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No more striking Illustration of :h-irony of fortune so often experienced In mining could Ite found than in the case of two prospectors who are work- lt;Ing in ft claim mar Ophir, nine miles from Avon. J. A. Rowand *f this city, spent several thousands of dollars on the property and then gave up his bond. Then Thomas Cruse took hold of the property and spent much money on It, but he t4*. nave It up. The claim was abandoned and re-located by two prospectors. Recently they went to work on the claim to do the representation work to hold It and the first blast disclosed the rich pay streak. John It. Quigley of Avon, who was in the city yesterday, tells the story.The property wan first located n number of years ago. Nothing but representation work was done on It for some time, until finally J. A. Row and secured a leas*- and began working the property. He sunk a shaft 2R feet and •lid other work, but falling to find any ore that assayed any value, threw up tb- lease. The prop.-rty remained idle several years and then Thomas Cruse secured It and spent a large amount of money in dev* loping it. and sunk a shaft In anolh-r spot so f, i t deep, itut he also was unfortunate and failed to find the ore body. Tb- indications \v**re there which promised that the claim vheuld blt; a good one. but the leasers mlss-d It.Tb*' i hilm was abandoned and lav • Idle for a number of years until finally It was re-located by the two prospectors. r.ruswdck and Olson. Th- y bad no money to work it and w-re content to do the repres-nUtlIon work, expecting at some future tim- to develop it.A short tlm- ago they went to the claim to do the representation work for this year. They da • ided that the 25-foot shaft sunk by Mr. Itowand was us likely a place as any other. A hole was drilled, the powder put In. and then the fuse lighted.When the two men clambered down the ladder to take out the wa*t*. a surprise met them. The very first shot had uncohered n body of free milling gold ore. Chunks of the lt;.re were pounded Into dust and with mortar and pestle and then washd, leaving rich colors In the pan.After a little more work It was found that the vein was five feet wide and very rich. Since the ledge was first uncovered the men have sunk th. shaft deeper, with the ore carrying richer values for every font In depth. Eighty tons of or- are on the dump and as soon as the owners are satisfied that their good fortune Is not going to turn on them. It Is their Intention to eu-t a stamp mill.While Mr. Row and. on- -.f the first workers on the property, did not succeed In finding the large ore body, be owns an Interest In th- claim.—Helenu Independent.
Newspaper Details
Lewistown Fergus County Democrat
Lewistown, Montana, US
Tue, Jun 05, 1906
Page 7
Full Page
Clipped by
Becki J.
USA 27 May 2022
Other Publications Near Lewistown, Montana
Lewistown Fergus County Democrat
Lewistown Fergus County Argus
