The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1935-12-20

Wiz NdkAAN W oAN
we're mainly silver. The teaching plant could
not extract the silver values and finally was
shut down. after the company had paid more
than 100000 in dividends.
The Ruby Gulch Co. had distributed its
August shares to its stockholders, Of which
B. D.. Phillips was the largest. Several years
later the August Mining Co. built q line
grinding cyanide plant to treat the silver
ores found at the depth and the tailings
from the coarse-crushing plant. During that
period the writer was employed by the August
Co.. first as metallurrist. then mill superin-
tendent and finally general SUPERINTENDENT.
This operation was only moderately success
full. as silver during that period was selling
at an average of 46 cents per ounce and our
output was about 1000 ounces per day. III
lips at that time bought control OF the August
Co. The writer. at the request Of Mr.. Whit
comb. sampled and explored some OF the
workings fa-thest north and found some high
grade and medium Grade gold ore which
looked very promising. However. Phillips did
not care to go further with such exploration
works and the August was shut down for q
number Of years. during which time Phillips
died.
A few years ago. Mr.. whitcomb obtained
an option on the property and Organized the
Little Ben Mining Co. a CORPORATION with
100. 600 shares and at this writing 10 stock
holders, although there were only six stock
holders in the beginning. Work was started
at the northern end of the property and true
to the romance Of the district. bonanza ore
again was encountered.
The first car shipped by the Ilttle Ben
brought returns Of $4,000. and the next car
more than sll 900. Enough ore was shipped to
pay the option price on the property. repay
the stockholders nearly their entire invest
ment and build a coarse-crushing. cyanide
leaching plant close to mine operations on
top Of the mountains. The capacity of this
plant was recently increased to $50 tons per
day. the mill heads running from 81 to SO
per ton and the monthly bullion output above
100000, P. A. Wickham. Los Angeles mining
engineer. is general MANAGER and the stock
holders include Charles Whitcomb and wife,
George MCGEE of Helena. Charles and Mar
Raret Power. Aubrey and Norman Hotter of
Helena, Ray J. Macdonald. Butte capitalist,
John Corette. attorney for the Anaconda
Copper Mining Co. and James T. Finlen,
vice president of the Metals Bank & Trust
Co, Butte.
Ruby Gulch Mine
Work was commenced in the Alabama claim
in 1899 and by the turn of the century the
Alder Gulch Mining Co. was working the
Pole Gulch rronp above Zortman. IT 1904.
Whitcomb and Phillips orranized the RUBY
Gulch Mining Co. with 100000 shares. of
which Phillips owned a little more than two
thirds. They purchased the Alabama and the
Alder Gulch Co. and from time to time
, took over other properties until they had a
group of 80 patented claims. A 1O0-ton mill
was built in 1905. which was later ENLARGED
and burned down in 1910. This was replaced
by a coarse-cruShinG. cyanide teaching plant
of 600 tons daily capacity, the mill being
built and operated for six years by Milton
I. Leydig. mining engineer. who came there
from the Black hills. A tunnel was driven 500
feet below the crest Of the Alabama work.
lngs. The Ruby mine was opened by a larye
glory hole. tapped by a haulaee tunnel 500
feet below the surface. Both haulage tunnels
we're equipped with electric locomotive trolley
line haulage systems. Several million tons
OF low grade ore were developed.
In a typical month. there were mined and
milled $4,000 tons OF ore with heads Of 50. IS,
tails IS cents and mining and milling costs
ABOUT si'o5 Per ton giving a monthly profit
Of about SIS. 900. A dividend was paid each
month. About 1900. 900 tons were put through
the last mill and over 81, 900. 600 paid In div
idends to Whitcomb and Phillips and some
During the early l920's when labor and ma
terial costs started skyward. the mill was
shut down. During the shutdown the mill
burned and Phillips passed away.
s ,rtly after Phillips death his 50 per-
cont interest was sold to Nose Zimmerman.
st. Paul capitalist. and some stock also
passed to the portfolio of Stems Brothers
Helmers. Inc. internationally known cen
tractors and railroad builders of ST. Paul.
Whitcomb held the remaining portion.
Although the ST. Paul stockholders were
wealthy. they did not care to resume o.era-
tons and it was difficult to obtain from
them an option on their holdings at anv
reasonable figure. Zimmerman died a few
years ago and left the First National Bank
& Trust Co. Of Minneapolis as one of his
executors.
After nerotiat!nC three months, the writer,
in December, 1884. obtained an option for 10
months on Zimmerman estate HOLDINGS.
through NEGOTIATIONS with the heirs and
rCopened in January. 1885. and high grade
ore was opened north OF the main Ruby
glory hole and additional claims taken up.
This high grade orc came from a new and
unexpected source and the first car shipped
contained 1912 tons of a clnyey eouge. con-
tanning more than 20 percent moisture. This
clay contained m~anCanese oxide, floIrite of
n o1rrIfc 1I@ --I -~yl y-.I- - =
tons gave net sme!ter returns Of slo.1s3.
Further cars OF rich ore we're shipped and
still are being shipped and a rich body CT
ore was opened in the Alabama claim.
The Is months option was exercised and
paid for in five months and in the early part
of June, this year. the writer was elected
president Of the company. Charles Wh'tcomb.
vice president and general manager. and Err
nest Dorais. of the Montana Stock & Bond
Co, Butte. was elected secretary. Edith
Murphy of Butte was elected assistant secre-
tary, Harry Whitcomb Of Malta. treasurer
and Charles L. Frederichs of Helena was
named auditor.
In September. 1895. Whitcomb purchased
The Siems-He!mer and some other stock in
forests in the company. so that 90 percent
OF the shares are now owned by the Whit
romb-Trauerman interests. Whitcomb being
The LARGEST stakeholder and DOMINATING In
tcrest.
A tunnel 400 feet long, was driven to tap
the new high grade ore at a depth of 160
feet and ore is now being extrttatcd there
from. which brinVs returns runninc between
81. 200 and IS. 900 per carload. In driving the
tunnel a new body Of porphyry ore. go feet
wide. was opened bordering the hirh grade.
This has been opened again at q point 400
feet south of the high grade tunnel. The
new porphyrv ore carries gold values from
ct to SIG per ton and is bonanza mill feed for
! that character OF ore.
! The Ruby Gulch Co. is now conrHeting a
mill Of 300 tons daily capacity. which later
will be enlarEed to around 1000 tons daily
oaH"city. as the company has indicated over
- 100000 tons and probably close to IS. 000,-
40 tons OF milling ore that should net q
0-ofit Of better than 81 per ton with the
present price OF gold.
In the mill the ore will be crushed by
"v-atory crusher and rolls. without SCREEN
ing. to threr-eiGhths mesh and automatically
conveyed and distributed into redwood tanks
of 300 tons capacity each. This ore will be
leached for four DAYS with q cyanide So
luton of a STRENGTH of two pounds Of cyanide
Yer ton Of solution. After teaching the ore
will be washed and Sluiced out Of the tanks
With a large hose. The mill is SO placed that