According to the Western Mining World August 17, 1901(volume 19) sapphires were discovered on Rock Creek in 1892 by gold placer miners. The April 6, 1917 Philipsburg Mail credits Emil Meyer, as the person responsible for discovering the mines. He died of stomach cancer at Mrs. Bennett’s hospital in Philipsburg April 5, 1917. Emil was a native of Germany and seventy years of age.
United States Geological Survey investigators reported in 1894 the sapphires “as exceedingly plentiful [sometimes] as high as sixty stones to a gold pan.” They describe the colors of Rock Creek sapphires as being of a far broader range of colors and containing a higher quantity of the milky pearlized ones which are known as star sapphires.
William Knuth of Helena and William Moffet worked the area in 1899 and 1900 recovering 400,000 carats of rough sapphires according to the Mt.Gov. DEQ internet site.
The September 1, 1899 Mail stated L.J. Moffat (Moffet): …has several men employed in his sapphire mines on the West Fork with satisfactory results. Some stones of rare brilliancy have been taken from these placers and samples sent to Tiffany & Co. at New York were pronounced superior to any sapphires found. Mr. Moffat has found some stones that were declared by experts to be real pigeon blood, which are very rare and more valuable than diamonds (Rubies).
According to the March 16, 1900, Mail: “In his annual report, G. F. Kunz gem expert of the geological survey, makes reference to the beautiful sapphires of various colors … mined on Upper Rock Creek, the principal diggings being owned by L.J. Moffat and Emil Meyer. New York capitalists have for some time had an eye on these mines and it is probable that during the coming season sufficient capital will be invested to make the working of these excellent properties on a more extensive scale than heretofore possible.”
The Mail, March 8, 1901 stated, “Yield of sapphires on Rock Creek, 35 miles South-west of Philipsburg for 1900 is 200,000 carats with 1,200 carats fit to cut.” The Mt. Gov. DEQ web site goes on to say that in 1901 Paul A. Fusz, Moses Rumsey, Charles D. McClure of St Louis, L.S. McClure of San Diego, David Jankower of London/New York, and W. E. Knuth of Helena incorporated under the name American Gem Mining Syndicate. Articles of Incorporation are in the Archives at Montana Historical Society and were filed August 9, 1901. The capital stock of $300,000 was distributed in the following manner. D. Jankower: 299,996 shares; Paul Fusz: one share; Moses Rumsey: one share; Auguste B. Ewing: one share; and Charles McLure: one share. The five directors were: Jankower, Fusz, Rumsey, Ewing and McLure.” Contrary to the web site L.S. McLure and W.E. Knuth are not listed on the incorporation papers.
Records about the Syndicate show Conrad Wipf (1843-1909) was the foreman during the seasons of 1904 and 1905; Joseph Sorenson (d1916) foreman 1906-1911 with Axel Sandin filling in for 1910; Sebastian Seelos (1882-1934) foreman 1913-1917; Charles Carrp foreman of Basin Gulch 1916; Henry Bohrnsen after 15 years working the placer became foreman February 6, 1918.
Water was always an issue and the available documents show multiple conversations between Paul Fusz and J.R. Lucas regarding building a flume. On March 30, 1912, Lucas wrote to P.C. Miller in Stevensville, Montana asking for a bid to AGMS for building a flume. P.C. Miller response April 1, 1912 was to be notified when “snow leaves so we can make definite estimates and bid.” Next from J.R. Lucas to Blakeslee and Cheatham on June 3, 1912 details their company was “going to construct 8 miles of flume and dig 2 miles of ditch on the West Fork of Rock Creek.”
This feat was successful. The drop in altitude from the head of the flume to the gulches, created the head of pressure. As you drive east on the Skalkaho Highway, after the Stillwater turn-off, you can still see areas of flume hanging to the steep slide rock mountain.
Whether there was only one main flume built, or if Stony Flume, Ewing Flume and West Fork of Rock Creek Flume are all different flumes and built at separate times, is not clear in the archived documents. Edward Bohrnsen recalled his father talking about staking claims and digging a ditch that is still apparent from Sapphire Gulch along the hillside toward the old Amerine Ranch in the late 20’ or early 30’s to extend the water source.
