Trout Mill area

Here are several Steve Neal photos (taken by his father Frank) of the Trout mills at the head of Cliff Gulch during the 1950s. We visited this area on our Silver and Sapphire trip in June. 

The building on the left is the Trout Manganese mill and the mine dump belongs to the Trout mine.

On the left is the Trout Manganese mill with the Silver Mill on the right.

Here's a closer view of the Trout Silver Mill, a flotation mill for recovering silver from the ore of the Algonquin and nearby mines. 

Scratch All Mine

 

One of the stops on our "Silver and Sapphire" field trip in June was the Scratch All mine. This is a Steve Neal pic of some of our group in the mine yard... in front, from left, Brian Antonioli, John Koerth, Dave Harris, Bill Olson, and Mike Miller... and behind, Joan Gabelman, John Gabelman and Larry Hoffman. Dave was one of the last miners to work in the Scratch All.

Below is a Steve Neal pic of the mine as it appeared when it was operating in the 1950s.

"Scratch All" is an apparent misspelling of the term for the tool "Scratch Awl", as it appeared on the original survey. Both names are used in historical accounts of the mine. 

The mine develops several veins, including the Cliff, Scratch All Hanging Wall, and Scratch All Foot Wall. The main shaft interconnects with the Cliff, Salmon, Blackmail, and Sharktown workings. The Cliff vein - originally discovered by Hector Horton in 1866 - is the most important. The Cliff was developed by the Hope Mining Company west of the Scratch All proper, through a series of shafts and tunnels on the Cliff No. 2 claim. 

The Scratch All itself was first developed by Murray and Durfee in the 1870s. They developed the mine by driving the Sharktown Tunnel, the portal of which is located several hundred feet below the vein outcrops. The silver ore was processed in the Northwest Company mill located not far from the portal. The Algonquin Company suspected that the ore in the Sharktown was being mined from the Salmon vein, which they owned, and sent a crew of miners, led by their formidable foreman, Harvey Showers, to seize the portal. The confrontation quickly adjourned to a courtroom, where the Algonquin Co.'s suspicions were vindicated and damages assessed. 

During the 20th century, the mine was operated by the Silver Prince Co. (especially during the 1920s) and through the 1960s by Contact Mining Co. and their lessees.  

Placer mining panorama

God love this town

And swallow it down

And goodbye to you

(the fate of No Name City in Paint Your Wagon)

We are venturing a ways from Granite County today to post a very early panorama of a placer mine and town that we stumbled across reviewing the index of the Granville Stuart papers in the Tom Perry special collection of the Harold Lee library at BYU. In box 19 there is an item (No. 9) which was apparently identified by Mrs. Granville (Belle) Stuart as a photo of mining at Gold Creek and an unidentified mining town (which we presumed to be Pioneer) taken in 1868. However, when we received a scan of the photo we saw it could not be Pioneer. It rather seemed more like Bannack but careful examination of the photo shows a building with a "Weston House" sign which strongly indicates the panorama is of Diamond City. See especially the Helena Herald of May 20, 1869, for correspondence from Diamond City discussing the Weston House. We have been pointed in the direction of Diamond City by feedback from the Bannack Association as well.

The photographer is not named but we think it could be August Thrasher who was a pioneer photographer with a penchant for producing panoramas, and who was in Montana in the right time frame. He lived in Deer Lodge and was in Bannack during the 1870 census. We are interested to know if other copies of this photo exist. This scan is posted by permission from the Perry collection. Thanks!

Another photo of Diamond City was published in Volume 4 of the Proceedings of the Montana Historical Society in 1903 (below). In this photo, the perspective is similar to the Panorama above and the hills behind are an excellent  match. However, the town is located on the bench, well to the north of the town's location in the panorama, . The original Diamond City apparently suffered the fate of "No Name City" in "Paint Your Wagon" and was engulfed by mining, buried in the tailings seen below the mined bench in the photo below.

Diamond City's newspaper was the Rocky Mountain Husbandman, which contains several articles detailing visits by reporter to the Philipsburg area in the late 1870s and early 1880s - a gold mine of information on the town, people, and mines in that time frame.

June 20th Silver and Sapphire field trips

The morning began at 8 am sharp at the James Stuart/ Hope Mill Site with 40 cheery faces assembled around the Stamp Mill (Some Assembly Required). Ted Antonioli talked about the discovery of the Philipsburg District 150 years ago, and the history of milling at the site, with comments added by Loraine Bentz Domine.  Horton's Cordova mine can be seen from the millsite. Here's Ted pointing to the Cordova (Steve Neal pic).

Charlie Connell, a stamp mill expert from Arizona, was given the floor and expressed his great enthusiasm for our project and it's progress. He presented Dave Harris with a stamp mill "key" which is necessary during mill startup. In Steve Neals pic below Dave holds the key while Charlie explains its uses.

Then the group proceeded to the Horton and Cliff Veins along the "road to N.W. Co. Mill." These two veins were Horton's best discoveries, cornerstones of Philipsburg's economy in the 20th century. We took the Scratch All Road and stopped at the Trout Mill area. Below is Loraine's picture of some of the attendees at the morning tour near the Trout Mill Site overlooking the Flint Creek Valley.

