Montana Historical Society, Research Center
ArchivesArchives
MC 57
Alice Gold and Silver Mining
Company
Alice Gold and Silver Mining Company
records
1877-1930
9.8 linear feet of shelf space, 18 oversized volumes
The Alice Gold and Silver Mining Company was a gold and
silver mining operation in Walkerville, Montana. Its headquarters were in Salt Lake City,
Utah. The records consist primarily of letterpress volumes of outgoing correspondence from
Walkerville mine superintendents to Salt Lake City company officials. Also included are
organizational materials, financial records, productions records, and legal files.
4:2-4
152:2-1 (Volumes 1-18)
English
In 1875, Marcus Daly purchased mining property north of Butte, Montana Territory, for four
Walker brothers in Salt Lake City, Utah. Three years later, the Alice Gold and Silver Mining
Company organized, with Joseph R. Walker as president and Marcus Daly as superintendent of
the Walkerville operations. In 1880, Daly withdrew from the Alice and bought into the
Anaconda Mine. Walker served as president until his death in 1901 when his brother, Matthew
H. Walker, succeeded him. During these formative years, the Walker brothers invested in new
machinery and enlarged the Alice's production capacity. The company constructed a 60-stamp
mill, considered at the time to be the world's largest dry crushing and chloridizing mill.
These technological improvements proved that, in addition to silver bullion, base ores could
be economically mined. This was a particularly significant development after the Silver
Panic of 1893, when silver prices fell and the Alice management sought profits through the
extraction of zinc. The Anaconda Copper Mining Company acquired majority control of the
Alice Company in 1910, and in 1930, the Alice Gold and Silver Mining Company was dissolved.
This collection is composed primarily of interoffice correspondence and financial records.
The former includes letters between Joseph R. Walker and Matthew H. Walker at the Salt Lake
City company offices and the company superintendents at the mine in Walkerville. These
letters discuss daily operations, national mining issues, equipment used, labor relations,
assay results, dealings with Butte business interests, etc. (1877-1940). In addition, the
collection contains court papers, legal documents, and organizational materials.
Arranged by series. Some material housed in oversize folder in archives map case.
Some material housed in oversized volumes. See inventory below for more information.
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.
Item description and date. Collection Title. Collection Number. Box and Folder numbers.
Montana Historical Society Research Center, Archives, Helena, Montana.
Collection open for research.
Acquisition information available upon request
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the Montana Historical Society
Archives catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places
should search under these terms.
Alice Gold and Silver Mining
Company
Butte (Mont.)--Industries--Mines and mining
Butte (Mont.)--Labor relations
Lexington Mine (Butte, Mont.)
Walkerville (Mont.)
Assaying--Montana--Butte
Gold mines and mining--Montana--Butte
Labor and laboring classes--Montana--Butte
Labor relations--Montana--Butte
Labor unions--Miners
Miners--Montana--Butte
Silver mines and mining--Montana--Butte
Stamp mills--Montana--Butte
Strikes and lockouts--Copper
mining--Montana--Butte
Wages--Montana--Butte
Zinc mines and mining--Montana--Butte
Montana
Business, Industry, and Labor
Labor History
Mines and Mineral Resources
Detailed Description of the Collection
The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection
Interoffice Correspondence
1 / 1-8
Salt Lake City general office to Walkerville office
(correspondents include Joseph R. Walker, president; Matthew H. Walker, treasurer;
Benjamin G. Raybould, secretary)
December 1881- January 1882, December 1882-
January 1884
1 / 9-13
Salt Lake City general office to Walkerville office
(correspondents include Joseph R. Walker, president; Matthew H. Walker, vice
