Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1937-08-21

Madison county enjoys the distinction q
being the most productive gold mining are
in Montana, having produced 22fa Of a
the yellow metal mined in the state, accord
ing to authoritative sources
Conservative" figures issued last year b
the Mining Association Of Montana in
booklet published in conjunction with Mon
tanans, Inc, credit Madison county with
production Of $40. 100000 as compared will
the states total production Of 1891 246 600
Amongst old timers these figures. especially
as concern Madison county's production, ar
open to dispute Wells Fargo Express ship
ments and estimates Of the amount mineC
and taken east by individuals are said tC
indicate a production for Alder gulch Of more
than $4,000 900.
AS remarkable as its production is the
extent Of gold deposits in Madison county
comprising, they do, practically the entire
area Although gold is the predominant min
eral from the standpoint Of value. It is by
no means the only one-commercial, or pos
sihle commercial, deposits of silver, lead.
chromium. copper. iron. manganese, molyb-
denum tungsten. asbestos, corundum. gypsum,
mice. phosphate rock and ornamental stone
being found.
During the past five or six years Madison
county, in common with other gold mining
areas, has seen tremendous increase in ac-
tivity. partial compilation of the 1886 pro-
duction indicates figure in excess Of ST.
100000. the largest production OF any year
since 1900 with the exception OF the pre-war
years Of 1914 and 1915. II the proceeds from
placer mining are excluded, 1886 was the
during the present century
Most important districts in the county are
those surrounding the towns OF Virginia City
Norris Pony Sheridan, Silver Star and Twin
Bridges
Mining in Madison county had its inception
with the discovery, on May &c, 1868, OF the
Alder gulch placers, a quarter OF a mile south
OF Virginia City, by William Fairweather and
party. then returning to Bannack after an
unsuccessful prospecting trip to the Yellow
stone country. The site Of this discovery Is
now marked by granite monument erected
by A. j. Davis, Butte banker
First lode mines to be found in the state
were discovered by placer miners in Alder
gulch the following year when several rich
veins were found cutting the bed rock of the
placer diggings. With the Alder gulch placers
bringing prospectors to the state by the
thousand, the next year or two marked the
discovery Of all Of the important mining dis
tricts OF the county with the exception of the
Pony district, which did not come into prom
inence until the 1870s.
Early activity in lode mining was largely |
restricted to the workings of free milling ores
such as we're found in the ORC Cache, Lucas |
and Kearsarge mines near Virginia City, which |
yielded a million dollars in the first two years
after discovery most OF It being extracted I
BY hand methods or crude arastras. At its
height in 1870 and for the next few years
mining and milling OF the free milling ores
declined, to again become active
In the 1905 when railroad facilities came to
the state and technical improvements permit
ted working Of the sulfide ores
The period from 1885 to 1905 was one of
Intensive activity but from 1905 on production
steadily declined until 1925. Since then there
has been slow but steady increase in pro-
duction and It Is gratifying to note that this
,hange was already in progress before the
repression and rise in the price Of gold gave
Impetus TO gold mining.
Most active districts Of the county at pres
mt are Virginia City. Norris and Pony On
he east side Of the Tobacco Root mountains
operations are very few, with the exception Of
he MqyflOWeT mine and he tyr !
Tod and Broadway at Silver Star
Virginia City District
Accounting for oDe-sixth Of the total gold
Of Montana are the famous placer {
iggings Of Alder gulch. Still active the 1886 !
amounting to $469. 000) after Ga
ears Of practically continuous operation, !
lder gulch has produced between $4,000 900 .
nd $500. 100000. Any accurate figure is i'm
ossible, but those most familiar with the =
istrict agree that the former figure is several
ines too low. .
Because Of the magnitude Of the placer de-
osits here. quartz mining in the district has
cen largely overshadowed, although the pro-
uction Of lode mines in the district has been -
etween five and six millions. At the present
me there are l6 mines active in the district,
+ which only two or three are operating on
large scale
Included in the Virginia City district are
be mining districts OF Alder gulch. Browns =
uIch Granite creek Fairweather Highland '
Inc Grove, Williams gulch, Summit and Bar
On gulch. Among important producers are =
he Alameda, Bell Easton-Paciflc. Kearsarge, l
Iarietta, Ora Cache, Prospect, Winnetka, U. =
Grant, Lucas and Highup mines.
Bartlett Group II
Located on tributary Of Alder gulch five g
nd one-hah miles south Of Virginia City is
ne Bartlett group, consisting Of seven claims
he Bartlett claim is among the first pat s.
1ted in the county. being survey No. 24A o
resent owners Of the group are J. B. Sails n
Try, E. d. Gourley and T. M. Raymond. They q
ave been interested mainly IN development y
ork which Is now going with a small V
'ew. They estimate between IS and 80 thous- Il
nd tons OF ore, averaging SO per ton. now
valuable. Fourteen small smelter shipments
ade during the course OF the development "
rogram have averaged S14 per ton in gold 81
The vein is opened up by shafts and open u
ats for a distance Of 5000 feet with 900 y
et OF backs. The vein Is also developed by u
70 tunnels one 800 feet IN length and the CT
her 100 feet, with 234 IT. vertical raise
,nnecting the two. AS soon as a sufficiently
rye ore body can be developed the owners d
an installation Of a mill y
Silver Bell Mine a.
Inactive since 1901, the Silver Bell nine e
Gated four miles west Of Virginia City and d
Vned By the Filing Estates company, was re-
'ened last fail under lease and option by B
upert Garrison and associates. Garrison, &c
no has been one Of the outstanding operators HI
the Virginia City district for a number Of Sc
,ars Is now undertaking an extensive de- OF
.lopment program and is making occasional
lipments "a
THE silver Bel was one OF the first mines -
.tensively worked in the county and is cred m
ed with a production In excess Of $4,000. G.
ost Of which was extracted before the panic N
1893 put q stop to silver mining. The vein m
the present workings shows average values
roughout a five foot width, slightly in ex-
IS Of $40 per ton r.
A new shaft has been extended to q depth N
800 feet on the vein, giving 90 feet Of ore "a
tween the bottom Of the shaft and the older pl
Jrkings. Plans Of the company as now form wi
ated call for further sinking and develop d.
emit during the rest Of the year, when 1t is la
pected that the mine win be proven
Highup Group er
Preliminary work toward re-Opening the e,
ahup group OF five patented claims and di
peral located claims, located ct the head sc
Hungry Hollow, four miles south Of Viz Of
VA City, was started IN june By the owners, o.
X and s. r. Maliette Of Spokane. Present "a
Fk consists Of cleaning ND and rctimberinG Of
old WORKINGS and extendfng into SONS o.
own ore shoots for tess snipmsnts. Tha first ~