Then we turned around and stopped at the Cliff Mine where Horton's discovery is a shaft below the road. Next we stopped at the Scratch All road turnoff and walked up to the Scratch All mine yard. At each of these stops Ted gave a history of the mine and answered questions from the group. The entire area is covered by maps and details in the "Silver and Sapphires Booklet" provided to the group for $10.00 a booklet.

The group then returned to Philipsburg for lunch and some departed for other obligations. After lunch 37 people car pooled to the Sapphire Mines on the West Fork of Rock Creek where we were met by Robin McCulloch and his wife Julie. The group of many pickups, SUV's, jeeps  and my Jetta proceeded through the Gem Mountain tourist panning site and passed the Sapphire Ranch to Maley Gulch where Robin began a thorough discussion of the geological makeup and history of the Sapphire claims. the tour continued on over fairly good logging roads to Sapphire Gulch, the head of Maley Gulch, the ridge between Rock Creek and West Fork, a view of Anaconda Gulch and returned to Skalkaho Highway 38 via Coal Creek road. At each of these sites Robin described what is being found during this current geological exploration and what has been mined in the years prior. Participants were thrilled to find small sapphires and garnets in the road bed and on piles of dirt/clay being prepared to screen during the field trip.  Here's a Steve Neal pic of Robin (right) explaining the sapphire mines to some of the attendees.

The book "Sapphires in the southwestern part of the Rock Creek District, Granite County, Montana" written by Richard Berg in 2014 is a wonderful resource for all interested in the geology and history of this area. It can be purchased for $30.00 at the School of Mines in Butte, Montana.

A hot and tired group returned to Philipsburg about 5pm and at 6:30 pm 16 people plus the Jim, Jill and Jean Waldbillig family enjoyed a back yard BBQ.

Stay tuned for the plans for the summer of 2016 field trip and seminar.

People involved in the Sapphire MInes on the West Fork of Rock Creek

The original discovery of sapphires is credited to Emil Meyer in 1892. According to the 1910 Census, Emil was born in Germany in about 1848 and emigrated to the United States in 1866. Emil and Lou Moffat with the assistance of David Jankower, a gemologist from London and New York, were able to market the stones they placer mined to Switzerland and other foreign markets. In 1900 the March 8th Philipsburg Mail, stated their yield of sapphires was 200,000 carats with 1,200 carats fit to cut. These numbers helped Meyer and Moffat sell the original claims in 1901 to the newly incorporated American Gem Mining Syndicate.

The American Gem Mining Syndicate composed of people already active in the Philipsburg Mining District was incorporated as follows:

Capital Stock as $300,000 and distributed in the following manner: D. Jankower of Philipsburg, Montana had 299,996 shares; Paul Fusz of Granite, Montana had one share; Moses Rumsey of St. Louis had one share; Auguste B. Ewing of St. Louis had one share; Charles McLure of St. Louis had one share. The corporation directors were: Jankower, Fusz, Rumsey, Ewing and McLure.

The document was signed, notarized and recorded on August 9, 1901. (Montana Historical Society Research Library, Antonioli Papers)

Other persons known to be involved in staking sapphire claims were the Jamieson brothers from at least 1899 to 1905; J.T. Pardee, Doctor Power, Richard Stingle, J.D. Kennedy and Sam Schively. Schively was documented as a gold placer miner in Basin Gulch as early as 1884.

Emil Meyer died of stomach cancer at Mrs. Bennett's hospital in Philipsburg on April 5, 1917. After selling the sapphire claims Emil worked a claim near Princeton during the summer and resided in Philipsburg in the winter. He had no known relatives and it appears he was buried as a pauper in the Philipsburg cemetery.

Conrad Wipf is listed on some of the original AGMS patents. Papers at the MHS Archives state he staked claims in Anaconda and Sapphire Gulch in 1905 and the deeded them over to the corporation. He was paid $4.00 a day to supervise the workers in 1904 and 1905 and continued as foreman until 1910. Bill Queener and Charles Porter stayed at the Sapphire Ranch during the winter of 1904. For the winter of 1905 Axel Sandin and young Conrad Wipf stayed on the ranch for $35 a month. Al Maley, a local trapper and miner, frequently stayed on the ranch and one of the gulches is named after him. Axel was in charge of the teams and claim representation in the summer of 1910. Joseph Sorenson was foreman in 1911 (and maybe through 1913). He died May 1916 in California of Miner's Consumption. Sebastian Seelos filled the position from 1914-1917; Charles Carpp was foreman of Basin Gulch from 1916; Henry Bohrnsen had been a laborer for 15 years before becoming foreman of the Sapphire Gulch Camp in 1917 through 1937. He married the Basin Gulch cook, Ruth Erickson Rau in 1925. They lived in the upper camp on Sapphire Gulch until the next fall when the cabins were moved down to the Sapphire Ranch. The Bohrnsen family then began living year round at the ranch. Hans Luthje was assistant foreman under Bohrnsen. When Charlie Carrp became foreman of all the placers in 1937 (approximately 4,000 acres), he was able to convince J. Walter Kaiser that the claims were financially solvent.

