OCR Text |
Show I Special to Tho Tribune. HELENA, Mout.. Doc. .11. The year just coming to n. closo, from an i rid us; trial Btnudpoint, is, with one possible exception, tho most, noiablo in tho history his-tory of tho stato of Montana, jiwl in all fairness is only a harbinger of what the future has in store for the Treasure) State. Developments of the year, with referenco to mining, live stock, vail Toads, now und prospective, irrigation, both public and private, lauds, new cities, water power, "agriculture, and the splendid showing of the stale's banks, despite tho so-called eastern panic, are little short of marvelous. Mining continues to bo the chief industry in-dustry of the state, but it is rapidly being pushed for supremacy by agriculture. agri-culture. In his annual report, treating on this subject, the stale mining , inspector, in-spector, William Walsh, said: "During the years 1907-08 Montana has maintained its position in the first rank of the leading precious metal producing stato of the nation. -In the faco of changing conditions, with their resultant periods of industrial activitv and depression, tho production of gold during tho last ten years has shown a fixed increase throughout the state. Considering that the copper, gold and silver-bearing ores of this state have not received much attention, as compared with the interest exhibited by tho "miners and capitalists of other precious metal producing states; the record indoecd is great, and if studied by miners and capitalists can liindlv fail to excite such interest in the gold-bearing gold-bearing rocks and gravels of this state as wouldjead to their active development, develop-ment, with tho most promising as-suranco as-suranco that the time, labor and capital capi-tal expended upon Iiho metalliferous leads and deposits offer opportunities for success second to none in tho mining of .-1113- of the metalliferous ores m other states. Silver Prospecting Ceases. "The prospecting for and tho development de-velopment of silver-bearing lodes has practically ceased, excepting in a few HU-t" districts, and in these i.hev are only v3l5?? e io Perato becauso the ores carry K values- lost of the silver mines MJ TO of tho stale at present operating arc. 'iMv- therefore, merely battling for an JHB existence. Under prevailing conditions flf their owners aro waiting for the turii 91 jn events which will bring with it a Hj f price for tho product of their mines 'jSHf as W1 Permit the mining of the white metal at a reasonable profit. It HJ1- must not be presumed from tho forego- 91 ing that Montana is not a large silver MM t producing state. On tho eoutrary. til- '91 ver is one of its chief metals, most of UK it coming as by-product of coppor, "-HRfr Pd an lead. A comparison of the .yBK-V industry during the year with previous I m years shows a marked improvement. Mt More mines aro in operation and a Mil greater number of men arc employed; gll better methods and results in the rHE mining, smelting, milling and cyaniding HWI are being used and obtained, 'and the Hju. combination of these and other pro- HI cesses which are being applied to BHJ 1 tho recovery of the values contained HI in ores of this character tend In jH cheapen tho cost of production and to gjHJf increase tho profit of tho operators. 7 Hit As Ited Metal. 8 Hi ' ' "g to the red metal production, 3 Bft. tho rf says that the great copper ME fields .it' Montana aro now furnishing dH- the world with more than -10 ier cent 'Mill of the output. The technical and oco-JHH oco-JHH rjomic phases of mining have been iHjtl more thoroughly mastered than ever be-etHtt be-etHtt io,re' Tno wonderful mineral wealth '.HUt f the state is one of the greatest f:ic-lnHE f:ic-lnHE tors in its material prosperitv and no 7JV one can study the operation of its JIHJ, mines without being impressed with vHj their great value and importance to the J.SHfc nation. The copper and silver mines of SyMflf Montana are an rspeciallj' interesting $smm stud3', and withoui doubt the foremost -liiaHf copper properties of tho world. Montana leads all states in tho production pro-duction of copper and silver, but if such is not tho case teniporaril, it is duo lo the heavy curtailment in Butto and other districts throughout the plate, rather than to any failuro of tho mines. After predicting' that the demand of civilization for minerals and their products prod-ucts is likely to increase with time rather than decrease, the report touches upon the placor mining industry. It is declared to be most diflicult ib obtain an accurate statement of the gross product, owing to tho numerous ways in which it is obtained in native form and the different methods of disposition. The chief placer fields now being operated arc near Virginia Cit3 where new discoveries have been made and where live new electric dredges are in operation; in Lewis and Clark county, whore soveral gravel beds aro being treated by the sluicing systom; in tho Snowshoc district of Flathead county, where a practically unlimited quantity of gravel has been found bv the Cherry .Creek company, and in the Placor Grove district near Libby. Three hydraulic plants aro in operation in tho last named district and three others aro in contemplation. Tho