The placer was worked from the time the snow started to recede until the high mountain water ceased to run and provided a working wage for many people in Granite county.
After 1917 when Sebastian Seelos left, Henry Bohrnsen moved up to Foreman of the American Gem Mining Syndicate. An archived document stated “February 6, 1918, Mr. Seelos …will not be available for operating the sapphire diggings this year” and the reply on April 22, 1918 from Ewing to Lucas stated “We wish you to advise Mr. Bohrnsen and have him appoint a good man from his crew, to the position of explosives foreman.”
Finances were a frequent topic in the correspondence in 1918: “April 26, 1918 …see if you can get them (sapphire pickers) for $1.50 per day” stated a letter from Ewing to Dan Smith. On May 6, 1918 Ewing to wrote to W.T. Terrell, “hospital fee with Dr. Casey is $1.50 per season for each worker.” On September 4, 1918 “….owing to unrest in the camp it was necessary to raise the wages 50 cents on the 15th of last month” wrote Terrell to Ewing. Then Ewing instructed Dan Smith September 27, 1918 “….tell Bohrnsen to do the work necessary on the 1600 feet of flume, this year.” Then October 2, Smith stated “Mr. Bohrnsen was in yesterday and said he expected to operate for 2 weeks yet and then do some flume work.” On January 3, 1919 Ewing writes to W.T. Terrell, “….Please instruct Varholic the watchman at the camp to gather up the matrasses [sic] which are in the main log cabin and string them up to the ceiling so that the rats cannot get at them.”
Documents disclose, 411 troy ounces of gems from Mink Gulch sorted on January 16, 1919 and on February 26 a return reply values “entire shipment at 30 cents an ounce.” On March 14, 1919 documents place a value of $757.14 for 29,986 ounces at 30 cents per ounce. Then the document continues on with “we cannot understand how you arrived at your valuation. We have instructed Downing’s to correct the valuation before forwarding to Deshusses (In Europe).”
On April 14, 1919 Ewing writes Terrell “this to advise you that wages to be paid Henry Bohrnsen as foreman in Montana of this Syndicate for the season of 1919 is $170.00 per month and board.” In May and June there are a number of letters complaining that “the girls” are not doing a good job at picking the stones “either improve or get someone that can do better.” On August 21, 1919 correspondence stated “we note that Bohrnsen advises that wages will have to be raised 50 cents per day.” On October 13,1919 Smith reported “…Bohrnsen will stay at the ranch this winter.” Originally the Company had kept two caretakers at the ranch during the winter and closed down all other operations. Once Bohrnsen moved to the ranch full time there was no need for a winter caretaker.
Henry, after working as a laborer for American Gem for fifteen years, spent the next nineteen years managing the Sapphire Mines. During this period, Henry’s life changed from a bachelor to a married man when he wed Ruth Erickson Rau in 1925. Sapphire Gulch was the location of an upper camp where Ruth Bohrnsen and her son Raymond lived when she was a new bride. At that time, she cooked for the placer mining crew at Basin Gulch. Shortly after the marriage, all the bunk houses and other buildings were moved from Basin Gulch to the Sapphire Ranch on West Fork. Some of the buildings are still standing, including the office, ice house and barn. In the meadow, the Berry House still stands and was used as the school house when I was in the first grade.
On May 3, 1924 a request of total sapphires shipped from 1911 to 1922 by C. Ewing was “Have produced 1 million, 1 hundred fourty [sic] five thousand and nine hundred and fourty five ounces since 1911 to 1922 inclusive” (almost 36 tons). At the height of production there were at least two shifts working the placers and sometimes three. Indication that three shifts were working is documented from J. Yob to the St. Louis office on October 1, 1930: “Cold weather has caused Henry to cut off the 12 o’clock shift at Maley Gulch.” Receipts ordering carbide in twenty drums with a total weight of 2,120 pounds costing $12.01 with an additional charge of 35 cents for war tax, freighted every nine days, in May and June 1921, verifies the use of carbide for night work.
