Fergus County Democrat. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1904-1919, 1911-04-04
Showing on Judith Mountain Prop.
erty Justifes High Expectations
of the Owners.
MUCH WORK Is DONE
Golden Jack Lee Has Been Busy
Developing Mine for Over a
Quarter of Century.

According to Golden Jack" Lee,
one of the pioneer prospectors of the
Judith mountains, there is now in
process Of negotiation a deal where
by the property Of the Ford Creek
Mining company, OF the Cone Butte
district, will be either sold to outside
capitalists Or a mill erected before the
end of the present year. At least two
groups Of men, each of whom has suf-
fcient capital to finance the deal, are
now pursuing thorough investiga-
ton of the Ford Creek mine and the
chances are bright that one or the
other will conclude deal, which will
mean that before many months have
elapsed, another active producer will
be added to the list of paying mines
now operating in the Judith noun
tains.
Own Many Claims.
The Ford Creek company owns
about three hundred acres Of land
comprising thirteen full claims, To-
Gated in the Cone Butte district, six
miles northeast of old Fort Magin-
mis-. A portion of this property was
located as early, as 1885 by Golden
jack who has, since that time, spent
thousands of dollars in labor and ma
terial in development work Fully
one thousand feet of tunnel work has
been done and the latest workings
comprising a tunnel l55 feet long has
tapped the main lead and opened up
vein Of ore So feet wide and of un-
known depth. Scores OF assays oi
samples taken from this lead run from
So to $500 in gold, the average being
over SIS per ton
Similar to Cripple Creek.
The formation and character of ore
are very similar to those of Cripple
Creek, Colorado. Many experts. have
examined the property and all have
. given favorable reports. 1t was ex-
amined many years ago by Weed and
Pierce, government geologists, who
declared it most promising PROPOSE
ton, while Professor Lincoln of the
State School OF Mines and Mr. Dyke
all experienced mining man Of Cripple
Creek, have pronounced it as Their
opinion that only depth is required te
make the Ford Creek a great gole
producing mine. Another tunnel j!
now being driven which will run il
over two hundred feet before tapping
the ore body at a depth OF more thar
one hundred feet. This working will
demonstrate the strength of the or,
opinion that only depth isrequired t.
body with depth and satisfy not onl.
the owners but any others who ma,
contemplate becoming interested tina
the mine is all that is claimed for i
BY those who have made examlna
tions and taken assays,
Well Known Men Interested.
, Jack Lee is the president of til
; Ford Creek mine, the other officer
) being Judge Cheadle, vice-president
and John A. Coleman, secretary. A
Jackman of Forest Grove and Judg
Stewart Of Bozeman are also heayil
interested The company is capital
lied at $l,00OO00 and one-half of tn
! stock has been set aside as treasur
stock to be sold for the purpose Q
! raising money for further develop
! ment and the construction of a plan
Most of the ore can be worked by tn
cyaniding process while concentra
tor will be required to work some c
Lit. A concentator can be easil
worked, however, as there is a goo
coal supply within two miles of tn
proposed mill site.
Golden jack has hung on to thi
property tenaciously. never losin
foith in ultimately making a big min
Of it and his friends would like to Sc
, him realize substantial sum out Q
: the proposition to repay him for hi
!, faith and many years of hard work.