Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
American Gem Mining Syndicate Records, 1901-1935
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- American Gem Mining Syndicate
- Title
- American Gem Mining Syndicate Records
- Dates
-
1901-1935 (inclusive)19011935
- Quantity
- 2.5 linear feet of shelf space
- Collection Number
- MC 310
- Summary
- The American Gem Mining Syndicate was a Philipsburg, Montana, sapphire mining company. Records include interoffice correspondence (1903-1935), general correspondence (1902-1929), court papers (1906-1915), employment records (1912-1930), financial records (1904-1930), legal documents (1903-1907), organizational records (1901), and production records (1911-1914). [Maps were transferred to Library Map Catalog].
- 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 - Languages
- English
- Sponsor
- Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Historical NoteReturn to Top
The American Gem Mining Syndicate was incorporated on August 10, 1901, by David Jankower, owner of several Philipsburg area sapphire mining claims; and Auguste B. Ewing, Paul A. Fusz, Moses Rumsey, and Charles D. McLure, St. Louis, Missouri, businessmen who had extensive holdings in Philipsburg area mines. The main corporate offices were in St. Louis. The company was capitalized at $300,000, with Jankower initially owning all but four of the shares. Among the broad powers claimed by the company were purchasing and developing mining claims, building water flumes, and maintaining lapidary and stone cutting facilities. The basic aim of the company was to mine and market the sapphires from several mining claims in Sapphire, Anaconda, Myers, and Wildcat gulches on Rock Creek southwest of Philipsburg. Sapphires were first discovered in the Rock Creek drainages by gold prospectors in 1892. The claims were purchased by the American Gem Mining Syndicate in 1903. The bulk of the output was shipped to the company's factory in Geneva, Switzerland, run by Eugene Deschusses, for use in Swiss watches. Smaller amounts were used for industrial bearings and for jewelry. In 1912 the company built a 30 mile long flume to provide water for hydraulic mining of the sapphires. The company mined sapphires commercially until 1926. After that natural sapphires began to be replaced for industrial use by artificial sapphires. The company sold the property in 1936 to Charles Carrp and J.W. Kaiser, and ceased its legal existence on August 10, 1941.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
Records consist predominantly of interoffice correspondence (1903-1935) between the mine offices in Philipsburg and the home office in St. Louis. Correspondents include David Jankower, general superintendent; John R. Lucas, Montana agent for the company; and corporate officers Paul A. Fusz, Charles G. Ewing, George Zehnder, and L.M. Rumsey Jr. In addition there is general correspondence (1903-1929) with the Swiss factory, foremen at the mines, contractors building the flume, government agencies, and others. Court papers consist of an appeal of a United States Land Office order. Employment records include time sheets and time checks (1912-1930). Financial records include a letterpress volume (1906-1912) containing a variety of records; and scattered bills, freight bills, orders, etc. Legal documents (1903-1907) consist of mineral applications and an affidavit of lease. Organizational records consist of articles of incorporation (1901) copied from records of the Secretary of State's Office. Production records include reports (1912) on flume construction and reports (1911, 1914) on shipment of sapphires.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection
Interoffice Correspondence Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1 / 1-12 | Home Office (correspondents
include Paul A. Fusz, David Jankower, George S. Zehnder, John R. Lucas)
|
1903-1908 |
| 2 / 1-15 | Home Office (correspondents
include Paul A. Fusz, George S. Zehnder, John R. Lucas, Lewis M. Rumsey Jr.,
Charles G. Ewing) |
1909-1917 |
| 3 / 1-10 | Home Office (correspondents
include Charles G. Ewing, Jesse B. Mellor, Dan Smith, W.T. Terrell, Leigh
Wyman, Joseph C. Yob) |
1918-1935 |
| 3 / 11-12 | Home Office (telegrams)
|
1906-1930 |
General Correspondence Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 3 / 13 | Alexander Milburn Company
|
1916-1926 |
| 3 / 14 | American Spiral Pipe Works
|
1913-1926 |
| 3 / 15 | Anaconda Copper Mining
Company |
1914-1926 |
| 3 / 16 | A (corresondents include
American Concentrator Company, American Forestry Association, American Wood
Pipe Company, E. Amerine, Percy Anderson, R.W. Angevine, W.J. Attwood)
|
1906-1919 |
| 3 / 17 | Oral J. Berry |
1912-1915 |
| 3 / 18 | Britton and Gray, Attorneys
|
1908-1915 |
| 3 / 19 | Frank D. Brown (includes
Henderson Mining Company, Charles D. McLure Gold Mines, Basin Gulch Syndicate)
|
1903, 1906 |
| 3 / 20 | B (correspondents include
Baker Iron Works, Mary I. Baker, Thomas T. Baker, Lewis Barnes, Bethlehem
Shipbuilding Corp., Big Blackfoot Milling Company, Peter Breen, W.F. Brunne,
Buffalo Steam Pump Company, F. Burmaster) |
1906-1926 |
| 3 / 21 | Cheatham and Blakeslee
(includes C.W. Cheatham and E.H. Blakeslee, re building flume) |
1912-1916 |
| 3 / 22 | Continental Oil Company
|
1907-1917 |
| 3 / 23 | E.A. Cradle, surveyor
|
1906-1915 |
| 3 / 24 | C (correspondents include
B.E. Calkins Company, Carbic Manufacturing Company, D.A. Carey, J.J.