president; James F. Lees, secretary)
January 1887- January 1889
2 / 1-4
Salt Lake City general office to Walkerville office
(correspondents include Joseph R. Walker, president; Matthew H. Walker, vice
president; L.H. Farnsworth, secretary)
January, November 1894- December 1895
2 / 5
Salt Lake City general office to Walkerville office
(correspondents include Joseph R. Walker, president; L.H. Farnsworth, secretary)
February, August, November 1896
2 / 5
Salt Lake City general office to Walkerville office
(correspondents include Joseph R. Walker, president; Matthew H. Walker, vice
president; L.H. Farnsworth, secretary)
February, August, November 1896
2 / 6-10
Salt Lake City general office to Walkerville office
(correspondents include Joseph R. Walker, president; Matthew H. Walker, vice
president; L.H. Farnsworth, secretary)
January 1897- April 1898
3 / 1-9
Salt Lake City general office to Walkerville office
(correspondents include Joseph R. Walker, president; Matthew H. Walker, vice
president; L.H. Farnsworth, secretary)
May 1898- June 1901
3 / 10
Salt Lake City general office to Walkerville office
(correspondents include Matthew H. Walker, president; L.H. Farnsworth, secretary;
Joseph R. Walker, director)
July-December 1901
4 / 1-3
Salt Lake City general office to Walkerville office
(correspondents include Matthew H. Walker, president; Joseph R. Walker, vice
president; L.H. Farnsworth, secretary)
January 1902- June 1903
4 / 4-7
Salt Lake City general office to Walkerville office
(correspondents include Matthew H. Walker, president L.H. Farnsworth, secretary)
July 1903- November 1905
4 / 8
Butte, Great Falls and New York offices to
Walkerville office (correspondents include John D. Ryan, president; J.W. Allen,
treasurer)
1906-1909
4 / 9
Anaconda Copper Mining Company General Office to
Alice Dept. office in Walkerville
1910-1930
5 / 1
Walkerville office to Salt Lake City Office
(letterpress book: correspondents include W. Read, L. Dunn)
September 1877- June 1878
5 / 2
Walkerville office to Salt Lake City Office
(letterpress book: correspondents include W. Read)
March 1879- August 1880
5 / 3
Walkerville office to Salt Lake City Office
(letterpress book: correspondents include William E. Hall, superintendent)
June 1881- August 1882
6 / 1
Walkerville office to Salt Lake City Office
(letterpress book: correspondents include William E. Hall, superintendent)
July 1881- April 1882
6 / 2
Walkerville office to Salt Lake City Office
(letterpress book: correspondents include William E. Hall, superintendent)
September 1882- January 1884
7 / 1-2
Walkerville office to Salt Lake City Office
(letterpress book: correspondent, William E. Hall, superintendent)
January 1884- November 1886
8 / 1-3
Walkerville office to Salt Lake City Office
(letterpress book: correspondent, William E. Hall, superintendent; also includes assay
reports, July-September 1887)
October 1887- August 1889
9 / 1-3
Walkerville office to Salt Lake City Office
(letterpress book: correspondent, William E. Hall, superintendent)
April 1889- August 1890
10 / 1-3
Walkerville office to Salt Lake City Office
(letterpress book: correspondent, William E. Hall, superintendent)
August 1890- December 1892
11 / 1-2
Walkerville office to Salt Lake City Office
(letterpress book: correspondent, William E. Hall, superintendent)
January 1892- November 1893
11 / 3
Miscellaneous [scattered originals]
1886-1906
Incoming Correspondence
11 / 4
Miscellaneous (correspondents include Knowles Steam
Pump Works, George O'Brien)
1883
11 / 5
Miscellaneous (correspondents include Griffith and
Wedge Company, Minnie Moore Mine and Concentrating Works, John M. Kinnear, Phoenix
Steel Broom and Brush Company)
1887
11 / 6
A-I (correspondents include Bi-Metallic Mining
Company, William P. Blake, Blue Bird Mining Company, Butte Boiler Works, Boulder Hot
Springs, William A. Clark, Gilbert Clements, Sol Erickson, Fraser and Chalmers,
Granite Mountain Mining Company, Griffith and Wedge Company, David Hall, F.W. Iredell)
1888
11 / 7
K-W (correspondents include C.B. Kirkland, A.
