Montana Mining Company Ltd., a British
corporation, operated the Drumlummon Mine in Marysville, Montana, from
1882-1911. Records include interoffice correspondence (1893-1905); outgoing
correspondence (1893-1904); incoming correspondence (1890-1905); employment
records including payroll, contracts, insurance, and inquests (1893-1902);
financial records including bank deposits, bills of lading, board register,
checkbook, cash accounts, corporate balance sheets, estimates, invoices,
operating expenses, production/assay reports, receipts, statements, and tax
information (1888-1905); legal documents including agreements, contracts, and
court materials (1892-1899); miscellany; and printed material including
advertising, handbills, catalogs, and price lists for suppliers/vendors of
mining equipment.
Repository:
Montana Historical Society
Archives
225 N. Roberts PO Box 201201 Helena MT 59620-1201 (406) 444-4774 mhslibrary@mt.gov
Languages:
English
Sponsor:
Funding for encoding this
finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for
the Humanities.
Historical Note
On November 11, 1882, the Joint Stock
Association, a London syndicate, agreed to purchase the Drumlummon Mine in
Marysville, Montana Territory, from Thomas Cruse. Cruse filed a claim on the
Drumlummon in 1876 and he spent the next four years driving a 500-foot tunnel.
Two years later a five stamp mill constructed by the Mayger Bros. was
processing Drumlummon ore and turning a profit. That same year Cruse
transformed his small claim into a return of $1,500,000 by selling the
Drumlummon to British investors. The Drumlummon would become Montana's richest
gold mine, delivering over $16,000,000 in bullion over time. In 1883 the
British syndicate organized the Montana Mining Company, Limited, to repurchase
and operate the property. The company appointed George Attwood as general
manager. He was forced to resign, along with the company's directors, in 1884
due to stockholder dissatisfication with his managment of the property. The
stockholders were especially unhappy with the uneven balance between capital
investments for expanded milling capacity and production revenues. That same
year, Henry Bratnober and R.T. Bayliss took over management of the Drumlummon.
Their management soon increased production yielding dividends averaging 22.5
percent by 1887. Thereafter profits declined due to lower grade ore. In
addition, between 1889-1907, the company became involved in costly and
disrupting apex litigation over several adjoining properties. The most
important of these suits was brought by the St. Louis Mining and Milling
Company. When that suit was finally settled in the United States Supreme Court
in 1911, the Montana Mining Co., Ltd. was forced to sell the Drumlummon Mine to
the St. Louis Mining and Milling Company at sheriff's sale. In 1916 the St.
Louis Mining and Milling Co. reopened Marysville operations with increased mill
capacity. Over its lifetime 1880-1940, miners in the Marysville District
extracted over $40,000,000 in gold and silver ore.
Content Description
This collection contains incoming, interoffice and outgoing correspondence,
employment records, financial records, legal documents, miscellany, and printed
materials, documenting the operation of the Drumlummon Mine, as well as a
number of smaller mining properties owned by the Montana Mining Company, Ltd.
and located in Arizona. The bulk of the collection is dominated by Incoming
Correspondence (1893-1904) from suppliers. More significant is the Interoffice
Correspondence (1893-1905), from the home office in London to operators in
Marysville, which includes correspondence from mine engineers R.T. Bayliss,
H.C. Cutler, J.H. Hall, J.W. Morris, and C.A. Wolsoly. The Financial Records
include extensive production reports and balance sheets(1893-1905), bank
transactions(1897-1902), and a scattering of invoices and equipment
orders(1893-1904). There is a very small amount of Employment
Records(1893-1902) (including contracts, payroll, and inquests)and Legal
Documents (primarily items related to the litigation with St. Louis Mining and
Milling Co). The Printed Materials in the collection document the mining and
milling technology in use in the Montana silver industry between 1893 and 1905.
These materials are primarily of an illustrative nature. For other collections
related directly to the Montana Mining Co. Ltd., see the Thomas Cruse Papers,
MC 36 and SC 1028.
