The Discoveries at Cable Mountain

The mining property of Cable known as the Atlantic Cable Quartz Lode was located on June 15, 1867, according to the Montana State Highway Historical marker on Highway 1 on Spring Hill. The name commemorated the laying of the second trans-Atlantic cable. The locators were Alexander Aiken, John E. Pearson and Jonas A. Stough. They were camped on Flint Creek and their horses drifted off. In tracking then to this vicinity the men found float that led to the discovery. 

Machinery for the first mill was imported from Swansea, Wales and freighted by team from Corinne, Utah, the nearest railroad point. The mine operated with indifferent success until 1880 when extremely rich ore was found. A 500 foot piece of ground produced $6,500,000 in gold. W.A. Clark, paid $10,000 for one chunk of ore taken from the mine in 1889 and claimed it was the largest gold nugget ever found, stated Wolle in Montana Pay Dirt. While researching her book, Wolle visited the cable ghost town and stated three cabins were then occupied and the woman at home said the ore averaged about $18.00 a ton. But when they would strike a rich pocket it would assay from $100 to $1,000 a ton. The woman also told Wolle the first mill was rigged with a steam boat whistle that could be heard for 12 miles, on a clear day. Wolle stated the next mill was built by Plaisted and was not a complete success. A large amount of gold was unable to be recovered by the amalgamation process and passed down the canyon. Even with the loss, $30,000 was earned within a one year period. 

As close as I can interpret the articles researched, Plaisted built the Mill, known as the Wm. Nolan Mill. The property where the mill was built had a mortgage originally owed by James Brown II. James was the spouse of Fannie Brown and the father of Alex and Alice. The mortgage owed was for $1,725.76 and is now known as the Cable property. Plaisted caused this mill to be transferred to Brown to secure the above mortgage. Then The new Northwest, September 10, 1875, stated the First National Bank of Helena filed a summons against a group including Fannie Brown, Alexander Brown, Alice and Daniel Welch and George Plaisted, for the mortgage originally owed by James Brown II. Next, apparently William Nolan, the Helena Banker bought out the other parties, to get rid of the lawsuit and mortgage. Unfortunately, Nolan was not a skilled miner. He failed to properly timber the mine and in April 1869, the shaft sunk to a depth of 148 feet, caved in and completely closed the mine. I found no record of miners killed in the cave in, but found evidence of numerous lawsuits. During the next ten months, Nolan died and almost everyone left the camp. In 1878, it was reported there was only one inhabitant. 

As described in the paragraph about Plaisted, litigation was extensive and drawn out in the Helena court system. J.C. Savery, a brother-in-law of Nolan after lengthy litigation secured the entire property and struck another rich body of ore in 1883. As the story goes in Montana Pay Dirt, Nolan reimbursed his expenditures to the extent of $150,000 within thirty days. The total amount he was said to have mined up to 1891 was in the tune of three to four million dollars. A short news article in the Mail, stated James C. Savery, owner of the Cable Mine died August 20, 1905, at his home on Cable Mountain. He was buried in Des Moines, Iowa. 

During the time George Plaisted was at Cable running the mills, his wife operated the boarding house in the ‘Burg. After the cave-in he lived the rest of his life around the Philipsburg area and died January 13, 1900. His funeral was at his residence on the south side of Philipsburg. He was laid to rest between his wife and two small sons, in the Philipsburg cemetery, on January 15. 

Conrad Kohrs and Salton Cameron also worked a placer digging below the Atlantic Cable Mines, from 1871 through 1874. Kohrs constructed a ditch, costing $10,000 to work the placer and in the first year they washed out $18,000 in only eight weeks before winter set in. In the second year they earned $37,000. Then, in 1874, the water from the ditch Kohrs’ constructed was diverted to the Georgetown Placers In 1873, Wolle states, Salton Cameron erected a twenty stamp mill, with financing from a Helena banker, named L.H. Herschfield.. A one hundred ton lot of ore was worth $20,000, but his lead ran out and the mill shut down. There is still evidence of this venture..