Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1906-10-05
None of the leading American in

duStrteS nave made greater progress
than mining. There is as much diner
ence between the modern stamp mill
or the hydraulic giant and the arrastrd
and rocker of 40 years ago as there ~
between the modern Pullman car and
the old-time stage coach. Present IN
dications lead many to believe that
America will be known to the world
above all things else, as . mining coun-
try. Gold is being found in the least
expected places, and the Eldorados,
Bonanzas and Golcondas are no long |
er confined to a few favored districts
of the west.
Though a little over SO years OF age,
the mining industry OF America is
yet in its infancy. The uncovering OF
vast bodies of ore that carry their
calues in rebelliOus composition, are
making necessary the invention, dis
covery and manufacture Of new ma.
chimes and methods for the extrac-
ton of metals. And SO the process goes
on, increasing, enlarging month by
months, until the mind is dwarfed in
an attempt to comprehend the posi-
bilities of the future.
Each of the bullion producers of
the west had a small, very small
beginning. That beginning was a pa
tient, weather-beaten prospector trail
ing his burro and pack over the noun
tain passes, everastngly searching
for "colors' of a prospect,
prospect of ledge. The finding OF the
ledge, the locating of the claim brings
to a close the part a prospector plays
in the development of mine. The
prospector leaves it gem in the
rough-capital and enterprise fash
ion it into a jewel.
The mining capitalist-the man
with money and enterprises the man
who molus a mine out of a prospect.
To develop a ledge and shape it to
become a producer is a slow and eX-
pensive business and hence it. can
be readily understood why the average
prOspector, who carries all he owns
in his pack, has no inclination to de-
velop a mine. Deep tunnels are driven
in, shafts sunk, and drifts run follow.
ing the ledge. After ore is blocked
out and found to carry values, the
property is ready for a stamp mill
cyanide plant or smelter for the treat
ment of the ore and the extraction
of the metal.
The progress in the methods Of
placer mining in America has been nc
less than that of quartz gold digging
The great hydraulic mines of the wes
began with rocker, a pan and har1,
miner The same auriferous diggingi
where today the giants are hurting
their mighty streams against the gray
ell banks were first scratched over by
the prOspectOrs shovel. In the earl,
days placer mining was gamble
now it is business a conservative
business, in which capital and enter
prise are prominent features.
Nine out of 10 non assessable mining
companies fail says Jouis C. Jaquisl
in the Mining World. Q). Because
mining companies selling treasur.
stock for development purposes eX
perience times when sales cease ant
they can't even give it away. At sucl
times they must either run into deb
or shut down their mine. Either cours
is suicidal The company that is no
working cannot sell stock at any price
it dies of dry rot. 90 In every min
ing promotion some man, or set o
men, get stock for practically nothing
For one reason or another one or NOR
of these men wants to sell his stock
After the company has established
market for its stock one of the "cheal
l6llOWS OucTS his uOluIuSS lOI safe d
discount; thus the cOmpanys mar
ket is killed. Result, the company cal
sell but little, if any, stock, and it i
soon in trouble There are other rea
sons why mining companies fail.
The Amalgamated owns property il
16 counties of Montana and pays tax
es on a total assessed valuation 0
$26,911,857 The Washoe smelter, bull
at a cost of $9,50O,O0O, is assessed TO
only $3,1OO,O0O, and all of the com
pany's properties are assessed at thu
same ratio to its actual value. 1T
greatest assets are, of course, 1T
mines, which are assessed and taxet
only at IS an acre in valuation, bu
the company pays taxes on the net pro
ceeds of the mines. The company pays
one-third of all the taxes collectc.
in Silver Bow (Butte) county, ant
one-half of all taxes in Deer Lodg'
(Anaconda) county. The company!
mines are located in Butte and 1t
smelter at Anaconda.
While the government loses none
on its gold coinage, and gains more Z
less on the silver pieces it issues,
comes out away ahead on the cent
and nickels. Into gold eagle, for e.
ample, is put exactly $40 worth of tn
precious metal, besides 10 per cent
copper put in as hardening alloy, al
the cost of mining. A silver piece
any denomination is half profit all e
penses paid. But the profit on the ma
ufacture of nickels and pennies
enormous. The blanks for these sO-cs
led minor coins-smoOt disks of tt
proper size and weight-are furnisht
to the government on contract by
firm at Waterbury, Conn.
The deepest bore hole in the wOr
is one that is located near Leipsi
Germany. The object of the hole W;
in determining whether coal W;
there and likewise the man makir
the boring was of scientific turn
mind. The hole has attained the gre
depth of $3.50 feet. At the surfa
the hole was about half foot in dial
eter and at the bottom had taper
off to less than an inch in diamett
Diamond drills were used and Il
rods weighed 20 tons. 1t took t,
hours work to take the rods apa
and put them together again.
Native zinc is unknown. Now al