Montana oil and mining journal., 1935-05-04
tBy COLEMAN H. MULCADY1


Another ghost city is coming TO
life. With the price increase Of
monetary metals, the Emery district,
nine miles east Of Deer Ledge, buxzes
with mining activity. TumbBed down
cabins where early pr0specteEs cock
ed sourd0ugh biscuits and talked
about tom0FTow's @high-grade," have
been rebuilt The romance Of yester-
day gives way TO the lively reality Of
today. Geld and silver are booming.
The hopes, the toll and privations
which make up unwritten stories Of
caved shafts and tunnels may now be
realized.
Instead of the tink-tink Of single
jacks and hand steel, you hear the
whine of "whiggle or power
drills, the chug-chug Of compressors
and the smooth whirr Of electric pumps.
Instead of the mule skinner's shouted
curses, which would have made fish
wife blush, you now hear the steady
straining of hoists and cables.
True, the picture has changed, but
an age-old desire remains the same,
Gold and the dreams it weaves.
Largest of all properties In the dis
trict is the Emery mine itself. Last
operated by an English company some
20 years ago, it Is credited with q pro-
duction Of 81 500, 1000 Portions of the
old workings have been leased from
time TO time since then, but not until
the past three months has any extern
sive operation been started. George
Tweedy, representing California capi-
tai, has acquired the mine under lease
and bond. William Hoff Of Los An
geles and Virginia City is foreman.
The shaft was unwatered early IN
March, and upon satisfactory results
from sampling, it Was found that GER
tain ore would justify the installation
of a 100-ton mill which is now in pro-
cess Of construction.
Mr.. Tweedy told the writer that ore
of a milling grade has been determine
ed in good widths in nearly all drifts
which center about the 84O-foot vertical
shaft. Further, that the main lead,
encountered at the bottom Of the shaft,
assays approximately $75 across 18
inches. MIR. r. Oxman of New York
will have charge Of the concentrating
plant It is expected that so men viii
be employed for mining and milling.
At the western extremity of the EN-
cry group, Ed Taylor and Robert Nell
son are engaged in leasing operation
worked from an incline shaft. They
are shipping regularly.
Best known, perhaps, of all mines In
the district is the Blue-Eyed Maggie
owned by James E. Higgins Of Deer
Lodge. For over 25 years this property
has yielded q consistent tonnage of
high grade ore. Through the lean de-
preston years Just ended, the Maggie
carried on without stint. Whether in
bull or bear metal markets she never
flinched. And oldsters win tell you that
like Tennys0n's brook she win go on
Ae4re -
grave doubt and fear, Just as in any
successful career During such times
the genial Mr. Higgins used TO gather
his ever-preSent guests about the huge
open hearth at the cabin and sing a
theme song to the tune Of an old favor
ite:
Pretty little Blue Eyed Maggie.
Better times are comm, wait and
see."
And sure enough better times did
come. Today, with Sam Warelia In
charge at the mine, production has
been boosted. The payroll generally
carries over twenty names. The Mag
gle Is operated from an incline shaft, |
has record In excess Of $250,O0 In
gold and silver from the oxide and sui
phide zones. The latter zone, however,
has accounted for most of the values
and at present is more extensively
mined.
Someone asked Sam one day how he
could mine 20 tons OF waste to one OF
ore and gtin make it pay. Sans nut
shell answer was: Purity good ore"
Besides supervising the Maggie, Sam
Warelia Is rigging up the Swan, the
Black-Eyed Mae and two small claims
for immediate operation.
At the head OF the camp, standing
like a great gray pyramid, is the dump
OF the Bonanza mine, owned by the
zosell family Of Deer Lodge. It is said
that this property has the largest vein
OF any yet discovered in the district. |
A true fssssWe, the vein reaches widths |
OF five TO eight feet, and Is represented |
to carry high milling values. The mine |
was opened and equipped about 10
years ago by Dave Conklln An In
cline shaft was sunk on the vein to a
depth Of 40 feet. Numerous drifts /
are all in ore. Negotiations were re-