The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1922-07-21
BIG ORE BODY IN
MEACHER COUNTY
EASTERN COMPANY PLANS TO
DEVELOP IRON DEPOSITS
AT COST OF MILLIONS
Ranges from 35 to 65 Per Cent In
Ore Values; Mineralized Area Ex-
tends for so Miles Through Belt
Mountains; Estimated at 10000
600 to 40, 900, 900 Tons.

UVV 10 I4VsOVU,UOV 4OttSs
What mining men believe will il
the near future undoubtedly bec0m'
one of the leading mining district
of the west is located in the area i'm
mediately south of Black Butte, neal
i the Dreibelbis ranch on Sheep creek
in Meagher county. There lies {
body of iron ore, ranging from 81
to SO per cent iron in soft earth tt
SIS per cent in the two main out
groupings of iron cliffs. The miner
allied area extends from Tenderfooi
through the Belt mountains for sc
miles, but the workable property is
| located within circular area OF
about $500 acres.
In the central part of this area
where iron has been deposited by
glacial action, no accurate estimate
can be made of the amount of ore
that can be worked, but biologists
reports state that there are from
80, 600, 900 to 140,000,000 tons of
workable ore in sight. Most of these
reports declare there are 100, 100000
tons recoverable without development
work.
Eastern Capital Interested
Officials of the Montana Iron and
Steel Corporation, formed by a
group of wealthy Virginia men, as
sert there is enough ore to operate
more than 100 years. They believe
the location is favorable as to mar
knsc, and that the establishment of
rolling mills will prove successful
venture.
The corporation, represented by
P. A. Conner, is now completing work
for the patenting of 10 more claims,
which, with the fractions, will give
it 600 acres in the center of the dis
trict. In addition, surrounding Nor
thern Pacific reservations have been
arranged for and adjoining property
owners have been seen with view
to obtaining control of the entire min
eralized area.
The patenting, it is said, will be
completed in few weeks, the cost
of securing title to this central por-
ton of the area being about 500, 900.
While there are no extensive work
ings, hundreds of cuts and holes have
been dug all over the field, reveal
ing a uniform deposit of iron with
the exception of a few acres in a
certain coulee.
Mr.. Conner and Cal Coates, min
ing engineer of Tucson, Ariz., retain
a one-fourth interest in the mines,
the corporation holding the remain
der.
Can Handle Ore Cheap1y
The area came in for serious con-
sideration in 1914, when Conner be-
gan working on it. Previous to that
lime it had been prospected desult-
)rily, few copper stains leading
to believe that the iron
capped a deposit of that metal. Due I
o the number who prospected there,
he discovery cannot be ascribed to
my one man. A peculiar feature is
hat surveyors, who went over the
district, reported it non-mineral in
character and as such open to home
stead filing, and marked their cor
lers with huge boulders containing Il
IS per cent iron.
The deposit centers on two huge
ron cliffs, and the bulk of the ore,
t is declared, can be handled from
he grass roots by steam shovel, it
having no overburden. Estimates of
engineers are that an ex- |
,enditure of 20 cents a ton will load ]
he ore on cars, making it as cheap
y handled as any in the country.
rhe ore body has been tested by driv-
ng holes to a depth of from 20 to s
10 feet without going out of ore. ,
OF nf n
ield indicates that the ore in places /
S almost 200 feet in depth. /
Corporations Extensive Plans
The corporation plans to obtain s
ontrol of coal mines in Cascade /
county, where seven-foot vein of {
oking coal exists to an unlimited
onnage. Lime stone deposits are not t
ar away, and the mine is only few I
niles from the power line of the t
Iontana power company out of Great 6
falls. More than so miles of rail-
DAD are to be built to link up the t
holdings, and blast fur q
aces and rolling mills are to be f
rected c
ion can finance these extensive OPP t
rations is said to be indicated by the t
act that three years ago they began
be securing, at an aggregate cost e
f more than $50, 1000, complete data v
egarding markets, lime, water, coal O
nd labor, and that the survey, made v
y some of the best engineers in the t
ountry, covers the entire west. e
The stupendous plans of the cor s
grafton, officials say, will necessar- t
y have to be worked out gradually. S
hey estimate that the various prop
rites, trackage and rolling stock will
lvolve an ultimate investment of S
ON $40, 900 to $2O,000,000. e
Farm Foxes; Breed Trout t,
silver fox farm will he started II