Tidbits About Hasmark and the Algonquin

The discovery of prosperous mining was the reason for most of the settlements in what is now known as Granite County. Many of the important mining claims around the Upper Flint Creek Valley were staked in 1866. First being those found by Hector Horton and Financed by James Stuart et al. then according to Rossiter Raymond a party of prospectors on their way from Idaho to the Black Foot diggings staked numerous silver showings that started with the Comanche Lode. 

Ted Antonioli reconstructing the record believes the group was made up of Dan Brown and his brother Emanuel (Sandy), Charles Frost, Ben Franklin, John Edwards, Dan Chisholm, William Mathias, C.A. Bell and maybe others. These prospectors probably traveled from Idaho to the Bitter Root, then over the Burnt Fork Trail to Rock Creek then Flint Creek. Charles Frost promoted himself as being the leader, but Dan Brown was elected president of the assembly of miners. Born in Pennsylvania in 1819, Dan died on December 7, 1885 in Philipsburg and the Granite County Historical Society has placed a marker on his grave that was absent a headstone. T

These new mining claims were staked with reference as to their locations by referring to three different cabins: Horton’s near the Cordova (which became the Philipsburg townsite); the Brown/Franklin cabin or cabins (likely located higher up the gulch along Camp Creek next to the future Northwest Company Millsite also referred to as Cole Saunders smelter); and Mathias Cabin (possibly located in the future Algonquin mine yard.) 

After the Hope mine was located, the Poorman’s Joy, the Trout and the Algonquin were discovered. The Northwest Mill was built in 1875 and the camp of Troutville (Tower) grew up around the mill. The camp housed miner and mill workers with a boarding house and a storehouse, but there was no liquor sold in camp and it never had a post office thus is not named in “Names on the Face of Montana” by Cheney. 

                   Hasmark Geological Map from Emmon's Philipsburg Quadrangle circa 1913

Within a short time the Algonquin Mill was built at Hasmark, just one-half mile from Tower. Hasmark had a post office from April to August 1880 and then from 1892 through 1897 with Samuel Silverman as the postmaster. The name Hasmark was derived from two important men: H. A. Styles and Markle according to Cheney. By taking the initials of Styles; HAS, and adding these letters to the first part of Markle they arrived at the name Hasmark. 

                                    Hasmark and Algonquin Mill from Steve Neal Collection

Hasmark was short lived but Tower was important to the population even as late as 1918, when the Granite County Board of County Commissioners called for bids on May 20, to build new Tower Cliff Gulch Road 8,000 feet in length. The Northwest Company, controlled by Charlemagne Tower, A.B. Nettleton and other capitalists from Philadelphia built the Northwest Mill to treat the ore brought out of the newly discovered mines. The Northwest Company came about because A.B. Nettleton after meeting J.K. Pardee in Cottonwood, Utah convinced him to travel to Montana to look at mining property he held a bond on. They arrived at Philipsburg after a 700 mile stage ride and Pardee inspected the mines on Trout Hill, which included the Speckled Trout. His report was so satisfactory that Nettleton and his friends paid off the balance due on the bond. This bond worth $151,000.00 and other eastern capital was used to form the Northwest Company, with Pardee as resident manager. 

The Algonquin (called “The Gonk”) was referred to by Emmons in “Geology and Ore deposits of the Philipsburg Quadrangle, 1913”, as “located in the valley of Flint Creek a few rods west of Hasmark” and located by Dan Brown in 1866. It was sold shortly after being staked to Philadelphia capitalists that included Charlemagne Tower and A.B. Nettleton, also owners of the future Northwest Company. This mine was never really productive but the silver mill built on the site is credited by R. W. Raymond with producing $493,000 in 1881 and 1882. Most of the ore milled at this twenty stamp mill was likely from the Granite Lode (Emmons). 

                                                                Algonquin Mill Drawing

According to the January 6, 1899 Philipsburg Mail “…About 8 o’clock last Saturday evening the Algonquin mill and hoisting works at Hasmark were discovered to be on fire and within a short space of time the entire plant was reduced to ashes…” 

Hasmark had a census of 89 people in the 1880 Census and included Hector Horton: Brick Mason. Most of the population was male laborers but included the Hugh, Fisher, Reed and Showers families and 16 Chinese who were cooks, housekeepers and miners. T

The seven acres that comprise the Hasmark townsite are currently owned by Librarian Gina Vale and she has restored the building that was the saloon.