Administrative Information
Arrangement :
by series
Acquisition Information : Acquisition Information:
available upon request
Detailed Description of the Collection
The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in
the collection
Interoffice Correspondence
Container(s)
Description
Dates
Box/Folder
1 / 1-11
London to Marysville
(correspondents include H. Neal, C.J. Cooke, London secretaries)
1893-1898
2 / 1-4
London to Marysville
(correspondents include C.J. Cooke)
1899-1901
2 / 5
London to Marysville
(telegrams)
1904-1905
2 / 6
London to Marysville
(correspondents include R.T. Bayliss re financial affairs of Company)
1899-1905
2 / 7
H.C. Cutler (correspondence
from Arizona to Marysville re prospective mining properties)
1902-1903
2 / 8
J.H. Hall (correspondence
from mine engineer to Marysville re prospective mining properties)
1897-1903
2 / 9
J.W. Morris (correspondence
from mine engineer to Marysville re mining operations in Arizona)
1903
2 / 10
C.A. Wolsoly (correspondence
from mine engineer to Marysville re prospective mining properties)
A (correspondents
include Arthur Ackerman, C.J. Adams, George B. Aiton, Matt W. Alderson, H.F.
Allan, Alfred H. Allen, O.R. Allen, W.D. Allen and Company, Allison Coupon
Company, Amberg File and Index Company, Anderson Brothers Company, W.J. Anson,
Ansonia Electrical Supply Company, E. Anton, Samuel Argall, Ed Attfield, M.B.
Austin and Company, William Lawrence Austin, Daniel J. Avery)
1893-1904
3 / 2
Allis Chalmers
(successor to Fraser & Chalmers)
1903
3 / 3
American ...
(correspondents include American Association for the Advancement of Science,
American Developing and Mining Company [E.L. Whitmore], American Engineering
Works, American National Bank [T.C. Power], American Smelting and Refining
Company [Walter T. Page], American Spiral Pipe Works)
1893-1904
3 / 4
Anaconda Copper Mining
Company
1898-1902
3 / 5
Ba-Bl (correspondents
include Bach, Cory and Company; F.W. Bacorn; Henry T. Baker, Bald Butte Mining
Company, Balfour, Guthrie and Company; Ballach Smelting and Refining Company;
Bernard Bandler; Charles J. Barclay; N. Belanger; Belgrade Mercantile Company;
Belmont School District #12; Berg Hardware Company; C.G. Birdseye and Company;
M.D. Birge and Company; R.C. Bishop; Louis I. Blood)
1893-1904
3 / 6
Bo-By (correspondents
include E.L. Bonner Company; Borden and Selleck Company; S.E. Bowlby; Bozeman
Milling Company; Braden Brothers; Bridger Coal Company; Brown Brothers and
Company; A.E. Bruce; Amos Buck Mercantile Company; M. Buckley; James S.
Burroughs and Company; R.C. Burton; James W. Byrnes Belting and Hose Company)
1893-1903
3 / 7
Charles Billin & Co.
1897-1901
3 / 8
Boston & Montana
Consolidated Copper & Silver Mining Co.
1894-1904
3 / 9
Ca (correspondents
include Caird and Hawksworth; Cameron, Amberg and Company; A.S. Cameron Steam
Pump Works; Thomas E. Candler, Capital Electric Company; Capital Lumber
Company; J.A.B. Carbis; J.J. Carmichael; J.T. Carroll; Edward Carver)
1893-1904
3 / 10
Ce-Cl (correspondents
include Central Commercial Company; Edley Chapman; Chrome Steel Works; August
T. Chur; P.J. Cirkel; Horace F. Clark; Clarke Fork Coal Mining Company; J.M.
Clements; The Club, Marysville)
1893-1904
3 / 11
Co (correspondents
include Coast Lumber Company; Jeremiah Collins; Colorado Smelting and Mining
Company; C.P. Connolly; J.H. Conrad; J.R.B. Coon; Cooperative Building Plan
Association; Cottonwood Coal Company)
1893-1904
3 / 12
Cr-Cu (correspondents
include G.W. Crane and Company; S.H. Crookes; Robert Crooks and Company; Fred
Crowther; Hubert P. Crowther; B.S. Cullen; Cullingworth and Peters; E.S.
Cunningham; Thomas Cunningham; Arthur P. Curtin)
1893-1904
4 / 1
H. Channon Company
1897-1903
4 / 2
Chicago ...