Allen company is operating two placer mines in Defer Lodge couniy. Butto District Leads. In a general review of districts, Butto naturally is given first consideration. considera-tion. The greater portion of its mineral production comes from an area not exceeding ex-ceeding six- miles sqimre. Tho region is characterized by gently rounded topographical topo-graphical forms and a general barrenness barren-ness of aspect, the latter being duo to the culling of timber for mine use following fol-lowing the first workings, and to tho sulphur laden fumes from (he smellers in the early day operations since preventing pre-venting a renewal of vegetation. The granite is a part of the great mass extending ex-tending from Helena on the north lo the Elkhorn on the cast and the High-lauds High-lauds on tho south. Granito is 1)3" far tho predominant rock of the district. It is well known that 111:1113- of the copper cop-per veins havo been followed along in strike until tbey aro practical' silver veins and vice versa. This groat sys-tern sys-tern of fissures extends as far east as the Basin and, C'orbiu districts, tho formation of tho 'country being identical. iden-tical. Then follows a report on tho several hundred mines inspected, each being treated at. greater or less length. Broadwater Broad-water county mines are not receiving tho atteution tho3' deserve, according to the inspector, who considers it a splendid field, while Cascade is pictured as a strictly silver-lead proposition. Chouteau county, known for so many 3'ears as a ''cow and ranch'' cotnit3" exclusively, is rapidly forging to tho front because of gold discoveries in the Little Kockies. and whoso known mineral zone has developed into very largo proportion. Tho general formation forma-tion is faulted limes and porphyry, which can be developed easily. The industry in Deer Lodge county has received re-ceived a considerable impetus during the year and some very promising bodies have been opened uv. Flathead's future is pictured in glowing terms because be-cause of extensive development and rich discoveries, Fergus is described as a placor and cyanide county with excellent ex-cellent prospeets. it having a largo number of especially valuable gold and sapphire properties. Gallatin is given credit for corundum mines of splendid promise, while there is a good future in store for Granite because of resumptions resump-tions in old and the discovery of new properties. Because of splendid copper cop-per discoveries, as well as the development develop-ment of many new and old properties, J'elferson couiity.has a splendid future, while Lewis and Clark is described as having a great area of mineral terri too- with splendid properties producing silver, lead, cold and copper, and which shows a vast improvement over last year. Mineral Possibilities. In minora! possibilities, Madisoi. count' ranks with tho most favoreu mineral hearing sections of tho state whilo Mcagher.is pictured as affonliug as good opportunities as can bo found tor mineral prospecting and developing. Missoula is described as "fast coininc to tho front as a mineral producer' especially the Clinton district, so-called. Reference is also mado to tho western section of Missoula count3 whilo Powell Pow-ell is described as a field olYcring splendid splen-did opportunities. Park county's future is declared to bo most encouraging with a great deal of promising development work in progress. The Bitter Root mountains in Ravalli county havo a woll-dcfincd and promising mineral zoue, whilo mining in Sanders has had a very activo year with happy results. Sweet Grass Is almost wholly undevoloped. but there has been suflici'cnt prospecting to demonstrate tho fact that there arc large and highly mineralized zones in its confines. Teton count' is thought by the inspector to contain some splen- did properties, with proper development, especially in what is known as the ceded strip. Mr. Walsh estimates the production produc-tion of 1908 at approximately $58,000,-000, $58,000,-000, or a decrease of $2,000,000 as compared, com-pared, with last year. Tho division of this estimate follows: Copper, $45,105,-000: $45,105,-000: silver, $S,000,000: gold $2.'250,000; lead, $2,500,000; 'total $57,045,000. A chapter is devoted to the Washoe smelter at Anaconda, which is described as being equipped with the most modern and complcto devices kuown for the treatment of copper ores. Tho plant has a capacity of J 0.000 tons every 24 hours. Likewise, a tribute is paid the Boston & Montana copper smelters at Great Falls, whose capacity is 4,000 tons daily. Mining Accidents. The report deplores tho great number num-ber of miniug accidents, and legislation legisla-tion is urged that will reduce the number. num-ber. Jn 1907 there were 200 mines inspected, employing 15.500 men, and where occurred -12 fatalities, a percentage percent-age of deaths to cai'h thousand of 2.7 and a percenlagi: of non-fatal accidents of 1.35. During the fiscal year ended Nov. 80, last, tho mines inspected numbered num-bered 2S0, employing 14,50U, with 21 fatal accidents and percentages of fatal and non-fatal accidents 1.32 and 1.151. respectively. Of the 100S fatalities, two occurred in Madison, one in' Fergus, one