P a g e 4 G h o s t T o w n s a n d H i s t o r y o f M o n t a n a N e w s l e t t e r The smelting of the ores in Park county has only been in operation in the New World Mining district. Although this process of reduction would reap an abundant output of the hidden wealth in other districts, yet the lack of capital stands ever ready as a bugbear to taunt the ambitious owner of mines and mining prospects. This district is only in its infancy, today; but fabulous possibilities for her future are often given as the judgment of prominent mining experts. Fort Yellowstone Gold to the value of many thousand dollars is obtained annually by the Bear Gulch Mining and Milling company. Plans are in progress for the building of complete reduction works, the supply of ore from the mines necessitating their speedy erection. Placer mining to some extent has always attended the discovery of gold. It has been extracted from the gravel, either by the old process of panning, or the more expensive methods of dredging and hydraulics. About one-half million dollars has been realized from the partly developed placer districts of Emigrant Gulch, while the Boulder district (by the recent discoveries of E. H. Cowles) and Bear and Crevice gulches by their past year's output bear evidence of many millions of dollars in undeveloped dust and nuggets. SILVER While it is true that in this district silver usually accompanies gold in some quantities at least, but of the few discoveries that have been made in silver leads, the decrease in its marketable price has caused such propositions to remain idle for the time being. The production of silver in Park county for 1898 was about 60.34 fine ounces with a coining value of $78.01. Some of the assays made of silver in the New World Mining district yield one hundred fifty ounces per ton, and are now lying dormant. Although rich copper deposits have been discovered in the Boulder and Six-Mile districts, the lack of capital has prevented their development. The best possibilities for this metal are found in the Belt and Crazy Mountains, and the day is not far distant when a second Butte excitement will be realized. Platinum has been found in the form of placer in the diggings of Emigrant gulch. Bismuth and zinc are also found in small quantities throughout this gulch. Tin is present in the New World Mining district, and cinnabar
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