Carmichael, M.E. Craddock) |
1907-1926 |
| 4 / 1 | Daly Bank and Trust Company
|
1904-1917 |
| 4 / 2 | Deer Lodge County offices
|
1906-1917 |
| 4 / 3 | Eugene Deschusses (Geneva,
Switzerland) |
1903-1917 |
| 4 / 4 | DeForest Don |
1910-1911 |
| 4 / 5 | Downing's Foreign Express
(re shipping sapphires to Switzerland) |
1902-1916 |
| 4 / 6 | D-F (correspondents include
John H. Dalton, Denver Engineering Works, Denver Fire Clay Company, E. Donlan,
Perien S. Dudley, Edison Phonograph Works, E. Erikson, A.A. Fairbairn, Flint
Creek Telephone Company, Jacob Franzman) |
1903-1917 |
| 4 / 7 | Granite County offices
|
1906-1921 |
| 4 / 8 | G (correspondents include
General Electric Company, Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, Gorham-Revere
Rubber Company, Great Western Machinery Company) |
1908-1918 |
| 4 / 9 | H-I (correspondents include
R. Hardesty Manufacturing Company, Herbert Hartley, Henry Heil Chemical
Company, William E. Hidden, R.J. Hoffma, E.I. Holland, A. Hollingsworth, A.M.
Holter Hardware Company, W.T. Hoskinson, C.W. Hunt Company, Edwin T. Irvine,
Mike Iverson) |
1903-1923 |
| 4 / 10 | J.M. Jamieson |
1906-1912 |
| 4 / 11 | J-L (correspondents include
Japanese Labor Association, John B. Johnson, Jones and Johnston, Ed Kahoe,
Keuffel & Esser Company, Fred R. Kneip, Howard E. Law, Lewis Jewelers
Supply Company, Thomas Long, Lorado Gold Mines and Mills Company, Louisiana
Purchase Exposition, Lyster Brothers) |
1903-1926 |
| 4 / 12 | Missoula Mercantile Company
|
1906-1915 |
| 4 / 13 | Montana Industrial Accident
Board |
1915-1929 |
| 4 / 14-15 | W.E. Moore, company attorney
|
1906-1916 |
| 4 / 16-17 | Cyrus J. Morgan |
1906-1916 |
| 4 / 18 | M (correspondents include
Ernst F. Maehl, D.N. McDonald, Dan McGillis, Catherine McGurk, Sally Mellon,
George Metcalf, Arthur A. Miller, C.P. Miller and Company, Montana Fish and
Game Commission, Montana Secretary of State, Montana State Boiler Inspector,
W.M. Montgomery and Company, Mountaineer Welders Supply Company) |
1903-1924 |
| 4 / 19 | Northern Pacific Railway
Company |
1905-1906 |
| 4 / 20 | N-O (correspondents include
National Tank and Pipe Company, New York and New Jersey Lubricant Company, New
York Cordage Company, Northern Handle Company, Nott-Attwater Company, E.