in Jefferson and tho remainder in Silver Sil-ver How. Whilo a discrepancy is shown in the number of men employe!, the inspector accounts for this bv making allowance for the large number of men in the j smaller properties of outlying districts. But for the temporary close down of the Butto mines, tho output this year would havo greatly exceeded that of iis predecessor. The great Butto mines were closed for several months, but in- spite of this the production is no less : than that of tho preceding year. This indicates that a vast number of new producing properties have been opened : up. in addition developments in oil and coal, eorumdum and schcelite prop- I erties have been most encouraging. Montana mining men discontent with the existing smelting conditions, determined deter-mined upon the shipment of their ore to tins Panhandle smelter at 1'onderay, j Idaho. The; proposition, whilo still 111 ! its infauC3", bn. proved a decided success. suc-cess. The" plant is being furnished with all of tho ore it can handle. They Control the Property. With vesperi lo coal developments, fhis year has been wonderful indeed in ils production, exceeding that of tho previous year nearly 50 per rent. Those developments havo been largely in Fergus, Fer-gus, Dawson, Granito and Cnscade counties. The government has a large-forco' large-forco' of geologists in the eastern part of tho state who have made discoveries of immense tracts of lignite coal. That these will bo developed on an extensive Fcale cannot bo gainsaid. Montana has been t-ingularl- lortunate in the uumbor of casualties in its coal mines, the I number of fatalities being exceedingly j small, while at tho same lime there was J not a single boiler explosion among auy of those which come under the operation of tho stato law. Llvoatock Industry. The livestock industry has-also experienced exper-ienced an exceptionally good 3'car. It is estimated that tho wool output of Montana this year was 35,000.000 pounds, from which tho growers realized close to $0,500,000. The number of sheep on tho range perhaps is a trillo smaller, but owing to tho ver3' favorable winter conditions the fleece's wero heavier. Sheep men aro in a good frame of mind indeed. It is imposiblo' to meet the demand for sheep, while lambs sell for $3.00. This condition is in striking contrast con-trast to that of two months ago, when they wero a drug on the market. Indications In-dications are, unless 'Congress proceeds to do things to the tariff, tho coming season will be a particular' good one for the Montana flock masters, whr are prepared as .never before for tho proper wintering' of their herds. Montana sheepmen have gono in with more alacrity on tho proposed Chicago wool house plant. Billings sheepmen subscribed (one-sevenUi of the 1 amount' required for Montana, Helena, did likewise, Lowistown and Groat Falls wero generous, Dillon and Mile's Cit3' made liberal -subscriptions, and there is no doubt but Montana will raise its quota. Tho 7,000.000 pounds on which a premium of 1 cent will be paid for tho capital stock is now virtually furnished. Tho Chicago Chamber Cham-ber of Commerce, which is .furthering the project, announces that it will tako one-third of the capital stock, and its representatives assure Monianans that , Idaho. Wyoming and Utah will furnish the remainder. ' If this scheme do- ! vclops it will materially aid tho sheepmen sheep-men of the west, it is believed. From Montana this yoav if is estimated that 250.000 head of cattlo wrce shipped' to Chicago, St. Paul, Omaha, Seattle. Salt Lake and San Francisco. While the da of the big ranch is" a thing of tho past, and which will bo eutircl' obliterated in tho course of a few years, Montana cattlemen cattle-men arc rapidly adapting themselves to eastern methods, so-called, and aru prepared to feed their slock tho year round, as tho case may be. Because of its adaptability to most of Montana's soil and tho unusual supply of this slate in tho way of water, alfalfa ia proving a great aid for the cattlemen. Throe crop's of this hay arc cut each year, and it is found more profitable in tho end lo feed slock tho year round than where freo range existed. Irrigation Projocts. 1 In the matter of irrigation projects, j both private and public, Montana has never seen such activil'. Tho government govern-ment has undertaken large projects in the Yellowstone, Missouri river. Milk river, Sun river and St. Mary's lake. This will soon result in the reclamation of several hundred thousand acres, while the etale, under tho provision of tho Carey act, ii arranging for tho reclamation of even greater areas. Among tho moro notable of theno aro llio Glass-Lindsa.y ditch at Big Timber and tho Witlicc-CargUl plan at Conrad. Both ot these will bo thrown open to settlers in the spring, and the terms will be exceptionally liberal. Tho number of privato irrigation irri-gation enterprises is too largo to bo considered or enumerated, embracing practically every county in tho . state, and it will rapidly drive th'o range sheop and cattlemen from districts where for j'ears they have held undisputed undis-puted sway. Railroad Activity. In tho matter of railroad building, build-ing, not since the construction of the Northern Pacific has the state witnessed wit-nessed such activity. The Chicago. Milwaukee Mil-waukee & St. Paul is traversing the state for a distance of S00 miles from t.