Walter C. Giebel papers, 1937-1978

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Giebel, Walter C., 1888-1978
Title
Walter C. Giebel papers
Dates
1937-1978 (inclusive)
Quantity
3.5 linear feet of shelf space
Collection Number
MC 189 (collection)
Summary
Walter Giebel was a Montana mining investor and businessman. His papers (1937-1978) include incoming and outgoing correspondence dealing with mining and ore processing, patents, political and monetary policies for the state, and the history of Nelson, Wisconsin; financial records; legal documents; maps; production records for the Gulf Claim and the Star Mine of Neihart, the Hilger Ore Milling Company of Lewistown, and the Tamarack Mine near Sheridan; writings; clippings; and miscellany. Also included are subgroups for the Green-Campbell Mining Company and the Montana Western Mining Company.
Repository
Montana Historical Society, Library & Archives
Montana Historical Society Research Center Archives
225 North Roberts
PO Box 201201
Helena MT
59620-1201
Telephone: 4064442681
Fax: 4064445297
mhslibrary@mt.gov
Access Restrictions

Collection open for research.

Languages
English
Sponsor
Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

Walter C. Giebel was born in Nelson, Wisconsin, on September 20, 1888, the son of Edmund Giebel, a banker and merchant. Walter studied mechanical engineering at the University of Wisconsin. He and his brother Raymond left Wisconsin about 1912 to haul freight from Malta to Zortman and Landusky, Montana. When this proved unprofitable due to bad roads, the brothers homesteaded near Big Sandy. They also hired out with their Big Four tractor in 1913 to plow land for neighboring farmers. When the two brothers registered for service in World War I, Edmund Giebel moved to Big Sandy to look after his sons' homestead. World War I was over, however, before Walter could be called into service. Edmund bought a Ford dealership in Big Sandy, where Walter worked for many years as a mechanic.

In the summer of 1937 Walter Giebel formed a partnership with his sister's husband John H. Patterson, of Nashua, Montana, to work the Green-Campbell Mine near Silver Star in Madison County. The Green-Campbell had been located in 1867, and was a major gold-producer. A ten-stamp mill was built in 1868. In 1938 Giebel and Patterson brought in several other men including Adolph F. Chan of Nashua, and C.L. Hober of Great Falls, and formed the Green-Campbell Mining Company, with Chan serving as president and Giebel as general manager. In August 1942, the War Production Board (WPB) ordered the shut-down of all gold mining operations. When the Montana Supreme Court ruled that the company could not make a claim for damages against the WPB, the company's assets lost their value.

In November 1943, Giebel, C.L. Hober, and George E. Hurd formed the Montana Western Mining Company to operate the Emma Mine for strategic minerals at Rochester near Twin Bridges. This company operated until the end of the war.

After World War II Giebel worked as a mineral dressing engineer for various mining companies, including the U.S. Gold Corporation (1954); the Victoria Mine west of Silver Star (1959-1967); the Rico Argentine Mining Company in Rico, Colorado; and several companies in Arizona and Mexico. He also taught at the Montana School of Mines in Butte. Giebel was very active in developing theoretical solutions to ore processing and sampling problems. Shortly before his death he designed and supervised construction of the Hilger Mill in Lewistown.

Giebel died on May 2, 1978, at the age of 89.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

This collection consists of three subgroups. The W.C. Giebel Subgroup consists of incoming and outgoing correspondence (1955-1978) dealing with mining and ore processing matters, patents, political and monetary policy, and the history of Nelson, Wisconsin; financial records (1946-1978); legal documents (1969, 1974); maps (undated); production records (1947-1977) from several mining properties, including the Gulf Claim and the Star Mine of Neihart, the Hilger Ore Milling Company of Lewistown, and the Tamarack Mine near Sheridan; writings (1959-1962) on monetary policy; clippings; and miscellany. The Green-Campbell Mining Company Subgroup contains financial records (1937-1970); legal documents (1969); production records (1937-1942); an oversize map (circa 1939) of the workings of the Eagle Shaft; and miscellany. The Montana Western Mining Company Subgroup consists of a time book (1943-1944) and other financial information; and by-laws (1943). Printed material has been transferred to the Library.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

Researchers must use collection in accordance with the policies of the Montana Historical Society. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all materials in the collection. In some cases permission for use may require additional authorization from the copyright owners. For more information contact an archivist.

