152 MONTANA: INDUSTRIAL RESOURCES 



fuel; Glondivo and Baker from the Ucdar Creek anticline, and Havre from the 

 Hill county field. The sas from the Toole county field is being used in Shelby. 

 An investigation is under way with a view of extending its use, with that of the 

 northern Liberty county field, to (Jreat Falls. Plans are also being con- 

 sidered to extend the use of the gas from the Cedar Creek anticline to a number 

 of other eastern Montana towns besides Glendive and Baker. There is one carbon 

 black plant near Baker, Fallon county, where 11 to 12 wells have been brought 

 in. On Cabin Creek, 20 miles north of Baker, there are three gas wells, two of 

 which are of considerable size. In 11)21 ]Montana produced, according to the 

 U. S. G. S. 336,000 M cubic feet of gas with a value at point of consumption of 

 $89,300. In the past few months many new gas wells have been brought in. with 

 a reported production ranging from one million to thirty-five million feet of 

 gas per well a da.\. The Cedar Creek anti-cline is said to be one of the 

 largest gas fields in the United States. The Toole county field is reported to have 

 available from twenty-five to thirty million feet of gas a day that runs over 

 90 per cent methane. The estimated flow of one well in the northern Lil)erty 

 county field, which is the most recent to be discovered, is thirty-five million 

 cubic feet a day. Natural gas was discovered in Montana as far back as 1892. 



PETROLEUM 



Uses — Source of power, light and lubricants. Derivatives include local anes- 

 thetics, constituents of surgical dressings, ink, soap, rubber tires, paints, cos- 

 metics, emulsions and many other articles. Petroleum coke, an almost pure 

 carbon, used in metallurgy and in making battery carbons and arc light pencils. 

 Nearly two hundred products are manufactured from this mineral, adapted to a 

 wide variet.v of uses. 



Occurrence — In Carbon, Musselshell, Fergus, Garfield, Big Horn and Toole 

 counties. Also has been reported found, onl.v in small quantities, however, up to the 

 present time in Choteau, Stillwater and Fallon counties. Commercially produced 

 in Fergus, Toole and Carbon counties. Drilling for oil is being done in about 

 thirty-five coiuities of Montana at present. There are ten refineries in the 

 state, two at Lewistown, one at Hedgesville and one at Winnett, all in Fergus 

 county ; one at Billings, Yellowstone county ; one at Miles City, Custer county ; 

 one at Roundup, Musselshell county; two at Great Falls, Cascade county; one 

 at Kevin, Toole count.v. Production of oil began in Montana in lOlG with 44.917 

 barrels ; in 1922 the state's production was approximately 2,230,000 barrels. In 

 January, 1923, there were approximatel.v 144 producing wells in the state ; six 

 months later there were approximately 2(X) producing wells. (See also oil shale.) 



PRECIOUS GEMS AND METALS 



GEMS AND PRECIOUS STONES 



Uses — In jewelry and articles of adornment. 



Occurrence — Sapphire deposits on Togo Creek. 25 miles southwest of 

 Hobson, Judith Basin count.v, claimed to be the most valuable in the world. The 

 beds occur in a matrix which has been opened for a distance of six miles. 

 The output is shipped to London; most of the cutting is done in Switzerland. 

 There are three other extensive sapphire deposits in the state, on Rock Creek, 

 Granite county ; along Dry Cottonwood Creek. Deer Lodge County ; and along the 

 Missouri River for 20 miles near Helena, Lewis and Clark county. These three 

 beds are gravel deposits, but only one — Rock Creek beds — are being worked, and 

 practically th(> entire output goes for industrial uses. Among other counties 

 where finds of sapphires have been reported are Mus.selsh(>ll and Powder River. 



Other gems and stones : Octahedral diamond, reported foiuid near Blackfoot, 