-ast to west, and it is announced that it will build a number of branch lines touching many of the cities. Tho Bur-j Bur-j lington is extending its lino from ! Billings to Great Falls, a distance of several hundred miles, and this will j undoubtedly be used by Mr. Hill as ; tho main lino for the new trausconti-, trausconti-, ncntal service from Chicago. St. Paul and Kansas City to Puget Sound, making use of the Great Northern svh tem west of Shelby Junction, which is connected with Great Falls by a direct line. The Soo has had a number of sur-I sur-I veyors in tho field, and it is expected that this line will parallel .the Great Northern along tho Canadian border next year. That Montana's population increased in a rdmarkablo degreo this vear is indisputable. This is 'shown "by the largely increased voto over two yca:a, ago, by the new towns which arc springing spring-ing up, ns if b' magic, in various parts of the stato, and the large salo of lands, both state aud governmental. It is confidently con-fidently expected that Montana will show a gain of fully 50 per cent, over tho census taken a decade ago. Land Business of State. That some idea may bo oblainod o'f tho land business of the stato for the fiscal year ending Nov. 30th, it is stated that the receipts of tho land offiice amounted to $S05,000. These receipts wero from sales of land almost exclusively. exclu-sively. Tho government figures make a similarly iavorablo showing. Another An-other evidence of the exceptionally healthy business if wanted is furnished by tho biennial report of tho secretary of state which shows that for the period just closed the receipts, which are derived almost wholly from filing fees for articles of incorporation, incorpora-tion, amounted to $122,000, breaking all two-year records. In addition to this, it is expected that next 3'ear two of tho largest Indian reservations in tho state the Flathead and the Fort Peck will be thrown open to settlement, which will add more than one million acres of land to available homeseokors. This land will unquestionably unques-tionably bq disposed of under the so-called so-called lottcr3' system and will result in attracting to Montana a large number num-ber of settlor-;. The lauds are exceptionally excep-tionally fertile in both instances, rad aro available to water for irrigation purposes, although in portions of tho Flathead country the annual rainfall is sue-h that irrigation is practically an unknown feature. That this is due lo the heavy timber growth of that section is not lo be gainsaid. Should this growth be dcslro3'ed, however, for commercial com-mercial purposes, there is an abundanco of water for such undertakings. As to Dry Farming. It is in dry fanning, perhaps, that Montana will sco its greater activity for sonic, time to come, however. Laud? jHHJ that wero quoted at five dollars an HHI acre five years ago, aud which were MHJ used for shucp and cattle ' ranges, an MHJ now held' at from $25 to $50, it having MHJ been . demonstrated beyond' peradven- MH ture that dry farming is an uuqualilicl HH success. Two years ago there was an MH abundant rainfall, with the result that HH the wheat crops averaged fifty bushels MJ to the acre, oat's close to seventy, nnd MH other, grains in like proportion. Thil MH year,' one of the driest on record, and HH when it was predicted in all qiturters HH that the crops would burn up. the MH average for wheat was from twenty to MH tweuty-fivo bushels, or far above " tho HH average of neighboring states, such HH North aud South Dakota. Thus tho MHJ method has passed the problematical IHH stage, and is an assured success. Vast MH areas of the state arc so situated that M withont expensive pumping,, irrigation HJ would be an impossibility, and it is M these lands that are fast beiug con- MH ' verted into profitable farms. , H Conserving Resources. 'H ' As great as arc Montana's natural resources, it is also one of the-foremost MH states in their conservation. Im- MH mediately upon his return from tho HH famous White House conference in HH Washington. Gov. Norris appointed spc- MH cial commissions to make investiga- HH tions and recommendations along tho MH lines urged by President Roo3cvclt, MH and theso bodies aro working stead- HH fasflv, with the result that when tho MHJ legislature convenes in January it will MH receive recommendations, which, if MH carried out, aud as they doubtless will jHfl be; will give this state foremost rank, MHJ which shall not suffer by comparison HJ with any steps taken by the govern- MHJ 111 eat -itself, or other .states; Tho com MHJ missions aro those on lauds and MHJ forestry, whilo a similar body on watec HHJ resources.' it is understood, is soon to H 'be named. HH Montana has also made great strides HHJ along horticultural Hues, .as is cvi- M donced by returns from . widely sepa- HJ rat od sections. In eastern. Montana M Carbon county; applo orchards thi.t Hfl year yielded :?J200 lo. the acre, whilo MH ?1000 was touched in Ravalli counts, Hfl Flathead also made splendid records, u'J M did other counties, MH |