Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1935-09-21

a note Of optimism Is apparent tn
the Little Rockies due to develop
ments being made by various indus
trial activities, which may make the
region one Of the bright spots On the
industrial map Of Montana. The new
company operating the old August
mine has been working several men
for the past three years and has
shipped a number Of cars Of high
grade ore, since acquiring the prop
erty about five years ago. At present
the company Is trucking ore 70 DOd-
son and shipping to the smelter at
Helena.
Several other companies are making
improvements and developing their
property with plans to be operating at
fui capacity early in the spring Of
1896. Among the most prominent min
ing men in the Little Rockies Is Charles
Whitcomb, who Is developing his hold
ings in the rich Ruby gulch.
There is a growing trade from va
cationistS and weekend visitors from
towns along the Great Northern, due
largely to the recently improved road
work which has been done from the
main line to the Little Rockies.
The ghost camp at the power plant on
the Missouri river where for years
men and machinery toiled to generate
electricity for the cyanide mills at Ruby
glllch above Zortman and the August
at Iandusky will soon be no more. Men
are tearing down the buildings and
dismantling the machinery to be used
IN the new mill being erected at Ruby
gulch by Charles Whitcomb
The power plant on the Missouri river
was built in 1914 by the late B. D. Phil
lips. then the dominating figure OF the
Ruby Gulch Mining Co., at cost Of a
quarter million dollars.
Transporting the heavy boilers and
generators over the COW trails OF that
day was a problem not easily overcome.
Joe Hartman fought snow and 4O-below
temperatures all of January and Feb
ruary in 1916 with two l2-horse teams
transporting two Of the five boilers
from Winifred to the power plant, a
distance of "a miles.
one boiler was brought up the river
from Bismarck by steamboat, which Is
said to be the last commercial load 10
be hauled that far up the Missouri riv
er. The other two were brought in
from Malta.
The payroll of this busy camp. where
from 80 to 40 men worked, is said TO
have been from $4,000 to 5000 month.
Seventy tons of coal we're consumed
daily, the plant running "a hours with
three eight-hour shifts.
At one time 1t was hoped the bridge |
across the Missouri river on the Do
minion Yellowstone trail would be 10 |
Gated here, but now 1t is reported to
be definitely settled to go to Rocky
Point. 40 miles below.
Looking ahead, it is easy to visual !
tze the Little Rockies as the play
ground of the vacationistS from Havre |
east to Minot, N. D., as well as q rest
ing place for the weary tourist, who az
ter days of travel across the prairie, /
finds here a welcome change.
The natural beauties Of this historic |
region are gradually attracting north |
eastern Montana citizens.
Mission canyon, the scenic wonder of
the Little Rockies, while being the
main interest of visitors, Is not by any
means the only one. Points Of inter-
est are SO many and varied that few
see but a small part Of them. Sun
day crowds during the summer use all
available space for the entire two miles
of canyon and overflow into the park
above and in Hays below.
To induce people to travel over 40
miles of road there must be something
worth while at the other end. A road
has been constructed. The nine miles
now finished relieves the motOrist Of
considerable grief
AS the visitor approaches the canyon
up Peoples creek valley, dotted with the
Indian cabins and patches Of alfalfa
and grain, and notes the neat appear [