(correspondents include Chicago and Aurora Smelting and Refining Company;
Chicago Fish Company; Chicago General Fixture Company; Chicago Great Western
Railway)
1893-1903
4 / 3
Continental Oil Company
1893-1903
4 / 4
Thomas Cruse
1893-1903
4 / 5-6
Cullen & Toole
1893-1896
4 / 7
Cullen, Day & Toole
1897-1898
4 / 8
Cullen, Day & Cullen
1899-1903
4 / 9
D (correspondents
include C.L. Dahler; A.F. Davis; James S. Dawes; DeLamar Mining Company; Edwin
Delbanco; Dimmick Concentrating Company; C. Dinsmore; George T. Dixon; J.W.
Dougherty; N. Dougherty; C.E. Dutton)
1893-1904
4 / 10
E (correspondents
include East Pacific Mine [R.A. Bell, C.K. Tibbetts]; Eastern Oregon Mining
Company; John W. Eddy; Edson Manufacturing Company; K. Eitner; Electric Vehicle
Company; Elkhorn Mining Company; Henry Elling; Elliston Lime Company;
Engineering and Mining Journal; The Exploration Company, Ltd. [C.A. Molson])
1893-1904
4 / 11
F (correspondents
include Fairbanks, Morse and Company; L.P. Faison; Falls Rivet and Machinery
Company; John H. Farmer; Felt and Tarrant Manufacturing Company; First National
Bank of Helena; First National Bank of Kalispell; Thomas W. Fisher; W.O.
Fisher; Frank E. Fitts Manufacturing and Supply Company; Thomas Flynn; William
Frecheville; Anthony Freeman; Freyschlag, Huffman and Company; B.A.M. Froiseth)
1893-1903
5 / 1-2
Fraser & Chalmers
1893-1900
5 / 3
Fuerst Bros. & Co.
1898-1903
5 / 4
Ga-Gl (correspondents
include Galt Coal Company; A.D. Gamble; Fred Gamer; W.H. Gardner; Garlock
Packing Company; W.H. Gassert; Gebo Coal Company; General Electric Company;
Gibson Gas Fixture Works; J.E. Gilbert; D.M. Gilmore and Company; Globe Carbon
Company)
1893-1904
5 / 5
Go-Gu (correspondents
include W.S. Godfrey; Leopold Goldschmiedt; C.W. Goodale; Goodell and Goodell;
Goodwin Manufacturing Company; Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company; David Goss;
Granite from the Rockies; Granite Mountain Mining Company; Grasselli Chemical
Company; Great Falls and Canada Railway Company; Great Northern Express
Company; Benn Greenhood Company; Greyhound Mining and Milling Company; Charles
P. Grove; G.S. Gunnis; Andrew D. Guy)
1893-1904
5 / 6
Gutta Percha &
Rubber Mfg. Co.
1893-1903
5 / 7
Ha-He (correspondents
include Hart and Hegeman Manufacturing Company; Hartford Steam Boiler
Inspection and Insurance Company; Charles S. Hartman; Henry Heil Chemical
Company; Helena Book and Stationery Company; Helena Frisco Mining Company;
Helena Iron Works; Helena and Livingston Smelting and Reduction Company; James
H. Henley; D.A. Herron)
1893-1905
5 / 8
Hi-Hy (correspondents
include Cerf Hirsch and Company; J.B. Hodson; S.P. Holden; Frank T. Holloway;
Fred Holroyd; Homestake Gold Mining and Milling Company [Colorado]; Homestake
Mining Company [South Dakota]; Hotel Helena; Stephen Humble; A.J. Huneke)
1893-1905
5 / 9
A.M. Holter Hardware Co.
1893-1897
6 / 1-2
A.M. Holter Hardware Co.
1898-1903
6 / 3
Charles J. Hughes Jr.,
Atty. (re mining litigation)
1893-1903
6 / 4
I (correspondents
include Illinois Malleable Iron Company; Illinois Roofing and Supply Company;
Ingersoll-Sergeant Drill Company; Inland Crystal Salt Company; Inland Oil
Company; Inter-Mountain Salt Company; International Correspondence Schools;
International Motor Car Company [Waverly Electric Vehicles])
1894-1905
6 / 5
J (correspondents
include Jeffrey Manufacturing Company; Samuel H. Jenkins; Jewell Belting
Company; John Johnson and Company; Jones and Laughlin Steel Company)
1893-1902
6 / 6
K (correspondents
include H.A. Keller; Kessler Brick and Sewer Pipe Works; George W. King; M.