Carrp and Kaiser bought (some say leased in the beginning) the Sapphire Mines from AGMS after the mining season of 1937 for $6,000 and operated them until 1943. They then leased the property to George Carter. In September of 1961, Sally and Bill  Eaton of Seattle bought the mines for $10,000, renamed them The American Bar Sapphire Mines and George continued running the claims as a "Rock Hounding" experience. Marc Beilenberg acquired several of the claims in 1964 and called his property "Skalkaho Sapphires". Willfred Chausee paid $90,000 for the remaining claims in 1966-67.  He allowed Rock Hounds to work the property through 1979. In 1980 Ted and Marie Smith bought the Chausee claims for $1,000,000 with Dick and Joan Tapplin as managers. Bus and Grace Hess later took over the management of the tourist operation. The Smith's sold to American Gem, a Canadian Group, in 1994 and after many manipulations of large amounts of money, they went bankrupt. About 1950 the Sapphire Ranch was broken out of the original claims and was owned and leased by several people, including Nellie Sutherland and my parents: Harry and Nina Bentz. Skalkaho Grazing acquired the ranch meadows sometime in the early 1970's. In the 1980's the Gem Mountain Sapphire Corporation began a fee digging and screening operation in the area north of the Sapphire bridge that Chausee had originally built. American Gem bought Anaconda Bench and Dann Placer from Gem Mountain for $4,000,000 in 1994 and mined more than 4 million carats of gem quality stones during the years of 1994 to 1996. (Berg, 2014; Kane, 2003)  From 2001 to the present (2015) Gem Mountain uses dirt mined from their claims along Anaconda Gulch and Coal Gulch for the tourists to pan and search for sapphires.  R-Y Timber acquired many claims and clear cut the timber before selling to the current owners (Barron and Lutz).

The Ewing family built a log bungalow on a five acre island between the Ranch and Skalkaho Highway 38 (which contained part of the Yellow Dog, Anaconda and Kruger Mining Claims). The exact date the bungalow was built is uncertain but the MHS Archives discuss the Ewing family visiting as early as the summer of 1915. The Walt Kaiser family used the bungalow as a summer home when they owned the Mines. In 1947-48 Bill and Jewel Ball lived there while Jewel taught school for 7 of us children in the "Berry House" located in the Sapphire Ranch field. Harry and Nina Bentz bought the bungalow and 5 acres in 1950-51. The Bungalow burned down in 1959 and Harry sold the property (Yellow Dog 10A and part of the Kruger Claim) to Alvin E. Lutz, Max T. McKee, William Jellison, Clark Blaine Hughes and Lyndahl Hughes on April 12, 1963.

From the beginning, water was a scarce resource, once the mountain snow melted. As early as 1901 articles were published discussing the building of a flume. By 1905 the Cralle Ditch was under construction to supply a decent water source to both Sapphire and Basin Gulch. Also, a V shaped flume was discussed from Stony Creek to the The Cralle Ditch. Whether there was only one flume or Stony Flume, Ewing Flume and West Fork of Rock Creek Flume are all different and built at different times has not been revealed in extensive document research. The DEQ website credits "expert miner McElroy" as stating that a sixteen mile flume was being constructed in 1911, to serve McLure Placer, Aurora and twenty other mining claims. The cost was stated at $75,000. No one at the Deer Lodge National Forest has been able to produce the article cited for this information. The original application filed with the Forest Service in 1906 for one million board feet of timber was to build a flume 18 miles in length  and the timber was to be cut along the ditch with a portable sawmill to clear a strip 100 feet wide. A sawmill was finally set up at the mouth of Coal Creek in 1912 under the supervision of O. J. Berry. Documents at MHSRL indicate a request to P.C. Miller in Stevensville, Montana to submit a bid to build a flume on April 1, 1912. By July 30th the Cheatham brothers (J.N. and C.W.) as engineer and surveyor had 2 camps set up with Foreman E.E. Rhudy and G. E. Rasmussen busy hiring crews and advertising for lumber bids. Camp #1 started a flume from Gem Creek with intake from Gem and Little Gem Creek. Camp #2 was the main flume on the West Fork of Rock Creek with intake from Spruce Creek and Dunshee Creek. Parts of this flume are still visible on the north slide rock along Highway 38 west of Coal Creek.

Paul A. Fusz, born in 1847, left Montana in the fall of 1909 and died February 16, 1910 in St. Louis of Pernicious Anemia.

Charles D. McLure, born in 1844, died in Missoula May 21, 1918 and is buried in the Philipsburg Cemetery.

The men standing in the Stony Flume are probably the Cheatham brothers.  The cabins were at the upper Sapphire camp and later resided at the Sapphire Ranch (picture from Edward Bohrnsen). The Portraits are of Paul A. Fusz and Charles D. McLure and copied from "Prominent Citizens of St. Louis Missouri".

Horton's Grave Marker

Here is Hector Horton's grave marker, recently installed in the Helena, Forest Vale cemetery by Brian Antonioli and family for the Granite County Historical Society.

