New Mine Sapphire Syndicate Records

New Mine Sapphire Syndicate Records, 1889-1967

Overview of the Collection

Creator: New Mine Sapphire Syndicate
Title: New Mine Sapphire Syndicate Records
Dates: 1889-1967 (inclusive)
18891967
Quantity: 5 linear feet, (10 boxes and 1 oversize box)
Collection Number: Mss 028
Summary: The New Mine Sapphire Syndicate mined sapphires in Utica, Montana, in Judith Basin County. The collection contains the company's governing documents, financial records, correspondence, legal documents and court papers, reports, clippings, publicity and printed materials, and photographs.
Repository: University of Montana, Mansfield Library, Archives and Special Collections
Archives and Special Collections
Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library
University of Montana
32 Campus Dr. #9936
59812-9936
Missoula, MT
Telephone: 406-243-2053
library.archives@umontana.edu
Access Restrictions: Researchers must use collection in accordance with the policies of Archives and Special Collections, the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, and the University of Montana-Missoula.
Languages: English
Sponsor: Funding for creating this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Historic Publications and Records Commission. Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Historical NoteReturn to Top

Originally discovered by prospectors in search of placer gold, the rich sapphire-bearing ledge of Montana was located and claimed by three Montanans in 1896. The New Mine Sapphire Syndicate, based solely on the Yogo Sapphire District near Utica, Montana, in Judith Basin County, was incorporated in 1898. S.S. Hobson served as vice president, and Mathew Dunn and George A. Wells, both Great Falls residents, served respectively as president and secretary-treasurer. Soon after the turn of the century, the corporation came under the control of British investors and was to remain so until 1949. The Yogo mines operated profitably until 1927, when a flash flood destroyed the surface workings of the Syndicate's operation. After that, little was done to exploit the remaining sapphires. In 1956, Thomas Sidwell succeeded in purchasing the controlling interest in the Syndicate. Lack of capital hampered his operations until 1956-1957, when the Syndicate's stock was re-issued and some work resumed at the mine. Law suits, prior claims, poor management, and bad luck combined to ruin the renewed operations of the corporation, and the venture was bankrupt by 1961.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The collection contains the company's governing documents, financial records, correspondence, legal documents and court papers, reports, clippings, publicity and printed materials, and photographs.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

Researchers are responsible for using in accordance with 17 U.S.C. and any other applicable statutes. Copyright not transferred to The University of Montana.

Preferred Citation

[Name of document or photograph number], New Mine Sapphire Syndicate Records, Archives and Special Collections, Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, The University of Montana-Missoula.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

The collection is arranged in ten series:

Series I: Governance and History, 4 folders, 1898-1960

Series II: Correspondence, 1 linear foot, 1898-1963

Series III: Financial Records, 3 linear feet, 1909-1960

Series IV: Court Papers, 4 folders, 1956-1960

Series V: Legal Documents, 4 folders, 1889-1967

Series VI: Reports, 1 folder, 1910-1959

Series VII: Maps and Blueprints, 1 folder, undated

Series VIII: Clippings, 1 folder, 1950-1960

Series IX: Publicity, 2 folders, 1950-1960

Series X: Photographs, 22 items, 1924-1925

Custodial History

The records were in the possession of John Wight and Marvel Lowrance, owners of the Syndicate's assets, until time of donation.

Acquisition Information

Gift of Marvel Lowrance and John Wight, 1970.

Processing Note

The original processors arranged the records in two collections, LC 28 and LC 223, separated photographs to the photograph collection, and produced a finding aid. In 2004, the two collections were combined, photographs were intellectually re-united with the collection, and a new finding aid was produced and encoded.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Series I: Governance and History, 1898-1960Return to Top

4 folders

This series contains documentation on the governance and history of the company. It includes corporate histories written within and without the company, founding documents (articles of incorporation, resolutions), and some minutes of Board of Directors meetings, mostly from the earliest years of the company.

