The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1923-05-04
DESERTED DIAMOND CITY, FAMOUS EALYDAY GOLD PRODUCER
is AGAIN TO BE THE SCENE OF EXTENSIVE PLACER OPERATIONS

tinued the publication of the Hus-
bandman at Diamond for several
years until he removed it to White
Sulphur Springs, where 1t was issued
for quarter of century until its
removal to Great Falls, where it is
still being issued by it's founder.
In the latter '70s the camp began
to play out but reference is made to
1t in the Montana Territory History
and Business directory of 1879 as
| follows:
Diamond City is the county seat
| (Meagher county, and is located in
Confederate gulch, famous for the
gold production of Montana bar,
which is a knoll or foothill scarcely
two acres in extent and was undoubt-
edly one of the richest placers ever
discovered. For each of the 100 feet
of pay dirt worked, over 100000
was extracted by the ordinary pro-
cess of sluicing up to the fall of 1868.
Diamond is at an elevation of $500
feet and contains 225 souls.'
In the sos the population of Dia-
mond City had fallen off to a small
abandonment is told in History of
A4OhhRhds COO NY tuC lCt
ritorial Historical company:
Diamond City, the old seat of JUS
tice of Meagher county, and the min
ing capital of eastern Montana from
the date of the discovery of Confed-
crate gulch to the fall of the placers
in 1870, has struggled with fortune
for the last 4 years. The town is
distant 38 miles from Helena and SO
mil ~.
the present county seat, at an eleva-
ton of $500 feet above the set level.
In 1879 the district offered some evil
dences of its former greatness and
supported population of 225, to-
gether with the following business
interests:
IL. Marks, general merchandise
and express office; William t. Haase,
general merchandise and post office;
Central hotel, John Smith, prop;
Thomas Flemming, livery stable and
meat market; Diamond City hotel,
Ed Brassey, prop; Marks e. Patter-
son, livery stable; G. Ecker, shoe
maker; H. Ramspeck, brewery; Dom
aid Mclean, saloon and billiard hall;
T. E. Collins, attorney at law; Rocky
Mountain Husbandman, r. N. Suth-
srlin, proprietor. According to the
census of 1880, the number of inhabi-
ants had decreased to "a.
Judge Hedges visited the once
great mining camp in July, 1888, and
n few words gave a history of it's
all: Diamond City, he says, is
lesolate, deserted and dreary to be-
lold in the shreds of it's departed
,lory, yet those who have known 1t
n the days of it's pride, wealth and
Lctivity, cannot fail to recall pleas
mt associations. It's very site will
oon go down the flume, which is
llready within the borders of the old
own and cleaning a rich harvest
the last. There are only
our families left of all the hundreds
hat have dwelt here since the glor-
Gus days of SO. If the goose that
aid the nestful of golden eggs can
My be found in the shape of pro-
ific mother vein of gold-bearing
uartz, the days of Diamonds de-
arting glory may return; otherwise
t will disappear utterly with another
eason'
"The first birth in Diamond was
n January Is, 1866, when the min
RS all agreed to have the baby called
diamond. w. p. Hare, postmaster
nd general merchant; G. A. Hamp-
on, hotel keeper, and L. Conn, sa-
oonkeeper, represented the business
interests of the village in 1884-5."
Now, nearly so years after the dis
overy of gold in Confederate gulch,
company has been formed to work
he famous old Eldorado bar, near
diamond, has contracted for $4,000
eet of lumber with which to build
lumes, and will carry the water of
Confederate and Boulder gulches
through 1000 feet of ditch and 1000
eet of flume, to wash dirt which was
assed up by the early-day miners.