Granite County Historical Society 2015 "150 year celebration"

 

Date and time: June 20, 2015 at 8am Sharp
Where: Meet at James Stuart/Hope Mill Site (east end of Broadway in Philipsburg)
First topic: Hector Horton's Biography and discovery of Silver 150 years ago.
                    presented by Ted Antonioli
Tour of some of Horton's mines such as the Cordova, True Fissure and Scratch All
                    descriptions and discussion by Ted Antonioli

Carpool to West Fork of Rock Creek Sapphire Mines
                    bring your own brown bag lunch

Afternoon Presentations of Sapphire Mines History and tour of the properties
                   Geological History by Robin McCulloch and Ted Antonioli
                    Social History by Loraine Bentz Baker

We will be near the Gem Mountain site, so if person's wish after the tour, they can purchase a bucket of dirt to pan for sapphires. They charge $22.00 a bucket.

Late afternoon/evening BBQ at Jim Waldbillig's Ranch (near Philipsburg)

Pre-registration appreciated and indicate if you want to purchase any of the following:
Richard Berg's "Sapphires in the S.W. part of the Rock Creek Sapphire District"  $30.00
GCHS 2015 Booklet "Hector Horton"............................................................................$10.00
"Silver and Sapphires" t-shirt (above design) (indicate size) S  M  L  X-L.................$15.00
BBQ at Jim Waldbillig's (Hamburgers, Baked Beans, Fruit Salad, Desert) ..............$15.00


Dress for the weather, walking in the hills and insects such as Mosquitoes, Deer Flies and Ticks

Contact: Loraine.domine4@gmail.com or phone 503-804-4734

Prospector Ball Announcement!

Tidbits about Emmetsburg

The mining camp of Emmetsburg was established during the time period of 1865 to 1878, during the heyday of placer mining in Henderson Gulch. Lore has it that the name was in honor of Robert Emmet who was executed (sentenced to be hanged, drawn and quartered, and in the event, hung, and his body beheaded) for high treason in Dublin, Ireland on August 25, 1803. Irish Nationalists organized under his name as the Robert Emmet Literary Association and kept his name alive while they settled the American west. One of the pioneers of Henderson Gulch was James A. Murray, who later erected a monument to the miners buried there. According to Bill Farley, author of an upcoming biography, Murray was a dedicated Irish nationalist and no doubt he and the other Irish pioneers of Henderson commemorated Emmet, their hero, by naming their settlement in his honor.

Emmetsburg has the dubious distinction of being remembered for two violent incidents.

In 1871, a Chinese miner, Ah Hoy (listed as living in Deer Lodge in the 1870 census), was apparently caught with stolen goods (or coins) in his possession, was tried in irregular manner by a "people's court", and, the vote of the court having a majority of one in favor of his execution, was summarily hung. Knowles, the district judge, was not amused, and impaneled a grand jury to determine who was responsible for this lynching, but it seems the perpetrators escaped accountability for their actions.

A second infamous incident involved mining partners. According to an Ancestry Message Board on the Internet The St. Louis Globe Democrat, on April 10, 1875 page 2, carried an article titled "Fighting to the death", which originally appeared in substantially the same form in The New Northwest, the local newspaper of that time.

Cartwright (David) and Wallwork (Mathew) were partners in a prospecting enterprise near Emmetsburg and had been working together for some time. They had at one time had differences, but they had been amicably adjusted. Ferguson was the friend of both, esteemed by both, and is Justice of the Peace of the township.  On Monday last, Wallwork, Ferguson and Charlie Cooper had just returned from Phillipsburg and Wallwork and Cartwright happened to be in Ferguson's cabin about noon. Only the three men were present. Wallwork and Cartwright drifted into a quick quarrel and both drew weapons simultaneously-Wallwork a derringer and Cartwright a navy revolver. Ferguson interposed to prevent an affray and caught the revolver which was accidently discharged in the scuffle, the ball passing through Ferguson's right hand, between the first and second fingers, breaking the bone of the first, but not severing the tendon. The ball lodged in the floor of the cabin.  All three left the cabin, Ferguson going to Caplice & Smith's store to have his hand dressed. Wallwork and Cartwright came together again on the street. Frederick Grant was the only witness of the first part of the second encounter. He said they were standing about five or six feet apart, each armed as before. Cartwright said to Wallwork two or three times: "I'll riddle you for that"- presumably having reference to the accidently shooting of Ferguson, or the remarks made in the cabin. Wallwork responded "Commence" or words to that effect and fired his derringer. Cartwright fired his revolver about the same time. Some say the firing was simultaneous, others that Wallwork fired first. Wallwork's derringer had entered about one inch below the outer of Cartwright's breast. He fell, raised to his knees, and fired two more shots, and fell over on his side with a moan. Wallwork, who had received in the front every ball fired from the revolver, turned to walk away, and again turned back, when Cartwright raised a little and fired a fourth shot, that also striking Wallwork. One barrel remained loaded, six shots fired had each hit a man. Wallwork received one ball which lodged three inches above the right knee, one passed into and through the upper part of the right leg from the side, and two balls entered the left leg from the front, one fracturing the femoral artery and one entering four inches below and to the left. Cartwright died. Wallwork has little chance of recovery. Both men were well thought of, were sober, and given to desperate deeds and had been friendly. But both were game. Wallwork was a large powerful man. Cartwright was a small man.