The Anaconda Standard April 1, 1925 stated American Gem “held claims equaling 4,000 acres.” The sapphire market was fickle and money became tight with no mining in 1934. Fortunately Henry had been reading the tea leaves and was prepared for the future. The rest of Henry and family life is documented in "Trading Sapphires for Cows."
Stony Creek Flume with C.W. and J.N. Cheatham standing in it during construction
Cabins originally at Basin Creek. They were moved to the Sapphire Ranch after Henry and Ruth Bohrnsen were married.
Finances were a frequent topic in the correspondence in 1918: “April 26, 1918 …see if you can get them (sapphire pickers) for $1.50 per day” stated a letter from Ewing to Dan Smith. On May 6, 1918 Ewing to wrote to W.T. Terrell, “hospital fee with Dr. Casey is $1.50 per season for each worker.” On September 4, 1918 “….owing to unrest in the camp it was necessary to raise the wages 50 cents on the 15th of last month” wrote Terrell to Ewing. Then Ewing instructed Dan Smith September 27, 1918 “….tell Bohrnsen to do the work necessary on the 1600 feet of flume, this year.” Then October 2, Smith stated “Mr. Bohrnsen was in yesterday and said he expected to operate for 2 weeks yet and then do some flume work.” On January 3, 1919 Ewing writes to W.T. Terrell, “….Please instruct Varholic the watchman at the camp to gather up the matrasses [sic] which are in the main log cabin and string them up to the ceiling so that the rats cannot get at them.”
Documents disclose, 411 troy ounces of gems from Mink Gulch sorted on January 16, 1919 and on February 26 a return reply values “entire shipment at 30 cents an ounce.” On March 14, 1919 documents place a value of $757.14 for 29,986 ounces at 30 cents per ounce. Then the document continues on with “we cannot understand how you arrived at your valuation. We have instructed Downing’s to correct the valuation before forwarding to Deshusses (In Europe).”
On April 14, 1919 Ewing writes Terrell “this to advise you that wages to be paid Henry Bohrnsen as foreman in Montana of this Syndicate for the season of 1919 is $170.00 per month and board.” In May and June there are a number of letters complaining that “the girls” are not doing a good job at picking the stones “either improve or get someone that can do better.” On August 21, 1919 correspondence stated “we note that Bohrnsen advises that wages will have to be raised 50 cents per day.” On October 13,1919 Smith reported “…Bohrnsen will stay at the ranch this winter.” Originally the Company had kept two caretakers at the ranch during the winter and closed down all other operations. Once Bohrnsen moved to the ranch full time there was no need for a winter caretaker.
Henry, after working as a laborer for American Gem for fifteen years, spent the next nineteen years managing the Sapphire Mines. During this period, Henry’s life changed from a bachelor to a married man when he wed Ruth Erickson Rau in 1925. Sapphire Gulch was the location of an upper camp where Ruth Bohrnsen and her son Raymond lived when she was a new bride. At that time, she cooked for the placer mining crew at Basin Gulch. Shortly after the marriage, all the bunk houses and other buildings were moved from Basin Gulch to the Sapphire Ranch on West Fork. Some of the buildings are still standing, including the office, ice house and barn. In the meadow, the Berry House still stands and was used as the school house when I was in the first grade.
On May 3, 1924 a request of total sapphires shipped from 1911 to 1922 by C. Ewing was “Have produced 1 million, 1 hundred fourty [sic] five thousand and nine hundred and fourty five ounces since 1911 to 1922 inclusive” (almost 36 tons). At the height of production there were at least two shifts working the placers and sometimes three. Indication that three shifts were working is documented from J. Yob to the St. Louis office on October 1, 1930: “Cold weather has caused Henry to cut off the 12 o’clock shift at Maley Gulch.” Receipts ordering carbide in twenty drums with a total weight of 2,120 pounds costing $12.01 with an additional charge of 35 cents for war tax, freighted every nine days, in May and June 1921, verifies the use of carbide for night work.
The Anaconda Standard April 1, 1925 stated American Gem “held claims equaling 4,000 acres.” The sapphire market was fickle and money became tight with no mining in 1934. Fortunately Henry had been reading the tea leaves and was prepared for the future. The rest of Henry and family life is documented in "Trading Sapphires for Cows."