Kleinschmidt and Company, McCormick and Company bankers, Montana Mineral Land
Association, Montana Union Railway Company, People's Forwarding Company, Phoenix Steel
Broom and Brush Company, Union National Bank, Union Pacific Railway Company)
1888
11 / 8
Miscellaneous (correspondents include Butte Miners
Union, Butte Chamber of Commerce, Montana Union Railway Company)
1889-1894
11 / 9
A-W (correspondents include Anaconda Copper Mining
Company, Crew Levick Company, Diamond Coal and Coke Company, L.C. Trent and Company,
F.G. White)
1896
11 / 10
A-H (correspondents include Anaconda Copper Mining
Company, Alexander Andrews, Butte General Electric Company, William A. Clark's office,
Colorado Smelting and Mining Company, Chrome Steel Works, Crew Levick Company, Diamond
Coal and Coke Company, Divide Lumber Company, John D. Haines, William E. Hall)
1897
11 / 11
L-W (correspondents include Lexington Mine, Montana
Power Company, Montana Union Railway Company, R.H. Officer and Company, Parrot Silver
and Copper Company, L.C. Trent and Company)
1897
12 / 1
A-W (correspondents include Butte and Boston
Consolidated Mining Company, Butte Terminal Association, Thompson Campbell, W.E.
Carroll, Chrome Steel Works, W.A. Clark's office, Diamond Coal and Coke Company,
Granite-BiMetallic Consolidated Mining Company, S.P. Holden, Kemmerer Coal Company,
Lynch and Bacheler, R.A. Reynolds, Charles C. Rueger, Sturtevant Mill Company, L.C.
& S.V. Trent Mining Machinery, W.S. Tyler Wire Works Company, United States Assay
Office, Walker Brothers Bankers, W. Winagar)
1898
12 / 2
A-V (correspondents include Chrome Steel Works, W.A.
Clark's office, A.N. Clement, Granite Bi-Metallic Consolidated Mining Company,
Mountain View Methodist Episcopal Church Building Committee, W.S. Tyler Wire Works
Company)
1899
12 / 3
A-W (correspondents include W.A. Clark's office, .A.
Granite Bi-Metallic Consolidated Mining Company, McHatton and Cotter, Salt Lake
Hardware Company, M.E. Smith, Western Labor Union, Wetherill Separating Company
enclosing assays)
1900
12 / 4
A-W (correspondents include Anaconda Copper Mining
Company, Butte Stationary Engineers' Union, W.A. Clark's office, James R. Hendra, Axel
O. Ihlseng, Midland Smelting Company, Thomas G. Robinson, W.S. Tyler Company, Henry
Williams)
1901
12 / 5
A-W (correspondents include Albemarle Company, W.A.
Clark Jr., International Mining Congress, J.M. Lewis, Richard Lockey re fire at Alice
hoist, Metal Volatization Company, Lewis B. Rogers re hoist fire)
1902
12 / 6
B-W (correspondents include Butte School District 1,
E.J. Lavine and Company, Montana World's Fair Commission, Oregon Short Line Railroad
Company, Payne Separator Company, Refractory Ore Metals Company, United States Assay
Office, United States Census Office)
1903
12 / 7
A-W (correspondents include American Metal Company
Ltd., G.O. Angell enclosing report of C. Gordon Richardson, Butte Blacksmiths and
Helpers' Union, Taylor and Brunton Ore Company, Western Forge Company, C.B. Wisner)
1904
12 / 8
K-N (correspondents include Kirk and Clinton, Mount
Bethel Methodist Episcopal Church, Northern Pacific Railway Company)
1905
12 / 9
A-T (correspondents include Anaconda Copper Mining
