Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1931-09-10
MADE ON
MISSOURI GOLD
PROF. OSCAR A. bingham MAKES
REPORT OF TRIP DOWN MIS-
souri, RIVER in FLATBOAT

That gold of sufficient size or guam
tity for commercial exploitation was
not discovered on the recent prospect
ing trip down the Missouri sponsored
by the state bureau of mines and geol-
ogy is the report of Professor Oscar A.
Dingman, in charge of the party.
Professor Dingman, accompanied by
Jesse Cobb, pioneer prospector, and
three Box Elder young men, recently
completed a two-weeks flatboat expedi-
ton down the river, panning the bars
for gold.
The samples collected on the trip
have been assayed and subjected to
microscopic tests by experts Of the
state bureau of mines and geology. The
laboratory investigation proves thai the
gold particles are so finely divided and
so small in quantity as to make it
doubtful whether a prospector could
earn even meagher daily wages by
panning the gravel of the river bars,
Professor Dingman states.
THE results so far obtained do not
appear to justify the bureau Of mines
and geology in recommending the
kHaarking of the bars in that portion of
o44eMlllolli river covered by the investi-
CATION is the statement of DR.. Francis
A. Thomson, director of the bueau.
A memoir on the trip is being pre-
pared and will give the results of the
expedition in detail. However, Profess
sor Dingman has prepared a brief pre-
liminary report. which follows.
1.-The Missouri river gold exploration
trip was undertaken with the express
idea of a~scertaining whether or not
placer gold was present in sufficient
quantities to permit working the sand
and gravel beds of the river at a profit.
Isolated cases were reported where
prospectors, some Is or IS years ago,
had made wages panning or rocking for
gold. 1t was thought that places might
still be found where persons, with a
minimum outlay of S25 to $50 for
equipment, could make from 81 to pos
sibly 81 a day, and thus alleviate some
of the unemployment or actual distress
which prevails in some Of the farming
communities adjacent to the Missouri.
"Sampling or testing was begun at
Fort Benton and continued to the Ju-
dith ferry across the Missouri about
~three-uuarterS of a mile below the
junction of the Judith and Missouri
rivers. A total distance Of approx
mately 100 miles was covered.
"Shonkin creek, Marias river, Eagle
creek, Arrow creek and the Judith
river, streams flowing into the Mis-
souri,, were all examined for distances
of one-fourth to one-half a mile up
stream from their junction with the
Missouri, All work was carefully per-
formed.
1.-THE microscopic and analytical
work on the black sand concentrates
taken on the trip have progressed far
enough to show that, although "colors'
may be found in most placers over the
distance covered by the survey on the
Missouri river and inflowing streams,
gold of sufficient size or quantity for
commercial exploitation vas not found.
1T should be noted that bedrock was
not reached except in a few instances
since it would be impossible Of small
scale operations in most cases.
lIle chLIculc liAlCAiCoo VI Vic 6oAo -
dicates that the particles have been
moved long distances, and it is quite
possible that the benches and bars OF
the headwaters of inf1owing streams
which rise in gold-producing areas
might still be worked at a profit"
1t was at the request of northeastern
Montana citizens that the bureau un-
dertook the expedition. Senator w. T,
Cowan placed the proposition before the
bureau of mines and geology, and DR.,
Thomson directed Professor Dingman
to head the unique gold-hunting expe-
dition.
The entire experiment has been fol-
lowed with much interest by the peo-
pie Of Montana.