Kirkpatrick; Kleinschmidt and Brother; H.G. Klenzl [Klenze?]; A. Klipstein and
Company; Kuehn Brothers)
1893-1904
6 / 7
L (correspondents
include Lamb and Gorham; S.W. Langhorne; James Lee and Company; Lewis and Clark
County government; Lexington Mining Company; Walter H. Little; John Logan; Los
Angeles Mining Review)
1893-1904
6 / 8
John W. and R.A. Luke
Insurance
1897-1904
6 / 9
Ma-Me (correspondents
include Magnolia Metal Company; Manchester Fire Assurance Company; A.G. Mandel;
Manila Mining and Investment Company; I. Marks; Marysville Electric Light and
Water Company; Marysville Iron Works; Marysville Meat Company; Joe Mayer;
Mechanical Rubber Company; Charles W. Merrill [Montana Mining Company, Ltd.;
Homestake Mining Company]; Fred Meyers)
1893-1904
6 / 10
Mc (correspondents
include McConnell and McConnell; W.J. McConnell; E. McCormick; John D.
McDonald; E. McGinnis; D.B. McKillican; Hal M. McLaughlin; Kenneth McLea; J.M.
McPhee; Irving McQuarry)
1893-1904
7 / 1
Mi-Mu (correspondents
include Michigan Wire Cloth Company; Midvale Steel Company; Mine and Smelter
Supply Company; Mines and Minerals; Mines Selection Syndicate, Ltd; W.W.
Morris; Charles Munson Belting Company; H.B. Mulligan; Will H. Murgittroyd;
William Muth; R.M. Myers)
1897-1904
7 / 2
McDermott &
Duffield, Mining Engineers
1893-1895
7 / 3
Montana ...
(correspondents include Montana State Boiler Inspector's Office; Montana Coal
and Coke Company; Montana College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts; Montana
Club; Montana Electric Company; Montana Hardware Company; Montana Iron Works;
Montana State Mineral Land Commission; Montana State School of Mines)
1897-1904
7 / 4
Montana National Bank
(later known as National Bank of Montana)
1897-1899
7 / 5
Mullan Pass Coal Company
1893-1897
7 / 6
N (correspondents
include National Carbon Company; National Tube Works; Thomas M. Newland; C.C.
Newman; Herbert Nicholson and Company; Frank P. Nicoll; John M. Norris; North
Pacific Lumber Company; North Western Fuel Company; Northern Electrical
Company; Northwestern General Electric Company; Northwestern Improvement
Company)
1893-1904
7 / 7
National Bank of Montana
1900-1902
7 / 8
Northern Pacific
Railroad Company
1893-1904
7 / 9
O (correspondents
include R.J. O'Connor; Oberne Leather Company; Omaha and Grant Smelting
Company; Overland Consolidated Gold Mining Company; Handel E. Owen)
1893-1904
7 / 10
Pa-Ph (correspondents
include Pacific Coast Borax Company; Parchen Drug Company; Parkhurst and
Wilkinson Company; Passmore and Company; James Patten; Penobscot Mining
Company; People's Forwarding Company; Charles T. Perry and Company;
Philadelphia Smelting and Refining Company; William M. Philpott; Phoenix Steel
Wire Broom and Brush Company; Phoenix Wire Works)
1893-1904
7 / 11
Pi-Pu (correspondents
include Pickards, Brown and Company; Pinkerton National Detective Agency; Pope
and O'Connor, Druggists; Thomas C. Power; T.C. Power and Company; Pneumatic
Engineering Company; Precious Metals Extraction Company, Ltd.; S.F. Price;
Osgood Putnam)
1893-1904
8 / 1
Q-Re (correspondents
include Queen of the Hill Mining Company; Quigley Mercantile Company; N. Ralia
[N. Ralya]; William Q. Ranft; Reid Commission Company; Republic Consolidated
Gold Mining Company; Thomas Reynolds)
1893-1904
8 / 2
Rh-Ru (correspondents
include G.W. Rhodes; James H. Rhodes and Company; Jacob H. Rice; W.T. Rich;
J.E. Rickards Company; Rix Engineering and Supply Company; W.L Robertson; G.H.