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Box/Folder
1/1	Company history	1956 and undated
1/2	Organization	1898-1948
1/3	Organization	1948-1962
1/4	Board of Directors minutes	1898-1960

Series II: Correspondence, 1898-1963Return to Top

1 linear foot

This series contains incoming and outgoing correspondence from the company.

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Box/Folder
1/5	Correspondence	1898-1899
1/6	Correspondence	1910-1914
1/7	Correspondence	1918-1923
1/8	Correspondence	1924-1927
1/9	Correspondence	1928-1931
1/10	Correspondence	1932-1939
1/11	Correspondence	1945-1951
1/12	Correspondence	1952-1953
1/13	Correspondence	1956
1/14	Correspondence	January-September, 1957
1/15	Correspondence	October-December, 1957
2/1	Correspondence	January-March, 1958
2/2	Correspondence	April-June, 1958
2/3	Correspondence	July-December, 1958
2/4	Correspondence	January-March, 1959
2/5	Correspondence	April-June, 1959
2/6	Correspondence	July-September, 1959
2/7	Correspondence	October-December, 1959
3/1	Correspondence	1960
3/2	Correspondence	1961
3/3	Correspondence	1962
3/4	Correspondence	1963

Series III: Financial Records, 1909-1960Return to Top

3 linear feet

This series contains the company's financial records, including those related to taxes, stockholders, unemployment compensation, operating statements, general ledgers, check stubs, ledgers, and journals. There are also some of Thomas Sidwell's personal financial materials.

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Box/Folder
3/5	Employer's Federal tax returns	1957-1961
3/6	U.S. Corporation Income Tax Returns	1909-1930
3/7	U.S. Corporation Income Tax Returns	1952-1959
3/8	U.S. Income Tax return (Sidwell)	1959
3/9	Montana State Income Tax	1957-1960
3/10	Montana State Income Tax return (Sidwell)	1959
3/11	Montana Corporation License Tax	1921-1930
3/12	Montana Corporation License Tax	1956-1959
3/13	Montana Net Proceeds Tax	1903-1930
3/14	Montana Net Proceeds Tax	1957-1958
3/15	Unemployment Compensation Reports	1957-1960
3/16	Judith Basin County Real Estate Tax	1956-1961
3/17	Annual Report to the Secretary of State of Montana	1956-1961
3/18	Annual Reports	1898-1929
3/19	Stockholders' list	1938
4/1	Stockholders' list	1957-1965
box-volume
11OS/7	Stock Certificates Book	1959-1967
4/1	Register of Shares	1914-1949
Box/Folder
4/2	Cancelled stock certificates	undated
4/3	Cancelled stock certificates	undated
4/4	Stock sales, prospect lists	undated
5/1	Stock subscriptions and sales records	undated
5/2	Stock transfers	1957-1960
5/3	Stock releases	1967
5/4	New Mine properties and titles	undated
box-volume
5/2	General ledger	1914-1936
6/3	General ledger	1958-1960
Box/Folder
6/1	General ledger	1955-1958
6/2	Sapphire Stock inventories	1922-1933
6/3	Accounts payable	1957-1960
6/4	Payroll withholding statements	1957
6/5	Trial balances	1911-1912
6/6	Financial statements	1957-1960
6/7	Operating statements	1919-1932
6/8	Operating statements	1955-1960
6/9	Check stubs	1956-1959
box-volume
7/8	Check stubs	1959-1960
7/9	Check stubs	1959-1960
Box/Folder
7/1	Miscellaneous	1909-1938
7/2	Miscellaneous	1957-1960
box-volume
7/1	Journal	1931-1949
8/4	Private ledger	1922-1953
8/5	Cash book	1911-1936

Series IV: Court Papers, 1956-1960Return to Top

4 folders

This series contains court papers related to a 1956-1960 case, Gadsden vs. New Mine Sapphire Syndicate. At issue were Gadsden's assets after her husband, Charles T. Gadsden (a New Sapphire manager of many years) died in 1954.

