' 234
THE WEST SHORE.
silver. In the case of base ores, however, the process is
more expensive and complex. After the ore has been
hoisted from the mine it is conveyed in hand cars to the
npir Mirt of the mill, whore it is put through large iron
crushers, which reduce it to alwut the size of walnuts.
From the crushers it drops to the drying floor, where all
the moisture it contains is evaporated, and where it is
mixed with a proportion of salt varying from 8 to 14 per
cent of its weight, the amount of salt depending on the
baseuea of the ore. When thoroughly dried it is shov
eled under the stamps, large xrpeiulicular iron bars
weighing 900 pounds, which are raised by machinery and
- permitted to drop on the ore below at the rate of about
fifty strokes xr minute. The effect, of course, is to
crush the ore to powder, in which condition it is taken
automatically to the roasters. These are huge hollow
cylinders revolving slowly and filled with flames of in
tense heat oonveyod from the furnaces below by means of
a draft As the cylinders revolve the action of the heat
drives off the sulphur in the ore, liberates the chlorine in
the salt, and a chemical change takes place in the nature
of the silver in the ore, making a chloride of what was
formerly a sulphide of silver, and rendering it suscepti
ble of amalgamation with quicksilver the same as the
silver in the "free" ore above mentioned. From the
roasters- the pulp is then conveyed by tramway to the
paw, large tubs filled with water, in which quicksilver is
placed with the pulp. The mass is then violently agi
tated so that every particle of the silver chloride comes
in contact with the quicksilver, by which it is taken up.
The whole i then conveyed to the settlers, auother series
of tubs in which the water 'settles, sud from which the
quicksilver is drawn iu the form of amalgam. This is
afterwards subjected to heat, volatilizing the quicksilver,
which is afterwards condensed for use again by means of
cold water pipes, leaving the silver in a pure metallic
slate, to be melUd into bars ami shipped for coinage.
The process by which the copper ore. are smelted is
simple enough. Like the silver ores of Butte they are of
a sulphurous composition and require to l roasted be
fore their metal contents can be put into marketable
tap. The onpiw on of Butte are either desulphur
ued by what is called het roasting, or by being put
Uirough roverberatory furnaces, i umg brick ovens,
into whuh heat and flame are introduced to drive off the
sulphur and other impurities. After this initial treat,
men U.e ore, winch had, f course, been previously
crushed and ro led" to the finenea. of aand, is dumped
into the matting furnace, where it is reduced to a 2n
-Ute for the separation, as fur as poHaible, of the worth.
I-ingr ,eU from the metal Uao. The nietal i. tnen
drawn off into sand cavitie. where it cool, and becomes
copper matte. It generally assays from 53 to Kper
Wh? - though
the ram Comply, by new and improved ?rcW
Severn of the ButU compi ihip on u gT
m .t oouUn. from 40 to 76 per cenl of copan
handsomely to ship without smelting. ' Py
THE SILVEB MINES AND MILLS.
Alice. Thia mine has been extensively developed.
The three-compartment shaft has reached a perpendicular
depth of 800 feet At intervals of 100 feet cross cuta
intersect the ledge, and drifts have been run east and
west for distances varying from' 500 to 1,000 feet, open
ing up a regular and continuous vein of ore for extrac
tion. The Magna Charta, owned by the same company,
is similarly developed to a depth of 600 feet, and for
three years past has contributed sixty tons per day to the
mills, an amount which it could readily double if re
quired. In the development of these two properties the
most improved appliances have been employed. The
Cornish pump is a magnificent piece of machinery. It
cost $40,000, and is a monument alike to the splendid
enterprise of the Alice Company and to the mechanical
skill of the great machinery firm of Fraser &, Chalmers.
of Denver, Chicago and New York, who built it It ap
pears in the accompanying engraving of the interior of
the Alice hoisting works. The pump saves the comuanv
150 per day for wood, and guarantees it against possible
loss oy reason ol the flooding or other accident to the old
style of pump used below the surface. The Alice mills
are two in number, one containing twenty and one sixty
stamps, iney are chloridizing or roasting mills, and
daily treat 100 tons of ore, from which the bullion dto-
ceeds vary from $80,000 to $90,000 per month. The com
pany employs JUU men and pays out monthly from
$40,000 to $50,000 for wages and local supplies. Divi
dends amounting in all to $525,000 have been paid.
Lexington. This great property was sold a few years
ago to a French company, and has since paid $540,000 in
dividends. The shaft is now 650 feet deep and is still
going down. For four years past the property has pro
duced $1,000,000 per annum, and in the 400 and 500 foot
levels alone enough ore is in sight and available for ex
traction to supply the mill for two years without further
exploration. The mine is well equipped with a costly
and powerful hoisting plant, air compressor and steam
drills, and every other appliance to insure vigorous and
economical work. The mill is the most complete in the
estern Territories. It contains sixty stamps and daily
onwhea sixty tons of ore, varying in value from $40 to $70
in Bilver. The Lexington is justly regarded as one of the
richest, most extensive and most permanent properties in
the Territory. The excellence of its management is con
ceded by alL
Jonn.Butte has every reason to be proud of the
Mou ton mine and its management The property is
developed to a depth of 500 feel
separate and distinct ledges. For three years past a
--y K-uuuci oi lorty tons of good ore per day has been
maiutauiea. Three years ago the company was indebted
m the sum of $140,000. Since that time the mine has
been systematically and thoroughly developed, the debt
has been paid off. 7Knnn w ' j J: m,j.
and the company treasury to-day contains $100,000 free
, npi incumbrance, Such, in brief, is the history
one 01 "lw mine of Butt. The Moulton mill