Robinson; Fred J. Rowlands; Joseph T. Ryerson and Son)
1893-1904
8 / 3
Robinson & Cary
Company
1893-1904
8 / 4
Rocky Fork Coal Company
of Montana
1898-1902
8 / 5
Roessler &
Hasslacher Chemical Co.
1897-1904
8 / 6
Sa-Sc (correspondents
include S.H. Supply Company; A.G. Safford; W.H. Salisbury and Company; Sand
Coulee Coal Company; Sand Point Lumber Company; Sanders and Sanders; Sanderson
Brothers Steel Company; Sands Brothers; Morris Sands; A.W. Schreiber; John
Schuermyer; Scottish American Development Company; John R. Scupham)
1893-1904
8 / 7
Se-Sh (correspondents
include Felix Senecal; W.J. Sharwood; Francis M. Shaw [Montana Mining Company];
G.W. Shaw; Theodore Shed; Sheffield Car Company; Robert W. Shoquist)
1893-1904
8 / 8
Si-Sp (correspondents
include Simonds Manufacturing Company; William Singleton; Frank L. Sizer; J.H.
Slavens; I.N. Sloan; H.S. Slocum; A.H. Smith; I.N. Smith; J.R. Smith; Louis
Solomon; Southern Trade Record, Joseph F. Spellman)
1893-1904
8 / 9
St-Sw (correspondents
include Otto Stalmann; Standard Ore Company [Harry E. Steece]; H.T. Stanes;
George H. Stanton; Stedman Foundry and Machine Company; Steele, Hindson and
Company; Robert Stevenson; G.R. Stimpson; Julian Strawn; Randolph Stuart;
Summit Wood Company; Sunbeam Incandescent Lamp Company; Alex Swan;
Swedish-American Telephone Company; Switzer Brick and Terra-Cotta Company)
1893-1904
8 / 10
Schoellkopf, Hartford
& MacLagan
1897-1904
9 / 1
T (correspondents
include Taylor Iron and Steel Company; John Taylor and Company; W.H. Taylor;
Thew Automatic Shovel Company; Thompson Investment Company; Thompson-Hoof
Company; H.S. Thurber and Company; O. Tibbets; B. Tibbey; J.S. Toppan Company;
C.B. Towers; Trent Engineering and Machinery Company; Trenton Iron Company;
Trump Manufacturing Company; C.A.P. Turner; James Twiford; F. Twinch)
1893-1904
9 / 2
U-V (correspondents
include Union Bank and Trust Company [George L. Ramsay]; Union Mercantile
Company [Louis Hillebrecht]; United Smelting and Refining Company; United
States Assay Office, Helena; United States Commission to the Antwerp
International Exposition; United States Fidelity and Guaranty Company; United
States Geological Survey; United States Dept. of the Interior; United States
Marshal's Office, Nevada; United States Post Office Dept.; United States
Surveyor General; United States Treasury Dept.; United States Weather Bureau;
Vacuum Oil Company)
1893-1904
9 / 3
Wa-We (correspondents
include P.C. Waite; Walker Brothers, Bankers; W.S. Walker; Wallace and Hart,
Assayers; Thomas Wallace; Warehouse and Builders' Supply Company; Watson and
Lund; M.D. Wells and Company; E. Wenstrom; Carl Werngren; Western Forge and
Rolling Mills; Western Mining Supply Company; Westinghouse Electric and
Manufacturing Company; Wetherill Separating Company;)
1893-1904
9 / 4
Wh-Z (correspondents
include Oscar W. White; Whitman and Barnes Manufacturing Company; J.R.
Whitmire; C.W. Wiley; Thomas Williams; George W. Wilson; James Winscott; Albert
Winston; J.W. Winwood; P. Wiseman; Thomas P. Wood; Woonsocket Rubber Company;
World's Fair and Louisiana Purchase Exposition Company; F.E. Wright; Yale and
Towne Manufacturing Company; M. Zortman)