The men detailed in the previous story are listed in the US Federal Census of 1870 as residents of Emmetsburg. Wallwork was listed as a saloon keeper(line 9), though he was also a postmaster, butcher and landlord,  and Cartwright as a miner (line 18).

 

Following are copies of the Emmetsburg, Montana Territory, US Federal Census 1870. Listed are all of the residents that were home during the time of the survey. Blank lines designate dwellings that were empty at the time of the survey. Note that no Chinese are listed as residents; apparently, they arrived the next year as land surveyors in 1871 noted that the gulch was largely worked by Chinese miners.

Page 125 has only one name living in residence 181 who is William McFarland age 55 who is

farmer, born in Ireland and has personal items valued at $500.00.



Location of Emmetsburg

The principal settlement for the placer miners of Henderson Gulch (where it seems likely the first gold panning in Montana took place) was known as Emmetsburg.  The location has faded somewhat from historical memory as no buildings have survived and most of the site was used for dams and ponds related to placer mining in the mid-20th century. Below is the Original Survey plat of the township from 1871 showing the town of "Henderson" which was an alternative name for Emmetsburg.  It was located where the first ditch built for placer mining in the district discharged into Henderson Gulch,  so this is where the first substantial mining in the gulch took place. It is most likely that mining started on the best ground so the town is probably near what was originally the richest part of the placer.   The survey notes for the western boundary of the township state that "Henderson, or Emmetsburg as it is now usually called, is a thriving little mining camp composed of one store, a saloon, and several houses. Henderson Gulch, in which the camp is situated, was formerly quite rich in gold, and is now worked to a considerable extent by Chinamen."

Pioneer Letters

Granite County Historical Society thanks Pat Close for providing us with the following correspondence from the A.S. (Stearny) Blake archives.

#1028-16th St. S.W.
Washington City D.C.

My Dear Stearney--
      Last fall, after working for over 16- years for Blake &McKibbin I was discharged by McKibbin--This was opposed by L.L.[Levi L. Blake] but he had not the power to prevent it. Since then I have not done anything & now I am in need of some sort of work to live on--

       I write to you to ask you if there is anything for me to do in Your neighborhood. I can Keep books or do any kind of clerical work, and  have still good health.

        As you may remember, in the old times, I helped you and Bud MacAdow, and all my life have been willing to help others.

         Now I want you to write to me and let me know if there is anything in which I might be able to help you, as you must have need of helpers in your various works. Or if you know of any openings for me in the Bitter Root Valley.
          The Major and his family are all well, and a few days ago Eliot Smith was here in Washington & his folks are well.
           We have had a very cold & rainy Summer so far, and the Steamboat business has not been very good.
            If there are any openings in the vicinity of Victor put me in, and send for me.
            Please do not fail to drop a few lines, & give me the news of the Country, and all of my old friends in whom I have always taken a lively interest, & am glad to hear of their prosperity.
            We have not heard a word from Granville Stuart since he was here. You know Bill Hamilton, (Deaf Bill) could you give me

This letter is incomplete, without a date  and stops mid sentence. Obviously the recipient is A. S. (Stearney) Blake and the writer is assumed to be Thomas Adams. The subject adds to what is known about Tom's life in Washington City and leaves the reader with a sad picture of a very desperate unemployed, proud man.


The first part of the following letter to  A.S. (Stearney) Blake from Fred Burr is missing.

...built especially for their Mt. Vernon business- in connection with the Marshall Hall work. The Macalaster is the fastest and most elegant boat in these waters. Carries about 2,000 passengers, and was crowded to her utmost capacity during the busy season, making three trips a day.
        Marshall Hall is the finest summer resort on the Potomac and is always crowded with pleasure seekers in the summer that together with Mt. Vernon and the work down the river carrying freight and the mails to different points on the river, gives plenty of business---and will require both boats this summer-- the boat lately purchased is said to be first class and large enough to carry 12 to 1500 people. She is now in Baltimore being overhauled, painted &c. I am writing to you these details not knowing if you are posted or not, but as I imagined that "paralyzed hand" of your brother had not gotten well enough to allow him to write much. Thought he had not told you very much news. Mrs. Blake is a fine looking and good woman---and the baby has lots of friends, when the next one comes (it may be expected before many moons) then the Major will be proud sure enough.
          Tom Adams is about the same Form-- though greyer--in fact white as a white cat. He has not married. We often sit down and talk over old times, and he declares he will go to Montana some of these days. Do you ever see Tom Harris if you do I wish you would push him to write to me in answer to my letters about my Claim for the value of the horses stolen from me in 1857 --- he knows all about the matter and his evidence would help me to get my claim through, now that there is a fair prospect of getting it allowed. My lawyer has written to him as well as myself but lately we can not hear from him. While I was asking for favors I will say that now appears to be a good time for Power and Sanders to urge upon the Interstate Commerce Commission the increase of my salary, as the Commissioners will want to make all the friends they can among the Senators and members to get themselves put on a firm footing.
         I was appointed at a salary of $75.00 per mo. and was glad to get that as I thought when once in an increase would come, but if my backers do not push the matter it may be long before the promotion comes.  I say it (not to boast) and without fear of contradiction that I do more work and of the same class of work as the Clerks who sit around me getting $100 and think it is only fair that the same salary should be given me. If you can stir those fellows up please do so.
                                                                                               Remember me to all friends
                                                                                                     Yours Truly
                                                                                                       Fred H. Burr


