RED   LODGE    COAL   FIELD,    MONTANA.  101 
will  materially  increase  the  total  coal  production  of  the  Red  Lodge 
district. 
BEAR  CREEK  DISTRICT. 
General  statement. — Five  coal  companies  are  operating  in  the  Bear 
Creek  district.  They  are  the  Washoe  Copper  Company,  Montana 
Coal  and  Iron  Company,  Bear  Creek  Coal  Company,  Smokeless  and 
Sootless  Coal  Company,  and  International  Coal  Company.  In 
addition  to  the  mines  of  these  companies,  development  for  an  exten- 
sive mine  is  in  progress  in  Foster  Gulch,  and  a  small  opening  known 
as  the  Nelson  mine  is  operated  in  Taggart  Gulch.  The  location  of 
these  mines  is  shown  by  the  double-letter  symbol  on  PL  VI. 
Washoe  Copper  Company. — The  Washoe  Copper  Company  owns 
two  mines  known  as  No.  1  and  No.  2,  in  the  N.  J  sec.  1,  T.  8  S., 
R.  20  E.,  near  Washoe,  a  post-office  recently  established  between  Red 
Lodge  and  Bear  Creek.  Mine  No.  1,  the  larger  of  the  two,  is  on  bed 
No.  1,  which  at  this  mine  has  a  thickness  of  6  feet.  The  beds  dip 
slightly  to  the  southwest  and  the  main  gangway  extends  to  the 
northeast,  so  that  the  coal  is  easily  brought  to  the  surface.  In  Feb- 
ruary, 1908,  the  main  gangway  east  had  been  extended  1,000  feet 
with  13  rooms,  the  main  gangway  north  1,100  feet  with  two  entries 
and  33  rooms,  and  the  main  gangway  south  425  feet  with  17  rooms. 
Mine  cars  are  hauled  by  horses  from  the  mine  to  the  tipple,  which  is 
fitted  with  a  tip  and  screens  with  bars  1^  inches  apart. 
During  the  fall  of  1907  mine  No.  2  was  opened  in  the  valley  of 
Kicking  Creek  by  a  double-entry  slope  375  feet  long  on  a  30°  dip  to 
bed  No.  1,  where  entries  were  opened,  but  no  mining  had  been  done 
previous  to  February,  1908.  Tins  mine  is  equipped  with  hoisting 
engine,  boilers,  etc.  According  to  reports  it  is  the  plan  of  the  com- 
pany to  carry  the  slope  to  lower  beds  and  operate  extensively  from 
this  one  slope.  Pumps  are  necessary,  for  water  is  encountered  where 
the  workings  extend  below  the  bed  of  the  creek.  A  force  of  about 
170  men  is  now  employed  at  both  mines,  and  it  is  reported  that  this 
company  has  already  produced  over  15,000  tons  of  coal  for  the  Butte 
market. 
Montana  Coal  and  Iron  Company. — The  mine  of  the  Montana  Coal 
and  Iron  Company  is  located  near  the  center  of  the  W.  J  sec.  6, 
T.  8  S.,  R.  21  E.,  on  a  spur  of  the  Yellowstone  Park  Railroad.  It 
consists  of  a  main  gangway  and  air  course  925  feet  long,  extending 
toward  the  northwest.  Two  entries  run  east,  one  only  a  short  dis- 
tance, the  other  550  feet,  with  19  rooms.  The  mine  is  provided  with 
tipple,  box-car  loader,  shops,  and  necessary  buildings.  About  40 
miners  and  15  outside  men  are  employed.  It  is  reported  that  18,000 
tons  of  run-of-mine  coal  have  been  sold  for  domestic  and  steaming 
purposes,  most  of  which  was  shipped  to  towns  along  the  Northern 
Pacific  Railway. 
