P a g e 5 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 Cooke City, or the New World Mining District. Among the greatest possible mining camps in the world today is that of the New World Mining district. As early as 1864 Peter More, George Huston and other prospectors came up to this locality, but were unsuccessful in their search for gold. Owing to the hostilities of the Indians to white men trespassing into the Crow reservation, the latter did not venture into this region until 1870, when James Gourley, Ed. Hibbard, Horn Miller and Bart Henderson discovered some float galena ore in Soda Butte creek but, on meeting the obstacles of yore, were forced to return to the agency at Fort Parker. In 1871 the same party returned and Horn Miller discovered a vein of argentiferous ore. Soon several lodes were discovered by them, but in the fall they were forced to return on account of the snow, the altitude being 7,800 feet. The news of these discoveries flew like wildfire, but capital could not be induced to invest until the millstone of the Crow reservation was removed in 1882. By further prospecting an area of nine miles in length by three in width, shows a constant succession of veins filled with high grade ores, while beyond this limit a great number of claims have been located, thus an immense area of the richest mineral lands are embraced in this one region. With Cooke City as a central camp, and acting as the axle to a wheel-of-fortune, the rich mineral veins penetrate the surrounding country in every direction. During the year 1882 Major Geo. O. Eaton, ex-surveyor general for Montana, purchased the Great Republic group of mines and formed the Republic Mining company. They spent some $300,000 in the development of their mines and in the erection of a water jacket smelter. This mass of machinery only continued in operation for a short time, owing to a failure in securing a railroad by way of the northern limits of the National Park, which was considered forbidden ground for this form of internal improvements. The camp now remained inactive until 1885, when the owners of the plant deemed it advisable to renew their mining operations—this time running for about one hundred days. During this run 440 tons of silverlead bullion were produced which sold in Pennsylvania for more than $95,000; but owing to the great expense of freighting coke into this camp, a distance of about sixty-five miles, and the bullion out for nearly the same distance, did not net sufficient profit for the encouragement of active operations. Since 1886 other mining companies have been in operation off and on, only to close with the one hindrance—excessive freight and no railroad. Experts estimate today that there is over 100,000 tons of ore on the dumps ready for immediate shipment, in the event of better transportation. –Read more in next month’s issue! Accessed via: https:// chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/ Cooke City, Montana
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