The White Pine news. [volume] (Ely, Nev.) 1906-1910, 1909-12-05
PHEBY TELLS Of
A GOOD CAMP

F. S. Pheby, who recently re-
turned here from Radersburg,
Montana, where he went to look at
some gold properties, found some
very interesting country, and his trip
has further local interest FROM The
fact that Thomas Rockhill, the
father of Ely, was a placer miner in
the same place many years ago. In
an interview, Mr.. Pheby gave the
News the following interesting data
about the old shipping mines of
the Radersburg section of Montana:
"Radersburg is II miles from
Toston, on the Northern Pacific ru;l-
road, and about 10 miles north
east of Butte. The country about
Radersburg is low and rolling and
sparsely timbered, while the valley
to the north contains many extensive
and productive ranches that have
given this part of Montana a goodly
population for more than 40 years.
l learned in talking with Thomas
Rockhill that he was familiar with
the place and had placer mined there
about 0.years ago
From this first mining the camp
is said to have produced many mil
lions, and there is evidence of the
most extensive work of this
character. Undoubtedly, the rlacer
gold came from tn: present known
working ve'Ius.
THE country originally consisted
of various Sedlmenlacy strains, such
as schists, quantities., shales and
limestone. These rocks have been
much displaced and altered by the
intrusion of dikes, and sheets of
andesite and diorite. The intense
heat of these eruptives has so alter
ed the original sedimentaries that
they are at present with difficulty
distinguished.
"The veins are small but pro-
.nounced cutting across lime
stones, diorites and andesites.
The distinguishing test, a drop
of hydrochloric acid, shows the
best of the ore shoots to traverse the
much altered limestones. The ore
shoots are exceedingly uniform in
value but vary greatly in width.
The veins are thought to be narrow
est when cutting through the erup-
tive rocks.
1.-The three prominent veins of the
camp are the Heating, Ohio-Keating
and Black Friday. The principal
holdings on these three veins were
patented before 1873, as shown by
the size of the locations, the Keat-
ing claim being 100 feet wide and
2200 feet long. This vein has most
remarkable length, and is worked
continuously 1900 feet. Within the
last few weeks a cross cut from the
shaft picked up the vein which had
been faulted so feet south. 1t is not
improbable this shoot may be found
workable for twice it's present known
length. The veins of the camp run
in width from ten to SO inches. With
it's great length, each hundred feet of
stopping ground on the Aeating vein
makes considerable tonnage. This
mine is said to have produced in the
aggregate several millions of dollars
and has had at different times three
mills working on it's ore Within
the last two years, leasers extracted
5000 tons returning SIT per ton
gold, As per cent iron, 80 per cent
sulphur, Is per cent lime and 10~per
cent insoluble. Such a composition
makes a most desirable smelling ore
and it is in great demand at Butte.
After paying 50 freight to railroad
and 81 freight to Butte, the iron
shows a small premium, leaving all
the gold profit. The ore is general
ly smelted without charge.
1.-The veins being small, no ore is
saved in sinking or drifting. In the
slopes no wall rock is broken, and
as the walls are extremely hard no
timbering is required. The ore be-
ing a solid sulphide, is not agreeable
to drill and only foreigners car to
work in the slopes. THESE stope
miners bear a strong resemblance
to coal miners when coming from the
mine. The mines are comparative
ly wet and power costs are high.
One of the large Montana electric
companies is putting in power from