Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1906-07-20
|AMONG THE MINERS
LATEST NEWS FROM THE TIMING CAMPS OF
FERGUS COUNTY AND ELSEWHERE. - = .

The gradual change of the Butte
district from an ore smelling to al
ore mining center is surely being eff
fected. Within the past month thu
Butte Coalition company has giver
orders to cease shipments of concen
trates and ore to the old Montana Ore
Purchasing company's smelter, ant
within a few weeks that plant will
be entirely closed down. In the mean
time shipment of concentrates will
be made to the Washoe plant at Ana
conda and second grade ores will con
tinue to go to Basin for concentra
ton. Just how long this arrange
ment will continue is problematical
and Basin is deeply interested in the
ultimate disposition of that concen
trating plant.
OF the six smelters that were at one
time in operation in Butte, only one
remains, namely, the Butte Reduce
ton Works. The removal of the 9th
er five plants and the discontinuance
of the old methods of heap roasting
have produced a wonderful change in
Butte as a residential city, it being
now reasonably free from obnoxious
fumes formerly arising from the op.
erations mentioned.
AS intimated, mining operations are
greatly on the increase in the Butte
district. The reports of eleven of the
principal mining companies for the
year ending June 1, 1905, show gross
earnings of $51, 1927 ,669. and net pro-
ceeds of $17,336,65O. The latter fig
ure is an increase of $7,398,681 over
the preceding year. The average dali
ly tonnage of these eleven companies
was 1924. Of this quantity the Ana.
conda company produced daily 4,16S
tons. thereby exceeding all other sin
gle companies, while the Boston &
Montana led in net proceeds, having
profited to the extent of $3.50, 100.
The beginning of the new fiscal year
already gives evidence of a largely in
creased production and profit over
the year just closed.
To accommodate the increased de.
mands being made upon it's sme1ting
facilities the Amalgamated company
has decided to greatly enlarge the
Washoe and Great Falls smelters.
The former plant will probably be
increased so that it's monthly output
will be 20,OOO.O0O pounds of copper.
Fergus county continues to main
tain it's lead as the gold producing
county of the state. Receipts at the
assay office in Helena show that Fer
gus county is putting out almost one
half of the gold mined in Montana,
and almost three times as much as
the next largest producing county.
The Barnes-King and Kendall proper.
ties in the Kendall district. and the
Gold Reef at Gilt Edge are, of course,
largely responsible for this condition.
All of these mines are now in bet
ter shape than ever before, and it
is not unreasonable to expect this
large output to be maintained.
In the vicinity of Helena operations
were inaugurated last month which
will probably result in the most &C.
tive season known in that district.
In the old Remini district on Red
Mountain, where new properties were
developed last year, there is prospect
for still greater activity this season.
Sales are being negotiated for both
large and small properties, and when
consummated will result in the en-
ployment of an increased number of
men.
The completion of the Green-Camp-
bell Mining company's 1OO-ton mill
early in June is but one evidence of
the prosperity of the milling indus.
try. The operation of this plant will
enable the company to treat its sec.
ond grade ore, which has hitherto
been untouched or allowed to remain
on the dump If removed from the
mine.
When it is recorded that the placer
and dredge mining phase of the in
dustry was equally progressive and
prosperous, it will be seen that the
general status of mining in Montana
in June was decidedly favorable
Denver Mining Reporter.
For the protection of the mining
investors of the United States, the
American Mining Congress has estab-
lished a bureau of inquiry, through
which information can be obtained as
to the condition of the property and
the standing of the company that has
asked or is asking for the money OF
the investor.
The American Mining Congress is
q national organization of mining
men, the directors of which are men
of the highest standing in their own
states, whose only interest is the up
lifting of the mining industry. To this
end, and among other things. the or
ganization is working for the creation
of a department of Mines and Min
ing as a separate department of the
national government, and for the en-
actment of laws in the various states