Dec. 14, 1891
A. S. Blake Esq.                         
                                                      Friend Blake
                                                                                                                  I learned from L.C. Powers that I was indebted to you for your exertions on my behalf in regard to my procuring a position in the Inter State Commission and I hasten to thank you sincerely and kindly for your interest in my welfare. Your brother the Capt. told me that he had mentioned the matter to you, and I am thankful to him also. He has always proved himself to be a good friend to me and also to Mrs. Burr.
           At the risk of "riding a free horse to death"  I have another request to make of you. There is a rumor of changes to be made in this office, and there may be a chance for me to be advanced. Although I am thankful for $900---still would like $1200 better. and with out undue credit to myself I know that I do the same class of work and more of it than many of those who get the Larger salaries. I thought if you saw Power or Sanders you might prod them up, sometimes they forget little things like this matter, in the press of their business. Remember me to all the Boys, and when you have time and inclination please write to me.
             I sent you a paper. I would like to see some Montana papers.
                                                                                                          Yours Truly
                                                                                                           F. H. Burr
                                                                                                            612 B. Street N.E.

Dec 28
            The foregoing was written as you will see some time ago but was not mailed for some reasons, one of which I did not know your P.O. address. Today I met the Capt. or Major, he told me that Victor was the right address. The Major is looking well he has been a little under the weather with a bad cold but is all right now. He says your Sister is (or has been here) and was anxious to hear from you directly. Major told her "a fellow came to borrow a dollar from me the fellow said he worked for Sternei", he had come here to get a pension ($5oo) per mo-- and was broke.
                                                                                                   As ever
                                                                                                     Yours Truly
                                                                                                       Fred H. Burr



Victor Jan. 9th" 1892
F.H. Burr
Washington D.C.
        Dear Friend
Yours of 14th" Dec. came to hand, and I was glad to here from you and here you were in the land of living yet- and had a position. I did not get your letter in time to do anything for you as our Senators had come and gone. How ever my intention is to visit Washington in May and if I can be any help to you will be glad to do so.  Granville Stuart was at my place about six weeks ago and stop with me two days and we had an old fashioned visit. Talked about you and all the old timers and had a good time. Granville is looking well and feeling well. I made a start for Washington with my Partner and got as far as Chicago and he took sick with the Gripp and stoped with him two weeks, and in the mean time Congress adjourned for the holidays and they was so much sickness I thought I would come back and take in California this winter. Frank Woody and Myself will start next Wednesday. What has come of  Tom Adams. I don't here from him any more, quite a number of your old friends have died since I wrote you last--Lomprey,  Silverthorne,  Higgins and some other I can't think of now.  Fred I am always glad to here from you as that big Brother has quit writing to me  I guess he has to much to do to write. I will send you some papers and say good by. Yours Truly AS Blake 

The Blake Brothers

The early 1860 population of the area now known as Montana was very small. "Montana Historical Society Contributions Volume I" (p.293-304) lists 590 white men and women living in the area in the winter of 1862-63. On this list is L. L. Blake at Fort Owen, Missoula County, Washington Territory.

LL Blake, courtesy of Pat Close

Levi Lowell Blake (1830-1904) the second of 7 children born to Abijah and Maria Blake in Northfield, Vermont, left home at an early age. He served in the Mexican American War and was only 18 years of age when this war was over in 1848. He then joined the gold prospectors in California and according to family history earned a small fortune. Next, Levi served with Isaac Stevens during the Railroad Survey (1853-54). He is not listed in Captain John Mullan's "Report on the Construction of a Military Road from Fort Walla Walla to Fort Benton" but the family history states he was a good friend of the Captain. At the first election for Washington Territory (July 1862), Levi was elected as a Representative but according to family history became "sidetracked" on his way to Olympia and never served in this office. Instead he spent time mining in the Boise gold fields before returning to Fort Owen. Numerous notations are in Major John Owen Journals about Levi such as September 4, 1861 "Blakes train from Fort Benton" (p. 223).  The Major called him first just Blake and then later Major Blake when he became acting Agent for the Flathead Indians at Jocko in 1867. Levi refused the appointment to this position in 1869 and shortly after returned to the east.

His next venture was investing in the Marshall Hall Steamship Company in Washington D.C. in 1870. He was serving as Vice-President of the Company when Tom Adams was Secretary-Treasurer in 1892. At the age of 56 Levi married Marie Robinson. To this marriage was born a daughter Marion and son Lowell. Levi died in 1904 at the age of 74 in D.C. and his body was returned to Northfield, Vermont for burial in the family plot.