Company re taxes on Alice property, Montana Zinc Company, James O'Grady, Morris and
Fay, H. Brownson Smith)
1906
12 / 10
A-P (correspondents include Anaconda Copper Mining
Company re taxes on Alice property; Butte Coalition Mining Company; Pogson, Peloubet
and Company re adjusting Alice books with New York books)
1907-1909
Outgoing Correspondence
12 / 11-12
Letterpress books
1881-1885, 1893
13 / 1
to Clarence B. Wisner, Montana Zinc Company
1905
13 / 2
Miscellaneous
1899-1940
Court Papers
13 / 3
Michael Reynolds vs. Alice Gold and Silver Mining
Company
1899-1900
Financial Records
5
Account ledger
1894-1900
1-4
Assay reports
1883-1885; 1889-1890; 1898-1900
13 / 4-8
Assay reports
1887-1888, 1894-1899
13a / 1-5
Assay reports
1897 ledger unidentified, presumed to be a part of Alice G
1892-1897, 1903-1905
14 / 1-5
Assay reports
1936-1942
14 / 6-8
Bank pass books [17 books]
1885-1908
15 / 1
Bullion receipts
1894, 1898-1899
15 / 2
Cash book
1888-1892
6
Cash book
1908
7
Check stub book
1893
8-11
Day book (company store)
1898-1900, undated
15 / 3
Debit balances
1914
15 / 4
Expenditure reports: abstracts
January - February 1908
15 / 5
Expenditure reports: estimates and statistics
1899-1905
15 / 6-7
Expenditure reports: monthly abstracts
1894, January -March 1898
16 / 1-6
Expenditure reports: monthly abstracts
1898, 1902, 1904
16 / 1-6
Expenditure reports: monthly abstracts
1898, 1902, 1904
17 / 1-3
General ledgers
1896-1899, 1906-1916
12
Grocery Day Book - Andro Maichel & Co. general store
1891-1894
13
Journal entries
1908 January - November
17 / 4
Monthly financial reports
1893-1895
18 / 1-3
Monthly financial reports
1894-1908
19 / 1
Monthly financial reports
1897-1906
19 / 2
Office supply book
1895
19 / 3-6
Operational reports
1917-1919
19 / 7
Order book
1889-1896
19A / 1
Order book
1889-1896
19A / 2
Ore shipment record
1894-1896
20 / 1
Ore ledger
1910-1930
14
Payrolls
1902-1910
15
Payrolls
1906-1908, 1911-1915
20 / 2-3
Payrolls
1907-1908
20 / 4
Price book
circa 1896
20 / 5
Receipts: Alice Hospital Fund; miscellaneous
1889, 1898, 1908-1909
20 / 6
Silver quotations book
1895-1898
20 / 7-10
Statements and invoices
1883-1929
21 / 1
Superintendent's log
1897-1903
21 / 2
Superintendent's log: Lexington Mine
1950-1956
16
Superintendent's Monthly Reports
1884-1887
17
Supplies Log
1901-1905
21 / 3
Tax returns
1937-1938
21 / 4-5
Time books [payroll]
1897-1898, 1935-1939
18
Vouchers
1908-1910
Legal Documents
21 / 6
Abstracts of title
1878-1890
21 / 7
Abstracts of title: Theseus Quartz Claim
1907
21 / 8
Agreements
1884-1905
22 / 1
Deeds
1880-1894
22 / 2
Lease notes [2 notebooks]
1936-1938
22 / 3
Lease reports
1935-1940
22 / 4-5
Patents
1877-1893
1
General Land Office Mineral Certificates
1877-1893
22 / 6
Superintendent's contract book [2 volumes]
1936-1938
22 / 7
Miscellaneous
1881-1904
Organization
22 / 8
Stockholders' lists; minutes of foremen's meetings
1904-1918
Miscellany
23 / 1
Blueprints and diagrams
1895-1906
2
Blueprints
1905
23 / 2
Chicago Iron Works catalog [belonging to William H.
Hall]
1893
23 / 3
Notebook on inspection routes
undated
23 / 4
"Schedule for sulphide silver-lead zinc ores"; notes
on West Saukie Mine
1901, 1925
23 / 5
Miscellaneous
1902, undated