn dt
| Marysville. A good showing has bee'i
made and it is possible that it may
rival the famous Drum Lummon, with
it's production of $22, 100000.
The Caplice mine, nine miles north
| of Remini, is making large shipments
Of lead, silver and gold ofe to the East
Helena smelter
Assayer in charge, B. H. Tatem, Of
the United States assay office in Hell
ena, has compiled an exhaustive re-
port of the mining history of Montana
for the year 1904 and summary Of
values extracted in the state since
1862 This shows an enormous total OF
81, 159, ,61O,547 1t is estimated that the
Butte district up to the close of 1905
produced $6OO,O00,000 in mineral wealth
and it is asserted that if the mines OF
were to close for a single year the
markets of the world would be upset
by famine in the metal. The min
eral production Of the state for the
past year showed an increase of II
per cent over that of the previous 12
months. But few important discov-
cries were made of new ore deposits.
The increase of over half a million
dollars in gold resulted from the treat
ment of ores by the cyanid process.
The Park New-Era mines of Mason,
are coming to the front these days in
no uncertain fashion, as recently a
splendid strike has been made in one
of the lower shafts in which from five
to six feet of good ore has been uncov-
cred. This news will be hailed with
delight by all mining men, and especi-
ally Mr. Mason who has spent large
amount Of individual money in devel-
oping the mines. We understand the
cyanide process is perfect success
and that the mill will be run continu-
ally with ore from the Rabideau mine
and other ozydzed ores from that
camp. The chute of ore struck in the
old Park will probably be shipped out
to smelters, as it is of that nature
Townsend Star.
Three countries contributed nearly
lhr quarters Of the s'E,1a ,:' gold
mined in the world in 1905. First place
is held by the Transvaal, which re-
ported $1O1,179,473; second, by the
United States, with sS6,29s,20O, and
third, by Australasia, with $s4, ,153, ,s53
In 1904 the worlds gold output, as re-
ported by the director of the United
States mint, was valued at $347, $50, 700.
IN hot with i<C nP
$2S,447,193, or per cent, holds the ban
ner as the best year on record. The
production for 1905 is biased on in
formation received from reliable
sources by the Mining World, and will
be found to vary little from the final
official figures of the respective gov
ernments, which, by the way, are usu-
ally delayed for reasons well UNDER
stood.
The phenomenal growth in the gold
output in 1905 was due principally to
the absence Of severe labor troubles
and to the Introduction of improved
mining and metallurgical methods and
machinery, which diminished the cost
of production and made possible the
profitable development of many low
grade mines. Another factor has been
the larger installation Of modern
dredging machinery, by which means
huge placers of America, Australasia
and elsewhere is being recovered in
quantity at less cost than by the old
method of hydraulicking. Mention
should also be made of the rich discov-
cries in Nevada, Alaska and other gold
mining sections on the American con-
tinent and abroad, while the resump-
tion of old time mining activity in the
Transvaal has been initiated by the
| temporary solution of the labor prob
lem by the employment of Chinese
coolies.
1t is opportune to refer to the enor-
nous dividends which are being pai(
by mining companies whose principa
output is in gold, silver and lead. II
| the United States alone during 190
there were 6S properties capitalized a
| $365. .965, ,430, which paid dividends o
$25,O91, ,6O6, and since their incorpora
tion have declared a total of $134, 1877,
033, equivalent to nearly 81 per cent ol
the share capital. Twenty-four com
panies in Canada, Mexico, Central an,
South America, having an aggregat
capitalization of $4O,7s4,225, paid divi
dends in 1905 of s5,364, ,499, making tn
total since Incorporation $34, 534 ,423, o
nearly IS per cent. At first though
this large return may make the divi
dends paid by mines and works in tn
United States look rather small, bu
after due consideration it will
, learned that interpretations tbs coun
try are usually on a more extravagan
capitalization than elsewhere. Conse
quently the yield per cent in dividend
on the shares of many successful min
ing companies in the United States
comparatively lower than elsewher,
Taken together the dividends paid b
;. so gold bearing properties on tn
American continent. representing
u capitalization of S406 749, 655, amounte
in 1905 to $3O,456,O45. or about rs pt
= = cent, making the total since incorpor;
Il ton $169, ,S21, ,456 or 41.6 per cent TIL
is a good return on the capital investe
and explains why the British and 9th,
foreigners have put so much money
American mines n recent years.
-" In the ten years from 1896 to 1905, il
N elusive, as shown in the table belo'
he rr-11 t.