                                

AS Blake courtesy of Pat Close

Abraham Stearns Blake (1837-1907), known as "Stearnie" left the family home in Vermont at the age of 17 and "sailed via Nicaragua to the California Gold Fields", according to family history. He left Yuba, California in 1860 and met Major John Owen's in Portland, Oregon. Traveling back to Fort Owen with the Major's supply train, Stearnie arrived in Montana  November 20, 1861 (p.220 "Major Owen Journal Vol. I"). By January of 1862 Stearnie had become involved with the other prospectors in the Gold Creek area. "Major Graham and Bud McAdow returned from Deer Lodge. McAdow and young Blake found good prospects for gold." (p.239 Owen Journal Vol. I). As noted in this entry, Major Owen referred to Stearnie " as "young Blake."  Discussing the gold findings The Granville Stuart Diaries state: "A group began digging for gold on Pioneer Creek in April 1862. The group consisted of  G.S., J.S., P.W. McAdow, Stearnie Blake, John Powell and Fred Burr" (page 205). At this time they were using sluice boxes to capture the gold. The Granville Diary states on May 14, 1862: "Burr and I went up to the diggings now called Dixie. Rather like the appearance and took up three claims just below Blake and McAdow on Pioneer Gulch."

Stearnie was one of the group of sixteen who made the 1863 Stuart Expedition to Yellowstone Country. Between mining and expeditions he spent considerable time at Fort Owen. Thus when he became tired of the prospector life in 1867, Stearnie settled at the Fort assisting the Major with the flour mill and established a relationship with Mary Lark Use. Mary (1849-1919), called "Princess" by the Major was the daughter of Shoshone Chief Sirogan who served as Horse-Herder for the Fort. Mary's mother died when she was an infant and she was raised by Nancy and John Owen. After Nancy Owen died, Mary moved from the Fort to town and the Major's journal has almost daily entries stating "Young Blake went to town again tonight."

Mary and Stearnie married in 1869 and by the "Homestead Act of 1869" acquired and settled on a homestead of 320 acres at Victor. Of their first six children all but one died at an early age. Joseph died of measles at age 17. Their next five children lived at Victor into their 70's and 80's.  Stearnie served two terms as a State Representative in 1889 and 1891. He became a Master Mason in 1858 and was a Republican from the beginning formation of the party. Stearnie was one of the original discovers of the Curlew Quartz mine on Big Creek. According to family history three million dollars of Galena (lead and Silver) ore was taken from this mine during the 1880's and 90's.

A rough draft of "Place Names" written by a Forest Service Employee in July 1979 describes how Archer Mountain was named and discusses Sternie Blake as follows:

Archer Mountain: Named for George Archer. He and Marten Moe were trapping partners in the Selway River country. Archer used skiis when following his trapline. In January 1909 Archer's dog came, late at night and during a blizzard to Moe's camp. The dog whined all night. The next morning Moe set out to search for Archer but failed to find him. Moe then secured the help of Phil Shearer and Henry Pettibone to search for Archer. The search continued until new snow made further search useless. Moe came to the Bitterroot valley after the search and his appearance without his partner excited suspicion. Moe was held in jail until spring when his story was checked. During the following summer, Squawman Blake's squaw was picking huckleberries along Running Creek and her son was wandering along the creek banks when he found some bones. Investigation proved the bones to be those of George Archer. It was found he run over a bluff on his skis and hung up. He had fired all of the shells from his gun before dying.

It is interesting to note  that Blake supposedly had a gold mine on Indian Creek and many persons have searched for it. Blake was a brother of Clyde Blake (?) and related to the Gollogly Springs Blake. He was a State Senator at one time and lived in Victor. His first name was Sterns and he was called Sternie.

See the following web site for this quote: (www.fs.usda.gov/internet/FSE_DOCUMENT/stelprdb5201804, p.1 of 24.)

Stearnie died February 27, 1907 and Mary died February 21, 1919. They are both buried along with their children at the Victor Cemetery.

William Carr Trowbridge Blake (1839-1872) was the youngest Blake boy. He followed his brothers from Vermont to Montana in 1867 and found employment at Deer Lodge as a horticulturist. A New Northwest article in 1872 stated "Mr. Blake has no superior in the Territory as a horticulturist, and is also a fine botanist...." William became ill in April of 1872 with Typhoid Fever, then ten days later was at The Scott House improving rapidly. Sadly he had a relapse and died May 10 at the young age of 33.

The citizens of Deer Lodge paid proper respect to their distinguished member by passing a resolution stating their "sincere sympathy and condolences", to the relatives of William and published the resolution in the New Northwest and Weekly Independent newspapers of Deer Lodge. His body was returned to Northfield, Vermont for burial at Elmwood Cemetery.

The Blake brothers' were prominent as early pioneers in the establishment of Montana Territory. 



Smallpox and other epidemics in the Northwest

With epidemiology in the news it might be timely to note that the first historical event affecting Granite County for which we have a solid date is the smallpox epidemic of 1782. This event is stated in Salish accounts to have wiped out a band of their tribe in the Bitterroot. The incident occurred at the tail end of a smallpox epidemic that raged during the Revolutionary War and gradually spread across the North American continent from 1775 to 1782. The British indeed used smallpox as a form of biological warfare against the Colonial army.

The effects in the Northwest US and northern plains areas are perhaps best known from David Thompson’s accounts, particularly in the stories related to him by members of the Blackfeet nation. They told David they had caught the disease because they plundered a Shoshoni camp where practically all the Shoshoni were dead or dying from smallpox. The result was so devastating that the Blackfeet for a time reconsidered their traditional aggressive war policies since they apparently suspected that the epidemic might be spiritual payback for their constant attacks on their neighbors… what in today’s parlance we might call “karma”.

