Show COMEBACK OF BASIN GOLD MINES contributes TO NEW MONTANA HISTORY what is considered the greatest comeback in the history of montana mining 6 towns is the healthy and prosperous revival of the town tow of basin which has increased nearl nearly y 1000 per cent in population during the past year and is now listed as one of the leading mining sections of the state from a population of but little more than persons a year ago the jefferson county boom town now lays claim to a population of 1000 persons says the butte miner in what was a deserted mining camp with nearly every house vacant every building is now inhabited while a score of substantial homes and several new business blocks have been built during the past summer to keep pace with the increasing activity of the district many years ago basin was one of the busy mining towns of montana ranking with granite elkhorn marys ville empire wickes jay gould bald butte rochester and other sections these other towns with the exception of marysville marksville Marys ville where a few men are operating at the famous drum lummon are now ghost towns a few old timers living among scores of deserted houses and talking of the days that are past basin due to the activities of the past year now ranks next to butte in metal production for montana and is increasing this production steadily two years ago W L creeden butte mining engineer made an inspection of the jib properties he made extensive developments which resulted in one of the largest samplings of a mine ever made in the state he sent one shipment of average samples from the katie hope and jib claims that totaled more than 1000 tons the returns from this mammoth assay showed good values which resulted in san francisco and honolulu capitalists becoming interested inthe in the property rich strike that started boom more than a year ago contracts for new mill and mine mine machinery were completed and captain owen H brinton was placed in charge of operations active operations started in april of this year in may a vein of exceed exceedingly y rich of the katie shaft free gold ore was encountered north w when he n ore that averaged nearly to the ton was found near ear the hanging wall of a 12 foot ledge although the average value of the wide ledge was but little better than 15 5 a ton th the cc sight gold which was about eight inches wide started a boom that has been permanent and which has led to later discoveries of exceedingly rich deposits less of this ore was than a week ago one shipment sent nt to the east helena smelter the shipment weighed but t pounds and returned 1512 ounces of gold and ounces of silver an assa assay y of the shipment showed the val aes ues es to contain to the ton employs men at present the payroll of the jib consolidated mining co company shows about men while nearly tons of ore ile e treated daily in one of the most modern mills in the west let the bottom level is but feet below surface and because of the excellent showing due to the development work ork of the past six months no sinking program is consid led d at this time because of the large ore reserve now in in sight I 1 one policy of the jib consolidated that has met with favorable adorable avo rable comment throughout jefferson county is there the re antion of the old time employed emp loyes who stuck with the prop erty ty during the long years of the shutdown manager brinton has a staff of assistants assistant which have proved their ability 1 1 through ough actual demonstration since april surveyor loughran a graduate e of the state school of mines is in charge of the civil engineering department earl williams is mine foreman and gus gurner is the head of the mills arthur loiselle is surface foreman and harry C sayre is in charge of the clerical department because of favorable working conditions some of the best miners and fillmen in montana are now permanent employed emp loyes of the jib J ib due to the success of the jib bonso conso consolidated li dated several new mining ventures have started recently in the basin district the jib extension is working 15 men with henry loiselle in charge the jib apex is doing considerable development work and the spirit of prosperity is reflected among the old time prospectors of that section all of whom have an added incentive with the occasional inspection of their prospects by experts representing ample capital |