Atlantic Cable Quartz Lode
Encyclopedia
The Atlantic Cable Quartz Lode is a gold mine in Deer Lodge County, Montana
. The mine is located in the southwestern area of Montana
, between Drummond
and Anaconda
along the Pintler Scenic Route on Montana Highway 1, east of Georgetown Lake.
The gold mine was named on June 15, 1867, with the name commemorating the completion of the laying of the second transatlantic cable
. The mine's founders were Alexander Aiken, John B. Pearson and Jonas Stough. They were camped on Flint Creek
and their horses had drifted off. In tracking them to this location, the men were led to the discovery of the mine
. Machinery for the first mill
was imported from Swansea, Wales, and moved by wagon team from Corinne, Utah
, the nearest railroad terminal.
In the 19th century, mining was irregular. The town which grew up around the mine, Cable, Montana, boomed and busted four distinct times: 1867-1869, 1873–1878, 1883–1891 and 1902-1940. The Atlantic Cable Quartz Lode mine was operated with varying success until about 1880, when extremely rich ore
was located. A 500-foot piece of ground produced $6,500,000 in gold
. W.A. Clark
paid $19,000 for one chunk of ore
taken from this mine in 1889 and claimed it was the largest gold nugget
ever found.
In 1902, two brothers cleaned up the mine and obtained $18,000 from the first clean up. By 1906, three shifts a day were running in the mill. By 1940, the mine was inactive and has remained that way.
Deer Lodge County, Montana
-National protected areas:*Beaverhead National Forest *Deerlodge National Forest -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 9,417 people, 3,995 households, and 2,524 families residing in the county. The population density was 13 people per square mile . There were 4,958 housing units at an...
. The mine is located in the southwestern area of Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
, between Drummond
Drummond, Montana
Drummond is a town in Granite County, Montana, United States. The population was 318 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Drummond is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , all of it land....
and Anaconda
Anaconda, Montana
Anaconda, county seat of Anaconda City/Deer Lodge County, is located in mountainous southwestern Montana. The Continental Divide passes within 8 miles of the community with the local Pintler Mountain range reaching 10,379 feet...
along the Pintler Scenic Route on Montana Highway 1, east of Georgetown Lake.
The gold mine was named on June 15, 1867, with the name commemorating the completion of the laying of the second transatlantic cable
Transatlantic telegraph cable
The transatlantic telegraph cable was the first cable used for telegraph communications laid across the floor of the Atlantic Ocean. It crossed from , Foilhommerum Bay, Valentia Island, in western Ireland to Heart's Content in eastern Newfoundland. The transatlantic cable connected North America...
. The mine's founders were Alexander Aiken, John B. Pearson and Jonas Stough. They were camped on Flint Creek
Flint Creek
Flint Creek is a major tributary along the Tennessee River that flows from its headwaters in northern Cullman County to Wheeler Lake in Morgan County, Alabama in Decatur...
and their horses had drifted off. In tracking them to this location, the men were led to the discovery of the mine
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
. Machinery for the first mill
Stamp mill
A stamp mill is a type of mill machine that crushes material by pounding rather than grinding, either for further processing or for extraction of metallic ores. Breaking material down is a type of unit operation....
was imported from Swansea, Wales, and moved by wagon team from Corinne, Utah
Corinne, Utah
Corinne is a city in Box Elder County, Utah, United States. The population was 685 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Corinne is located at ....
, the nearest railroad terminal.
In the 19th century, mining was irregular. The town which grew up around the mine, Cable, Montana, boomed and busted four distinct times: 1867-1869, 1873–1878, 1883–1891 and 1902-1940. The Atlantic Cable Quartz Lode mine was operated with varying success until about 1880, when extremely rich ore
Ore
An ore is a type of rock that contains minerals with important elements including metals. The ores are extracted through mining; these are then refined to extract the valuable element....
was located. A 500-foot piece of ground produced $6,500,000 in gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
. W.A. Clark
William Andrews Clark
William Andrews Clark, Sr. was an American politician and entrepreneur, involved with mining, banking, and railroads.-Biography:...
paid $19,000 for one chunk of ore
Ore
An ore is a type of rock that contains minerals with important elements including metals. The ores are extracted through mining; these are then refined to extract the valuable element....
taken from this mine in 1889 and claimed it was the largest gold nugget
Gold nugget
A gold nugget is a naturally occurring piece of native gold. Watercourses often concentrate and grow the nuggets. Nuggets are recovered by placer mining, but they are also found in residual deposits where the gold-bearing veins or lodes are weathered...
ever found.
In 1902, two brothers cleaned up the mine and obtained $18,000 from the first clean up. By 1906, three shifts a day were running in the mill. By 1940, the mine was inactive and has remained that way.
See also
- Gold mining in the United StatesGold mining in the United StatesGold mining in the United States has taken place continually since the discovery of gold at the Reed farm in North Carolina in 1799. The first documented occurrence of gold was in Virginia in 1782...
- Gold prospectingGold prospectingGold prospecting is the act of searching for new gold deposits. Methods used vary with the type of deposit sought and the resources of the prospector...
- Gold rushGold rushA gold rush is a period of feverish migration of workers to an area that has had a dramatic discovery of gold. Major gold rushes took place in the 19th century in Australia, Brazil, Canada, South Africa, and the United States, while smaller gold rushes took place elsewhere.In the 19th and early...
- William Andrews ClarkWilliam Andrews ClarkWilliam Andrews Clark, Sr. was an American politician and entrepreneur, involved with mining, banking, and railroads.-Biography:...