Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1907-06-27

Empire is little bit Of q town out
in Montana, located about Is miles
northwest of Helena.
It was named after one Of the ID
1 properties which now comprise the
group owned by the Gold Cord Mining
company.
Had the town developed along, the
same lines as the property from which
it takes its name, 1t would have been
one OF the most important cities in
Montana.
The Empire vein Is a splendid piece
Of property in itself. It was the mine
from which the old English company
took ont nearly $2,O0O,O0o, but with
out much more than scratching the
surface. Il $5
The vein on this property was inter
2sected by the croscut tunnel at a
depth of 100 feet under the surface,
and at distance OF 100 feet from the
mouth Of the tunnel. "A level, or tun-
mel, was then driven east on the
course Of the vein for the full distance
OF 1900 feet.
The greatest depth attained in the
. course OF this work was something
over 400 feet, but the average depth
was not much over $50 feet. The
width Of the vein averaged about
eight feet, and the average value Of
the ore was close to SIS per ton.
Perhaps IS per cent Of the ground
or, to be more correct, the vein, was
worked out to the surface, leaving
about Is per cent Of the ore still In
4 place. and nearly all OF it blocked out
on four sides. This working out re-
fers only to the ore above the No. 4
tunnel level. Y
When the Empire vein was inter
sected by the crosscuts tunnel it was
supposed that another 1 800 foot prop.
erty, known as the Smithville, was an
extension Of the former, but this was
+ subsequently proven to be an error,
as it developed that they were sepa.
rate and distinct veins, crossing each
other at such q slight angle as to de
ceive the engineers in charge of the
work at that time.
a level, or tunnel, was driven on
the Smithville to the west to a dis
tance of about 1000 feet, but very lit
tie depth was secured, although som;
high grade ore was taken out. The
average value OF the ore, however
was several dollars per ton less thar
that taken out of the Empire. AS oil
the Empire, not to exceed Is per cen
Of the vein matter, or ore, was take.
out between this level and the sur
face. and the average depth for ths
distance worked was something les.
than 200 feet.
After the property passed from TIL,
control Of the Englishmen, engineer
were put to work to ascertain the val
b b ues In the mine and report on til,
best methods for recovering the same
For prosecuting this work " SHAPED
trenches were dug across the floor q
the level at intervals Of 10 feet, or !;
total Of $50 such trenches In the 3 so,
foot stretch. From the bottom Of eaci
trench four samples were taken, d
4 900 in all, and each one not only SIC
saved and PANIED. but subsequent,
checked and rechecked to poin
where there was no chance for error
The great big assays, that is. tros,
running away in the thousands, wer,
thrown out, and vet the average fo,
the full $500 feet, 1900 feet 81 Em
pire and 1000 feet Of Smithvllle va.
better than $3.50 per ton. AS an ali
{. sollte matter of fact, some Of thest
assays ran as high as $36, 900 per ton
Now. herein Hes the Significance d
what We have been telling you. Il
the 1,50o feet OF Empire, the ore q
the floor Of the level averages SIS 81,
- BETTER "