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North Butte Mining Company records, 1905-1934

Overview of the Collection

Creator
North Butte Mining Company
Title
North Butte Mining Company records
Dates
1905-1934 (inclusive)
Quantity
3.5 linear feet
Collection Number
MC 290
Summary
Records of the North Butte Mining Company in Butte, Montana, consist primarily of interoffice correspondence (1906-1910, 1914-1926), general correspondence (1906-1923), and outgoing correspondence (1905-1912). In addition, there are assay reports, minor financial records, legal documents, organizational records, subject files, and miscellany. There is a small subgroup of research materials compiled about the company by Al Hooper, focusing on a scrapbook of clippings about the Granite Mountain Mine explosion of October 1915, and the Granite Mountain Mine fire ("Speculator fire").
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.
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Historical Note

The North Butte Mining Company, in Butte, Montana, was incorporated under Minnesota law on April 1, 1905, by Charles A. Duncan, Louis W. Powell, and Joseph B. Cotton. Capitalization was authorized at $9,000,000, although no more than $6,000,000 was ever actually issued. James Hoatson of Calumet, Michigan, was president of the company with Charles Duncan, Joseph Cotton, and Frederick R. Kennedy, all of Duluth, Minnesota, as officers and Arthur C. Carson as the first general manager.

In 1912 Thomas F. Cole replaced James Hoatson as president. He continued as president until 1919 when Robert Linton took over the presidency. Frederick R. Kennedy served as secretary-treasurer of the company from its inception until the late 1920s. Management of the mines in Butte was conducted by A.C. Carson until 1909 when operation was taken over by John D. Pope. In 1915 Norman B. Braly became general manager with Lester D. Frick as assistant manager.

In June, 1905, the company bought the properties of the Speculator Mining Company which had previously been owned by the P.A. Largey Estate. Among the properties acquired were the Speculator, Edith May, Jessie, Copper Dream, and Miner's Union claims. The company contracted with the Washoe Copper Company to process the copper ore, thus eliminating the need to expend large amounts of money building reduction and smelting facilities. However, the company did need to make significant repairs to the Speculator shaft which was in poor condition. This work included the installation of a new electric hoist. Concentrating on production and development work, the company was immediately on a dividend-paying basis. The first year the mines produced over 30 million pounds of copper worth $5 million and paid dividends of $1 million, an almost unheard of amount for a new mining company. Production hit a peak in 1909 with 33 million pounds of copper and dividends of $1.6 million. By 1911 the investors' $6 million investment in stock had been paid off.

Development work pushed forward rapidly as well. Between the start of the company and 1920, development work averaged about 15,000 feet per year. In 1909 the North Butte purchased the Granite Mountain Mine from the Lewisohn Brothers interests. Over the next 5 years the Granite Mountain shaft was sunk from the initial 500 feet down to 2800 feet, the same level as the Speculator shaft. In 1915, the Granite Mountain shaft became the operating shaft, with the Speculator shaft being maintained as backup and as ventilation.

In 1913 the North Butte Mining Company acquired massive holdings in the East Side Mineral Area. This acquisition more than doubled the number of claims being worked by the company.

In 1915 the company suffered the first of two major disasters. On October 19, 1915, a portion of a shipment of dynamite was ignited accidentally on the surface next to the Granite Mountain shaft, killing 15 miners. On June 9, 1917 a spark ignited a fire at the 2300 foot level of the Granite Mountain shaft. Smoke from the fire quickly spread throughout the mine and approximately 160 miners lost their lives. Because of the joint operation of the Granite Mountain and Speculator mines, the disaster has always been known as the Speculator fire.

Although the company quickly repaired the damage to the Granite Mountain shaft, production never returned to pre-fire levels. After the end of World War I, copper prices dropped dramatically. During the period of 1920 to 1923 the company was operating at a loss, and production was sharply curtailed. In March of 1921 production ceased and the mine closed until June of 1922. From then on the mine produced only sporadically, mostly through leasors. In 1942 the Anaconda Company leased the Speculator and Granite Mountain mines; around 1952 they purchased the property. Much of the company's east side property became part of the Berkeley Pit.

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Content Description

The core of this collection consists of interoffice correspondence (1906-1923) between General Managers A.C. Carson, John D. Pope, and Norman B. Braley, in Butte, Montana, and Presidents Thomas F. Cole and Robert Linton and Secretary-Treasurer F.R. Kennedy in Duluth, Minnesota, and New York. The correspondence includes annual and quarterly reports and weekly letters, all describing development work and production in considerable detail. The remainder of the interoffice correspondence deals with general problems of operation of the mines.

The general correspondence (1906-1907, 1914-1926) includes letters with the Anaconda Copper Mining Company about the processing of ore, letters with equipment suppliers, correspondence with other mining companies about labor management issues, applications for employment, letters from former employees inquiring about back pay, World War I letters, and a wide variety of other letters. Of special interest are files of letters inquiring about possible victims of the Granite Mountain and Speculator disasters.

There are two letterpress books of outgoing correspondence (1909-1912), which include weekly letters and quarterly reports to the president. There is one folder of photocopies of outgoing correspondence (1905-1906).

In addition, there are a small number of assay reports, ore shipment statements, and estimates of ore reserves; miscellaneous financial records including invoices, freight bills, taxes, and cost sheets; two agreements (1919, 1920) involving labor relations; lists of mining claims; articles of incorporation, a directors' resolution, and stock certificates; an annual report (1929) [other years are in Library]; subject files; and miscellany.

There is a small subgroup of material concerning the North Butte Mining Company compiled by Al Hooper, including a scrapbook of clippings about the Granite Mountain Mine explosion (1915) and fire (1917).

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Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Use

Researchers must use collection in accordance with the policies of the Montana Historical Society Library & Archives. The Library & Archives 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 Library & Archives. Helena, Montana.

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Administrative Information

Arrangement

This collection is arranged into three subgroups: North Butte Mining Company; Al Hooper Material; and Transfers to other Programs. Each subgroup is arranged by series. Some material housed in Archives map case, and oversize boxes. See inventory below for more information.

Location of Collection

15:2-7; 11:7-5 (Oversize Box)

Acquisition Information

Acquisition information available upon request.

Separated Materials

Mining tools and implements were transferred to the Museum. Photographs, printed material, and maps were transferred to Photo Archives and Library respectively.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

Detailed Description of the Collection

Finding aid prepared by Ellie Arguimbau; Updated by Aaron Rau
2006; 2024

CC Attribution
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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