A fifteen-stamp mill was erected in this district about one year ago, to reduce the ores of the Strawberry mine. The success of the enterprise and the richness of the ore attracted numerous prospectors from all directions, and in a few months the town of Pony sprang into existence, containing at this time a population of about four bnndred, and the surrounding country dotted with a great number of locations of rich, paying auriferous lodes. Among the mines in this district may be mentioned the Strawberry, Boss Tweed, Willow Creek, Keystone, Policy, Christy Cabb, Pilot, and many others that are being continually developed, the ore taken therefrom being worked in the camp by eight different mills erected for the purpose; and negotiations, I understand, are in progress for the erection of several other mills during the coming year. Mineral Hill, on which these ledges are situated, is 44 miles in length, and extends from half a mile below the town of Pony westerly to South Boulder Creek. There are twenty-one lodes located in one continuous line on this ledge-twelve ou a line parallel on the north, and fifteen on the south-while half a mile south, and running parallel, are the Atlantic and Pacific Lodes, showing veins sixty fee: in width. From this it will be seen this district promises a brilliant future. ARGENTIFEROUS LODES. Reports from all silver mining districts in the Territory are very encouraging, and indicate that silver mining has become firmly established throughout the Territory. Leads that have been noted in former reports have been developed with flattering results, and numbers of new and rich discoveries have materially added to this the chief industry of Montana. The mines in the vicinity of Jefferson City, under the influence of recent improvements in concentrators and smelting furnaces, have been worked more determinedly and constantly; the Rumley Lode has a drift of 90 feet in the ore body of the vein, and the end not reached yet, with 4,000 tons of concentrating ore on the dump and 20,000 tons of ore in sight, being the largest body of ore ever exposed in any one vein in Montana; the Comet, adjacent to the Rumley, has 6,000 tons on the dump, with about 8,000 tons exposed in the lower levels, assaying from $35 to $150 in silver per ton, with a heavy per cent. of lead. The Australia, of which the Comet has developed to be an extension, is more than meeting the most sanguine expectations; a tunnel cutting the vein at a depth of 150 feet, on discovery, shows a pay vein of 9 feet in width assaying from 45 to 320 ounces per ton in silver. A quantity of high grade ore from this mine has been sold for shipment. The Gregory mine is being rapidly and skillfully developed under the management of experienced miners. They have over 3,000 tons of ore on the dump, and the facilities for hoisting ore recently greatly enhanced by the addition of steam hoisting works. A large quantity of ore from the lodes mentioned, and from other lodes in this district, are being worked by the Montana Company's concentrating works, recently finished at a cost of $90,000, a brief notice of which will not be amiss in this report, to show the advance made in the Territory in ore reducing facilities. The process employed is "Krom's crushing, drying, and concentrating process," the ore first passing through Blake crushers, thence over drying furnaces, and through one set of rollers, where it is elevated, weighed, and put through another set of rollers; thence, by means of cup elevators, carried to the third story, aud, descending through four screens, is sized and separated, the separators being on the lower floor. Suction pipes connect with all the chambers where the ore is handled, and the dust is carried to an adjoining building for roasting. Reverberatory furnaces are used for slagging finest concentrations after passing through the Bruckner cylinders, and before being carried to the water jacket furnace. These works have a working capacity of fifty tons per day. The rapid growth of Butte and Philippsburg districts is unparalleled in the history of Montana. The introduction of capital in the development of the veins, and new machinery from Utah and elsewhere, has been shipped and put into running order during the past year, and to-day these districts are considered the "bonanzas" of Montana. The lodes mentioned in my last report are all being steadily worked, and constant shipments of ores, bullion, and silver are being made, although the demand for transportation is greater than the supply. Besides the list of mines given in these districts, there are thousands of minor prospects all over the Territory that would consume too much time and space to particularly mention. Trapper, Silver Star, and Vipond districts are advancing with rapid strides; and in the vicinity of Helena, the Red Mountain and Scratch Gravel silver veins are receiving attention, and are likely to prove permanently valuable. COPPER. At Butte large discoveries of copper lodes have been made along the westward slope of the range to the northward, indicating a very extensive belt of these minerals, while at Copperopolis copper mining is the main feature, and development of lodes in that locality is steadily progressing. Although this branch of the mineral deposits is still as yet in its infancy, the indications are