Preferred Citation

Item description and date. Collection Title. Collection Number. Box and Folder numbers. Montana Historical Society Research Center, Archives, Helena, Montana.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

Arranged by subgroup and series. Some material housed in Manuscript Volumes and Archives Map Case. See inventory below for more information.

Location of Collection

11:8-7

Location of Collection

146:1-2 (volumes 1-8)

Acquisition Information

Acquisition information available upon request

Separated Materials

Printed material separated to Library. See inventory below for more information.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection

Walter C. Giebel Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Incoming Correspondence
Box/Folder
1 / 1
Equipment Engineers Inc., Krebs Engineers (re use of Krebs Cyclones at Tamarack Mill)
1964, 1972, 1977
1 / 2
A-V (correspondents include J.K. Archibald, C.M. Bennett, Ken Bondurant, G.H. Bryant, William E. Cullen, Galigher Company, Roselle Girard, Goodall Brothers, Joy Manufacturing Company, Lincoln National Life Foundation, Ray Lopata, Glenn L. Pearson, Robert N. Richey, V. Hugo Schmidt, W.G. Taburt, F.J. Wattrick)
1952-1977
Outgoing Correspondence
Box/Folder
1 / 3-8
Chronological
1955-1978
1 / 9
Fragments
undated
Financial Records
Box/Folder
1 / 10
Checkstubs
1949-1950, 1956-1957
1 / 11
Hilger Ore Milling Company accounts
1976-1978
1 / 12
Ledger (used for Giebel and Patterson, U.S. Gold Corporation, and Walter C. Giebel Individual Proprietorship)
1946-1974
1 / 13
Personal income, expenses, taxes, etc.
RESTRICTED
1957-1974, undated
1 / 14
Miscellaneous
1916-1977
1 / 15
Certificate of location for Dian Extension #2 Quartz Lode Claim
1969
Maps
Box/Folder
2 / 1
Proposed road in Maiden Canyon to War Eagle Mine
undated
Printed Material
Box/Folder
2 / 2
List of printed materials transferred to Library
Production Records
Box/Folder
2 / 3
Ball Mill discharge
1947, undated
2 / 4
Gilt Edge ore testing
1977
2 / 5
Gulf Claim (Neihart) ore testing
1969-1970
2 / 6
Hilger Ore Milling Company Inc. (Lewistown) ore testing, etc. (also includes Abbott ore)
1976-1977
2 / 7
Johnson ore amalgamation (includes design of stabilizer)
1965
2 / 8
John T. Potts (Silver Star) ore testing, etc.
1967
2 / 9
Star Mine (Neihart) testing, development notes, etc.
1970
2 / 10
W.G. Tabert (Grantsdale) ore testing etc.
1963
2 / 11
Tamarack Mill and Benz Mine (Sheridan) ore testing
1966-1967
2 / 12
Tamarack Mill (Sheridan) record
1963
2 / 13
Tamarack Mill (Sheridan) work log
1962-1967
2 / 14
Tamarack Mine (Sheridan) ore sampling, notes, etc.
1963-1966
2 / 15
Tamarack Mine (Sheridan) pit ore processed
1963
2 / 16
Victoria Mines Inc. (Silver Star) mill reports by John T. Potts
1948-1950, 1954
2 / 17
Miscellaneous tests, samples, etc.
undated
Reports
Box/Folder
2 / 18
"Flotation investigation, north vein ore of Mitchell Mining Company"
1954
2 / 19
"Investigation of the Star Mine, Neihart District, Cascade County, Mont." by J.A. Herdlick
1949
2 / 20
"Laboratory flotation: preliminary investigation on a Pb-Zn-Ag dump ore" by George D. Gale, Mineral Research Center
1975
2 / 21
"Little Rockies Mining and Development Co., Landusky, Montana" by the Galigher Company
1955
2 / 22
"Report covering flotation test work on a sample of lead, zinc and pyrite ore from the Rico Argentine Mine..." by the Galigher Company
1955
2 / 23
"Report on concentration of a gold-bearing ore from the Hawkeye Mine, Little Rockies Mining District, Zortman, Mont." by D.W. McGlashan
1954
2 / 24
"Report on concentration of silver-lead-zinc ores from the Star Mine, Neihart, Montana" by Walter C. Giebel
1971
2 / 25
"Report on pH control as applied to ore flotation"
undated
2 / 26
Rico Argentine Mill operating reports by Walter C. Giebel
1966
2 / 27
"Synopsis of report on Mt. St. Helens Consolidated Mining Co," [incomplete]
undated
2 / 28
"Tamarack mine and mill, Sheridan, Mont." by Walter C. Giebel
circa 1963
2 / 29
Miscellaneous reports by University of Texas, Bureau of Economic Geology and Texas Business Review
1929-1942, 1965
Writings
Box/Folder
2 / 30
"Petition and mandate of the people of this United States...." (re monetary policy)
1959, 1962
2 / 31
"The Story of the dead horse" (re monetary policy)
1959
Miscellany
Box/Folder
2 / 32
East Helena smelter, American Smelting and Refining Company open schedule for ores and concentrates
1948
3 / 1
Invention of mineral dressing device
1967
3 / 2
Notebook (includes notes on technical processes; Hilger Ore Testing Company prices, inventory, etc.)
1965-1976
3 / 3
Sketches (tailings dams; American Boundary Expedition, Gila River, 1850)
undated
3 / 4
Theoretical notes on reagents, sampling, etc.
undated
3 / 5
Titration of SO2H2O solution
undated
3 / 6
William Tungsten Company payroll and earnings record
1953-1954
Clippings
Box/Folder
3 / 7
Congressional Record articles (re sea-thermal power, geothermal power, Industrial Reorganization Act)
1971-1972