The 1782 smallpox is only one of several cataclysmic epidemics that wiped out most of the native population of the Northwest and northern plains. The later waves of smallpox apparently affected every tribe with the exception of the Flathead (Salish), who acquired immunity via a vaccination program instituted by the Jesuit missionaries under the direction of the noted doctor Father Ravalli.

In addition to smallpox, the Northwest was ravaged by epidemics of measles and malaria. The measles outbreak led to the killing of missionaries in Washington State who lacked the tools to prevent or cure the disease and so were blamed for the numerous deaths by the local tribes.  Malaria broke out in Washington state in 1829 when trading ships from the tropics inadvertently transported malarial mosquitoes into swampland along the Columbia River.  Because of somewhat unusual weather conditions the area was temporarily suitable for breeding of these tropical insects. Fatalities among native tribes ranged up to 100 percent and a 95 percent death rate was typical.  It is likely that Montana, at least, was spared this particular epidemic thanks to the cooler climate.   

“Stamp Mill (Some assembly required)”

The east end of Broadway was abuzz with activity on Saturday September 27^th.  About 9am, Butte mining engineer Larry Hoffman arrived with his Boom Truck, Bill Antonioli brought a forklift down from the Contact Mill, and a crew consisting of Dave Harris, Jim Waldbillig, Phil Richardson, Jim Hyatt, and Don Dee Kennedy began erecting a stamp mill at the historic James Stuart or Hope mill-site, where the first silver mill in Montana was constructed in 1867. It should be noted that the youngest member of this crew was 52 and the oldest 76 years of age, and several hundred years of mining, milling, and mechanical expertise were represented in this group.  Ted Antonioli and Loraine Bentz Domine of GCHS, and mill neighbor Julian Ricci were on hand to photograph and video the proceedings.  And naturally, numerous sidewalk supervisors offered commentary and encouragement!

The process began two years ago when the Granite County Historical Society decided to create a historic park at the mill-site in collaboration with the owners, the Antonioli family. Then last summer a group consisting of Larry Hoffman, Jim Waldbillig, Dave Harris, and Phil McDonald took apart a 10 Stamp Mill located at the Royal mine east of Princeton. The mill, belonging to Harris and Paul Antonioli, was transported in pieces to the Stuart Mill Site. One 5 stamp battery appeared to be in good enough condition for a working demonstration if the main supporting timbers were replaced and if it was placed on a concrete foundation. The stamps might then provide a functional educational display of 19^th century milling technology.

Larry Hoffman has been involved in the creation of two previous stamp mill displays, and drew blueprints for foundations. Last fall forms were laid and concrete poured for this foundation.  Timbers from the Bimetallic headframe were salvaged for the uprights and precisely machined by Phil Richardson at his shop in Missoula. Since then Jim Waldbillig and Dave Harris have been assembling the framework on site. By Saturday their work was done and the mill framework was ready to be erected.  When Hoffman lifted the upright timbers and gently placed them on the foundation the fit was exact! After the uprights were bolted into place, support timbers were added. Suffice it to say that a lot of precision leveling and drilling were needed to make the bolts fit.

By afternoon a timber cross beam was placed with the assistance of ladders and scaffolding. Once done the tired but undaunted crew began the final endeavor of the day: placing the HUGE camshaft in place into the trunnion bearings. This proved to be trickiest part of the job. An additional winch was called for so Don Dee went home and got his Jeep. After Dave carefully lubricated the bearing surfaces, Larry hoisted up the camshaft, with Jim Hyatt handling the slings and the Jeep winch helping position the shaft from the north.   Except for a short period, when the wheel caught on a bolt and the angle of the drop-in had to be slightly shifted, the camshaft fell into place and then to everyone’s delight, spun freely!   

Many more hours of work will be needed to install the pistons and get a power plant up and running.  So continue to watch for activity on the east end of Broadway. If you are inspired to contribute toward the project costs, donations will be accepted by Granite County Historical Society Treasurer Steve Neal.

Granite County Historical Society’s Second Annual Seminar

Twenty cheery faces met at 8:30 a.m. on the east end of Broadway at the old James Stuart millsite, the staging area of the Granite County Historical Society’s field trip on July 5th. The group then car-pooled to Arrow Point (also known as the Devil’s Eyebrow), a major Native American chalcedony or “flint” quarry north of Henderson gulch and west of Highway 1.  Flint Creek’s name is based on this quarry. During the short walk up the hill to the site, Katie McDonald, a Philipsburg native and geologist for the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology, provided a map of her field work at the Eyebrow, and with Ted Antonioli described the area’s geological history and history of Native American usage and the arrow points and tools made from the flint quarried there for thousands of years.  The location provided a good view of the routes formerly used to travel from the Clark’s Fork (called the Arrowstone River by the early fur trappers and the Hellgate River by the first surveyors) , to the Rock Creek and Bitterroot Valley. Many thanks to the Skinner ranch for permission to visit the area on their land.