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Box/Folder
8/1	Maude Margaret Gadsden Vs. New Mine Sapphire Syndicate	1956-1959
8/2	Maude Margaret Gadsden Vs. New Mine Sapphire Syndicate	1956
9/1	Maude Margaret Gadsden vs. New Mine Sapphire Syndicate	1956-1958
9/2	Maude Margaret Gadsden vs. New Mine Sapphire Syndicate	1959-1960

Series V: Legal Documents, 1889-1967Return to Top

4 folders

This series contains legal documents, including deeds, patents, and materials related to the company's mining claims.

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Box/Folder
9/3	Deeds and Patents	1889-1928
9/4	Agreements	1896-1920
9/5	Miscellaneous	1894-1944
10/1	Mining claims	undated
10/2	Mining claims	undated
10/3	Miscellaneous	undated

Series VI: Reports, 1910-1959Return to Top

1 folder

This series consists of one folder of reports produced or commissioned by the New Mine Sapphire Syndicate. Most relate to mining claims.

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Box/Folder
10/4	Reports	1910-1959

Series VII: Maps and Blueprints, undatedReturn to Top

1 folder

This series consists of two folders of maps and blueprints related to the operations of the New Mine Sapphire Syndicate. Some relate to mining claims, and others are unidentified.

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Box/Folder
10/5 and OS	Maps and Blueprints	undated

Series VIII: Clippings, 1950-1960Return to Top

1 folder

This series contains newspaper and magazine clippings, mostly from Montana publications, about the Yogo sapphires.

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Box/Folder
10/6	Clippings	1950-1960

Series IX: Publications and Publicity, 1950-1960Return to Top

2 folders

This series contains printed and other publicity materials produced by and for the company.

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Box/Folder
10/7	Publications and Publicity	1950-1960
11OS	Publications and Publicity	1950-1960

Series X: Photographs, 1924-1925 and undatedReturn to Top

22 items

This series contains photographs of the New Mine Sapphire Syndicate operation in Utica, Montana. Most were taken around 1924-1925, and show the buildings, mechanicals, and other aspects of the mine site and mining equipment. Several images show damage after floods.

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Box/Folder
10/8	Photographs	undated
	79-0002: Workings at New Mine Sapphire Syndicate, Utica, Montana	circa 1925
	79-0003: Shaft house and compressor house, New Mine Sapphire Syndicate, Utica, Montana	circa 1925
	79-0004: Workings at New Mine Sapphire Syndicate, Utica, Montana	circa 1925
	79-0005: "The shaft house, old blacksmith shop, new blacksmith shop, carpenter shop, railway on left to dump, New Mine Sapphire Syndicate, Utica, Montana"	circa 1925
	79-0006: "Dam no. 1, showing how 1-inch board heave up. 2-inch lay much better. These boards have been in since 1910, but do not rot in lower part of dam where they are wet but do heave up"	1925
	79-0007: "Looking down in the mine"	circa 1925
	79-0008: "Dam no. 1"	1925
	79-0009: New Mine Sapphire Syndicate, Utica, Montana	circa 1925
	79-0010: "Dirt at old camp washed once in 1920, center cut out wider by cloudburst, 1923"	1924
	79-0011: "Wash rock washed [illegible] of first flood"	1924
	79-0012: "Pile under trestle only new dirt left"	1924
	79-0013: New Mine Sapphire Syndicate, Utica, Montana	circa 1925
	79-0014: New Mine Sapphire Syndicate, Utica, Montana	circa 1925
	79-0015: New Mine Sapphire Syndicate, Utica, Montana	circa 1925
	79-0016: New Mine Sapphire Syndicate, Utica, Montana	circa 1925
	79-0017: New Mine Sapphire Syndicate, Utica, Montana	circa 1925
	79-0018: New Mine Sapphire Syndicate, Utica, Montana	circa 1925
	79-0019: New Mine Sapphire Syndicate, Utica, Montana	circa 1925
	79-0020: Sapphires, probably from Yogo mines, near Utica, Montana	undated
	79-0021: "Underground workings" [probably Yogo mines]	undated

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