Green-Campbell Mining Company Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Financial Records
Box/Folder
3 / 8
Expenses, stock subscriptions, etc.
1930-1970, undated
Volume
1-6
Journals (Giebel and Patterson partnership begins January 1947)
1937-1969
Box/Folder
3 / 9
Ledger (includes general and petty ledger)
1938-1947
3 / 10
Ledger (includes stockholders, employees)
1938-1940
4 / 1
Ledger (includes employees' and companies' accounts)
1939-1940
4 / 2
Net operating gain and loss record (also includes stock purchases 1974, patent expenses 1964-1974)
1957-1974
4 / 3
John M. Patterson time sheets
1958
4 / 4-6
Time books
1940-1943
4 / 7
Victory tax withholding records
RESTRICTED
1943
Legal Documents
Box/Folder
4 / 8
Mining lease and option between Mildred Patterson and Pioneer Nuclear, Inc. on Virginia and South Virginia placer lode claims; (includes related correspondence)
1974
4 / 9
Mine lease agreements on Green-Campbell Mine
1969
Maps
Oversize Folder
MC 182-194
Eagle Shaft workings [Archives Map Case see folder MC 182-194]
circa 1939
Production Records
Box/Folder
4 / 10
Eagle Shaft sampling
1938
4 / 11
Gold and silver shipments and returns
1940-1942
5 / 1
Mill and mine samples
1938-1942
5 / 2
Mill operations, orders of day, and operator's reports
1939-1941
5 / 3
Mill reports
1939-1940
5 / 4-5
Mill sample books
1940-1942
5 / 6
Ore shipments and receipts
1939-1943
Volume
7-8
Ore treatment books
1940-1942
Box/Folder
5 / 7
Sampler statements from Washoe Sampler
1937-1938
5 / 8
Sampling
1940-1942
Miscellany
Box/Folder
5 / 9
Green-Campbell Mining Company claim for restoration of assets lost under War Production Board order
1942-1953

Montana Western Mining Company Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Financial Records
Box/Folder
5 / 10
Emma Mine employee wage and withholding information
1943-1944
5 / 11
Emma Mine time book
1943-1944
Organizational Records
Box/Folder
5 / 12
By-laws
1943

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Gold mines and mining--Montana
  • Mines and mineral resources--Montana--Madison County
  • Mining engineering
  • Monetary policy
  • Ore-dressing
  • Patents
  • Stamp mills--Montana

Personal Names

  • Giebel, Walter C., 1888-1978 (creator)

Geographical Names

  • Madison County (Mont.)--Industries
  • Neihart (Mont.)--Industries
  • Silver Star (Mont.)--Industries