Osland) |
1907-1926 |
| 4 / 21 | W.L Packer |
1912 |
| 4 / 22 | W.W. Pennington |
1910-1915 |
| 4 / 23 | P (correspondents include Al
Peterson, Philipsburg Stock Association, Pierce's Gold Separator and
Amalgamator, C.N. Pullar) |
1907-1925 |
| 4 / 24 | William Queener |
1908-1916 |
| 4 / 25 | R (correspondents include
G.E. Rasmussen, W.H. Reid, R.J. Riley, V.H. Robinson, Thomas S. Rodgers, L.M.
Rumsey Manufacturing Company, Joseph T. Ryerson and Son) |
1903-1912 |
| 4 / 26 | A.H. Sandin |
1910 |
| 4 / 27-29 | Joseph Sorenson |
1906-1913 |
| 4 / 30 | S-T (correspondents include
S.R. Seelos, S.C. Snavely, Ralph Stanfield, Stearns-Roger Manufacturing
Company, Strassberger and Baker, E.E. Thibault, G.W. Thomas, Twin City
Equipment Company) |
1903-1925 |
| 5 / 1 | Union Carbide Sales Company
|
1912-1919 |
| 5 / 2-4 | United States Forest Service
(includes timber sale applications, grazing permits, reports of timber cut,
etc.) |
1906-1926 |
| 5 / 5 | United States General Land
Office and local land offices |
1904-1916 |
| 5 / 6 | United States Surveyor
General |
1906-1915 |
| 5 / 7 | United States government
offices (various) |
1911-1912 |
| 5 / 8 | U-V (correspondents include
United States Fidelity and Guaranty Company, United States Steel Products
Company, Valley Mercantile Company [re flume builders]) |
1906-1925 |
| 5 / 9 | Walker Commercial Company
(re employee accounts) |
1906-1913 |
| 5 / 10 | N.D. Warner, Contractor (re
flume) |
1912 |
| 5 / 11 | W-Y (correspondents include
Western Employment Agency, Western Iron Works, Western Montana National Bank,
Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company, Willard Storage Battery
Company, Conrad Wipf, Forest Wyman) |
1903-1926 |
Court Papers Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 5 / 12 | United States Land Office
affidavits and appeal of order |
1906, 1912-1915 |
Employment Records Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 5 / 13 | Time sheets and time checks
[scattered] |
1912-1930 |
Financial Records Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 5 / 14 | Accounts payable
|
1920-1921 |
| 5 / 15 | Bank deposits [scattered]
|
1904-1922 |
| 5 / 16 | Bills and invoices (local
stores: scattered) |
1911-1930 |
| 5 / 17 | Bills and invoices
(out-of-town suppliers: scattered) |
1916-1930 |
| 5 / 18 | Bills and invoices (Walker
Commercial Company: employee accounts, scattered) |
1906-1921 |
| 5 / 19-20 | Financial reports (includes
reports of sapphires shipped, orders for supplies, etc.) [letterpress volume
and loose sheets] |
1906-1913 |
| 6 / 1 | Freight bills / bills of
lading |
1916-1926 |
| 6 / 2 | Inventory of machinery
|
1913 |
| 6 / 3 | Invoice lists [scattered]
|
1912-1919 |
| 6 / 4-5 | Orders for supplies
|
1906-1916, n.d. |
| 6 / 6 | Taxes |
1911-1924 |
| 6 / 7 | Miscellaneous (includes
telephone reports, lists of supplies, lumber supplied, accounts, labor costs of
different operations, wage rates, livestock on hand) |
mostly undated |
Legal Documents Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 6 / 8 | Mineral applications;
affidavit of lease |
1903-1907 |
Organization Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 6 / 9 | Articles of incorporation
[photocopied from Secretary of State's records] |
1901 |
Production Records Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 6 / 10 | Flume construction by E.E.
Rhudy and G.E. Rasmussen |
1912 |
| 6 / 11 | Sapphires shipped and on
hand |
1911, 1914 |
Transfers to Other Programs Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 6 / 12 | List of maps transferred to
Library Map Collection |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- ASSAYING
- Ditches
- FLUMES
- Industrial safety
- Mines and mineral resources--Montana--Granite County
- Sapphire mines and mining
Geographical Names
- Clocks and watches--Switzerland
- Granite County (Mont.)
- Philipsburg (Mont.)
April 21, 2015
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