that at no distant day copper mining will be no inconsiderable feature in the industries of the Territory. COAL. The surveys of the past fiscal year have brought to notice several extensive coal beds on the Musselshell River, while in the vicinity of Butte new discoveries of coal beds have been made, and the mines are being worked to good advantage. The indications are very conclusive that Montana can and will produce all the coal required for future manufacturing and commercial interests. STOCK. The stock interest of Montana is a great and growing industry, and is fast becoming one of her leading interests; thousands of cattle and sheep are driven from and into the Territory annually, and the grazing facilities of the Territory are being utilized and improved to a vast extent, and Montana beef is to-day the leading feature in Eastern and foreign markets, and commands better prices than any other. Sheep are being raised with great profit and very little loss from the flocks that in many cases range on the hills the entire season. It is estimated that there are about 75,000 head of sheep in the Territory, and the wool product for the past season is estimated at about 400,000 pounds, which is shipped and meets with a ready and profitable sale in Eastern markets. The erection of woolen mills, already commenced, will materially aid the sheep growers in providing a market for their wools and add a new feature to the industries of the Territory. The character of land in Montana, as the stock interest advances, is rapidly changing, and now, where a short time ago the survey of land was considered by skeptics to be valueless, is rapidly being taken up and improved for sheep and stock pastures or ranges; for, by means of irrigation, the grass crop is increased threefold, and the blue joint grass springs up thick and luxuriantly by this means, upon which stock are fed. This improvement is noticeable in several localities, especially in Meagher County, and at no distant day the sheep and stock interests of the Territory will demand vast tracts of these lands for the sustenance of stock. CONCLUDING REMARKS. The organization of a new county government, (Custer County,) and the building of government posts, and location of troops therein, has greatly added to the settlement of that portion of the Territory. It bas interposed an effectual barrier between the settlements and danger from Indians, leading to the improvement of our mines and the permanent settlement of the vast unoccupied tracts of our Territory. A great many settlers have located in that vicinity, and a large immigration is coming that way from Dakota and south western border into Montana. It is believed that the immigration the present season will equal the present population of the Territory. We need men and women even more than capital; and while other Territories have commissioners of immigration to disseminate information and attract the attention of those meditating immigration, or direct wavering thoughts and steps, we have none and never had any, and yet we have more substantial inducements to offer than many of the Western States and Territories. Transportation now by way of the Missouri River is quick and cheap. To those who will come, as they would go elsewhere, without the expectation of picking up a fortune in the first day or week, but wait quietly and intelligently the chances, Montana to-day offers a more inviting place of location than ever before. Every year witnesses steady advancement in the comforts and advantages of civilized life. With regard to investment of capital in our mines, I have only to reproduce, in closing this report, what a correspondent of an Eastern paper has written, who has been here and knew whereof he wrote, that "Montana, being farther away from communication with the civilized world than any other part of the Union, has suffered more severely and for a longer time than any sister Territory; but those who have remained in her cañons and valleys in the belief that the land was good and worth standing by, cannot be far from the day of their reward. Signs of new life and new growth are everywhere visible. Silver mining has become one of the recognized industries of the Territory. Gold quartz mining is on a sound basis, and many old and abandoned placer districts are waking up under the stimulus of new enterprises. Capital to a moderate extent has come in, and is being employed successfully, and already is reproducing itself. Montana is no longer an unknown and unvisited section of the West, and those who have taken the pains to examine its resources are finding that it embraces as fine a field for investment as any part of the country." Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Hon. J. A. WILLIAMSON, Commissioner. ANDREW J. SMITH, No. of contract. A.—Statement showing condition of appropriation for surveys of public land in the Territory of Montana during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1877. DR. CR. 1876. Amount. Aug. 22 By appropriation, act of $17, 000 00 17, 000 00 ANDREW J. SMITH, Surveyor General, Montana. B.-Statement of special deposits for office work on mining claims in Montana for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1877. W. W. De Lacy.. George B. Foote. George F. Marsh. B. F. Marsh. George B. Foote.. Preston Scott |