0#»^gii^— 11^— PI— nn^— irii"^— irn^— nn^^nn^— iiB^— Di— ni»^nw^^BH^— MP^— UP— im— nii^— HB^— Hn^^BB— ^nu— nn— na^^tB^^H^*^(Mi^^i- iih-*># 



:174 MONTANA-1916 • 



• • 



»^PH^— na^^nn-^aB^— iin— 1111^— iiii«^inr^— uil^»M*^pii^— MB— itB^— Mi^— iiB^— BH^— Bii^— nif^MP^— nn^— nii^— riH^— uit^^im— Hii^— M ga ■ m • • 



has overshadowed all others, Butte, the metropolis of the state, has developed into 

 a large distributing center. Butte is practically Silver Bow county, although the 

 incoi-porated area of the municipality itself, embraces but a comparatively small 

 portion of the territory actually covered by the city. The area devoted to 

 agriculture in Silver Bow county is very small, and no great increase is likely. 



Butte is known is the "greatest mining camp on earth" but it ia much more 

 than that. It is the largest city in the state, the population, at the present time, 

 being estimated at almost 90,000 and, aside from its mining interests, it is of 

 importance because of its manufactures and as a financial, railroad, commercial and 

 distributing center. With one exception, every interstate railroad operating in 

 Montana has lines into Butte. 



Butte, from a one time mining camp, and later a city of smoke, has emerged 

 into a city of beautiful homes, splendidly paved streets, fine public buildings, 

 dignified business blocks, and is generally accorded the distinction of being one 

 of the most metropolitan cities of its size on the continent. Pew cities can boast of a 

 more healthful or bracing climate. Seldom is the winter excessively cold and 

 when, occasionally, there is a touch of zero weather in mid-winter, there is an 

 absence of chill and penetration due to the peculiar dryness of the air. 



Copper and zinc form the basis of Butte's exceptional prosperity, the annual 

 production of the former being in excess of 300,000,000 pounds and the latter about 

 215,000,000. More than 15,000 miners are employed underground at the highest wages 

 paid for this kind of work anywhere in the world. The total mining payroll of the 

 Butte district, in the spring of 1916, was more than $2,500,000 monthly. Butte 

 produces one-fourth of the copper mined in America, and one-seventh of the 

 world's production. In addition to the copper and zinc mined, there is annually 

 produced, chiefly as by-products, 12,000,000 ounces of silver and about $1,500,000 in 

 gold. The Anaconda, the greatest silver producer in America, is in Butte, while the 

 Butte and Superior is the greatest zinc producer on the continent. The Ana- 

 conda is likewise the second greatest copper producing mine in the woria. 



The production of zinc in the Butte district is of recent growth. In 1908, the 

 total value of the zinc mined in the district was estimated at $77,080. It reached 

 $1,708,000 in 1910, went to $6,200,000 in 1914 and to more than $20,000,000 in 

 1915. In 1916, figured on the prevailing price of spelter and the rate of production 

 in the early spring, it is believed that the total value of the zinc production in 

 Butte will reach $43,000,000. 



The operation of the mines in Butte furnish ready markets for many products of 

 the Treasure State. Electrical power is sent to Butte over long-distance transmission 

 lines from Great Falls, Helena and the Madison river. More than 65,000,000 feet of 

 lumber is annually used in making safe the underground workings. 



The permanence of the Butte mining district is assured. Gold and silver camps 

 are usually short-lived, but copper veins increase in value as depth is attained. 

 Copper mines in Europe have been worked for more than a thousand years, and 

 on this basis, although Butte has been a copper producer for 34 years, and during that 

 time has sent to the markets of the world a billion dollars worth of the red metal, 

 the camp is but in its infancy. The depth of the producing Butte mines range 

 from 1,000 to 3,500 feet. 



Butte is noted for its modern and excellent educational eystem. There are 

 27 public schools, with one of the largest and most efficient corps of teachers in 

 the northwest. There are also seven parochial schools and a most up-to-date high 

 school, which offers technical training in several lines. The State School of Mines, 

 a branch of the University of Montana, is located here, and annually turns out a class 

 of mining engineers whose theoretical education has been supplemented by intimate 

 acquaintance and observation of the practical ideals of mining and smelting. 



